Lewis Research Group

Research

Modelling Primary Succession on Mount St. Helens (MSH)

Instream Flow Needs (IFN)

Canadian Aquatic Invasive Species Network (CAISN)

Polar Bears (PBR)

Two-cycle Dynamics in Alpine Butterflies (DAB)

Modelling Primary Succession on Mount St. Helens (MSH)

Since the eruption of Mount St. Helens in May 1980, researchers have been monitoring the progression of primary succession on its slopes. Many mechanisms have been proposed to explain how primary succession unfolds, though few have been explored in mechanistic models. Working with MSc student, Justin Marleau, John Bishop of Washington State U and Bill Fagan of the U of Maryland, models have been developed to test the importance of these mechanisms on Mount St Helens. Insights gleamed from these models could one day be applied to restore ecosystems damaged by mining and natural disasters.

Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution CSEE

Publications & Affiliated Researchers

Instream Flow Needs: A Mechanistic Model-based Approach (IFN)

This project focuses on impacts of changing water flow on the biological interactions in Alberta rivers. It is a collaborative venture involving researchers at the Centre: Lewis, graduate student Hannah McKenzie, visiting students Michael Sieber and Nils Kehrein (Osnabrueck, Germany), postdocs Bill Nelson (now a faculty member at Queens) Frank Hilker (now faculty at Bath) and Yu Jin (Alberta), Ed McCauley, Calgary, and Frithjof Lutscher, Ottawa, with funding from AIF fellowships. Funding from Alberta Sustainable Resource Development grant involves additional researchers at Alberta and at Alberta Fish and Wildlife. This year we also received additional major funding from the new Alberta Ingenuity Water Centre as part of a large inter-university collaborative group (Ed McCauley PI).

Publications & Affiliated Researchers

Canadian Aquatic Invasive Species Network (CAISN)

This Canada-wide network of researchers studies spread and control of aquatic invaders. It involves interactions between academics and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and is funded by an NSERC Network grant. Lewis, Lele, visiting student, Meike Wittmann, graduate student Harshana Rajankaruna, postdoc Jim Muirhead, and research associate Alex Potapov are Centre personnel involved in network research. Lewis directs the local research.

Publications & Affiliated Researchers

CAISN Website

Polar Bears (PBR)

Polar Bears (PBR)
A collaborative research venture involving polar scientists (Prof. Andrew Derocher, Biological Sciences, Gregory Thiemann, York University, and Dr. Martyn Obbard, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources), postdoc Péter Molnár, graduate student Marie Auger-Methe, and Lewis.

There are three projects: 1) Mathematical models to predict the effects of a sex-selective harvest on polar bear reproduction and population dynamics; 2) Mathematical models to predict climate warming impacts on polar bear body condition, reproduction and survival; and 3) State-space models to understand polar bear behaviour in relation to sea ice and their prey.

Publications & Affiliated Researchers

News

Two-cycle dynamics in alpine butterflies (DAB)

Mathematical modeling to investigate the maintenance of two-cycle dynamics in the Rocky Mountain Apollo butterfly. Researchers include graduate student Jeanette Wheeler, postdoc Caroline Bampfylde (now a Research Scientist with Alberta Environment), Jens Roland (Biological Sciences), and Mark Lewis.

Publications & Affiliated Researchers

Parasitic Sea Lice in Salmon (SLS)

This work involves researchers from Alberta, Victoria, Salmon Coast Research Station, University of Hawaii and others. Researchers from Alberta include graduate student Marty Krkosek (now at Washington State), Lewis and Subhash Lele, as well as field assistants. The research appeared in a high profile paper in Science that highlighted the effect of disease on salmon population dynamics. Here, the ability to analyze the system using mathematical and statistical models has been key in the ability to understand complex dynamics. The Alberta portion of the research is funded through NSERC, the Pacific Salmon Forum, the MITACS National Centre of Excellence in conjunction with nonacademic participants (NGO and industry partners), and a MITACS Accelerate Internship.

A new subproject, involving graduate student, Jaime Ashander, investigates the evolutionary dynamics of sea lice under pesticide control.

Participants: Marty Krkosek, Mark Lewis, John Volpe; Jaime Ashander

Publications & Affiliated Researchers

Invasive Species Modeling (ISM)

A six-year collaborative research project on bioeconomic models for invasive species that finished July 1, 2008. The project involved over a dozen researchers (biologists, economists and mathematicians), primarily at Notre Dame University, Wyoming University, University of Windsor, and the University of Alberta. It was funded by the US National Science Foundation and by an NSERC Collaborative Research Opportunity Grant.

As well as research papers, an edited volume has been published from this work. Researchers included Lewis, research associate Alex Potapov, graduate students Tomas de Camino Beck (now a postdoc at Penn State), Chris Jerde (now a postdoc at Notre Dame), Jung Min Lee (now a postdoc in Kyushu, Japan), Marty Krkosek (now an NSERC postdoc at Washington), and postdoc Caroline Bampfylde (now a Research Scientist with Alberta Environment).

Publications & Affiliated Researchers

Animal Movement Modelling (AMM)

This work models animal movement, using mechanistically detailed processes describing how animals respond to environmental, resource and conspecific cues. There are a variety of subprojects, ranging from wolf movement in the Alberta foothills, to more abstract models for swarming and group formation. The research is funded by NSERC and PIMS. Centre faculty includes Lewis and de Vries; trainees include PhD Candidates Marie Auger-Methe, Raluca Eftimie (now a postdoc at McMaster) and Hannah McKenzie, postdoc Frederic Hamelin (now a faculty member in Rennes, France) and former postdoc Frithjof Lutscher (now a faculty member at Ottawa). Other participants include Evelyn Merrill and Andrew Derocher (both with Biological Sciences).

Publications & Affiliated Researchers

Infectious Disease Modelling (IDM)

This work models the dynamics of infectious diseases in wildlife and human populations. Diseases include West Nile virus, Feline Immunodifficiency virus, and tuberculosis. Postdoc Frank Hilker (now a faculty member at Bath), Research Associate Marjorie Wonham (now an independent researcher in BC), Lewis, and many external collaborators worked on this research.

Publications & Affiliated Researchers

Mountain Pine Beetle Modeling (MPB)

A three-year collaborative project with members from Renewable Resources (led by Fangliang He), Canadian Forest Service and Math/Stat Sciences (led by Lewis) was funded by the NRCan Mountain Pine Beetle Initiative, and finished in March 2007. The group developed a new computational and statistical predictive model for the spread of MPB, as well as many other quantitative models and publications.

This work led to a new collaboration between Lewis and Canadian Forest Service scientist Barry Cooke and Research Associate Mario Pineda Krch as part of the Alberta MPB Genomics TRIA project. Other UA faculty involved in the project include Subash Lele (Math & Stat Sci), David Coltman, Janice Cooke and Felix Sperling (Biological Sciences).

Funding: NRCan Canadian Forest Service

Publications & Affiliated Researchers

Website

Other

Other projects include modelling species diversity, chaotic dynamical systems in biology, and the theory of differential games in biology.

Publications & Affiliated Researchers

	Research Modelling Primary Succession on Mount St. Helens (MSH) Instream Flow Needs (IFN) Canadian Aquatic Invasive Species Network (CAISN) Polar Bears (PBR) Two-cycle Dynamics in Alpine Butterflies (DAB)	Parasitic S ea Lice in Salmon (SLS) Invasive Species Modeling (ISM) Animal Movement Modelling (AMM) Infectious Disease Modelling (IDM) Mountain Pine Beetle Modeling (MPB) Other (OTH)

	Modelling Primary Succession on Mount St. Helens (MSH) Since the eruption of Mount St. Helens in May 1980, researchers have been monitoring the progression of primary succession on its slopes. Many mechanisms have been proposed to explain how primary succession unfolds, though few have been explored in mechanistic models. Working with MSc student, Justin Marleau, John Bishop of Washington State U and Bill Fagan of the U of Maryland, models have been developed to test the importance of these mechanisms on Mount St Helens. Insights gleamed from these models could one day be applied to restore ecosystems damaged by mining and natural disasters. Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution CSEE Publications & Affiliated Researchers
	Instream Flow Needs: A Mechanistic Model-based Approach (IFN) This project focuses on impacts of changing water flow on the biological interactions in Alberta rivers. It is a collaborative venture involving researchers at the Centre: Lewis, graduate student Hannah McKenzie, visiting students Michael Sieber and Nils Kehrein (Osnabrueck, Germany), postdocs Bill Nelson (now a faculty member at Queens) Frank Hilker (now faculty at Bath) and Yu Jin (Alberta), Ed McCauley, Calgary, and Frithjof Lutscher, Ottawa, with funding from AIF fellowships. Funding from Alberta Sustainable Resource Development grant involves additional researchers at Alberta and at Alberta Fish and Wildlife. This year we also received additional major funding from the new Alberta Ingenuity Water Centre as part of a large inter-university collaborative group (Ed McCauley PI). *Publications & Affiliated Researchers*	Return to top of page
	Canadian Aquatic Invasive Species Network (CAISN) This Canada-wide network of researchers studies spread and control of aquatic invaders. It involves interactions between academics and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and is funded by an NSERC Network grant. Lewis, Lele, visiting student, Meike Wittmann, graduate student Harshana Rajankaruna, postdoc Jim Muirhead, and research associate Alex Potapov are Centre personnel involved in network research. Lewis directs the local research. *Publications & Affiliated Researchers* CAISN Website	Return to top of page
	Polar Bears (PBR) Polar Bears (PBR) A collaborative research venture involving polar scientists (Prof. Andrew Derocher, Biological Sciences, Gregory Thiemann, York University, and Dr. Martyn Obbard, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources), postdoc Péter Molnár, graduate student Marie Auger-Methe, and Lewis. There are three projects: 1) Mathematical models to predict the effects of a sex-selective harvest on polar bear reproduction and population dynamics; 2) Mathematical models to predict climate warming impacts on polar bear body condition, reproduction and survival; and 3) State-space models to understand polar bear behaviour in relation to sea ice and their prey. Publications & Affiliated Researchers *News*


	Two-cycle dynamics in alpine butterflies (DAB) Mathematical modeling to investigate the maintenance of two-cycle dynamics in the Rocky Mountain Apollo butterfly. Researchers include graduate student Jeanette Wheeler, postdoc Caroline Bampfylde (now a Research Scientist with Alberta Environment), Jens Roland (Biological Sciences), and Mark Lewis. Publications & Affiliated Researchers	Return to top of page
	Parasitic Sea Lice in Salmon (SLS) This work involves researchers from Alberta, Victoria, Salmon Coast Research Station, University of Hawaii and others. Researchers from Alberta include graduate student Marty Krkosek (now at Washington State), Lewis and Subhash Lele, as well as field assistants. The research appeared in a high profile paper in Science that highlighted the effect of disease on salmon population dynamics. Here, the ability to analyze the system using mathematical and statistical models has been key in the ability to understand complex dynamics. The Alberta portion of the research is funded through NSERC, the Pacific Salmon Forum, the MITACS National Centre of Excellence in conjunction with nonacademic participants (NGO and industry partners), and a MITACS Accelerate Internship. A new subproject, involving graduate student, Jaime Ashander, investigates the evolutionary dynamics of sea lice under pesticide control. Participants: Marty Krkosek, Mark Lewis, John Volpe; Jaime Ashander Publications & Affiliated Researchers	Return to top of page
	Invasive Species Modeling (ISM) A six-year collaborative research project on bioeconomic models for invasive species that finished July 1, 2008. The project involved over a dozen researchers (biologists, economists and mathematicians), primarily at Notre Dame University, Wyoming University, University of Windsor, and the University of Alberta. It was funded by the US National Science Foundation and by an NSERC Collaborative Research Opportunity Grant. As well as research papers, an edited volume has been published from this work. Researchers included Lewis, research associate Alex Potapov, graduate students Tomas de Camino Beck (now a postdoc at Penn State), Chris Jerde (now a postdoc at Notre Dame), Jung Min Lee (now a postdoc in Kyushu, Japan), Marty Krkosek (now an NSERC postdoc at Washington), and postdoc Caroline Bampfylde (now a Research Scientist with Alberta Environment). Publications & Affiliated Researchers	Return to top of page
	Animal Movement Modelling (AMM) This work models animal movement, using mechanistically detailed processes describing how animals respond to environmental, resource and conspecific cues. There are a variety of subprojects, ranging from wolf movement in the Alberta foothills, to more abstract models for swarming and group formation. The research is funded by NSERC and PIMS. Centre faculty includes Lewis and de Vries; trainees include PhD Candidates Marie Auger-Methe, Raluca Eftimie (now a postdoc at McMaster) and Hannah McKenzie, postdoc Frederic Hamelin (now a faculty member in Rennes, France) and former postdoc Frithjof Lutscher (now a faculty member at Ottawa). Other participants include Evelyn Merrill and Andrew Derocher (both with Biological Sciences). *Publications & Affiliated Researchers*	Return to top of page
	Infectious Disease Modelling (IDM) This work models the dynamics of infectious diseases in wildlife and human populations. Diseases include West Nile virus, Feline Immunodifficiency virus, and tuberculosis. Postdoc Frank Hilker (now a faculty member at Bath), Research Associate Marjorie Wonham (now an independent researcher in BC), Lewis, and many external collaborators worked on this research. *Publications & Affiliated Researchers*
	Mountain Pine Beetle Modeling (MPB) A three-year collaborative project with members from Renewable Resources (led by Fangliang He), Canadian Forest Service and Math/Stat Sciences (led by Lewis) was funded by the NRCan Mountain Pine Beetle Initiative, and finished in March 2007. The group developed a new computational and statistical predictive model for the spread of MPB, as well as many other quantitative models and publications. This work led to a new collaboration between Lewis and Canadian Forest Service scientist Barry Cooke and Research Associate Mario Pineda Krch as part of the Alberta MPB Genomics TRIA project. Other UA faculty involved in the project include Subash Lele (Math & Stat Sci), David Coltman, Janice Cooke and Felix Sperling (Biological Sciences). Funding: NRCan Canadian Forest Service *Publications & Affiliated Researchers* Website	Return to top of page
	Other Other projects include modelling species diversity, chaotic dynamical systems in biology, and the theory of differential games in biology. Publications & Affiliated Researchers	Return to top of page Updated: Jun/09