Long-Term Population Monitoring of Kennedy Lake
Starting in 2004 I designed and led a long term monitoring project to examine gene flow and niche differentiation between Threespine Stickleback fish eco-types inhabiting Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island. I examined the feeding ecology of each eco-type using stable isotopes of Carbon and Nitrogen, gut contents, plankton towing and benthic dredging, as well as monitoring dissolved oxygen, conductivity and temperature. Fish sampling (Stickleback, Coho, Peamouth Chub) was carried out with minnow traps, beach seine and snorkeling. I performed population admixture and population genetics analyses using microsatellite molecular markers. This project was under my supervision in its entirety, from project design, analysis, field sampling, team supervision and publication.

Fish Life History
I have been involved in two, multi-year projects examining the genetic basis of over-winter survival, reproduction and lifespan in wild derived, captive populations of Threespine Stickleback fish.  My role and experience in these projects includes experimental design, grant writing, capture-mark-recapture techniques and analysis, aging fish using otolith rings, and genetic analysis of molecular markers (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms). This work involved leading several sampling trips to Vancouver and Texada Islands as well as three years of intensive year-round minnow trapping, beach seining and snorkel capture. 

Food Web Ecology
My colleagues and I have examined the food web ecology of two of BC’s species at risk, the Benthic and Limnetic Threespine Stickleback fish.  This work was initiated to determine the ecological conditions maintaining integrity of these newly formed species endemic to British Columbia. This project involved field sampling of zooplankton, benthos, fish species and stable isotopes of Carbon and Nitrogen.

Marine Intertidal Ecology
I was involved in several projects evaluating the role of competition in structuring intertidal community composition and developing a biological index of shoreline wave exposure and tidal current. This work was carried out during my Master’s degree and beyond. Here I was responsible for project design and analysis, lead marine sampling expeditions, sampling along transects, intertidal species identification, writing and publication. 

Terrestrial Ecology
As a technician for LGL Environmental Research I helped conduct a terrestrial mollusk survey for Oregon Bureau of Land Management. We documented the distribution of rare endemic subspecies of the terrestrial snail, Monadenia fidelis, on forest land regulated for logging.  My duties included transect surveys, mollusk and vegetation identification, and wilderness travel.
            I aided the University of Victoria’s Environmental Management of Drinking Water Project with a soil and subsurface nutrient study at Sooke Lake Reservoir. The goal of this project was to examine the impact that flooding riparian areas had on reservoir water quality and to provide reservoir managers with information to develop well-informed alternatives for reservoir inundation. My work included the installation of over 100 wells and piezometers, collection of soil and subsurface water samples, slug tests for hydraulic conductivity.

Figure 1.
Three examples of my ecological work.
A. Three year tracking of captive stickleback survival and changes in genotype frequency.
B. Threespine stickleback ecotypes and isotopic food web in Kennedy Lake. coho parr (diamond), peamouth chub(black triangle), mussels (white triangle), stickleback low (black circle), stickleback high (wh
C. Geographical and vertical distribution of Eastern Pacific intertidal barnacle species.