How do urbanization and invasive alien species interact in their impacts to native biodiversity?

Land-use change and invasive species are two of the three major drivers of biodiversity decline globally, however, interactions between these drivers in their impact to whole community diversity and ecosystem function are relatively understudied. This proposal serves to fill this knowledge gap through collaboration with the long-term ecological monitoring data from the Toronto and Region and Conservation Agency (TCRA). Using high-resolution land-use and ecological survey data provided by TCRA we propose to investigate the effects of urbanization and invasive species on native biodiversity assemblages in Toronto and the surrounding region. In particular, we shall model how
invasive species and urban expansion interact in their effects on native diversity, ecosystem function and stability. We shall then combine these models with publicly accessible land-use projections for 2050 to highlight areas where biodiversity is most at risk from these pressures and least resilient to the establishment of invasive species.

Faculty Supervisor:

Marc W. Cadotte

Student:

Partner:

Imperial College London

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Toronto

Program: