Gone... but not forgotten!

Dan Spooner

As a post-doc in the Xenopoulos lab at Trent University, Dan worked on incorporating novel ecological markers (stable isotopes, fatty acid analysis, and algal pigment analysis) to evaluate how local nutrient contexts, associated with varying land-use, influence the movement of energy, nutrients and contaminants (heavy metals) through benthic food webs. This research integrates ecological stoichiometry and biodiversity ecosystem function theory into contemporary food-web models.

Matt Roberts
My approach to research focuses on the fact that ecological systems are highly variable in space and time. I use a diverse set of quantitative tools and apply them to long-term and multivariate datasets. I am most interested in how biotic and abiotic components of aquatic ecosystems respond to disturbances, including river and watershed regulation, which modify hydrological regimes. These changes represent a major threat to freshwater biodiversity around the globe. Specific kinds of disturbances that I study include those that are anthropogenic (effects of dams, effects of channelization, watershed use and management, introduced species) or natural (effects of floods and drought). All of these may exert their influence at various spatial and temporal scales. Management of our riverine resources benefits from an understanding of these complex interrelationships because decisions have direct and indirect effects that impact multiple stakeholders.

Henry Wilson
My research interests are quite diverse, but my work generally focuses on stream ecology issues across broader spatial scales. I enjoy taking an interdisciplinary approach and have worked both in governmental and academic setting for/with fellow limnologists, fish ecologists, hydrologists, biogeographers. Henry is currently working for Agri-Food Canada in Manitoba

Rathika Balthasar

Rathika completed her Masters degree working on the Mussel Agriculture Land Use NSERC Strategic project. Her focus was on metal isotope ratios in mussel tissue.

Thesis Title: TRACING CONCENTRATIONS AND ISOTOPE RATIOS OF ZINC ALONG AN AGRICULTURAL GRADIENT

Elysabeth Theberge

Elysabeth completed her honour's with Maggie. She looked at changes in respiration rates of Mayflies when exposed to predators.

Graham Irvine

Graham graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Trent University. He worked on the urban stormwater ponds project to quantify the amount of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide that is being produced in these ponds. Outside of this project I am generally interested in the effect of human activities on nutrient cycles.

Jasmine Hamilton

Jasmine is currently pursuing a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. While in the Xenopoulos Lab her focus will be on the Milton Project. During the previous semester she worked in the Frost lab on testing the effect of elemental nutrition on the vulnerability of Daphnia infection by bacteria.

Heather Foy
Heather's honour's project examined how land use affects leaf litter decomposition in streams. Heather is currently a M.Sc. student with Dr. Sean Whatmough at Trent. She will be looking at the decline of phosphorus in Canadain Shield Lakes.

Lindsey McAlister
For her honours thesis Lindsey looked at the assemblage of fish communities within urban storm water ponds. Prior to attending Trent University for biology she completed a diploma at Fleming College in fish and wildlife technology.

Ryan Kelly
Ryan began working in the lab in May 2006 and has been involved in analyzing water samples for phosphorus and ammonia, assisting graduate students with their research and helping Paul Frost with Daphnia research.

Stephen McCarthy
My interest is in medical biochemistry, and I intend to pursue higher education upon graduation from Trent. I am currently doing an independent project on alkaline phosphatase released by algae (and possibly Daphnia), under the guidance of Paul Frost and Steve Rafferty.
Awards: NSERC summer research award

Naheed Mirebrahimi
Naheed is pursuing a Joint Major Honours in Biology and Mathematics. She was part of an environmental monitoring team in the lab which seeks to understand how urbanization in Milton, Ontario is affecting the aquatic ecosystems.

Laura Hansen
After working for Maggie as a lab assistant, Laura completed her honours thesis with Paul Frost and Chris Metcalfe. It focused on the ecotoxicology of human pharmaceutical products in the environment. More specifically, she used Daphnia magna to show whether the toxicity of fluoxetine (a.k.a. Prozac) is mediated by varying elemental food quality.

Lab and Field

Reasearch Technicians

Sarah Nienhuis
Sarah worked on the Milton urban project as well as the Urban Pond Strategic. She focused her work on DOM degradation as well as looking at stratification of urban ponds over the summer months

Darren Doherty
I recently graduated with my Masters Degree in Environmental Science. I worked with a reintroduced River Otter population in Rochester, New York. While in the Xenopoulos Lab, I assited with a project that looked at the effects of land use on stream ecosystem function. This project was partly funded by Environment Canada's Science Horizon's YIP.