Gilbert Experimental Spatial Ecology Laboratory

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
What the facility does

Experimental studies, statistical analysis and modeling of the effects of global changes on species diversity

Areas of expertise

We predict and test the effects of global changes, such as habitat fragmentation, climate change and invasive species, on species diversity. We accomplish this using i) a mixture of experimental research in the lab/greenhouse and in natural settings; ii) advanced statistical analyses of larger-scale data; and iii) theoretical models. Our research links well-understood processes, such as the temperature-dependence of herbivore feeding rates to ecologically important responses, such as biodiversity loss and the productivity of plant species.

Research services

Experimental testing, data processing and analysis, model development and analysis

Sectors of application
  • Agriculture, animal science and food
  • Fisheries and aquaculture
EquipmentFunction
Custom made mesocosmsTrack the success of invasive and native species and determine the causes of this success
Microscopes and camerasIdentify and document invertebrate species
Dedicated serverLong-running and memory intensive simulations