Grant: Canada Research Chairs

Biodiversity loss due to rising human pressures is a concern around the world. Protecting habitat is an important strategy used to conserve species and preserve biodiversity but its effectiveness is hindered by many challenges, including perceived lack of information and a shortage of studies linking particular habitats to population viability. Dr. Marie Auger-Méthé, Canada Research Chair in Statistical Ecology, is working to overcome these challenges by developing hierarchical statistical models that can identify urgently needed critical habitat using existing and easy-to-collect information, as well as developing methods that employ more complex datasets that pinpoint the specific areas important to healthy and reproductive animals. She and her research group are also investigating ways to improve the underlying statistical methodologies needed to ensure that these tools are effective and accurate. To develop and demonstrate their statistical methods, and ensure their work makes an impact on conservation and biodiversity protection, Dr. Auger-Méthé and her team use ecologically, economically, and culturally important species as case studies. They use a combination of widely accessible spatial data (e.g. encounters noted by whale watch operators), data they collect themselves (e.g. movement data from tagging studies), and data collected by their academic and government partners. Dr. Auger-Méthé’s research will provide the tools needed to clear common roadblocks to conservation worldwide, and will directly improve the management of important species in Canada. Because the kinds of statistical methods she and her team develop are commonly used in medical science, physics, finance, engineering, linguistics and many other fields, their work will have impacts beyond its ecological and conservation applications.