Professor

Research themes

• Population dynamics
• Vertebrates
• Marine mammals
• Population modeling
• Life history strategies

Postdoctoral researcher

Project description:

Harp Seal Demography and Environmental Change

I am interested in the mechanisms linking environmental variation, predator–prey interactions, and animal population dynamics in Arctic ecosystems. I am currently working to better understand how environmental change affects the dynamics of the Northwest Atlantic harp seal population. I use an integrated population model that combines demographic, climatic, and harvest data. First, I examine historical relationships between environmental variables and survival rates. I then incorporate these relationships into the model to project future population trajectories under different climate scenarios.

Master’s student

Project description:

Temporal changes in spatial distribution of Eastern Hudson Bay beluga in a context of population decline

Undergraduate Student (Université de Sherbrooke)

Project description:

Flexibility in foetus implantation date as a mechanism for birth phenology adjustment in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus)

Flexibility in the timing of implantation or variability in fetal growth appear to be mechanisms that may play a role in regulating the reproductive phenology of pinnipeds. Given the observed advance in the average birth date among Northwest Atlantic gray seals, the objective of my project is to examine the mechanisms and determinants of this species’ reproductive phenology. My project is based on fetal weight data from samples collected in the Gulf of St. Lawrence during the hunting season from 1994 to 2023.

Master’s Student (Université de Sherbrooke)

Project description:

Comparison of the birth phenology of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) in response to climate change in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Phenological responses to climate change vary enormously between species. It is imperative to understand these responses, as they can have major consequences for the survival of youngs. This can result in a time lag between births and the abundance of resources, leading to a lack of resources at the time when they are needed by the young.

PhD Student

Project description:

Determinants of predictability of vertebrate population time series

One of the main challenges in wildlife management and conservation is predicting the potential for animal populations and species to persist. The knowledge gained from monitoring population abundance makes possible, in some cases, to anticipate their expected trajectories during the coming century. However, the complexity of ecological systems, species’ intrinsic characteristics, unpredictable events and changing environmental conditions limit the predictive power of models. To date, the factors and disturbances influencing this predictability remain poorly understood. Consequently, the objective of my research project is to improve our understanding of the determinants of predictability and its sensitivity to environmental disturbances, which is essential to ensure the long-term persistence of animal populations under global change.