Welcome to the Lee-Yaw Lab at the University of Ottawa!
We strive to create a supportive, productive, and fun research environment where we can ask big questions, learn new skills, and contribute to knowledge and the protection of biodiversity.
Land Acknowledgement
The Lee-Yaw lab and uOttawa are located on the traditional unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation. Much of our fieldwork takes place in areas covered by Treaty 7, on the traditional and ancestral territory of the Niitsítapi (including Kainai, Piikani, and Siksika Nations) and the Tsuut’ina Nation, and on the homelands of the Métis Nation.
We recognize these Nations as the traditional stewards of the lands on which we live and work. We make this acknowledgement in recognition of our responsibility to treat these lands and other lands we visit with respect, and to honour and respect the rights, culture, and histories of Indigenous peoples everywhere.
Learn more about Indigenous lands here and about Truth and Reconciliation in Canada here.
Our Values
In this lab, we value curiosity, collaboration, collegiality, and personal growth. We are committed to an inclusive and positive lab environment--one where diversity is celebrated and the unique backgrounds and experiences of lab members are seen as opportunities to learn from one another and improve our science. You are welcome here!
Research
We use a variety of approaches and tools to address questions at the intersection of evolutionary ecology and conservation biology, with an emphasis on understanding the past, present, and future of species' geographic distributions.
Some of the main themes we explore:
The structure and history of species' geographic distributions.
We use molecular data and phylogeographic methods to study the biogeographic history and structure of species ranges in temperate regions of North America. Of interest is the extent to which widespread species represent composites of evolutionarily distinct groups, the outcome of interactions between these groups, and the implications for conservation assessments.
Ecological and evolutionary explanations for range limits.
We are broadly interested in understanding the ecological and evolutionary drivers of species' geographic range limits. Previous work in the lab has focused on understanding the relative importance of niche constraints versus dispersal limitation in shaping species' range limits. Current work is focused on understanding the roles that genetic drift and gene flow play in adaptation at the edge of the range and how environmental context shapes the outcome of these processes.
The impact of global change on species' distributions.
Climate change is leading to major changes in species' distributions yet there is tremendous variation in the response of species to changing conditions. We are interested in understanding this variation. We are especially interested in the impacts of extreme, climate-related events on populations and range limits.
Genomic and spatial data to inform conservation translocations.
The intentional release of individuals at locations away from known threats or in extirpated parts of species' range is increasingly called for to protect species under global change. Yet, these efforts often fail. We are working with our conservation partners to explore the potential value of genomics in guiding source site selection, as well as habitat suitability models to prioritize release sites for different at-risk species in Canada.
People
*alphabetical by first name
Hannah Meikle (she/her)
Honours Thesis student
Research Interests:
Evolutionary and behavioural ecology, wildlife conservation, geographic distributions, population and community interactions
Thesis:
Using autonomous recording units to understand the distribution of Calling populations of western toads
Other Interests:
Hiking, biking, skiing, reading, gardening, playing music, and anything that will get me outdoors!
Jayna Bergman (she/her)
MSc student
Research Interests:
Geographic distributions, the use and development of geospatial tools to inform conservation decisions, conservation genomics
Thesis:
Genomic and environmental differences between Calling and Non-Calling populations of western toads.
Other Interests:
Hiking, walking, being outdoors
Julie Lee-Yaw (she/her/elle)
PI
Research Interests:
Evolutionary ecology, geographic distributions and range limits, conservation and population genomics
Main Focus:
Running a lab and trying to have fun and balance while doing so!
Other Interests:
Hiking, camping, snowboarding very slowly, looking into ponds, creative cooking, tea drinking, intermittent knitting, making up stories for kids
Natalie Fleece (she/her)
Honours Thesis student
Research Interests:
Species at-risk, conservation
Thesis:
Factors predicting the need for conservation-translocations among Canadian taxa and the data needed to sucessfully implement these programs.
Other Interests:
Downhill skiing, hiking, walking her dog, music, being outdoors
Parinaz Khalilzadeh (she/her)
Visiting lab member (formally Field Collections Manager)
Research Interests:
Conservation and population genetics/genomics, molecular ecology
Main Focus:
Adventures in amphibian conservation studies!
Other Interests:
Coffee and tea drinking, reading, movies, and hiking
Star Hungry Wolf Cardinal (she/her)
MA student (co-supervised with Dr. Jodie Asselin at uLeth)
Research Interests:
Cross cultural sustainability, holism, treaty relations, governance, ecology and environmental spiritualism, functional genomics and Squamata.
Thesis:
Blackfoot perspectives on Snakes and Lizards and how and why those have changed over time.
Other Interests:
Family dynamics, communication, etymology, travel, rituals, positivism, hiking, reforestation, hunting, wilderness survival, berry, plant and rock picking.
Thank you to our funders!
