May 13, 2026

Deciphering Dinosaur Lives from Disease and Injuries (David C. Evans, ROM)

Fossil skeletons and assemblages provide key evidence of ancient biodiversity and ecosystems, but exceptional specimens can offer surprising insights into the biology of extinct organisms. Two recent discoveries of injured and diseased dinosaurs are reshaping our understanding of their social lives. Ankylosaurids, known for their tail clubs, have been viewed as solitary herbivores that used […]

Conference Scholars and scientists gather to present new findings, exchange ideas, and network

May 11–14, 2026

2026 Annual Conference of the Canadian Society for Ecology & Evolution

Join us for four days of the latest research and valuable networking in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Local organizing commitee: Marie-Josee Fortin (Chair), Aneil Agrawal, Don Jackson, Marc Johnson, Kara Layton, Martin Krkosek, Zakee Sabree, Stephen Wright. Please see the full event schedule.

Exit Seminar Graduating PhDs present the culmination of their doctoral research

May 7, 2026

The Ecology and Evolution of Ant-Plant Mutualism Mediated by Extrafloral Nectaries across Spatial and Temporal Scales: Pooja Nathan (exit seminar)

Mutualisms are ubiquitous in nature and influence ecological and evolutionary processes at multiple scales. However, the extent to which generalized, facultative mutualisms shape patterns from species interactions to macroecological and macroevolutionary processes remains unclear. This thesis investigates the ecology and evolution of generalized ant-plant mutualisms mediated by extrafloral nectaries (EFNs), using a combination of global analyses, field […]

PhD Appraisal Graduate students outline their doctoral research projects as they approach PhD Candidacy

May 6, 2026

Linking Microevolutionary Processes to Macroevolutionary Patterns: Invertebrate Phylogenomic Population Genetics: Yihang Zhao (PhD appraisal)

Population genetic theory predicts that mutation rate and effective population size contribute to the input and maintenance of molecular genetic variability in a species under ideal scenarios.Empirically, however, diverse biological factors associated with genomes, and species ecology may influence genetic diversity in ways we do not fully understand. Invertebrates, especially Caenorhabditis nematodes, provide powerful systems […]

PhD Appraisal Graduate students outline their doctoral research projects as they approach PhD Candidacy

May 4, 2026

Environmental Determinants of Seasonal Migration in Milkweed Butterflies: Adam Kai Chi Lee (PhD appraisal)

Insect life cycles are highly attuned to the environment, and the timing of critical processes such as diapause and long-distance migration can determine survival and subsequent reproductive output. While previous literature has identified several environmental factors such as crowding, photoperiod, temperature, and food availability that affect insect migration initiation, it remainsunclear whether the onset of […]

PhD Appraisal Graduate students outline their doctoral research projects as they approach PhD Candidacy

May 1, 2026

From Mechanics to Behaviour: How Peripheral Sensory Processing Constrains and Shapes Population-Level Specialization in the Acoustic Parasitoid Ormia ochracea: Jessica Cho-Ah-Ying (PhD appraisal)

The shared evolutionary histories of taxa can lead to the development of specialized traits that are morphological, physiological, behavioural, or a combination of these modalities. Often, these developing specializations are described to elicit reciprocal coevolutionary changes between the two taxa. In host-parasite dynamics, this can manifest as improvements to hostinfection capabilities or alterations to host […]

PhD Appraisal Graduate students outline their doctoral research projects as they approach PhD Candidacy

April 30, 2026

An Integrative Approach to Unraveling Mimicry in Chromodorid Nudibranchs: Anahy Garza (PhD appraisal)

Colour is a powerful form of communication that enables prey to camouflage, warn, or deter predators. In many species, visual signals are coupled with chemical defenses, displayingaposematic colouration that advertises unpalatability. Mimicry has evolved repeatedly within these systems and is well studied in terrestrial taxa, where the underlying drivers of colour pattern variation is increasingly […]

PhD Appraisal Graduate students outline their doctoral research projects as they approach PhD Candidacy

April 28, 2026

Speed, Scale, and the Repeatability of Evolution in Response to Anthropogenically Mediated Environmental Change: Hayden Fargo (PhD appraisal)

Through rapid development, pollution, and land-use transformations, humans have accelerated global climate change and have driven the proliferation of urban environments. These widespread environmental changes are strongly influencing theecology and evolution of species, but the generality of these biological responses is not yet clear. In his thesis, Hayden Fargo investigates how anthropogenically induced environmental change […]

Conference Scholars and scientists gather to present new findings, exchange ideas, and network

April 23–24, 2026

2026 Atwood Colloquium

The two-day Atwood Colloquium marks the department’s major event of the academic year. Students, postdocs, and faculty from all three campuses, as well as the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), will gather to offer a glimpse into their work and latest findings. In addition to our own biologists, three guest speakers round out the cutting-edge program […]

EEB Seminar A weekly meeting of the minds where invited speakers share their latest research

April 10, 2026

Protecting the Greenbelt (Anne Bell, Ontario Nature)

Hosted by the EEB Conservation Group & Marie-Josée Fortin Anne Bell is the former director of conservation and education at Ontario Nature. Read more about the work of Ontario Nature.