Being part of the Gonzalez Lab comes with many perks, one of my personal favourites is the connection to civil society and policy. Most of our work has direct policy implications and applications, and, through Prof Andy Gonzalez’s co-chair positions at GEO BON and the QCBS, we have a direct link with larger organisations that can amplify our work. A recent example is the collaboration between the Gonzalez Lab and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD)
Read MoreMontreal has many hidden green gems. No, not jade or emerald. Montreal’s gems are its many greenspaces of different shapes and sizes that create a beautiful and dynamic patchwork that supports biodiversity and human wellbeing. Many of these spaces go beyond conventional parks. Discover how they are pushing the frontiers of urban ecology and redefining good urbanism.
Read MoreThe UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP15 established a new monitoring framework for Earth’s biodiversity. With the contemporary hype-wave going on in the background, there was naturally a lot of interest in the utility of “AI” for biodiversity monitoring. But increased adoption of ML into biodiversity monitoring networks must be approached carefully…
Read MoreAs humans, we are hardwired to resist change. Therefore, change is not easy and asking individuals to do it anyways is no easy feat. However, it also isn't impossible and the latest behavioural and communication research are making big leaps in the science of how we change our minds. Here are four strategies to help you communicate science effectively to promote change.
Read MoreDoes ecological research interest you but you’re not sure where to get started? You’ve come to the right place. While in the previous blog post I covered what kinds of cool things I get to do as an undergraduate researcher in ecology, this time I’ll be sharing my personal advice on how to get involved.
Read MoreIt is not enough to communicate clear and simple facts and to reach a wide audience. What we need, first and foremost, is to understand how a person processes information and what leads them to act upon it. Only then can we implement a communication strategy to enable conservation science to have a greater impact on both policy and practice.
Read MoreIt is not an exaggeration to say that the last decade has seen a transformation in the participation and contribution of citizens to biodiversity science - where citizens with different levels of expertise can engage in scientific projects. This activity is filling large gaps in our knowledge of Canada’s biodiversity. Our task of monitoring biodiversity change in Canada cannot be achieved by government or researchers alone; citizen science is vital.
Read MoreYou thought sponges are soft and innocent, like Spongebob? Nope! One species is commonly known as “fire sponge” and can cause contact dermatitis if you touch it with bare skin. Bivalves? They have sharp edges that will cut exposed skin. Sea urchins? Unsurprisingly, they do not like to be high-fived, a lesson I learned the hard way this summer.
You might know what ecology means, but do you know what an ecologist does? I’m Sam, a senior undergraduate student in Biology at McGill University working in the Gonzalez lab, and I’d like to tell you all about my experience as an undergraduate researcher in ecology, and what your future as an ecologist could look like.
Read MoreBiodiversity worldwide is on the decline. But how do we know this? How do we measure how much biodiversity there is? Read on to learn how scientists quantify biodiversity and how you can do the same in your garden...
Read MoreConnectivity is a fundamental property of ecological systems. It describes how easily organisms can move across land or through the water. It is increasingly degraded due to human activities that break up habitats into fragments and isolate them with inhospitable environments. How can we quantify connectivity change? And how can we apply this knowledge to protect and restore it? Read here to find out more.
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