Meg Krawchuk, Ph.D. student
Department of Renewable Resources
751 General Services Building
University of Alberta
Alberta, Canada T6G 2H1
megk @ ualberta.ca
w: 780.492.8743
h: 780.231.5071
www.ualberta.ca/~megk
Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Ecology. University of Alberta, ongoing. Dissertation title: Disturbance and
ecological resilience in the boreal forest: The influence of forest harvest and climate change via
wildfire initiation on systems dynamics in Alberta’s mixedwood region. Advisors: Dr. S.G.
Cumming and Dr. F.K.A. Schmiegelow.
Master of Science in Ecology. Acadia University, 2000. Dissertation title: Movement and distribution
of three species of inquiline insects in boreal boglands: process and pattern at multiple spatial
scales. Advisor: Dr. P.D. Taylor.
Bachelor of Science in Zoology. University of Guelph, 1995. Dissertation title: Sexual differences in
basking behaviour of the painted turtle, Chrysemys picta. Advisor: Dr. R.J. Brooks.
Current Research interests and Projects

Member of the Boreal Ecosystems Analysis for Conservation Networks (BEACONs) research
group with Drs. Schmiegelow and Cumming. BEACONs’ aim is to develop a new conceptual
framework for conservation planning in the Canadian boreal.

Member of the Boreal Ecosystems and Economics Research Team (BEEST) research group.
BEESTS’ aim is to assess alternative resource management policies through the integration of
economic and ecosystem goals using dynamic simulation models.

Attending member of the Forests, Fires and Stochastic Modelling Workshops (Fields Institute,
Toronto, BIRS Institute, Banff).
Publications
Peer reviewed publications.
Gillies, C., Aldridge, C., Hebblewhite, M., Krawchuk, M.A., Frair, J., Saher, J., Stevens, C., Jerde, C.,
Beyer, H., and Nielsen, S. 2006. Application of mixed models to the study of resource selection by
animals. Journal of Animal Ecology 75:887-898.
Krawchuk M.A., Cumming, S.G., Flannigan, M.D., and Wein, R.W. 2006. Biotic and abiotic regulation
of lightning fire initiation in the mixedwood boreal forest. Ecology 87(2): 458-468.
Taylor, P.D., and Krawchuk, M.A. 2005. Scale and sensitivity of songbird occurrence to landscape
structure in a harvested boreal forest. Avian Conservation and Ecology - Écologie et conservation des
oiseaux 1(1): 5. [online] URL: http://www.ace-eco.org/vol1/iss1/art5/
Starzomski, B.M., Cardinale, B.J., Dunne, J.A., Hillery, M.J., Holt, C.A., Krawchuk, M.A., Lage, M.,
McMahon, S., and Melnychuk, M.C. 2004. Contemporary visions of progress in ecology, and
thoughts for the future. Ecology and Society 9(1): 14. [online] URL:
http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol9/iss1/art14.
Krawchuk, M.A., and Taylor, P.D. 2003. Changing importance of amount and configuration of habitat
among levels of spatial scale for three species of insects. Oikos 103:153-161.
Krawchuk, M.A., and Taylor, P.D. 1999. Roosting behaviour by Fletcherimyia fletcheri (Diptera:
Sarcophagidae) in Sarracenia purpurea (Sarraceniacea). The Canadian Entomologist. 131:829-830.
Krawchuk, M.A., and Brooks, R.J. 1998. Basking behaviour as a measure of reproductive cost and
energy allocation in the painted turtle, Chrysemys picta. Herpetologica. 54:112-121.
Brooks, R.J., Krawchuk, M.A., Stevens, C., and Koper, N. 1997. Testing the precision and accuracy of
age estimation using lines in scutes of Chelydra serpentina and Chrysemys picta. Journal of
Herpetology. 31:521-529.
Krawchuk, M.A., Koper, N., and Brooks, R.J. 1997. Observations of a possible cleaning symbiosis
between painted turtles, Chrysemys picta, and snapping turtles, Chelydra serpentina, in central
Ontario. The Canadian Field-Naturalist. 111:315-317.
Technical reports.
Krawchuk, M.A., and McPherson, A.M. 2001. A literature review on landscape connectivity, and for a
selected group of animals, habitat and connectivity needs to maintain viable populations. Parks
Canada internal report.
Krawchuk, M.A., Mullie, A., and Taylor, P.D. 2001. Assessment of habitat use by birds and insects in
the Gros Morne Greater Ecosystem: the influence of habitat structure on animal incidence and
distribution. Parks Canada internal report.
Krawchuk, M.A., and Taylor, P.D. 2001. Passerine birds. In: Ensuring the ecological integrity of the
Greater Gros Morne Ecosystem: an independent panel evaluation of potential threats to Gros Morne
National Park from adjacent commercial forestry activities. Parks Canada internal report.
Conference and scientific presentations
Invited conference presentations.
Krawchuk, M.A. 2005. Forest composition and weather influence lightning fire initiation in Alberta’s
boreal mixedwood. Fields Institute Workshop on Forest Fires and Point Processes. Toronto, ON.
Krawchuk, M.A. 2001. Spatial analysis in applied entomology. Invited workshop session.
Entomological Society of Canada Joint Annual Meeting. Niagara Falls, ON.
Contributed presentations:
Krawchuk, M.A., and Cumming, S.G. Uncertainty in Alberta’ boreal forests: Natural disturbance,
climate change and forest harvest. U.S.-International Association of Landscape Ecologists
Conference. Las Vegas, Nevada. April 2004.
Krawchuk, M.A. and Cumming, S.G. The influence of forest structure and weather on wildfire
distribution in the boreal forest. Prairie Universities Biological Symposium. Edmonton, AB. February
2004.
Krawchuk, M.A., and Cumming, S.G. 2003. Spatial pattern in lightning-caused fire arrival: broad scale
relationships with vegetation and lightning. U.S.-International Association of Landscape Ecologists
Conference. Banff, Alberta.
Krawchuk, M.A., and McPherson, A.M. 2001. Landscape connectivity in the Greater Gros Morne
Ecosystem: a focus on theory and examples for a suite of species. Connectivity Working Group,
Corner Brook, NF.
Krawchuk, M.A. and Taylor, P.D. 2001. The importance of amount and configuration of habitat
changes among spatial scales for three species of insects. U.S.-International Association of
Landscape Ecologists Conference. Tempe, Arizona.
Krawchuk, M.A. and Taylor, P.D. 2000. More isn’t always better: the relative importance of habitat
structure changes within a nested hierarchy of spatial scales for three species of insects. Atlantic Cooperative Wildlife Ecology Research Network (ACWERN) Conference. St. Andrew’s , N.B
Krawchuk, M.A. and Taylor, P.D. 2000. Movement potential of W. smithii in boreal bogs – pattern and
process. U.S.-International Association of Landscape Ecologists Conference. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Krawchuk, M.A. and Taylor, P.D. 2000. Movement potential of two insect species in boreal bogs –
corroborating patterns in the study of spatial distribution at multiple scales. North-eastern Graduate
Student Conference. Acadia University, Wolfville, N.S.
Holder, M. and Krawchuk, M.A. 2000. L is for landscape. Acadia University Biology Department
Seminar Series. Biology Department, Acadia University, N.S.
Krawchuk, M.A. and Taylor, P.D. 1999. Movement potential of W. smithii and F. fletcheri in boreal
bogs. ACWERN Conference. Brier Island, N.S.
Krawchuk, M.A., and M. Holder. 1999. Of pitcher plants and dragonflies. Gros Morne National Park
Guest Speaker Series. Gros Morne National Park, NF.
Krawchuk, M.A. and Taylor, P.D. 1999. The relative effects of patch size and isolation on the
occurrence of a threshold to population response in a fragmented landscape. North-eastern Graduate
Student Conference. University of Maine, Orono, Maine.
Krawchuk, M.A. and Taylor, P.D. 1998. Movement behaviours of the sarcophagid fly Fletcherimyia
fletcheri in response to boreal forest landscape structure. ACWERN Conference. Memorial University
of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NF.
Krawchuk, M.A. and Brooks, R.J.1995. Sexual differences in basking behaviour of the painted turtle,
Chrysemys picta. Honour’s Biology Seminars. University of Guelph, Guelph, ON.