Landscape Ecology and
Spatial Analysis (LESA)
Lab
Monica G. Turner
John A. Wiens
John A. Wiens
Kimberly With
Dr. Yolanda Wiersma
Sally A. Tinker
Dennis H. Knight
What is landscape ecology?
Monica G. Turner
John A. Wiens
John A. Wiens

Landscape ecology is the study of spatial
patterns and ecological processes.
Landscape ecologists try to understand the
causes and consequences of spatial
heterogeneity across spatial scales.
Kimberly With

Sally A. Tinker
Dennis H. Knight
Or, we study…
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… what you can see from an airplane.
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Topography
Land cover types
Human land uses
What do landscape ecologists
research?
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Many things!!
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Origin of spatial patterns (why are certain
ecological features found in some places and not
others?)
The effects of changes in landscape structure
over space/time on ecological processes.
How landscape influences ecological flows
(species dispersal, hydrology, fire, insect
outbreaks)
What tools and techniques do
landscape ecologists use?
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Traditional field ecology research
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Remote sensing analysis (satellite imagery)
Process-based modelling
Spatial statistics
Geostatistics
My Research

Impacts of human development in and
around national parks on the loss of mammal
species.
Parks Canada
Parks Canada
Wiersma, Nudds, Rivard. 2003. Models to distinguish effects of landscape pattern and human population pressures
associated with species loss in Canadian national parks. Landscape Ecology 19: 773-786.
My Research
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Predictive habitat modelling for moose in the
Liard Valley, Yukon.
My Research

Identifying minimum requirements for
representative protected areas in Canada’s
ecozones.
Wiersma, Y.F. and Nudds, T.D. 2006 Conservation targets for viable species assemblages: data independent targets are not
appropriate. Biodiversity and Conservation 15: 4555-4567.
My Research

The effects of beta diversity patterns on
identifying minimum representation
requirements for Yukon protected areas.
N
Wiersma, Y.F. and Urban, D.L. 2005.Beta-diversity and nature reserve system design: a case study from the Yukon,
Canada. Conservation Biology 19: 1262-1272.
What’s happing in the LESA lab?
Effects of roads and culverts on stream
connectivity in Atlantic national parks
Connectivity
1.0
90-100
Culvert passability
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80-90
0.8
70-80
60-70
0.6
50-60
0.4
40-50
30-40
LMNO Engineering
0.2
20-30
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10-20
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5
10
15
20
Road density
25
30
What’s happing in the LESA lab?
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Habitat modelling for shrimp and snow crab
in NAFO Division 3L
DFO
What’s happing in the LESA lab?
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Spatial aspects of predator-prey relationships
between caribou and coyote in the Northern
Peninsula
Google Earth
Catherine Timberg
Mass Wildlife
What’s happing in the LESA lab?
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Movement dynamics of woodland caribou in
Newfoundland
Catherine Timberg
What’s happing in the LESA lab?
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Habitat use and foraging strategy of bats in
different habitat on the west coast of
Newfoundland
Hoary Bat
Eastern Long-eared Bat
Little Brown Bat
USDA-Forest Service
Angela Bakka
Michigan DNR
What’s happing in the LESA lab?
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Systems planning for protected areas in
Canada
Opportunities for students
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MUCEPs:
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Honours Students:
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Help with computer networking/GIS analysis
Literature review on parks and protected areas
and relationships to forestry activities
Research related to caribou/coyote dynamics
GIS-based research related to national parks
Grad Students:
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Full lab right now, but let’s talk…
To find out more…
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Monica G. Turner
John A. Wiens
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John A. Wiens
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Email: ywiersma@mun.ca
Phone: 737-7499
Office: SN-4099
Visit the lab (under construction): SN-4166E
Kimberly With

Sally A. Tinker
Dennis H. Knight