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BRAES Biodiversity Research Seminar: Dr. Jocelyn Poissant
February 12 at 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Free
The Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience and Ecosystem Services (BRAES) at UBC Okanagan, Dr. Laura Grieneisen, and the Biodiversity Research Centre at UBC Vancouver invite you to the Biodiversity Research Seminar.
SPEAKER
Dr. Poissant is an Associate Professor at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. His research focuses on the development and application of molecular tools for studying the ecology and evolution of wild vertebrates, with the goal of enhancing their conservation. He is particularly interested in understanding how host genetic diversity and symbionts contribute to shaping individual fitness in wild animals. His group currently works on several ungulate species, including feral horses on Sable Island (Nova Scotia), bighorn sheep in Alberta, and caribou in British Columbia and Jasper National Park. Learn more about Dr. Poissant.
TITLE
Uncovering the fitness consequences of host genetic diversity and symbionts in Sable Island horses.
ABSTRACT
Understanding the factors that drive variation in individual fitness is crucial for managing and conserving biodiversity. However, studying fitness in wild populations is challenging because it requires long-term monitoring of individuals. In this presentation, I will provide an overview of the Sable Island Horse Project—a long-term, individual-based population study of feral horses on Sable Island, Nova Scotia—and discuss our efforts to uncover the determinants of fitness variation in this population. Specifically, I will introduce some of the tools we have developed to non-invasively monitor host genomic diversity, diet, gut microbiome variation, and helminth infections using fecal samples, and highlight the roles that host genetic diversity and gastrointestinal symbionts play in shaping phenotypic variation and survival in this population, and perhaps wild ungulates more generally.
If you would like to attend remotely, please email Tanja Voegel tanja.voegel@ubc.ca to obtain the Zoom link.
