Lab members
Viktoria Wagner, PhD, PI cv
2024 Associate Professor, U Alberta
2018 Assistant Professor, U Alberta
2014 Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow, Masaryk U, Czech Republic
2011 Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow, U Montana, U.S.A.
2011 PhD, U Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
2006 Diploma (MSc), U Göttingen, Germany
BIOL 208 - Principles of Ecology (2019-2022),
BIOL 430/530 - (Advanced) Statistical Design and Analysis in Biology (since 2018),
BIOL 395 - Field Botany (since 2023)
Zhenchuan Wang, PhD, Visiting scholar
I am currently a visiting scholar in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta. I completed my Ph.D. at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and am also an assistant researcher at Nanning Normal University in China.
My research focuses on biological nitrogen fixation and its regulatory mechanisms. I am particularly interested in how nitrogen, phosphorus, trace element additions, and tree species diversity impact biological nitrogen fixation.
For more details about my work, please visit my ResearchGate profile (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Zhenchuan-Wang-2). Feel free to contact me for further information or collaboration opportunities.
Jude Bibkewich, MSc student
I completed my Bsc in Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology at the University of Alberta. My research project focuses on assessing the ecological effect of Caragana arborescens on plant communities in the south boreal of Alberta and Saskatchewan. In my pastime, I enjoy drawing and growing a wide range of plant species.
Martin Hinojosa, MSc student
I completed my undergraduate studies in Ecosystem Engineering at the Ikiam
Amazon Regional University, in Ecuador. I participated in research projects at the
interface of ecology and tropical forest biology, and I am interested in many
questions involving biodiversity management and conservation. My research project
focuses on assessing the degree of spread of Caragana arborescens and
the factors that favor its invasiveness in the Central Parkland and the Central
Mixedwood subregions of Alberta.
Kaitlin Holden, MSc student
I completed my BSc in Environmental and Conservation Sciences at the University of Alberta.
Prior to beginning my graduate studies I worked in government and the non-profit sector. I am interested in understanding
the role of soil nutrients and anthropogenic disturbance in habitat invasibility. My research project compares nutrient dynamics
and levels of non-native plant invasion across habitats in the Central Parkland Subregion of Alberta.
Anthea Mackey, undergraduate research student
I am currently in my fourth year of my BSc in biological sciences with a minor in chemistry at the University of Alberta. My 498 project is looking at patterns of non-native plant invasions in southern Alberta. Outside of school, I enjoy running, biking, and more recently, pickleball!
Britton McNerlin, Msc student
I completed my BSc in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Conservation Biology and Ecology at Arizona State University. My research project focuses on the invasiveness of small-sized nonnative annual forbs and their ecological impact on grassland and meadow communities. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, making art, and avoiding getting hit by cars while biking.
Raytha Murillo, PhD student
I completed my BSc in Biological Sciences and MSc in Ecology and Limnology at the State University of Maringá, Brazil.
My research project focuses on comparing
the levels of alien plant invasion across habitats of the Alberta prairie in order to find similarities among the impacted habitats.
These results will contribute to a solid theoretical framework applicable to conservation efforts and risk assessment across ecosystems.
In my free time, my other interests include outdoor activities, fitness and occasional gaming.
Previous undergraduate research students
Danielle Perri (BIOL 298, Winter 2024)
Haley Lacza (BIOL 399, Fall/Winter 2023/2024)
Tia Attfield (BIOL 498), Fall 2023)
Jake Mamchur (BIOL 498, Fall 2023)
Kelly Wu (BIOL 398, Fall 2023)
Emily Wong (BIOL 498, Winter 2023)
Cole Vandemark (BIOL 499, Fall/Winter 2022/23, co-supervision with James Cahill)
Kateri Robinson (BIOL 398, Fall 2022)
Hima Patel (BIOL 499, Fall/Winter 2021/22)
Cedric Villasor (BIOL 499, Fall/Winter 2021/22, co-supervision with James Cahill)
Mikaela Lazarenko (BIOL 398, Winter 2022)
Maya Juckes (BIOL 398, Winter 2022)
Kellie Yang (BIOL 299, Winter 2022)
Daniel Tucker (BIOL 499, Fall/Winter 2020/21)
Elise Hansen (BIOL 498, Winter 2021)
Cedric Villasor (BIOL 299, Winter 2021)
Rachelle Lugar (BIOL 299, Winter 2021)
Tawnee Dupuis (BIOL 499, Fall/Winter 2019/20, co-supervision with Mark Boyce)
Kenny Oppon (BIOL 499, Fall/Winter 2018/19, co-supervision with James Cahill)
Diana Johnstone (BIOL 499, Winter 2018)
Former Lab members
Ricarda Pätsch, Postdoctoral researcher
Please visit my website for more information about me: ricardapaetsch.weebly.com
Zoey Zapisocki, MSc student
I am studying levels of non-native plant invasion along a latitudinal gradient of native prairie grassland in Alberta, Canada.
Field data will be analyzed to determine the role of climate and anthropogenic disturbance as predictors of invasibility in prairie grassland.
Prior to starting graduate studies, I worked in environmental consulting and government, and I earned my Professional Agrologist (P.Ag.) designation in 2018.
Education: BSc Environmental and Conservation Sciences, University of Alberta, 2014
Mário Sérgio Dainez Filho, visiting PhD student (U Maringá)
I completed my MSc in Ecology and Limnology at the State University of Maringá, Brazil.
I am interested in understanding the processes related to aquatic plant invasions providing
answers to questions such as: What are the pathways of introduction of these organisms?
How do aliens affect the native biota? What does make some organisms more invasive than others?
I tackle my research questions through experiments, field sampling, and data compilation
and analysis.
Interested in joining us?
Undergraduate students
Viktoria Wagner is on a sabbatical until July 2025 and is not accepting new undergraduate research students for Winter 2025. The next available positions are:
One USRA spot in summer 2025 (Topic: Soil legacy effects of Caragana arborescens) and
two BIOL 399/499 projects in Fall/Winter 2025/2026 (Topic: Impacts of Caragana arborescens invasions on ecosystem functioning in southern boreal forests). For more details about these openings see here.
Field technicians in summer 2025: We are looking for two undergraduate technicians to join our fieldwork in the southern boreal forest and on the Mattheis Research Ranch. For details see here and here.
Contact Viktoria if you are interested in these openings.
Graduate students
We have currently no open positions.
Resources
Our department is equipped with greenhouses and the University operates field
stations in central and southern Alberta. Soil and plant samples can be analyzed in the lab,
and at NRAL and BASL.
Edmonton is home to two major herbaria (ALTA at our university and
the PMAEM). The U Alberta Botanical Garden is just 30min away in Devon.
The city is located in a transitional zone between the temporate and boreal zones.
The prairie grassland region (in the south) and the Rocky Mountains (further west) are just 2h away by car.
Lab news
28 November 2024
Job alert: We are looking for two full-time summer field technicians for June-Aug 2025. For details see here and here.
28 November 2024
Curious about research in ecology? We have one open USRA spot (summer 2025) and two open BIOL 399/499 spots (fall/winter 2025/26). For details see here.
27 November 2024
Our review paper on Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) was accepted in the Biology of Canadian Weeds Series (Canadian Journal of Plant Sciences). Great teamwork by Emily, Jessica (Cahill lab), Raytha, Kaitlin and Cedric!
25 November 2024
Congratulations to Martin for securing an AGES scholarship!
10 November 2024
We have two new lab technicians! Great to have you on board, Alynna and Sehaj!
30 September 2024
Welcome to our new lab members Anthea (undergraduate research student), Jude (MSc student) and Zhenchuan (visiting scholar)!
16 February 2024
Congratulations to Raytha for her PhD paper accepted in the Journal of Applied Ecology!
15 February 2024
We are looking for a full-time field technician to help us with a field survey in southern Alberta (July 1 - Aug 15). Please apply to Viktoria Wagner by Feb 26.
14 January 2024
Welcome to Danielle, our BIOL 298 undergraduate research student who is conducting a seed ecology project with Elk Island National Park!
19 December 2023
We are looking for an MSc student to join our Caragana project in September 2024. Apply by January 10, 2024. For more details see here
19 December 2023
Cedric's and Kateri's paper on the invasiveness of grasses was accepted in Oikos! Read it here
24 August 2023
Kaitlin received a Graduate Student Teaching Award! Well done, Kaitlin!
21 August 2023
Congratulations to Raytha for securing a McAfee Estate Scholarship Botany!