Research
1. Habitat susceptibility to non-native plants
An increasing number of studies has shown that plant communities respond differently to disturbance
and non-native plants; some buffer them while maintaining native plant composition, while others appear
to collapse under pressure. We use data mining, field observations and experiments to explore the levels
of invasion across habitats and to identify the mechanisms that drive habitat invasibility.
∙ Wagner, V., Večeřa, M., Jiménez-Alfaro, B., et al. (accepted) Alien plant invasion hotspots and invasion debt in European woodlands.
Journal of Vegetation Science
∙ Wagner, V., Chytrý, M., Jiménez-Alfaro, B., [...] et al.
(2017) Alien plant invasions across European woodlands.
Diversity and Distributions 23: 969-981.
2. Non-native plant management
Herbicides are widely used to suppress invasive plants but there is little information
on their effects on native species. We collaborate with plant and soil ecologists to understand
how this practice affects the entire native plant community and its soil components.
∙ Wagner, V., Antunes, P.M., Irvine, M. & Nelson, C. (2017) Herbicide usage for invasive non-native plant management in wildland areas of North America. Journal of Applied Ecology 54: 198-204.
∙ Lekberg, Y., Wagner, V., Rummel, A., McLeod, M., Ramsey, P.W. (2017) Strong indirect herbicide effects on mycorrhizal associations through plant community shifts and secondary invasions. Ecological Applications 27: 2359-2368.
∙Wagner, V. & Nelson, C.R. 2014: Herbicides negatively affect seed performance in native plants. Restoration Ecology 22: 288-291.
3. Biodiversity and ecological functioning of grasslands and meadows
Grassland and meadows can harbor a high biodiversity but are often distinguished only as “non-forest” in the regional
classification schemes. We carry out field research to explore the diversity and ecosystem
functions of understudied habitat types.
∙ Wagner, V., Spribille, T., Abrahamczyk, S., & Bergmeier, E. 2014:
Timberline meadows along a 1000km transect in NW North America: species diversity and community patterns.
Applied Vegetation Science 17: 129-141.
Lab news
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!
17 August 2023
Viktoria taught a new Field Botany course at our department. Thanks to: Shelby (Vinebrook lab) for TA support, City of Edmonton and Edmonton & Area Land Trust, Leduc county, Alberta Native Plant Council for permissions, Patsy Cotterill (plant lists, discussions), and the course participants for being awesome students!
31 August 2023
Martin, Tia and Jake finished their Caragana field sampling season. Stay tuned for future publications from our lab on Caragana invasiveness! Great work, team!