My name is Leanne and I am from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I moved to Edmonton to complete my BSc in Science with a specialization in Animal Biology in 2017. Over the course of my undergraduate studies I volunteered in the Evenden Lab identifying beetle catch in the family Carabidae to species level. In my final year, I completed a BIOL 499 project on the effect of energetic condition on the response of the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) to host volatiles.
My MSc focuses on the influence of intrinsic factors on mountain pine beetle dispersal. Specifically, I am interested in how flight alters MPB response to semiochemicals. Behavioural response will be investigated by use of olfactometer bioassay. Additionally, I will use an electroantennogram to assess changes in physiological response to host volatiles used for host-finding and pheromones utilized for subsequent mass-attack. My work includes collecting field samples of MPB across the expanded range in Alberta to assess differences in beetle condition. Results of these studies will help to inform dispersal models in order to better predict MPB movement across the landscape.
In my free time I like to rock climb (poorly) and spend time with my cats, axolotl, and 8-legged pets at home.
