Ms Emilie Roy-Dufresne
Higher Degree by Research Candidate
Research Assistant
School of Biological Sciences
Faculty of Sciences
We are all aware that the ecosystem and biodiversity are in an unsteady equilibrium. In regions that are prone to periodic and substantial environmental changes (i.e. seasonal events, climate change, landscape modifications, other anthropogenic factors), being able to conceptualize how the interactions and dynamics between species and their environment at different spatial and temporal scales can be crucial. My interest relies on trying to understand the dynamics of such systems using concepts in ecology with the aim to solve pressing applied issues in wildlife management, invasive species monitoring, and conservation programs. I achieve this aim by linking theoretical insights with empirical findings using state of the art statistical techniques, and by seeking collaborative efforts with expert’s biologists, land managers, and citizen scientists.
Invasive species are a major driver of global change, providing an enormous threat to today’s biodiversity and in the future. In this research, I will study some of the most important concepts and hypotheses in invasion biology by studying a notorious case in Australia: the European rabbits. Among my studies, I first provide a national database of the rabbit's natural history in Australia; summarizing 50 years of work and studies on the species. I will also explore the opportunity to use citizen sciences to estimate the potential distribution of the species and will do further analysis to understand how stress factors, both climatic and geographical, determine the fundamental niche of the rabbits in Australia. Finally, I will develop a population dynamic model for the rabbits, and explore the impact of different management scenarios and climate change on its population abundance. I aim to improve the management of invasive species by establishing a stronger ecological understanding of the spatial and temporal drivers of invasiveness.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2015 PhD Candidate University of Adelaide 2013 - 2015 Research Assistant University of Adelaide -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2010 - 2013 McGill University Canada Master in Science -
Research Interests
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Journals
Year Citation 2019 Roy-Dufresne, E., Lurgi, M., Brown, S. C., Wells, K., Cooke, B., Mutze, G., . . . Fordham, D. A. (2019). The Australian National Rabbit Database: 50 yr of population monitoring of an invasive species.. Ecology, e02750.
2014 Simon, J., Marrotte, R., Desrosiers, N., Fiset, J., Gaitan, J., Gonzalez, A., . . . Millien, V. (2014). Climate change and habitat fragmentation drive the occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, at the northeastern limit of its distribution. Evolutionary Applications, 7(7), 750-764.
Scopus46 WoS43 Europe PMC292013 Roy-Dufresne, E., Logan, T., Simon, J., Chmura, G., & Millien, V. (2013). Poleward expansion of the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) under climate change: implications for the spread of lyme disease. PLoS One, 8(11), e80724-1-e80724-8.
Scopus28 WoS24 Europe PMC14— Roy-Dufresne, E., Saltré, F., Cooke, B., Mellin, C., Mutze, G., Cox, T., & Fordham, D. (n.d.). Supplementary material from: Modelling the distribution of a wide-ranging invasive species using the sampling efforts of expert and citizen scientists..
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Figures
Year Citation — Roy-Dufresne, E., Saltré, F., Mellin, C., Mutze, G., Cooke, B., Cox, T., & Fordham, D. (n.d.). Rabbit probability occurrence - Black and white figure.
— Roy-Dufresne, E., Saltré, F., Mellin, C., Mutze, G., Cooke, B., Cox, T., & Fordham, D. (n.d.). Rabbit probability of occurrence - ASC ensemble model.
- Australian Wildlife Society university student grant
- Rabbit Free Australia Foundation student support grant
- Field demonstrator
- 2016 and 2017, For “Concept in Ecology” (ENV BIOL 3121)
- 2016 and 2017, For “Ecology II and Ecol Eng.” (ENV BIOL 2502 & 2005)
- Laboratory demonstrator
- 2017, For “Ecology II and Ecol Eng.” (ENV BIOL 2502 & 2005)
- 2017, For “Numerical Analysis of Palaeoenvironmental Data” (Intensive course)
- 2016, For “Research methods in ecology III” (ENV BIOL 3510)
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