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I have recently joined the Biology department at 51本色 (2021) where I lead the WILDlab – a group of motivated students and researchers that focus on applied issues of northern wildlife biology. Our work involves field projects, modelling, and communication and collaboration with local peoples. Prior to joining 51本色, I was a postdoctoral research scientist at Natural Resources Canada (Victoria, BC) where my collaborators and I conducted several forecasting and risk analyses outlining boreal caribou management strategies. I hold a PhD from the University of Victoria in Environmental Studies with a focus on applied wildlife management, and two degrees (BScH and MSc) from the University of Guelph in Ecology.
The main focus of my research is quantifying the response of wildlife to natural and anthropogenic landscape change. Our research group approaches this focus using multiple techniques and vantage points, focusing on Canada's north as a key area undergoing rapid change. We conduct large-scale remote camera trapping projects to quantify the occurrence of wildlife species in relation to existing landscape features – and in relation to each other – helping us better understand how the distribution and abundance of wildlife may change as the land changes. We also use simulation and computer forecasting techniques to apply existing information to anticipated future conditions, quantifying spatially explicit trade-offs between proposed management techniques (e.g. protected areas, species reintroductions, predator management). Throughout, our work emphasizes bringing knowledge types, and sectors, together to inform decisions of wildlife management.
McIntire, E. J., Chubaty, A. M., Cumming, S. G., Andison, D., Barros, C., Boisvenue, C., Haché, S., Luo, Y., Micheletti, T., & Stewart, F. E.C. 2022. Perfict: A re‐imagined foundation for predictive ecology. Ecology Letters, 25(6), 1345–1351. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13994
Micheletti, T., F.E.C. Stewart, S.G. Cumming, D. Stralberg, J.A. Tremblay, C. Barros, I.M. Eddy, A.M. Chubaty, M. Leblond, R.F. Pankratz, C.L. Mahon, S.L. Van Wilgenburg, E.M. Bayne, F.K.A. Schmiegelow, and E.J.B. McIntire. 2021. Assessing pathways of climate change effects in SpaDES: an application to boreal landbirds of the Northwest Territories Canada. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2021.679673
Stewart, F.E.C., J. Nowak, T. Micheletti, E.J.B. McIntire, F.K.A. Schmiegelow, S. Cumming. 2020. Caribou can coexist with natural, but not industrial disturbance. The Journal of Wildlife Management. doi:10.1002/jwmg.21937
Winder, R., F.E.C. Stewart, E.J.B. McIntire, A. Dyk, K. Omendja, G. Thandi. 2020. Cumulative Effects and Boreal Woodland Caribou: how bow-tie risk analysis addresses a critical issue in Canada’s forested landscapes. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. doi:10.3389/fevo.2020.00001
Stewart, F.E.C., J.P. Volpe, B.R. Eaton, G.A. Hood, D. Vujnovic, and J.T. Fisher. 2019. Protected areas alone rarely predict mammal biodiversity across spatial scales in an Albertan working landscape. Biological Conservation. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108252
Stewart, F.E.C., S. Darlington, J.P. Volpe, M. McAdie, and J.T. Fisher. 2019. Corridors best facilitate functional connectivity across a protected area network. Scientific Reports. 10.1038/s41598-019-47067-x
Stewart, F.E.C., J.P. Volpe, and J.T. Fisher. 2019. The debate about bait: a red herring in wildlife research. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 10.1002/jwmg.21657
Burgar, J. M., F.E.C. Stewart, J.P. Volpe, J.T. Fisher, and A.C. Burton. 2018. Estimating density for species conservation: Comparing camera trap spatial count models to genetic spatial capture-recapture models. Global Ecology and Conservation. 10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00411
Stewart, F.E.C., A.C. Burton, J.P. Volpe, and J.T. Fisher. 2018. Species occurrence data reflect the magnitude of animal movements better than the proximity of animal space use. Ecosphere 9(2):e02112
Stewart, F.E.C., J.P. Volpe, J.S. Taylor, J. Bowman, P. Thomas, M.J. Pybus, and J.T. Fisher. 2017. Distinguishing reintroduction from recolonization with genetic testing. Biological Conservation. 214: 242-249
Stewart, F.E.C.*, N.A. Heim*, A.P. Clevenger, J. Paczkowski, J.P. Volpe, and J.T. Fisher. 2016. Wolverine behavior varies spatially with anthropogenic footprint: implications for conservation and inferences about declines. Ecology and Evolution. doi:10.1002/ece3.1921
- BI458 – Vertebrate Biodiversity and Conservation
- BI306 - Global Biogeography and Conservation Biology