Research

Julia Mlynarek is an entomologist at the Montreal Insectarium and an associate professor at the Institute for Research in Plant Biology (IRBV) at the University of Montreal. Her research focuses on the diversity, conservation, and ecological functioning of insects, with a particular interest in aquatic insects and pollinators. She studies the effects of urbanization, environmental changes, and human disturbances on insect communities, their functional traits, and their adaptive capacity along urban-natural gradients. Her work combines the analysis of historical collections, morphometric approaches, field sampling methods, and innovative tools such as environmental DNA. She is also interested in the restoration of degraded habitats and the role of green and blue infrastructure in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.