Concordia University
M.Sc. candidate
Supervisor: Jean-Philippe Lessard
Start: 2024-09-03
End: 2026-08-15

Project

Adaptive Responses to Latitude in Odonates
We’re seeing with climate changes, species around the world are shifting their ranges, altering ecosystems in ways we’re just only beginning to understand. Some species are adapting, while others are struggling to keep up. This raises a fundamental question in ecology: what traits help species survive in changing environments? Understanding this is crucial if we want to predict biodiversity shifts and develop effective conservation strategies before ecosystems collapse. One way to approach this question is by studying organisms that respond quickly to environmental changes. That’s where my research comes in. I study dragonflies and damselflies—semi-aquatic insects that are highly sensitive to temperature shifts. Recent research in our lab shows that in colder regions, these insects tend to have larger thoraxes, the part of their body that houses their flight muscles. But why? A larger thorax might help with heat absorption, flight efficiency, or dispersal in cold environments. By investigating this, I aim to understand how species are adapting to temperature extremes—insights that could help us predict future biodiversity patterns in a warming world.