Research expertise in the NRS department spans across three broad domains:
'Populations, Communities and Diversity'
Which includes ecology, biology and systematics of microorganisms, insects and other invertebrates, mammals, birds and plants.
'Stocks and Flows of Materials and Energy'
Which includes flows and cycling of carbon, nutrient elements, water, metals and toxic contaminants.
'Human Relationships with Nature and Natural Resources'
Which includes ethics, ecological and classical economics, institutions, and knowledge translation and transfer.
Although each domain is separate within the department, they interact and overlap as shown in the Departmental Venn Diagram:
The diagram illustrates the diversity of research and teaching in NRS. Most NRS professors have an element of their research residing within the three domains, however, elements of their research often overlap in interdisciplinary areas.
The NRS research programs span themes such as:
- The Canadian North
- Environmental pollutants and toxicants
- Social-ecological systems and ecosystems services and management
- Biodiversity
- Microbial diversity and processes
- Agricultural and resource economics
For more information on each topic visit our Research Themes page.
The Departmental Research facilities include many laboratories and field stations for graduate and undergraduate work, a networked computer room as well as various affiliated facilities. In addition, students have access to the Macdonald Campus Farm's fields for agronomic research.
The Department maintains a fleet of vehicles, including pickup trucks and a minivan, as well as an assortment of farm equipment suitable for plot-based research. For more information about vehicle rentals visit the Graduate Student general information page.