Trait-based Plant Ecology
I study the causes and consequences of trait variation and integration across biological scales, from within individuals to among communities. I am interested in questions at the intersection of plant physiology, ecology and evolution. An empiricist, I use observational and experimental studies (field and lab) to uncover general principles governing patterns of phenotypic diversity.
My current work with collaborators and students centers on trait variation and co-variation within species, phenotypic integration, selection and climate change.
Bio
I am an Assistant Professor in the department of Biology at the University of Waterloo.
I conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Sherbrooke with Dr. Vellend and at the Centre d’Écologie Fonctionelle et Évolutive of the CNRS with Dr. Violle. There, I examined whether traits can predict species response to warming. I completed my PhD in December 2015 at the University of Arizona with Drs Enquist, McGill and Lechowicz, where I explored the limits of a trait-based approach to ecology, specifically with respect phenotypic complexity and scaling. I obtained my MSc from McGill University in 2009, where I examined variation in leaf traits across biological scales in tropical rainforests.
For more about my research, visit my Research page to learn about my past and current projects or my Publications page to see my papers. You can also find me on:
Julie Messier 