Angeli Sahdra

My research focuses on exploring the impact of urbanization and habitat fragmentation on species distributions and species interactions using the goldenrod gall fly system. The goldenrod gall fly system is a good candidate system that can be used to better understand ecological interactions, evolution, and the impact of urbanization and habitat fragmentation on plant and insect species. I explore topics related to whether riparian zones and connected greenspaces drive insect populations along an urbanization gradient, how bird predator dynamics may be disrupted by urbanization to change natural selection, and how microclimate conditions can have an impact on goldenrod plant growth and gall fly abundance.

I collect and analyze data across a range of sites in southern Ontario along an urbanization gradient, including gall fly and avian predator abundance data, soil moisture, salinity, and nutrient data, and landscape feature data. Understanding the effects of urbanization on species distributions and interactions can provide insights into the impacts of selection processes in urban areas and may ultimately lead to an increased emphasis on maintaining habitat and species movement patterns within urban landscapes.