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Research Interests My research focuses on spatio-temporal characteristics of populations, such as genetic population structure, population range extents and connectivity. I am also interested in the effects of sampling design, and how spatial and temporal scales can affect appropriate characterisation system behaviours. I am currently exploring the viability of genetic simulation modelling for understanding the effect of available habitat and landscape barriers on genetic population structure, animal movement and infectious disease spread. Terrestrial animals may face numerous barriers to movement within and bordering their habitat because of rivers, lakes, mountains, human development and competing species. These factors can restrict available habitat to patches that may or may not be connected by habitat corridors. Furthermore, climate change may be shifting the range of available habitat to areas with different spatial configurations. All of these factors affect observed population patterns. The difficulty is determining the degree to which any one factor is having an effect - and this is where I see the value of genetic simulation modelling - as a tool for identifying these factors, and quantifying their effects on population processes. (I created the Raccoon Ecology Database to store and manage over 200 documents on raccoon (Procyon lotor) biology & ecology for meta-analytical explorations and raccoon-specific model parameterisation. An empty database is also available to act as a data model for those interested in populating their own ecological databases). Courses Taught Introduction to Genetics (Biol 205), Department of Biology, Trent University, Canada Publications Rees E.E., Pond B.A., Cullingham C.I., Rowland, R.T., Ball, D., Kyle C.J., and White B.N. Assessing a landscape barrier using genetic simulation modelling: implications for raccoon rabies management. Preventative Veterinary Medicine (in press). Rees E.E., Pond, B.A., Phillips, J.R., and Murray, D.L. 2008. Raccoon Ecology Database: a resource for population dynamics modeling and meta-analysis. Ecological Informatics (in press). Rees, E.E., Pond, B.A., Rosatte, R., and Sobey, K. A refined approach to density estimation using capture-mark-recapture data. Oikos (submitted). Rees, E.E., B.A. Pond, R. Tinline and D. Ball. 2004. Model sensitivity testing using information theory. Proceedings of GISVET'04, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, England. Cullingham C.I., Rees E.E., Kyle C.J., Pond B.A., Rosatte R.C., and White B.N. Direct and Indirect Methods of Estimating Dispersal: Applications for Raccoon Rabies Management. Molecular Ecology (submitted). Kitchener A.C., and Rees E.E. Modelling biogeography of wildcats during the last glacial cycle: implications for taxonomy and conservation. Journal of Zoology (submitted). Theses Rees E.E. 2008. Approaches to Modelling Raccoon Rabies. PhD Thesis. Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario. Rees E.E. 2002. GIS, Environmental Change, and the Late Quaternary Distribution of the Eurasian/African Wildcat (Felis Silvestris). University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. Conferences Rees, E.E., B.A. Pond, C.I. Cullingham, R. Tinline, D. Ball, C.J. Kyle, R.C. Rosatte and B.N. White. 2007. Measuring the effect of the Niagara River as a barrier to gene flow in raccoons (Procyon lotor) and implications to the spread of raccoon rabies. Ecological Society of America, San Jose, California, USA. Rees, E.E., B.A. Pond, C.I. Cullingham, R. Tinline, D. Ball, C.J. Kyle, R.C. Rosatte and B.N. White. 2007. The effect of the Niagara River to gene flow in raccoons (Procyon lotor): implications to raccoon rabies disease spread. Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Rees, E.E., B.A. Pond, C.I. Cullingham, R. Tinline, D. Ball and B.N. White. 2005. Factors Affecting the Genetic Diversity of Raccoons in Niagara, Ontario, - an Application of the Ontario Rabies Model, Rabies in the Americas, Ottawa, Canada. Rees, E.E., B.A. Pond, R. Tinline, D. Ball, K. Sobey, R.C. Rosatte and B.N. White. 2005. Value of Targeting "Habitat Baiting" Against Raccoon Rabies in Southern On, Rabies in the Americas, Ottawa, Canada. Rees, E.E., B.A. Pond, R. Tinline and D. Ball. 2005. Mechanisms leading to the spread of raccoon rabies. North East United States Animal Health Association, Mystic, CT. Rees, E.E., B.A. Pond, R. Tinline and D. Ball, 2004. Genetics and disease simulation modelling. North East United States Animal Health Association, Burlington, VT. Rees, E.E., B.A. Pond, R. Tinline and D. Ball, 2002. Sensitivity analysis of the Ontario Rabies Model. Natural Resources DNA Profiling and Forensic Centre Colloquium, Peterborough, ON.
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