Research: In my research I use empirical approaches to understand the factors that regulate the distribution and abundance of freshwater invertebrates. Using a combination of experimental studies and the analysis of spatial and temporal data, I investigate how local environmental conditions (biotic and abiotic) and dispersal influence biodiversity. I am also interested in determining what role biodiversity plays in maintaining ecosystem function and how biodiversity and function are influenced by the addition and removal of disturbances.

I have a strong interest in contributing to the study of conservation and recovery of aquatic ecosystems. Toward this end, I am especially interested in studying the influence multiple stressors, including climate change, invading species, and acidification, on aquatic ecosystems. These are currently some of the most pressing concerns for aquatic systems.

Recovery from Acidification:   Thousands of lakes in Ontario acidified in the mid-1900s because of acid rain caused by industrial emissions of sulphur dioxide.  Fortunately, legislative action in North America has resulted in reduced sulphur emissions and consequently, improved water quality in many lakes, especially near Sudbury and Killarney Park. Evidence of biological recovery, however, has been less clear. My students and I are exploring the possible mechanisms that are responsible for delayed biological recovery. We are investigating two main hypotheses: 1. Potential colonists are not arriving at the lakes from either resting stages historically deposited in lake sediments or from nearby lakes, and 2. Local biotic and abiotic conditions prevent the establishment of colonists.

Invasive Species:  Bythotrephes longimanus is an aquatic invertebrate predator that arrived in the Great Lakes from Eurasia in the mid-1980s.  Since then, it has invaded over 100 inland lakes in Ontario.  Research in my lab has indicated that Bythotrephes has a large impact on crustacean zooplankton communities, reducing species richness, abundance, and secondary production.  We are currently investigating the effect of Bythotrephes on fish growth and its interaction with native invertebrate predators, such as Mysis, Chaoborus,andLeptodora.

Climate Change:  Changes in the thermal structure of lakes are expected to occur with increasing climate change.  We are using long-term data and field experiments to determine the effect of different thermal stratification patterns on predator prey interactions.

»» Lab Website »« email: arnotts@queensu.ca »« telephone: 613-533-6384 ««

Some Recent Publications:

Pedruski, M. and S. E. Arnott.  2011.  The effects of habitat connectivity and regional heterogeneity on artificial pond metacommunities. Oecologia, in press.

D. K. Grayand S. E. Arnott.  2011. Does dispersal limitation impact the recovery of zooplankton communities damaged by a regional stressor? Ecological Applications, in press.

Strecker, A. L. and S. E. Arnott.  2010.  Complex interactions between regional dispersal of native taxa and an invasive species. Ecology 91:1035-1047.

Derry, A. M., S. E. Arnott, P. T.Boag. 2010.  Evolutionary shifts in copepod acid tolerance in an acid-recovering lake indicated by resurrected resting eggs.  Evolutionary Ecology 24:133–145.

Strecker, A. L., B. E. Beisner, S. E. Arnott, A. M. Paterson, J. G. Winter, O.E. Johannsson, and N. D. Yan. 2011. Direct and indirect effects of an invasive planktonic predator on pelagic foodwebs.  Limnology and Oceanography, in press.

Jokela, A., S. E. Arnott, B.E. Beisner. 2011.  Patterns of Bythotrephes longimanus distributionrelative to native macroinvertebrates and zooplankton prey. BiologicalInvasions, in press.Strecker, A. L. and S. E. Arnott.  2010.  Complex interactions between regional dispersal of native taxa and an invasive species. Ecology 91:1035-1047.

Gray, D. K. and S. E. Arnott.  2009. Recovery of acid damaged zooplankton communities: measurement, extent, and limiting factors.  Environmental Reviews, 17:81-99.

Derry, A. M., S. E. Arnott, J. A. Shead, P. D. N. Hebert, and P. T. Boag.  2009. Ecological linkages between community and genetic diversity in zooplankton among boreal shield lakes.   Ecology. 90:2275-2286.

Chan, E. M., A. M. Derry, L. A. Watson, and S. E. Arnott.  2008.  Variation in calanoid copepod resting egg abundance among lakes with different acidification histories.  Hydrobiologia. 614:275-284.

Strecker, A. L. and S. E. Arnott.  2008.  Invasive predator, Bythotrephes, has varied effects on ecosystem function in freshwater lakes.  Ecosystems 11:490-503.

A. L. Strecker, Milne, R., and S. E. Arnott.  2008.  Dispersal limitation and climate-related environmental gradients structure crustacean zooplankton composition in freshwater lakes, Ellesmere Island, Canada. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 65: 1905-1918.

Derry, A. M. and S. E. Arnott.  2007.  Zooplankton community response to experimental acidification in boreal shield lakes with different ecological histories.  Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science, 64:887-898.

Forrest, J. and S. E. Arnott.  2007. Variability and predictability in a zooplankton community: the roles of disturbance and dispersal.  Ecoscience 14:137-145.

Derry, A. M. and S. E. Arnott.  2007.  Adaptive reversals in acid tolerance in copepods from lakes recovering from historical stress. Ecological Applications 17:1116-1126.