Victoria Van Mierlo

Assessing differences in food web metrics in freshwater ecosystems after the invasion of Northern crayfish (Faxonius virilis) Aquatic invasive species are among the greatest threats to freshwater biodiversity. Crayfish are especially robust freshwater invaders that can compete on various trophic levels simultaneously. The No...

New Invasive Crayfish Publication Alert !!! 🦞🚨

In a watershed with no native crayfishes, the trophic niches of invasive virile crayfish and native fish overlap in the basin-wide niche space, but are mostly separate in the realized niche space.

aquaticinvasions.arphahub.com/article/1831...

Checkout the DFOMarbled crayfish synopsis that was recently published and authored by yours truly!

The Ricciardians gather for our lab Christmas party. (Photo taken by @ecoinvasions.bsky.social) Note the secret hand sign. @tjcolvin.bsky.social @vanmierlo.bsky.social @ivanakomendic.bsky.social @emmaschubert.bsky.social @picard-m.bsky.social @briellecomartin.bsky.social @veronicagroves.bsky.social

We had a great time at the McGill BGSA Retreat at Gault Nature Reserve this past weekend! 🌲❄️
@picard-m.bsky.social
@vanmierlo.bsky.social
@biomcgill.bsky.social

Creatures buried in soil for over a century burst back to life in Toronto waterfront A project to restore coastal wetland leads to astonishing discoveries of a host of life: seeds and plant scraps, as well as water fleas, worms, larvae and plankton

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o... #restoration #toronto

JOIN US I am recruiting graduate students, analysts, and postdoctoral researchers for funded projects in a variety of research themes. See the links below for specific opportunities or contact [stephanie.g…

For anyone looking for an amazing PhD opportunity with Steph Green in marine global change ecology and conservation for 2026: greenlab.ca/opportunitie...

Such a loss. She was such a champion of conservation. She inspired me to become an ecologist and I am so grateful to have had the chance to see her speak, twice.
We must all continue her legacy by fighting for wildlife conservation and continue to have hope 🤍
Rest in Peace, Jane🤍

Cambarus robustus at Bronte Creek Provincial Park.

I went on a solo hike today at Bronte Creek Provincial park with the goal of witnessing the beginning of the salmon run. The salmon haven’t made it this far west yet, but I was blessed to find this beautiful Cambarus robustus who had recently molted.

Oh no! 😰

That’s a wrap on field season 2025! Check out some highlights from the 9 weeks spent on the St. Lawrence & Ottawa Rivers! 4/4

Native Cambarus robustus from the St. Lawrence river.

Stonecat captures near the confluence of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers.

A happy researcher with the first Faxonius virilis of the season.

Handling a small native Faxonius propinquus

That’s a wrap on field season 2025! Check out some highlights from the 9 weeks spent on the St. Lawrence & Ottawa Rivers! 3/4

Taking environmental measurements at a site in Lac St. Francis

Looking for crayfish with my favourite people for my birthday.

Measuring and weighing a large Native Faxonius virilis from the St. Lawrence river.

A perfect molt of invasive Faxonius limosus showing it’s distinct angular red abdominal markings.

That’s a wrap on field season 2025! Check out some highlights from the 9 weeks spent on the St. Lawrence & Ottawa Rivers! 2/4

Setting crayfish traps in the Ottawa river.

Native Faxonius propinquus from the St. Lawrence river

A large female invasive Faxonius limosus from the St. Lawrence river.

Freshwater sponge!

That’s a wrap on field season 2025! Check out some highlights from the 9 weeks spent on the St. Lawrence & Ottawa Rivers! 1/4

A reminder:

There is no analogy in the fossil record for the magnitude & scale of the modern bioinvasion event.

Driven by human activities, species are moving faster, farther, and in greater numbers than at any time in the history of life.

Blue female Faxonius virilis from the St. Lawrence river.

Blessed to find this beautiful electric blue Faxonius virilis while sampling the St. Lawrence for my doctoral work! This is a fairly rare phenotype for this native North American species!

Crayfish traps in the Ottawa River.

Setting crayfish traps in the St. Lawrence River.

Measuring a spinycheek crayfish carapace length, caught from the Ottawa River.

Taking environmental variables from the St. Lawrence River.

Sampling in the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Rivers for @vanmierlo.bsky.social’s fieldwork, targeting invasive spinycheek crayfish #invasivespecies #crayfish

Check out our new paper "Bioclimatic, terrain, and specific peatland composition are major drivers of woodland caribou winter habitat suitability in northern Ontario". I am grateful to have worked on this important topic with this amazing team!

cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10....

Follow our students for posts about invasive freshwater fish, crayfish & mussels:
(clockwise in photo below)
Victoria @vanmierlo.bsky.social
Kate @katest0rey.bsky.social
Brielle @briellecomartin.bsky.social
Emma @emmaschubert.bsky.social
Ty @tjcolvin.bsky.social
Ivana @ivanakomendic.bsky.social

Biodiversity offsets, their effectiveness and their role in a nature positive future Nature Reviews Biodiversity - Biodiversity offsets, applied as part of the mitigation hierarchy, aim to ensure that ‘no net loss’ of biodiversity occurs as a result of human development...

New paper alert!

How do biodiversity offsets, nature positive, and biodiversity credits fit together? @natrevbiodiv.bsky.social

Open access (non-downloadable): rdcu.be/ebGtr
Paywalled (downloadable): lnkd.in/ghv6zSRp
#BiodiversityOffsets #NaturePositive