Our Presenter:

Jessica Forrest is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Ottawa. Her research focuses on the ecology and evolution of plant-pollinator interactions and the population biology of wild bees.

The Presentation:

Of the approximately 4000 species of bees native to North America, none produces marketable honey—but all have fascinating, and usually solitary, private lives. In this presentation, Dr. Forrest will give an overview of the natural history of bees, with a focus on the Canadian fauna. She will also summarize some of her lab’s recent findings on the factors affecting wild bee populations—including flowers, parasites, and temperatures—and discuss ways to support local pollinator communities.

Biography:

Jessica Forrest is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Ottawa, where she teaches upper-level ecology courses, including an alpine ecology field course and courses on plant-animal interactions. Her research focuses on the ecology and evolution of plant-pollinator interactions and the population biology of wild bees. Jessica completed her PhD in 2011 at the University of Toronto and has conducted field work in Colorado, California, and Ontario. To learn more about her lab’s research, visit https://forrestlab.wordpress.com/.