Dr. Tyler W. Smith

Research Scientist

I am a botanist with a background in systematics, ecology, and conservation biology. My research at AAFC focuses on the diversity of uncultivated plants in agricultural ecosystems, including crop wild relatives, weeds and invasive species.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON

Current research and/or projects

Modeling IAS risk under climate change 2019-2021

Assessing the range potential of Invasive Alien Species (Dog-strangling Vine) and associated herbivores under climate change with geospatial models of biological collections data

Supporting Makkovimiut food systems 2021-2025

Identifying key factors contributing to yield variability, assess pollinator communities, and develop locally-relevant semi-cultivated management practices for Rubus chamaemorus (bakeapple) to enhance annual yields.

Systematics of Weeds, Crops, and Crop Wild Relatives 2019-2025

Assessing in situ diversity of important berry crop wild relatives (Vaccinium, Rubus).

Research and/or project statements

My work focuses on the diversity of uncultivated plants in agricultural systems. This includes assessing the current and potential risks posed by weeds and invasive species, and evaluating the genetic and taxonomic diversity of crop wild relatives with the potential to enhance the sustainability and resilience of Canada's agricultural sector.

Professional activities / interests

Board Member of the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO) 2016-2019
Board Member of the Canadian Botanical Association 2011-2021
Adjunct Faculty Carleton University 2012-current
Associate Editor Botany 2011-2019, Castanea 2011-current
Chair, AAFC Vascular Plant Herbarium Collection Curatorial Committee 2018-current
Expert Reviewer for the Technical Advisory Group for the Biological Control Agents of Weeds 2018-current

Education and awards

B.Sc (Hons.) Pure and Applied Ecology, University of Guelph, 1996
Ph.D Plant Science (Systematics), McGill University, 2007

International experience and/or work

Assistant Professor, Eastern Kentucky University, 2009-2011

Additional links

plantarum.ca

Key publications

Oksanen J, Simpson G, Blanchet F, Kindt R, Legendre P, Minchin P, O'Hara R, Solymos P, Stevens M, Szoecs E, Wagner H, Barbour M, Bedward M, Bolker B, Borcard D, Carvalho G, Chirico M, De Caceres M, Durand S, Evangelista H, FitzJohn R, Friendly M, Furneaux B, Hannigan G, Hill M, Lahti L, McGlinn D, Ouellette M, Ribeiro Cunha E, Smith T, Stier A, Ter Braak C, Weedon J (2022). vegan: Community Ecology Package. R package version 2.6-4, https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=vegan.
2022 - View publication details
Kharouba, H. M, and Smith, T. W. 2022. Understanding and predicting species responses to climate change. Invited seminar, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
2022 - View publication details
Krajewski, M. R., Kharouba, H. M. and Smith, T. W. 2022. Using invasion history to test the assumption of environmental equilibrium in over 250 introduced plant species in North America. Conference Presentation: A change is gonna come. Joint Conference of the Ecological Society of America and the Canadian Society of Ecology and Evolution. Montreal, Canada.
2022 - View publication details
Foster, S.L., Smith, T.W, and Kharouba, H.M. 2021. Modelling the Current and Historical Geographic Distribution of an invasive vine (Vincetoxicum rossicum) in northeastern North America.
Botanical Society of America, Botany 2021 Virtual Conference.
2021 - View publication details
Smith, T.W., Nowell, V.J., Wang, S. 2020. Conservation on the periphery: genetic diversity of the Endangered sedge, Trichophorum planifolium. Oral presentation, Canadian Botanical Association Annual Conference, Abitibi, QC.
2020 - View publication details
Hayes, A., Whittemore, A., Smith, T. W. 2019. Genetic diversity of Celtis pumila, an apomictic triploid, and its diploid relatives in eastern North America. Oral Presentation: Botanical Association of America, Tucson.
2019 - View publication details
Poster: Botanical Association of America, Rochester, MN 2018. flowPloidy: An R Package for determining Genome Size and Ploidy from Flow Cytometry Histograms. T. W. Smith, P. Kron, S. L. Martin.
2018 - View publication details
Oral Presentation: Botanical Association of America, Dallas/Fort Worth 2017. flowPloidy: An R Package for determining Genome Size and Ploidy from Flow Cytometry Histograms. T. W. Smith, P. Kron, S. L. Martin.
2017 - View publication details
Martin, S.L., Smith, T.W., James, T., Shalabi, F., Kron, P., Sauder, C.A. (2017). An update to the canadian range, abundance, and ploidy of camelina spp. (brassicaceae) east of the Rocky Mountains. Botany, [online] 95(4), 405-417. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjb-2016-0070
2017 - View publication details
Nowell, V., Smith, T.W., Cavallin, N., and McPhee, J. (2015). COSEWIC Assessment and Update Status Report on the hop tree, Ptelea trifoliata, in Canada. Technical Report, Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, Ottawa. (Report)
2015 - View publication details
V. Nowell, S. Wang, T. W. Smith. 2015. Genetic structure and habitat characteristics of Trichophorum planifolium (Cyperaceae), an endangered sedge in Canada. Poster: Botanical Association of America/Canadian Botanical Association Joint Conference, Edmonton.
2015 - View publication details
V. Nowell, S. Wang, T. W. Smith. 2015. Genetic structure and habitat characteristics of Trichophorum planifolium (Cyperaceae), an endangered sedge in Canada. Oral Presentation, Ontario Biodiversity Summit, Niagara Falls, Ontario.
2015 - View publication details
Zalapa, J.E., Bougie, T.C., Bougie, T.A., Schlautman, B.J., Wiesman, E., Guzman, A., Fajardo, D.A., Steffan, S., Smith, T. (2015). Clonal diversity and genetic differentiation revealed by SSR markers in wild Vaccinium macrocarpon and Vaccinium oxycoccos. Annals of Applied Biology, [online] 166(2), 196-207. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aab.12173
2015 - View publication details
Mitrow, G., Catling, P.M., Cayouette, J., Macklin, J.A., Smith, T.W., and Ward, A. (2014). Annual Report of the AAFC National Collection of Vascular Plants (DAO Herbarium) and National Vascular Plant Identification Service (January – December 2013). Completed in May 2014. (Report)
2014 - View publication details
Mitrow, G., Catling, P.M., Cayouette, J., Macklin, J.A., Smith, T.W., and Ward, A. (2014). "Preventing humidity and direct water damage in a dried plant collection (DAO).", The Society for Preservation of Natural History Collection (SPNHC), June 2014. (Poster)
2014 - View publication details
Côté, M.J., Leduc, L., Kerr, D., Dollard, C., Blain, A., Catling, P.M., Mitrow, G., Martin, S.L., Smith, T.W., and Macklin, J.A. (2014). "Barcoding of Quarantine and invasive species in Canada: Invasive Plants.", Weeds Across Boarders, Ottawa, Canada, October 2014. (Abstract)
2014 - View publication details
Lundholm, J., Heim, A., Tran, S., Smith, T. (2014). Leaf and life history traits predict plant growth in a green roof ecosystem. PLoS ONE, [online] 9(6), http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0101395
2014 - View publication details
Smith, T.W. and Wang, S. (2013). "Species Limits and Polyploidy in Vaccinium oxycoccos.", Canadian Botanical Association, Kamloops, BC, Canada, Oral Presentation.
2013 - View publication details
Côté, M.J., Leduc, L., Kerr, D., Dollard, C., Catling, P.M., Mitrow, G., Martin, S.L., Smith, T.W., and Macklin, J.A. (2013). "Barcoding of Quarantine and Invasive Species in Canada: Invasive Plants. Co-operation project between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency – CFIA and AAFC (GRDI - Genomics Research and Development).", Plant Genome Evolution Meeting 2013, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, September 8-10, 2013. (Abstract)
2013 - View publication details
Walinga, C. and Smith, T.W. (2013). "Morphometric analysis of the small-fruited cranberry, Vaccinium oxycoccos L. in eastern Canada.", Canadian Botanical Association, Kamloops, BC, Canada. (Poster)
2013 - View publication details