Dr. Kirsty E. B. Gurney

Image Kirsty E. B. Gurney
Research Scientist - Ecology and Environmental Science; Wetlands; Wildlife Health
Environment and Climate Change Canada

Current research and/or projects

Contributing to Environment Canada's mandate to ensure that ecosystems and wildlife are conserved and protected

  • Identifying links between natural and anthropogenic environmental stressors (e.g. climate, resource abundance, industrial development, disease) and wildlife health at individual and population levels
  • Identifying the effects of environmental change (e.g., contaminants, climate, industrial development) on arctic and northern-breeding birds, in the context of reproductive success, annual life cycles, and demographic outcomes
  • Developing and implementing DNA-based approaches to assessing issues related to conservation

Professional activities / interests

  • Advise students at University of Saskatchewan, University of Alaska Fairbanks (Associate Faculty)
  • Journal paper reviews (e.g., Oecologia, Arctic, Environmental Science and Technology, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment)

Education and awards

B.Sc. (Hons) Biology and Environmental Toxicology, Simon Fraser University, 1997

M.Sc. Ecotoxicology, Simon Fraser University, 2000

Ph.D. Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 2012

Key publications

Gurney, K.E.B., R.G. Clark, S.M. Slattery and L. Ross. 2016. Connecting the trophic dots: responses of an aquatic bird species to variable abundance of macroinvertebrates in northern boreal wetlands. Hydrobiologia: 1–17 doi:10.1007/s10750-016-2817-4.

Lavretsky, P., J. Peters, K. Winker, V. Bahn, I. Kulikova, Y. Zhuravlev, R. Wilson, C. Barger, K.E.B. Gurney and K. McCracken. 2016. Becoming pure: identifying generational classes of admixed individuals within lesser and greater scaup populations. Molecular Ecology 25: 661–674.

Gurney, K.E.B., R.G. Clark and P.S.Curry. 2014. Factors influencing mortality of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) ducklings during a West Nile virus outbreak. Canadian Journal of Zoology 92: 365–370.

Gurney, K.E.B., C.J. Wood, R.T. Alisauskas, M. Wayland, J.M. DeVink and S.M. Slattery. 2014. Identifying carry-over effects of wintering area on reproductive parameters in White-winged scoters: An isotopic approach. The Condor: Ornithological Applications 116: 251–264.

Liebezeit, J.R., K.E.B. Gurney, M. Budde, S. Zack and D.H. Ward. 2014. Phenological advancement in arctic species: relative importance of snow melt and ecological factors. Polar Biology 37: 1309–1320.

Contact

Research facility

Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre
115 Perimeter Road
Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X4
Canada

Expertise

Environment›Arctic & Northern›Wildlife›Bird populations
Environment›Climate›Climate Change and Processes›Adaptation and impacts
Environment›Climate›Climate Change and Processes›Effects
Environment›Ecology›Aquatic Ecosystems›Habitat
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Biodiversity›Climate change impacts
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Biodiversity›Industrial impacts
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Ecosystems & Habitats›Arctic environment
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Ecosystems & Habitats›Boreal forest
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Ecosystems & Habitats›Macroinvertebrates
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Ecosystems & Habitats›Wetlands
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Effects of Toxics›Ecotoxicology
Environment›Water›Freshwater›Aquatic organisms
Environment›Water›Freshwater›Ecosystems
Environment›Water›Nutrients›Agriculture

Affiliations

Adjunct Professor, Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan

Associate Faculty, Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Language

English