Shannon McCauley

Shannon McCauley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Her research focuses on freshwater ecology, particularly how predator-prey interactions and dispersal mechanisms shape ecological communities across local and regional scales.

• Key methodologies include spatially/temporally extensive surveys and experimental manipulations (mesocosms to landscape-level).
• Primary study organisms: aquatic insects, especially odonates (dragonflies).
• Current research spans California and Ontario.

The McCauley Lab emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to understanding biodiversity dynamics in freshwater systems:

• Local-scale studies on predator-prey interactions
• Regional-scale investigations into dispersal biology
• Cross-scale analysis of interacting processes

Recent publications highlight urban biodiversity conservation (stormwater ponds) and continental-scale aquatic insect studies using community science networks. Notable lab achievements include Zira's conference award for wildlife-focused research and the successful PhD defense of Rosemary Martin, whose work revealed critical winter ecological activity under ice.