Jean-Philippe Lessard

Jean-Philippe Lessard is a Professor in the Department of Biology at Concordia University, where he leads research in community ecology, biogeography, and global change impacts on biodiversity. His lab integrates ecological, evolutionary, and macroecological approaches to study diversity maintenance in ants and other taxa, with a focus on climate change, habitat modification, and invasive species.

He teaches BIOL 353: Communities and Ecosystems and BIOL 451: Field Ecology, emphasizing hands-on ecological methods. His research spans observational fieldwork, experimental studies, and large-scale database compilation to unravel diversity drivers across taxa and ecosystems.

Research Interests

• Community ecology and biogeography
• Macroecology and biodiversity science
• Climate change effects on species distributions
• Ant ecology and ecosystem engineering
• Functional traits and evolutionary adaptation
• Species pool dynamics and local communities

Scientific Leadership includes developing heterogeneous dispersal network models and global ant biodiversity databases. His work bridges theoretical frameworks (e.g., species pool concepts) with applied conservation strategies in agricultural and urban landscapes.