Karl Cottenie

Karl Cottenie is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph. His research focuses on community ecology, metacommunity dynamics, and biodiversity analysis, with a particular emphasis on freshwater ecosystems, DNA-based methodologies, and conservation applications. He investigates spatial and temporal patterns in aquatic communities, integrating ecological and molecular approaches to understand species distribution, dispersal, and environmental responses.

Key research themes include the role of dispersal, niche processes, and environmental filtering in structuring communities of insects, mollusks, and microbial taxa. Recent work highlights the use of DNA barcoding and metabarcoding to uncover hidden biodiversity in Arctic environments, riverine systems, and tropical regions. Cottenie also explores the implications of biodiversity metrics like beta diversity for conservation planning and evaluates the drivers of population synchrony in aquatic organisms.

In addition to ecological research, he contributes to pedagogical innovation, including the development of citizen science tools for undergraduate education and the formative use of student evaluations to enhance teaching practices. His interdisciplinary approach bridges ecological theory, molecular techniques, and applied conservation challenges.