Tanya Handa

Dr. Tanya Handa is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), where she has been a faculty member since August 2010. She is affiliated with the Centre for Forest Research (CEF) as a Regular Researcher and serves as a Science Columnist for the Radio-Canada program 'Méteur de Recherche.'

Dr. Handa's research focuses on understanding the consequences of global change on ecosystem processes, with particular emphasis on how rising atmospheric CO₂ levels and urbanization affect tree growth, and how changes in biodiversity influence litter decomposition and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Her work bridges plant ecology, soil science, and climate change biology, with field sites across Quebec's forests.

Her recent publications (2023-2024) demonstrate continued productivity across multiple dimensions of global change ecology, with particular emphasis on litter decomposition dynamics, soil biodiversity responses to disturbances, urban forest resilience, and the impacts of invasive species. These studies frequently employ trait-based approaches and examine ecosystem processes across multiple biomes.

Dr. Handa has received consistent research funding that has enabled her to mentor numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Her laboratory investigates ecosystem responses to anthropogenic disturbances through both observational and experimental approaches.

• B.Sc. in biology from McGill University (1996)
• M.Sc. in botany from the University of Toronto
• Ph.D. in plant ecology from the University of Basel, Switzerland (2006)
• Post-doctoral fellowship at the Center of Functional Ecology and Evolution (CEFE-CNRS) in Montpellier, France (2007-2010)