Dr. Mark Lesser

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My broad research interests lie in understanding controls on species’ distributions. I am particularly interested in the factors that dictate range-limits and migration patterns of tree species. My research program asks:

1. What are the climatic factors controlling a species’ range?
2. What other extrinsic factors, both abiotic (e.g. nutrient and moisture limitations) and biotic (e.g. competition, herbivory), interact with climate to allow species to successfully colonize and inhabit an area?
3. How do intrinsic factors such as population dynamics, dispersal capability, and genetic variability also act on controlling species’ distributions?

 

• Education
  • Ph.D., Ecology University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
  • Masters of Science, Forestry Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario
  • Honours Bachelor of Science, Forestry Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario
  • Bachelor of Arts, History University of King’s College (Dalhousie), Halifax, Nova Scotia
• Teaching Areas
  • ENV 432 Forest Ecology
  • ENV304 General Ecology Lab
  • ENV436 Population and Community Ecology
  • ENV343 Dendrology
  • ENV332 Plant Ecology
• Research Areas
  • Species distributions and range limits
  • Dendroecology
  • Population dynamics
  • Dispersal and colonization
• Recent Publications
  • Bargabos, M., J. Pruden, D. Garneau, and M.R. Lesser. 2023. White-tailed deer habitat-use patterns across forest stands of different ages. Northeastern Naturalist. 30(4): 493-510.
  • Bushey, D., M. Osmer, H. Green, D. Garneau, and M.R. Lesser. 2023. Forest resilience and regeneration dynamics following wildfire disturbance. Ecosphere. 14,9 https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4655
  • Thompson, H.M., M.R. Lesser, L. Myers, and T.B. Mihuc. 2022. Insect community response following wildfire in an eastern North American pine barrens. Forests. 13,6. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13010066
  • Cave, H, T. Peet, T. Jaeger, M. Adams, L. Staats, D. Garneau, and M.R. Lesser. 2021. Wildlife response to wildfire in a northern New York jack pine barrens. Forests. 12, 676. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12060676
  • Lesser, M.R., M. Dovciak, R.Wheat, P. Curtis, P. Smallidge, J. Hurst, D. Kramer, M. Roberts, and J. Frair. 2019. Modelling white-tailed deer impacts on forest regeneration to inform deer management options at landscape scales. Forest Ecology and Management. 448:395-408
  • Lesser, M. R. and J.D. Fridley. 2015. Global change at the landscape level: relating regional and landscape-scale drivers of historical climate trends the Southern Appalachians. International Journal of Climatology. DOI: 10.1002/joc.4413
  • Siefert, A., M.R. Lesser and J.D. Fridley. 2015 How do climate and dispersal traits limit ranges of tree species along latitudinal and elevational gradients? Global Ecology and Biogeography. 24: 581-593
• Faculty Website
  https://mless004.wixsite.com/sunyplattforecology