Hi! I’m Carolyn Trombley.
I’m currently a PhD student at the University of Guelph. I use a multi-year dataset of fish abundances in the Virgin River to ask questions about species invasion and extinction.
The Virgin River is a perennial desert river that runs through the American southwest, rising in the mountains around Zion National Park in Utah and flowing through Utah, Arizona, and Nevada, where it empties into Lake Mead (Nevada). The Virgin River is home to 6 endemic fish species and 13 non-native fish species. Using an almost 30 year dataset, I use statistical methods and ecological theory to investigate the potential reasons why
the woundfin (Plagopterus argentissimus) has almost become extinct.
While not working on my thesis, I also maintain the teaching collections of living organisms for my department. Right now we have a lot of fun and interesting things, including Madagascar hissing cockroaches, giant African land snails, guinea pigs, tadpoles, knifefish, and an assortment of invertebrates in our tropical tank.
In addition to my paid work, I also have several service and outreach activities. I’m a co-founder and the current chair of iBUMP (the Integrative Biology Undergraduate Mentorship Program), am serving on 2 departmental councils, just finished fostering a service puppy for the Lion’s Foundation of Canada (check out my Instagram!), and am part of a Guelph chapter of the McMaster Children and Youth University that is currently developing and implementing an in-class experiment solving a local environmental issue using science for grade 5/6s in the Hamilton area
(our first workshop is on Jan 28!).
Carolyn A. Trombley 