"For my PhD, which combined both earth sciences and marine biology, I examined the ecological interactions and the geological implications of foraminifera and associated meiofauna in salt marsh sediments from two different salt marshes in Nova Scotia -- the Windsor Causeway in the Bay of Fundy, and Chezzetcook Inlet on the eastern shore. I used stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes, binary food webs, and also created a simulated salt marsh in the Aquatron facility at Dalhousie. Salt marsh foraminifera are important fossils in paleoenvironmental interpretations (e.g., sea level rise), yet their biological and ecological roles are relatively unknown. My goal was to try and close that knowledge gap!
Currently, I am an instructor in the Biology department, focusing on zoology - both invertebrates and vertebrates - from ecological, physiological, evolutionary, and paleontological perspectives."
Note: Jen also runs the Dalhousie SEASIDE program - if you have questions about this, please feel free to contact her.
Dr. Jen Frail-Gauthier PT Instructor, Department of Biology, Dalhousie University