Dr. John Fryxell, Professor and former Chair of the Integrative Biology department at the University of Guelph receives the 2022 Weston Family Ecosystem Research Award, worth $10,000, for his excellence and innovation in scientific research on ecosystem services produced on farmland.
Working with local ALUS programs, Dr. Fryxell applied research to help the world better understand the interaction of biodiversity and natural systems on agricultural lands.
Through the Fryxell Lab at the University of Guelph, he, his students and fellow researchers have taken scientific inquiries to three continents, pursuing a deeper understanding of boreal ecology, aquatic and terrestrial food web dynamics and biodiversity.
“A lot of the work that I’ve been engaged in has become increasingly oriented around an equitable trade off between the needs of humans and the needs of nature,” says Dr. Fryxell.
“Despite the fact that we’ve been harvesting nature for eons, we’re still not really clear about all the essential contributors that help produce a healthy landscape, and there are many actors that provide some assistance in often hidden ways.”
Dr. Fryxell recognizes the award as bringing attention to the ways that research is a broad undertaking, a collaborative effort with extensive value for society.
“I see this award as an award for my research team, because all science that gets done in university environments is team science. And, as with any award, one would hope that it helps to focus on areas where maybe a larger discussion is one we could all benefit from,” adds Dr. Fryxell.