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Dr. Chantel Markle, Assistant Professor, University of Waterloo
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Reptiles are among the most endangered vertebrate groups worldwide and are particularly vulnerable to climate-driven disturbances because they rely on their environment for key physiological needs. Dr. Markle discusses how events like wildfire, drought, and “winter weather whiplash” threaten endangered reptiles and deplete the wetlands they depend on. She presents her research on identifying climate-resilient wetlands, the impacts of wildfire and drought on refuge habitats, and cutting-edge restoration strategies for at-risk reptiles – emphasizing the urgent need for interdisciplinary, landscape-scale conservation measures in the face of cumulative climate and land use changes.
Dr. Chantel Markle is an Assistant Professor at the University of Waterloo and holds a Canada Research Chair in Wildlife Ecohydrology and Global Change. She has worked on reptile conservation across Ontario since 2011, integrating ecohydrology, climate science, and ecology to protect vulnerable species and ecosystems.
Photo: Paul Danese CC BY-SA 4.0