Photograph of a chemistry instructor in the chemistry lab. Links to Chemistry faculty bios at https://scitech.viu.ca/chemistry/faculty.

Eric Demers, PhD, RPBio

Office: Building 459, Room 207
Phone: 250.753.3245 Ext. 2033
Fax: 250.740.6482
Email: Eric.Demers@viu.ca

See: BSc Degree Advising

  • Ornithology
  • Limnology
  • Fish ecology

VIU Bird Banding Project

VIU Bird Banding

I started the VIU Bird Banding project in 2013 with the help of many undergraduate students. Our main project activity has been the bird banding station at Buttertubs West Marsh in Nanaimo. See the VIU Bird Banding Project.

Education

  • BSc McGill University, Montreal (1991)
  • PhD York University, Toronto (1996)

Courses

  • BIOL 320 – Aquatic Ecosystems
  • BIOL 325 – Ornithology
  • BIOL 395 – Tropical Biology
  • RMOT 101 – BC Wildlife
  • RMOT 275 – Wildlife Techniques

Supervised Students

  • Reumkens, Codey. 2024. Ecology of two lung fluke congeners, Haematoloechus spp. in invasive bullfrogs: Confirmation of Haematoloechus parviplexus on Vancouver Island (co-supervised with Dr. Tim Goater)
  • Watson, Kaitlyn. 2024. Environmental triggers of Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) nesting in South-Central Ontario
  • Williams, Nicole. 2024. Influence of moonlight intensity on the vocal activity of the Coastal Western Screech-Owl (Megascops kennicottii kennicottii) within two valleys on Vancouver Island, BC
  • Boudreau, Alysia. 2023. Evaluating the effectiveness of bird-window collisions at Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC
  • Seaman, Erika. 2023. Population ecology of Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus (Acanthocephala) in American Robins from southeastern Vancouver Island (co-supervised with Dr. Tim Goater)
  • Badger, Ally. 2021. Habitat use and movement of coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki clarki) in Shelly Creek, Parksville, BC
  • Youngren, Christina. 2019. Testing the learning abilities of Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) using the string-pulling method
  • Bright, Caitlynn. 2018. Seasonal and daily patterns of bird-window collisions at Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC
  • Judson, Braden. 2018. Population demographics and diet content analysis of a residential population of Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) in upper Shelly Creek, Parksville, BC
  • Monteiro, Paige. 2018. Comparison of software detection and manual detection of Western Screech-owl (Megascops kennicottii) acoustic recordings (co-supervised with Dr. Susan Sanders)
  • Kaitlin Ovcharov. 2017. Bird-window collisions at Vancouver Island University: an assessment of severity and contributing factors
  • Schellenberg, Chrissy. 2017. Investigating the effects of ancient First Nation clam garden walls on the abundances and diversity of fish and motile invertebrates (co-supervised with Dr. Sarah Dudas)
  • Lamberton, Alexandra. 2016. A survey of nest parasites of the Western Purple Martin, Progne subis arboricola, at Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada
  • Pearce, Stew. 2016. Abundance, distribution, and movement of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) in Nanaimo, BC
  • Chalmers, Sarah. 2015. Determining daily foraging patterns of overwintering Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens) using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology
  • Shelling, Reanna. 2014. Water Quality Monitoring Program: Hague Lake and Gunflint Lake 2014 (with BC Ministry of the Environment)
  • Reid, Patrick. 2013. Detection of a foreign strain of the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytium dendrobatidis on American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) and Western Toads (Anaxyrus boreas) in Nanaimo, BC
  • Tranfield, Emily. 2013. Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) foraging on varnish clams (Nuttalia obscurata) in Nanaimo, BC
  • Rigney, Emily. 2012. Olympia oyster (Ostreola conchaphila) recruitment on Vancouver Island
  • Morrison, Danielle. 2011. Effect of weather conditions on the nesting success of the Western Purple Martin, Progne subis arboricola
  • Kleven, Erin. 2009. Prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in North American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) in the Nanaimo area
  • Tim Ryper. 2008. Population dynamics and potential effects of the introduced signal crayfish in Enos Lake
  • Jenn Hoare. 2007. The effect of human use on zooplankton communities in lakes of the Muskoka Watershed, Ontario
  • Scott MacKenzie. 2007. Ecological interactions of zooplankton and two invertebrate predators in Quadra Island Lakes
  • Justin Lange. 2005. Prevalence of the Pacific salmon leech and the haemoflagellate Cryptobia salmositica infecting spawning Pacific salmon in the Nitinat River
  • Shawn Lum. 2003. Effects of lake fertilization on juvenile sockeye salmon growth in northern Vancouver Island nursery lakes
  • Ross, Cherie. 2002. Productivity and distribution of the western purple martin, Progne subis arboricola, in coastal British Columbia
  • Heather Williams. 2002. Disease analysis of spawning chinook and coho salmon in Knight Inlet, British Columbia

Publications

* denotes supervised undergraduate student author

  1. Turner, S., E. Demers, K. Norris, and D. Wheeler. 2020. Application of radio frequency identification technology to study nesting behaviour of Tree Swallows. North American Bird Bander 45:81-95
  2. Pearce*, S., and E. Demers. 2019. Abundance, distribution, movement, and mortality of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) in Nanaimo, British Columbia. British Columbia Birds 29:36-43
  3. Wetten*, K.N., and E. Demers. 2018. A snapshot of songbird banding on Calvert Island, British Columbia. British Columbia Birds 28:21-27
  4. Hollenberg*, E.J.R., and E. Demers. 2017. Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani) foraging on varnish clams (Nuttalia obscurata) in Nanaimo, British Columbia. British Columbia Birds 27:35-41
  5. Ellison*, A.M., J. Watson, and E. Demers. 2015. Testing problem solving in turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) using the string-pulling test. Animal Cognition 18:111-118
  6. Demers, E., D.M. Forrest, and G.E. Weichert. 2013. Cutaneous leishmaniasis in a returning traveller. Canadian Medical Association Journal 185:681-683
  7. Hyatt, K.D., D.J. McQueen, D.P. Rankin, and E. Demers. 2011. Density-Dependent Growth in Juvenile Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). The Open Fish Science Journal 4:53-65
  8. Amyot, M., S. Chidami, and E. Demers. 2010. Response to ‘‘Comparative estimate of P fluxes in lakes’’ by J. M. Sereda and J. J. Hudson. Limnology and Oceanography 55:466-468
  9. Brandt, S.B., M. Gerkin, K.J. Hartman, and E. Demers. 2009. Effects of hypoxia on food consumption and growth of juvenile striped bass (Morone saxatilis). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 381:S143-S149
  10. Sereda, J.M., J.J. Hudson, W.D. Taylor, and E. Demers. 2008. Fish as sources and sinks of nutrients in lakes. Freshwater Biology 53:278–289
  11. McQueen, D.J., C.W. Ramcharan, N.D. Yan, E. Demers, A. Pérez-Fuentetaja, and P.J. Dillon. 2001. The Dorset food web piscivore manipulation project: objectives, methods, the physical-chemical setting. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Special Issues in Advanced Limnology 56:1-21
  12. E. Demers, D.J. McQueen, S.A. Popiel, A.M. Rocchi, C.W. Ramcharan, and A. Pérez-Fuentetaja. 2001. The Dorset food web piscivore manipulation project: changes in fish community structure. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Special Issues in Advanced Limnology 56:23-48
  13. E. Demers, D.J. McQueen, C.W. Ramcharan, and A. Pérez-Fuentetaja. 2001. The Dorset food web piscivore manipulation project: did piscivores regulate changes in fish community structure? Archiv für Hydrobiologie Special Issues in Advanced Limnology 56:49-80
  14. Ramcharan, C.W., N.D. Yan, D.J. McQueen, A. Pérez-Fuentetaja, E. Demers, and J.A. Rusak. 2001. The Dorset food web piscivore manipulation project: complex responses of Chaoborus to changes in fish populations. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Special Issues in Advanced Limnology 56:81-100
  15. Ramcharan, C.W., D.J. McQueen, A. Pérez-Fuentetaja, N.D. Yan, E. Demers, and J.A. Rusak. 2001. The Dorset food web piscivore manipulation project: analysis of lake food webs using individual-based models to estimate Chaoborus production and consumption. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Special Issues in Advanced Limnology 56:101-126
  16. Yan, N.D., A. Pérez-Fuentetaja, C.W. Ramcharan, D.J. McQueen, E. Demers, and J.A. Rusak. 2001. The Dorset food web piscivore manipulation project: changes in the crustacean zooplankton communities of Mouse and Ranger lakes. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Special Issues in Advanced Limnology 56:127-150
  17. Ramcharan, C.W., A. Pérez-Fuentetaja, D.J. McQueen, N.D. Yan, E. Demers, and J.A. Rusak. 2001. The Dorset food web piscivore manipulation project: dynamics of zooplankton populations under two different predatory regimes. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Special Issues in Advanced Limnology 56:151-169
  18. Dillon, P.J., D.J. McQueen, C.W. Ramcharan, N.D. Yan, E. Demers, and J.J. Hudson. 2001. The Dorset food web piscivore manipulation project: changes in nutrient and ion chemistry. Archiv für Hydrobiologie Special Issues in Advanced Limnology 56:227-255
  19. Demers, E., S.B. Brandt, K.L. Barry, and J.M. Jech. 2000. Spatially explicit models of growth rate potential: linking estuarine fish production to the biological and physical environment. Pages 405-425 in J. Hobbie, editor. Estuarine Science: a Synthetic Approach to Research and Practice. Island Press, Washington, DC
  20. McQueen, D.J., C.W. Ramcharan, E. Demers, N.D. Yan, L.M. Conforti, and A. Pérez-Fuentetaja. 1999. Chaoborus behavioural responses to changes in fish density. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 145:165-179
  21. Wong, A.H.K., D.D. Williams, D.J. McQueen, E. Demers, and C. W. Ramcharan. 1998. Macroinvertebrate abundance in two lakes with contrasting fish abundances. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 141:283-302
  22. Wong, A.H.K., D.D. Williams, D.J. McQueen, and E. Demers. 1997. Transfer of mercury from benthic invertebrates to fishes in lakes with contrasting fish community structures. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 54:1320-1330
  23. Demers, E., R.S. McKinley, A.H. Weatherley, and D.J. McQueen. 1996. Activity patterns of largemouth and smallmouth bass determined using electromyogram biotelemetry. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 125:434-439
  24. Pérez-Fuentetaja, A., D.J. McQueen, and E. Demers. 1996. Stability of oligotrophic and eutrophic planktonic communities after disturbance by fish. Oikos 75:98-110
  25. Ramcharan, C.W., D.J. McQueen, E. Demers, S.A. Popiel, A.M. Rocchi, N.D. Yan, A.H.K. Wong, and K.D. Hughes. 1995. A comparative approach to determining the role of fish predation in structuring limnetic ecosystems. Archiv fur Hydrobiologie 133:389-416
  26. Tsalkitzis, E., N.D. Yan, D.J. McQueen, S.A. Popiel, and E. Demers. 1994. Habitat separation among three temperate Chaoborus species. Archiv fur Hydrobiologie 129:385-403
  27. Visman, V., D.J. McQueen, and E. Demers. 1994. Zooplankton spatial patterns in two lakes with contrasting fish community structure. Hydrobiologia 284:177-191
  28. Peters, R.H., E. Demers, M. Koelle, and B.R. Mackenzie. 1994. The allometry of swimming speed and predation. Journal of the International Association of Theoretical and Applied Limnology 25:2316-2323
  29. Demers, E., and J. Kalff. 1993. A simple model for predicting the date of onset of spring stratification in temperate and subtropical lakes. Limnology and Oceanography 38:1077-1081