Hugh Broders

Prof. Broders' main interests are in the area of animal population biology. More specifically, his research focuses on characterizing aspects of the biology of animal populations that help explain the causes and predict the consequences of population structure (e.g., resource requirements, social structure). Such research areas are important on at least two levels. First, such questions are vital for increasing our understanding of evolution and evolutionary processes. Second, managing wildlife populations requires data on which to make reliable inferences on biology. Therefore, from a conservation perspective such research areas are critically important.

• Animal population and behavioural ecology, life history, mating strategies, swarming and migratory behaviour
• Bats, specifically the endangered little brown (Myotis lucifugus) and northern long-eared (Myotis septentrionalis) and the impacts of white nose syndrome on population numbers
• Conservation
• Ecology and Environmental Biology

• 2004 Ph.D. Ecology, University of New Brunswick, Canada
• 1998 M.Sc. Molecular Ecology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
• 1995 B.Sc. Ecology, Acadia University, Canada

• Member, Terrestrial Mammals Specialist Subcommittee for the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (elected 2011, re-elected 2015)

• BIOL 211 - Introductory Vertebrate Zoology
  • Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• BIOL 359 - Evolution 1: Mechanisms
  • Taught in 2023, 2024
• BIOL 485 - Conservation Biology
  • Taught in 2022

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Cheng, T, Reichard J, Coleman J, Weller T, Thogmartin W, Reichert B, Bennett A, Broders HG, Campbell J, Etchison K, Feller D, Geboy R, Hemberger T, Herzog C, Hicks A, Houghton S, Humber J, Kath J, King RA, Loeb S, Masse A, Morris K, Niederriter H, Nordquist G, Perry R, Reynolds R, Sasse B, Scaffini M, Stark R, Stihler C, Thomas S, Turner G, Webb S, Westrich B, Frick W. 2021. The scope and severity of white-nose syndrome on hibernating bats in North America. Conservation Biology 1-12. doi: 10.1111/cobi.13739.
• Becker D, Speer K, Korstian J, Volokhov D, Droke H, Brown A, Baijnauth C, Padgett-Stewart T, Broders HG, Plowright R, Rainwater T, Fenton B, Simmons N, Chumchal M. 2020. Disentangling interactions between mercury, immunity, and infection in a Neotropical bat community. Journal of Applied Ecology 58: 879-889. doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13809.
• Pretorius M, Broders HG, Keith M. 2020. Threat analysis of modelled potential migratory routes for Minopterus natalensis in South Africa. Austral Ecology 45:1110-1122. doi:10.1111/aec.12940.
• Banerjee A, Baid K, Byron T, Yip A, Ryan C, Thampy PR, Broders HG, Faure P, Mossman K. 2020. Seroprevalence in bats and detection of Borrelia burgdorferi in bat ectoparasites. Microorganisms 8, 440; doi:10.3390/microorganisms8030440.
• Pretorius M, Broders HG, Seamark E, Keith M. 2020. Climatic correlates of migrant Miniopterus natalensis phenology in north-eastern South Africa. Wildlife Research 47: 404-414. doi.org/10.1071/WR19165.
• Oelbaum P, Fenton MB, Simmons NB, Broders HG. 2019. Community structure of a Neotropical bat fauna as revealed by stable isotope analysis: Not all species fit neatly into predicted guilds. Biotropica 51:719-730. doi: 10.1111/btp.12700.
• Ryan C, Burns LE, Broders HG. 2019. Changes in underground roosting patterns to optimize energy conservation in hibernating bats. Canadian Journal of Zoology doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2018-0340.
• Besler N, Broders HG. 2019. Combinations of reproductive, individual, and weather effects best explain torpor patterns among female little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus). Ecology and Evolution. 9: 5158-5171. doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5091.
• Talbot B, Vonhof M, Broders HG, Fenton B, Keyghobadi N. 2018. Host association influences variation at salivary protein genes in the bat ectoparasite Cimex adjunctus. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 31:753-763 doi: 10.1111/jeb.13265.
• Becker DJ, Chumchal MM, Broders HG, Korstian JM, Clare EL, Rainwater TR, Platt SG, Simmons NB, Fenton MB. 2018. Mercury bioaccumulation in bats reflects dietary connectivity to aquatic food webs. Environmental Pollution 233: 1076-1085. Doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.10.010.
• Please see Hugh Broders' Google Scholar profile for a current list of his peer-reviewed articles: https://scholar.google.ca/citations?hl=en&user=spjg69oAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate

• Some bat with white-nose syndrome cured by bacteria, scientists say. CBC News. May 25-26, 2015.
• Bats dwindling on Cape Breton Island. Herald News. April 6, 2017.
• Biologist worries white nose syndrome could cull Cape Breton’s bats. Chronicle Herald (Cape Breton). Feb. 14, 2015.