Rafael Otfinowski

Biography

Rafael Otfinowski is a Professor in Department of Biology at School of Science in University of Winnipeg, Canada.

Research Interest

My research focuses on predicting the invasiveness of exotic plants to conserve, manage, and restore natural ecosystems. To accomplish these goals, I design greenhouse, field, and natural experiments and use statistical models, multivariate and spatial analyses, including GIS, to predict invaders and understand their interactions with native plant communities. My research explores invasive traits, the role of disturbance on the persistence of biological invaders, the impact of changing climate on the distribution of invaders, and the role of functional diversity in resisting invasions. I am interested in expanding my research into the impact of biological invaders on ecosystem function. I continue to collaborate with conservation agencies, including Parks Canada, to contribute to the restoration of native prairie ecosystems in western Canada.