Allison Dennert, PhD
Quantitative Salmon Ecologist

Dr. Allison Dennert is the Quantitative Salmon Ecologist on Raincoast’s Wild Salmon Program team. She conducts scientific research and applied conservation initiatives to advance ecologically sustainable salmon management in BC and support the recovery of at-risk populations.

She completed her Doctorate in Biology at Simon Fraser University in the Earth2Ocean Research Group. Her research examines the role of nutrients from spawning Pacific salmon in terrestrial ecosystems, and she is passionate about coastal wildflowers and their pollinators. As a part of her doctoral work she spent several years living and working in Haíɫzaqv Territory in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, boating to salmon watersheds and whale watching on the way to work. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia in Biology, with a specialization in Marine Biology. 

Prior to her work on Pacific salmon, Allison conducted research on the ecology and speciation of other freshwater fishes in the salmon family. She has worked in eelgrass meadows, inland lakes, behind the microscope, and in a herbarium caring for species of marine algae new to science.

She is also passionate about science education, museums, and science fairs. She is a member of the board of directors of the Evans Lake Forest Education Society, a charitable organization that has provided forest education programs to children and youth since 1960.

In her spare time, Allison enjoys gardening, running, hiking, skiing, and camping. She is often distracted on her adventures and spends much of this time excitedly crouched over interesting insects and plants she finds on the ground.

Publications

A.M. Dennert, E. Elle, and J.D. Reynolds. 2023. Experimental addition of marine-derived nutrients affects wildflower traits in a coastal meta-ecosystem. Royal Society Open Science, 10: 221008. DOI

N.F. Rammell*, A.M. Dennert1, C.M. Ernst, and J.D. Reynolds. 2021. Effects of spawning Pacific salmon on terrestrial invertebrates: Insects near spawning habitat are isotopically enriched with nitrogen‐15 but display no differences in body size. Ecology and Evolution​, 11(18): 12728-12738. DOI

L.D. Siemens, A.M. Dennert2, D.S. Obrist, and J.D. Reynolds. 2020. Spawning salmon density influences fruit production of salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis). Ecosphere, 11: e03282. DOI

A.M. Dennert, S.L. May-McNally, M.H. Bond, T.P. Quinn, and E.B. Taylor. 2016. Trophic biology and migratory patterns of sympatric Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) and Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 94: 529-539. DOI

In the news

Stefan Labbé. ‘Smelly work’: B.C. study finds dead salmon make plants grow bigger, Times Colonist, 2023.

SFU Com.s, How salmon feed flowers & flourishing ecosystems: study, SFU News, 2023.

GrrlScientist. How Salmon Feed Wildflowers And Transform Entire Landscapes. Forbes. 2023.

Molly Campbell. Nutrients From Salmon Carcass Feed Flowers. Technology Network Applied Sciences. 2023.

Nancy MacDonald, Months-long drought on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast prompts water ban, climate anxiety, Globe and Mail, 2022.

Recent articles

A woman is holding a book with a paw print on it.

Angela Gnyp: A wilderness artist down under

When I first found out about Raincoast’s goal to buy…

A screenshot of the interactive map and living atlas of the Lower Fraser River.

Creating a living atlas for salmon and salmon habitat in the Lower Fraser

Much of this data currently contained within the atlas comes…

A youth participant of the Salish Sea Emerging Stewardship program has a solo sit at Monarch head for reflection and mindfulness.

Inspiring the next generation of Salish Sea stewards

In 2016, Raincoast launched the Salish Sea Emerging Stewards program,…

Dave Scott holds a small salmon fry in a measuring device on the Lower Fraser.

New report: Wild Salmon, Pipelines, and the Trans Mountain Expansion

This report that highlights the risks posed to wild salmon…

A bear stands ready: poster for a Safeguard Coastal Carnivores event in Vancouver

Safeguard Coastal Carnivores with Patagonia Vancouver, August 9

The Raincoast Conservation Foundation and Coastal First Nations are working…

The dead calf of J35 floats in the waters of the Salish Sea.

Misty MacDuffee on CFAX 1070 on fishery closures, Chinook salmon and Southern Resident killer whales

Southern Resident killer whales need systemic solutions that reverse the…

Notes and references

  1. Shared joint first-authorship.
  2. ​Cover image © Allison M. Dennert, Ecosphere (Volume 11, Issue 12)

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