Upcoming Webinar: Engelmann and white spruce extreme climate genomics
On Tuesday, July 28th, 2026, Dr. Gabriele Nocchi and Dr. Sam Yeaman (University of Calgary) will share research into genetic variation across spruce populations, exploring adaptive genes and linkages to tree health and productivity in a changing climate.
When:
Tuesday, July 28, 2026; 12:00–1:00 pm MDT
What to Expect:
Lunch & Learn Program: Quick Refresher
Presentation from Dr. Gabriele Nocchi and Dr. Sam Yeaman (University of Calgary)
Live, interactive Q&A session
About our Presenters:
Dr. Gabriele Nocchi is a bioinformatician and postdoctoral researcher in ecology and evolution. His research uses empirical genomic data to study evolutionary processes and to address ecological questions, with a primary focus on forest trees. He earned his PhD at Queen Mary University of London in 2022, working in the group of Prof. Richard Buggs through a joint collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. During his PhD, he worked on the genomics of British oak species and Asian white birch. Following his PhD, Gabriele joined Prof. Sam Yeaman at the University of Calgary as a postdoctoral researcher. His projects there focused on repeated adaptive processes in plants, the genetic basis of local adaptation and hybridization in spruce, and the genomic basis of heat tolerance in canola. He is also involved in the RepAdapt working group, an international research consortium of over 100 researchers led by Prof. Sam Yeaman.
Dr. Sam Yeaman works at University of Calgary as a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences. He did his undergraduate degree at Trent University and his PhD at UBC with Mike Whitlock, as well as postdoctoral positions at University of Neuchatel and UBC. His research uses a combination of comparative genomics, individual-based simulations, and observational studies of population genomic variation in the wild to understand how evolution shapes adaptive traits. Current projects focus on studying the genetic basis of local adaptation in conifers and heat tolerance in canola, and leading the RepAdapt working group studying genomic signatures of adaptation across hundreds of plants, animals, and fungi. His lab also continues to work on theoretical projects exploring the population genetics of adaptation and developing methods to robustly detect and parse signatures genotype-environment association.
Abstract:
Climate change is putting increasing pressure on forest ecosystems across Western Canada, making it critical to understand how species like Engelmann and White spruce adapt to their local environment. This session will describe how differences in elevation and slope shape genetic variation across spruce populations. The session will also explore how to identify adaptive genes associated with how these trees respond to their environment. Presenters will discuss how this research connects to a larger body of work studying adaptation across multiple tree species in Western Canada. This work ultimately aims to support reforestation and tree breeding programs in Alberta by developing tools to help predict tree health and productivity in a changing climate.
Related Downloads: