Jihyun Olivia Kim

PhD Student, Biology

Freshwater ecosystems have always been a source of questions and fascination for me as I find many people are often unaware of their biodiversity and ecosystem services. At the University of British Columbia, I completed my BSc in Environmental Sciences as well as my MSc in Botany. My MSc thesis examined the effects of anthropogenic temperature changes on freshwater phytoplankton and zooplankton communities. Driven by my interest in anthropogenic impacts on freshwater ecosystems and my life-long fascination of amphibians, I am examining the responses of amphibians and their communities to microplastics using a whole-lake manipulation experiment. As part of this whole-lake project at the Experimental Lakes Area, I will be collecting amphibian monitoring data and conducting in-lake assays of tadpoles and eggs to better understand how microplastics affect amphibians at higher levels of biological organization. My research will also contribute to our knowledge on the fate of freshwater microplastics. I am co-supervised by Dr. Diane Orihel and Dr. Jennifer Provencher. Outside of my studies I enjoy running, reading and watching football (soccer).