LaMontagne is a quantitative biologist and population ecologist, and her research program primarily focuses on variation in resource availability over space and time and how it affects the performance of individuals and gives rise to population-level patterns. Her research has three main components: 1) Mast seeding is the synchronous production of very large seed crops by a population of plants. There are a variety of hypotheses as to why this phenomenon occurs, from evolutionary responses to satiate seed predators, or increase pollination efficiency; or it could be produced as a result of resource-matching. LaMontagne’s research examines the synchrony of mast seeding patterns across multiple spatial scales, from individuals to large regions, with white spruce (Picea glauca) being the primary study species. 2) She uses a model aquatic system of Daphnia and algae, where her lab does experiments to study how variation in food availability and population structure affects individual growth, reproduction, and survival, and population-level dynamics. 3) Urban ecology focusing on the availability and use of tree-cavities in forest patches, large city parks and residential areas of Chicago.

LaMontagne, J.M., R.J. Kilgour, E.C. Anderson, S. Magle. 2014. Tree cavity availability across forest, park, and residential habitats in a highly urban area. Urban Ecosystems. DOI 10.1007/s11252-014-0383-y Krebs, C.J., J.M. LaMontagne , A.J. Kenney, and S. Boutin. 2012. Climatic determinants of white spruce cone crops in the boreal forest of the southwestern Yukon. Botany 90: 113-119. LaMontagne, J.M. and S. Boutin. 2007. Local-scale synchrony and variability in mast seed production patterns of Picea glauca. Journal of Ecology 95: 991-1000.