Research and Publications
My current research focuses on developing models, underlying mathematical theory and analytical tools to help us understand and predict the long-term behavior of populations of aquatic organisms in river ecosystems. Mathematically, my research deals with the qualitative theory of reaction-diffusion-advection and integro-differential equations used in mathematical ecology. Ecologically, the goal is to help in understanding how geometric and hydrological features of advective habitats affect community composition, biodiversity and species abundance, and to attempt to explain the mechanisms behind species persistence and spatial distribution.
Research Funding
My research is supported by an individual Discovery Grant "Nonlinear population dynamics in rivers and river networks" from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) for the period 2017-2024.
Peer-reviewed publications
Abby Anderson, Olga Vasilyeva
Prevailing winds and spruce budworm outbreaks: a reaction-diffusion-advection model
Mathematics in Applied Sciences and Engineering, published online November 3, 2021.
Olga Vasilyeva
Population Dynamics in River Networks: Analysis of Steady States
Journal of Mathematical Biology, Vol. 79 (1) (2019), 63-100.
Olga Vasilyeva,
Competition of multiple species in advective environments
Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, Vol. 79 (6) (2017), 1274-1294.
Olga Vasilyeva, Frithjof Lutscher, Mark Lewis
Analysis of spread and persistence for stream insects with winged adult stages
Journal of Mathematical Biology, Vol. 72 (4) (2016), 851-875.
Olga Vasilyeva, Tamer Oraby, Frithjof Lutscher
Aggregation and environmental transmission in Chronic Wasting Disease
Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering, Vol. 12 (1) (2015), 209–231.
Tamer Oraby, Olga Vasilyeva, Daniel Krewski, Frithjof Lutscher
Modeling seasonal behavior changes and disease transmission with application to chronic wasting disease
Journal of Theoretical Biology, Vol. 340 (2014), 50–59.
Olga Vasilyeva, Frithjof Lutscher
How flow speed alters competitive outcome in advective environments
Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, Vol. 74 (12) (2012), 2935-2958.
Olga Vasilyeva, Frithjof Lutscher
Competition of three species in an advective environment
Nonlinear Analysis: Real World Applications, Vol. 13 (4) (2012), 1730-1748.
Olga Vasilyeva, Frithjof Lutscher
Population Dynamics in Rivers: Analysis of Steady States
Canadian Applied Mathematics Quarterly, Vol. 18 (4) (2010), 439-469.
PhD Thesis
Olga Vassilieva,
Modeling and Analysis of Population Dynamics in Advective Environments
Ph.D. Thesis, University of Ottawa, 2011.