Publications
Sivarajah S, Thomas SC, Smith SM. (2020). Evaluating the ultraviolet protection factors of urban broadleaf and conifer trees in public spaces. Urban
Forestry and Urban Greening, 126679
Sivarajah S, Smith SM, Thomas SC. (2020). Patterns of leaf-level ultraviolet (UV) transmittance and reflectance in urban temperate broadleaf trees. Tree Physiology (in review)
Gaudon JM, McTavish MJ, Sivarajah S, Synder E, Andrade SMM, Murphy SD (2020) Effects of earthworms and warming on tree seedling growth: A small-scale microcosm experiment. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, ja.
Sivarajah S, Smith SM, Thomas SC (2018) Tree cover and species composition effects on academic performance of primary school students. PLoS ONE 13(2): e0193254.
Other Publications
Plummer R, McGrath D, Sivarajah S (2020) How cities can add accessible green space in a post-coronavirus world. The Conversation
Sivarajah, S. (2019) Diversity strengthens forests. Women in Wood.
Conference Papers
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. Washington D.C., U.S.A., 2019. “UV radiation and urban shade trees: How much protection can they provide us?” Trees in the City 5: Social Values and Ecosystem Services of the Urban Forest, Association of American Geographers. (Oral presentation).
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. Toronto, CA. 2018. “UV radiation and urban shade trees: How much protection can they provide us?” 4th International Conference on UV and Skin Cancer Prevention. (Oral presentation)
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. San Francisco, U.S.A., 2016. “Evaluating the relative shade value beneath schoolyard trees.” Association of American Geographers. (Oral presentation).
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. Laval, QC, 2016. “Evaluating the relative shade value beneath schoolyard trees for health” Canadian Urban Forest Conference. (Poster presentation).
Contributed Talks
Sivarajah, S.*, Devon, South West England, U.K. 2021. “Green vs. Gray Infrastructure: When urban tree cover is better than concrete for student performance ”, Trees and Society, The Arboricultural Association’s Annual Amenity Conference, University of Exeter, U.K. (Invited Speaker – to be delivered)
Sivarajah, S.*, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., Windsor, Ontario, CA. 2020. “Re-shaping our thinking about urban forests as public health infrastructure ”, Transformative Research in Urban Sustainability Training, Wayne State University, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor
Sivarajah, S.*, Sydney, Australia, 2020. “Re-shaping our thinking about urban forests as public health infrastructure in a post-coronavirus world ”, Stormwater Victoria November Webinar Series , City Shaping in a Post COVID World, Stormwater Victoria.
Sivarajah, S.*, Toronto, CA. 2020. “Thinking about Urban Trees as Shade and Public Health Infrastructure”, 2020 Grey to Green Conference – Growing Future Cities: Sustainable, Accessible, and Equitable (Invited Speaker – cancelled due to COVID-19)
Sivarajah, S.*, Alliston, CA. 2020. “Greenspace and Grey Matter: How Urban Tree Cover Impacts Student Performance”, We the Forest, Forests Ontario Annual Conference 2020 (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. Toronto, CA. 2019. “Shade trees in schoolyards: their role in protection from ultraviolet radiation and improving childhood learning”, Shade Policy Steering Committee Meeting, Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition, Ryerson University (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S.* Toronto, CA. 2019. "Urban forests: The value of trees for cities and people", Course FOR200: Conservation of Canada's forests, Fall term, University of Toronto (Guest lecturer)
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. Toronto, CA. 2018. “Urban trees in schoolyards: How do they affect student’s academic performance?” Ontario Urban Forest Council, Pop-up Urban Forest Conference. (Oral presentation)
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C.*, Smith, S. Toronto, CA. 2018. “Tree cover and species composition effects on academic performance of primary school students.” Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee (ESAC), Toronto District School Board (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S*, CA. 2017. "How urban shade trees mitigate negative effects of solar ultraviolet radiation for human well-being?". Webinar, Canadian Institute of Forestry (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S*, Toronto, CA. 2016. "Urban tree effects on human health and academic performance" , Course FOR421 & FOR416: Green urban infrastructure and urban forest conservation, University of Toronto (Guest lecturer)
Sivarajah, S*, Toronto, CA. 2016. "The air we breathe series: Tree dendrology and the role of trees on air". Nature Academy (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S*, CA. 2015. "In the dark: Urban tree shade for health". Webinar, Canadian Institute of Forestry (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S*, Toronto, CA. 2015. "The air we breathe series: How trees purify air". Nature Academy (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S.* 2014. Toronto, CA. “Cancer: Making Prevention the Cure. Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition”. Ryerson University (Invited Panel Speaker).
Sivarajah. S.*, Smith, S. 2012. Toronto, CA. “Evaluating EcoSchools on Sustainable Sites Initiatives”. University of Toronto, Faculty of Forestry. MFC Capstone seminar (Oral presentation)
Sivarajah, S.*, Cadotte, MW. 2011. Toronto, CA. “Functional uniqueness of semi-rural non-native species”. University of Toronto Scarborough, Department of Biological Sciences undergraduate directed research seminar (Oral Presentation)
Past Projects
Evaluating Eco-schools on sustainable sites initiatives (SSI) framework (2012)
Master's thesis, Faculty of forestry, University of Toronto
International leader on sustainable building design is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (LEED), which is a third party certification program used to evaluate building designs and construction strategies targeting to improve environmentally sustainable practices within architectural plans. In 2013, LEED introduced Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI), which is an evaluation method of sustainability on sites. It extends its focus of sustainability from just the building to the landscape level. These international standards can only help further bring environment and ecological sustainability to the forefront. Some of our productive urban forests can be found on school grounds. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is the largest school board in Canada as well as one of the largest land holders in the City of Toronto; thus one of the largest holders of Toronto’s urban forest. TDSB has come up with a certification program called the EcoSchool Program, to evaluate the level sustainability on school grounds. As part of her master's dissertation, Janani evaluated the comparability of EcoSchool certification at the platinum level in school ground greening category to the vegetation criteria set by the international Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI) framework.
Functional uniqueness of non-native species in abandoned, semi-natural rural habitats (2011)
Undergraduate Researcher, Cadotte lab, Department of biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC)
Understanding how species can successfully invade habitats has been a long-standing research objective for ecologists. In partnership with the University of Toronto's Koffler Scientific Reserve, as an undergraduate researcher, along with her advisor Dr. Marc Cadotte, Janani took the lead to further explain how non-native plants successfully invade communities because of their functional fit to local conditions and overlap with resident species. In this study, they analyzed 624 known plant species to see how different functional traits explain the success of non-native plant species in an exotic dominant grassland
Nutrient Network- NutNet (2010)
Undergraduate Volunteer, University of Toronto's Koffler Scientific Reserve
The Nutrient Network (Nutnet) is a grassroots research effort to address the fundamental and applied questions in ecology, ultimately trying to produce a global dataset that can be used to determine general productivity-diversity relationships and biodiversity patterns caused by eutrophication in terrestrial ecosystems. This global research cooperative network comprises more than 40 grassland sites worldwide including Koffler Scientific Reserve. Along with the project leads, Dr. Robin Marushia & Dr. Marc Cadotte, Janani helped maintain the field site by altering nutrient levels and gathering data from the field.
Genetic diversity and Ecosystem Functioning (2010)
Undergraduate Volunteer, Cadotte lab, Department of biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC)
Along with the project lead, Nicholas Mirotchnick, Janani helped gather functional traits on plants to determine evolutionary relationships to each other to estimate the functional and phylogenetic diversity of each community.
Sivarajah S, Thomas SC, Smith SM. (2020). Evaluating the ultraviolet protection factors of urban broadleaf and conifer trees in public spaces. Urban
Forestry and Urban Greening, 126679
Sivarajah S, Smith SM, Thomas SC. (2020). Patterns of leaf-level ultraviolet (UV) transmittance and reflectance in urban temperate broadleaf trees. Tree Physiology (in review)
Gaudon JM, McTavish MJ, Sivarajah S, Synder E, Andrade SMM, Murphy SD (2020) Effects of earthworms and warming on tree seedling growth: A small-scale microcosm experiment. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, ja.
Sivarajah S, Smith SM, Thomas SC (2018) Tree cover and species composition effects on academic performance of primary school students. PLoS ONE 13(2): e0193254.
Other Publications
Plummer R, McGrath D, Sivarajah S (2020) How cities can add accessible green space in a post-coronavirus world. The Conversation
Sivarajah, S. (2019) Diversity strengthens forests. Women in Wood.
Conference Papers
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. Washington D.C., U.S.A., 2019. “UV radiation and urban shade trees: How much protection can they provide us?” Trees in the City 5: Social Values and Ecosystem Services of the Urban Forest, Association of American Geographers. (Oral presentation).
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. Toronto, CA. 2018. “UV radiation and urban shade trees: How much protection can they provide us?” 4th International Conference on UV and Skin Cancer Prevention. (Oral presentation)
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. San Francisco, U.S.A., 2016. “Evaluating the relative shade value beneath schoolyard trees.” Association of American Geographers. (Oral presentation).
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. Laval, QC, 2016. “Evaluating the relative shade value beneath schoolyard trees for health” Canadian Urban Forest Conference. (Poster presentation).
Contributed Talks
Sivarajah, S.*, Devon, South West England, U.K. 2021. “Green vs. Gray Infrastructure: When urban tree cover is better than concrete for student performance ”, Trees and Society, The Arboricultural Association’s Annual Amenity Conference, University of Exeter, U.K. (Invited Speaker – to be delivered)
Sivarajah, S.*, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., Windsor, Ontario, CA. 2020. “Re-shaping our thinking about urban forests as public health infrastructure ”, Transformative Research in Urban Sustainability Training, Wayne State University, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor
Sivarajah, S.*, Sydney, Australia, 2020. “Re-shaping our thinking about urban forests as public health infrastructure in a post-coronavirus world ”, Stormwater Victoria November Webinar Series , City Shaping in a Post COVID World, Stormwater Victoria.
Sivarajah, S.*, Toronto, CA. 2020. “Thinking about Urban Trees as Shade and Public Health Infrastructure”, 2020 Grey to Green Conference – Growing Future Cities: Sustainable, Accessible, and Equitable (Invited Speaker – cancelled due to COVID-19)
Sivarajah, S.*, Alliston, CA. 2020. “Greenspace and Grey Matter: How Urban Tree Cover Impacts Student Performance”, We the Forest, Forests Ontario Annual Conference 2020 (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. Toronto, CA. 2019. “Shade trees in schoolyards: their role in protection from ultraviolet radiation and improving childhood learning”, Shade Policy Steering Committee Meeting, Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition, Ryerson University (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S.* Toronto, CA. 2019. "Urban forests: The value of trees for cities and people", Course FOR200: Conservation of Canada's forests, Fall term, University of Toronto (Guest lecturer)
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C., Smith, S. Toronto, CA. 2018. “Urban trees in schoolyards: How do they affect student’s academic performance?” Ontario Urban Forest Council, Pop-up Urban Forest Conference. (Oral presentation)
Sivarajah, S.*, Thomas, S.C.*, Smith, S. Toronto, CA. 2018. “Tree cover and species composition effects on academic performance of primary school students.” Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee (ESAC), Toronto District School Board (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S*, CA. 2017. "How urban shade trees mitigate negative effects of solar ultraviolet radiation for human well-being?". Webinar, Canadian Institute of Forestry (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S*, Toronto, CA. 2016. "Urban tree effects on human health and academic performance" , Course FOR421 & FOR416: Green urban infrastructure and urban forest conservation, University of Toronto (Guest lecturer)
Sivarajah, S*, Toronto, CA. 2016. "The air we breathe series: Tree dendrology and the role of trees on air". Nature Academy (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S*, CA. 2015. "In the dark: Urban tree shade for health". Webinar, Canadian Institute of Forestry (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S*, Toronto, CA. 2015. "The air we breathe series: How trees purify air". Nature Academy (Invited Speaker)
Sivarajah, S.* 2014. Toronto, CA. “Cancer: Making Prevention the Cure. Toronto Cancer Prevention Coalition”. Ryerson University (Invited Panel Speaker).
Sivarajah. S.*, Smith, S. 2012. Toronto, CA. “Evaluating EcoSchools on Sustainable Sites Initiatives”. University of Toronto, Faculty of Forestry. MFC Capstone seminar (Oral presentation)
Sivarajah, S.*, Cadotte, MW. 2011. Toronto, CA. “Functional uniqueness of semi-rural non-native species”. University of Toronto Scarborough, Department of Biological Sciences undergraduate directed research seminar (Oral Presentation)
Past Projects
Evaluating Eco-schools on sustainable sites initiatives (SSI) framework (2012)
Master's thesis, Faculty of forestry, University of Toronto
International leader on sustainable building design is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (LEED), which is a third party certification program used to evaluate building designs and construction strategies targeting to improve environmentally sustainable practices within architectural plans. In 2013, LEED introduced Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI), which is an evaluation method of sustainability on sites. It extends its focus of sustainability from just the building to the landscape level. These international standards can only help further bring environment and ecological sustainability to the forefront. Some of our productive urban forests can be found on school grounds. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is the largest school board in Canada as well as one of the largest land holders in the City of Toronto; thus one of the largest holders of Toronto’s urban forest. TDSB has come up with a certification program called the EcoSchool Program, to evaluate the level sustainability on school grounds. As part of her master's dissertation, Janani evaluated the comparability of EcoSchool certification at the platinum level in school ground greening category to the vegetation criteria set by the international Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI) framework.
Functional uniqueness of non-native species in abandoned, semi-natural rural habitats (2011)
Undergraduate Researcher, Cadotte lab, Department of biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC)
Understanding how species can successfully invade habitats has been a long-standing research objective for ecologists. In partnership with the University of Toronto's Koffler Scientific Reserve, as an undergraduate researcher, along with her advisor Dr. Marc Cadotte, Janani took the lead to further explain how non-native plants successfully invade communities because of their functional fit to local conditions and overlap with resident species. In this study, they analyzed 624 known plant species to see how different functional traits explain the success of non-native plant species in an exotic dominant grassland
Nutrient Network- NutNet (2010)
Undergraduate Volunteer, University of Toronto's Koffler Scientific Reserve
The Nutrient Network (Nutnet) is a grassroots research effort to address the fundamental and applied questions in ecology, ultimately trying to produce a global dataset that can be used to determine general productivity-diversity relationships and biodiversity patterns caused by eutrophication in terrestrial ecosystems. This global research cooperative network comprises more than 40 grassland sites worldwide including Koffler Scientific Reserve. Along with the project leads, Dr. Robin Marushia & Dr. Marc Cadotte, Janani helped maintain the field site by altering nutrient levels and gathering data from the field.
Genetic diversity and Ecosystem Functioning (2010)
Undergraduate Volunteer, Cadotte lab, Department of biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC)
Along with the project lead, Nicholas Mirotchnick, Janani helped gather functional traits on plants to determine evolutionary relationships to each other to estimate the functional and phylogenetic diversity of each community.