Table of Contents

Plant structures that enclose trapped air are morphologically and taxonomically diverse. They range from pubescence (trichomes) on various parts of plants to flowers, inflorescences, stems, culms (above-ground jointed stems of grasses), petioles, peduncles, scapes, fruits, bracts, leaves, galls, algal pneumatocysts, moss sporophytes, lichen podetia, and fungal fruiting bodies. Despite being familiar, such structures have not been studied systematically until recently when their complex thermodynamic functionality as microgreenhouses has been recognized. We propose the term “heliocaminiform” (Greco-Latin origin for “sun-room”) provides an umbrella term that describes form and function. Almost all the hollow structures we have examined have elevated internal temperatures of several degrees C above the surrounding air in sunshine, but those are abolished under cloud or at night. The potential importance for the additional heat is presumed to be in growth, maturation, reproduction, sexual function, and overall fitness of the plants. There seem to be no experimental studies on those effects even though they may help explain aspects of plants’ responses to climate change and to phenological mismatches with symbionts (mutualists and herbivores) as ecologically co-dependent partners. Our review and observations opens a remarkably new and hitherto surprisingly neglected avenue in botany which we hope others will explore.

Genetic testing's increased availability has raised concerns about “genetic discrimination” (GD), where individuals may face unfair treatment, particularly when purchasing personal insurance, because of their genetic characteristics. In 2017, Canada passed the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act (GNDA) to prevent GD. This manuscript reviews post-GNDA life insurance application forms and compares them with pre-2014 application forms to assess the impact of the GNDA on insurance practices in Canada. Based on our comparative assessment, we found that the GNDA has had a modest impact on the practice of life insurers in Canada. Our study also confirms that questions about family history of disease and broadly formulated inquiries are still used on life insurance application forms. Both can, in the absence of clear instructions, lead applicants to disclose protected genetic information.

The objective of this study is to examine the potential cardiovascular risk of climate-related declines in seafood consumption among First Nations in British Columbia by assessing the combined effects of reduced omega-3 fatty acids and mercury intake from seafood on the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in 2050 relative to 2009. The data were derived from the First Nations Food, Nutrition, and Environment Study. Seafood consumption among 369 randomly selected participants was estimated, and hair mercury concentrations were measured. Declines in seafood consumption were modelled based on previously projected climate change scenarios, and the associated changes in nutrients and contaminants were used to estimate the cardiovascular risk. Reduced seafood consumption was projected to increase the risk of MI by 4.5%–6.5% among older individuals (≥50 years), by 1.9%–2.6% in men, and by 1.3%–1.8% in women under lower and upper climate change scenarios, respectively. Reduced seafood consumption may have profound cardiovascular implications. Effective strategies are needed to promote sustainable seafood harvests and access to seafood for coastal First Nations.

This paper examines fish consumption advisories (FCAs) as a site of transboundary governance in the Upper St Lawrence River with the aim of identifying opportunities for enhanced coordination and power sharing to address environmental injustices. The Upper St Lawrence River is part of the Great Lakes watershed of North America and the traditional territory of multiple Indigenous Nations, as well as the present-day jurisdictions of Ontario (Canada), Quebec (Canada), and New York State (USA). Through an analysis of publicly available information on FCA programs, we examine similarities and differences in these programs across jurisdictions. We find an overall lack of coordination in fish monitoring and differences in consumption advice for a waterway in which fish may easily move between transboundary areas. We offer recommendations for improving FCAs in this transboundary waterway from the lens of environmental justice, focusing on (1) a shared and transparent approach to monitoring contaminant levels and fish species; (2) integration of cultural food practices; (3) enhanced outreach to angler populations; and (4) upholding the self-determination of Indigenous communities. We also underscore that FCAs should not be seen as a permanent solution. Preventing and reducing contaminants, including associated harm reduction in communities affected by FCAs, need to be priorities.

We evaluated whether naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFCs) extracted from oil sand tailings adversely affect fish survival and behaviour. Following a before–after-control-impact design, we housed wild-caught juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in outdoor mesocosms to assess survival and behaviour under baseline conditions, then exposed fish to one of three treatments: negative control, 2 mg/L NAFC, or 15 mg/L NAFC. We performed behavioural assays (no-stimulus activity, food stimulus, and predator stimulus using a model bird) and assessed a comprehensive suite of endpoints (equilibrium losses, activity, shoaling, burst swimming, freezing, and space use). We found that exposure to 15 mg/L NAFCs substantially reduced fish survival and impaired fish equilibrium in all three behavioural tests. Furthermore, exposure to NAFCs impaired anti-predator behaviour: while the activity of control fish increased by two-fold in response to a predator stimulus, fish exposed to 2 or 15 mg/L NAFC did not change their activity levels after stimulation. No significant changes were observed in other behavioural endpoints. Overall, our findings suggest that a week-long exposure to NAFCs at concentrations commonly found in tailings ponds, constructed wetlands, and other mining-impacted waters may affect multiple facets of fish behaviour that could ultimately lead to reduced fitness in fish populations.

Marine protected area (MPAs) networks can buffer marine ecosystems from the impacts of climate change by allowing species to redistribute as conditions change and by reducing other stressors. There are, however, few examples where climate change has been considered in MPA network design. In this paper, we assess how climate change considerations were integrated into the design of a newly released MPA network in the Northern Shelf Bioregion in British Columbia, Canada, and then evaluate the resulting network against projected physical and biogeochemical changes and biological responses. We found that representation, replication, and size and spacing recommendations integrated into the design phase were met in most cases. Furthermore, despite varying degrees of projected changes in temperature, dissolved oxygen, and aragonite saturation across the MPA network, suitable habitat for demersal fish species is projected to remain in the network despite some redistribution among sites. We also found that mid-depth MPAs are particularly important for persistence, as fish are projected to move deeper to avoid warming in shallower areas. Our results highlight that a representative MPA network with adequate replication, that incorporates areas of varying climate change trajectory, should buffer against the impacts of climate change.

The International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy recommend that states commit to adopting a balanced, integrated, and human rights-based approach to drug policy through a set of foundational human rights principles, obligations arising from human rights standards, and obligations arising from the human rights of particular groups. In respect of the Guidelines and standing obligations under UN Treaties, Canada must adopt stronger and more specific commitments for a human rights-based, people-centered, and public health approach. This approach must commit to the decriminalization of people who use drugs and include the decriminalization of possession, purchase, and cultivation for personal consumption. In this report, we will first turn to the legal background of Canada's drug laws. Next, we will provide an overview of ongoing law reform proposals from civil society groups, various levels of government, the House of Commons, and the Senate. We end with a three-staged approach to reform and a series of targeted recommendationscr.

Historical gold mining operations between the 1860s and 1940s have left substantial quantities of arsenic- and mercury-rich tailings near abandoned mines in remote and urban areas of Nova Scotia, Canada. Large amounts of materials from the tailings have entered the surface waters of downstream aquatic ecosystems at concentrations that present a risk to benthos. We used paleolimnological approaches to examine long-term trends in sedimentary metal(loid) concentrations, assess potential sediment toxicity, and determine if geochemical recovery has occurred at four lakes located downstream of three productive gold-mining districts. During the historical mining era, sedimentary total arsenic and mercury concentrations and enrichment factors increased substantially at all downstream lakes that received inputs from tailings. Similarly, chromium, lead, and zinc concentrations increased in the sediments after mining activities began and the urbanization that followed. The calculated probable effects of concentration quotients (PEC-Qs) for sediments exceeded the probable biological effects threshold (PEC-Q > 2) during the mining era. Although sedimentary metal(loid) concentrations have decreased for most elements in recent sediments, relatively higher PEC-Q and continued exceedance of Canadian Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines suggest that complete geochemical recovery has not occurred. It is likely that surface runoff from tailing fields, urbanization, and climate-mediated changes are impacting geochemical recovery trajectories.

Long-term ecological research (LTER) projects are considered valuable training grounds for graduate student researchers, yet student voices are largely absent from discussions of LTER merits in the literature. We aimed to identify benefits and challenges encountered by current and former graduate students in conducting graduate research within LTER projects. To explore graduate student experiences and perspectives, we conducted a survey comprising both closed-ended questions (i.e., multiple choice and Likert scale) and open-ended questions. From the responses, we identified emergent categories related to positive and negative experiences using sentiment analysis. We found agreement with purported benefits in areas including networking and access to established field sites and protocols. However, participants also identified data accessibility, authorship decisions, communication, and interpersonal conflicts as significant sources of challenges. We synthesized survey results with existing literature to provide actionable recommendations for principal investigators in four main areas (data, authorship, communication, and management) through an LTER lens. In addition to providing longitudinal data, LTER projects offer graduate students both physical and methodological infrastructure that can serve as the scaffold for new research questions to be developed. However, the likelihood of success of student research, as well as the success of the students themselves, can be improved when the needs of graduate students are prioritized.

The parallel evolution of lateral plates and body shape in the threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is an iconic example of adaptation. We test a case of contemporary evolutionary transition in a recently isolated population of marine G. aculeatus in British Columbia, Canada. We investigate Ectodysplasin (Eda) genotypes, plate counts, neutral genetic divergence, and whole-body phenotypes to determine the genetic and phenotypic distance between this population and nearby comparative populations. Our focal population is in the process of adapting both genetically and phenotypically to a freshwater environment, and we provide an example of the genetic basis for parallel evolution on a contemporary timescale. The frequency of Eda genotypes and lateral plate phenotypes in our focal population is not consistent with those of marine or fully freshwater populations. Although our focal population is genetically distinct from nearby marine populations, these fish still more closely resemble marine populations in overall body shape while demonstrating an intriguing intermediate phenotype. Eda frequency and lateral plate phenotype change faster than body shape in response to freshwater conditions, suggesting that the pace of adaptation differs across traits in response to the same environmental conditions. Our results further bolster the case for G. aculeatus as a key model of contemporary evolution.

Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek Parker, 1870) populations have declined precipitously in the past few decades, and their global range is now restricted to two isolated regions, one of which is the managed Manitoba tall grass prairie in Canada. In this paper, we used a decade of survey data from 2010 to 2019 to understand how habitat features, management practices, and extreme weather impact Poweshiek skipperling abundance in Manitoba. The strongest predictor of abundance was the density of black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta L.), a primary nectar plant for adults. Poweshiek skipperling abundance also had a negative relationship with both the number of years since a burn occurred and the number of years since grazing occurred. Cumulative precipitation during their active period (May–June) had a negative relationship with skipperling abundance, whereas warm early springs and cool temperatures during the active period had positive relationships. These results suggest that management actions that maintain tall grass prairie habitat in an early successional stage (burning and grazing) and maintain important nectar sources benefit this population. In contrast, extreme weather events had varying effects on Poweshiek skipperling abundance. Results from this study inform ongoing management practices in the Manitoba tall grass prairie to support this endangered population.

Expanding local rice production to meet consumer demand is a priority action under the Government of Ghana’s Planting for Food and Jobs initiative. While studies on yield-enhancing interventions abound, fewer studies focus on food safety issues (e.g., the potential toxic element status of the production ecosystems). This study was, therefore, conducted to bridge the knowledge gap. Chemical analyses were conducted on water, soil, and rice grain samples from different production ecosystems in the Northern and Upper East regions of Ghana. Statistical analysis of the data showed that soil and rice grain arsenic concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the Upper East region. In the Northern region, mean cadmium concentration in rice grains from the irrigated lowland fields (0.023±0.003 mg/kg) was significantly higher than in grains from the rainfed fields. All recorded concentrations of rice grain arsenic, cadmium, and lead were, however, within permissible limits, indicating a low risk of dietary exposure. The observed differences in concentrations within and between regions suggest that soil texture and other geogenic factors could influence the potential toxic element status of the rice production ecosystems. Regular monitoring is, therefore, recommended to maintain the safety of Ghana’s locally produced rice for human consumption.

Spatial patterns of bioaccumulated mercury were evaluated in coastal marine food webs of east Hudson Bay and east James Bay in the boreal subarctic of Canada. Two marine species, blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and common eider ducks (Somateria mollissima) that consume mussels, were collected by a regional community-based monitoring network established in five communities. Stable isotope tracers (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and mercury) were measured to evaluate environmental drivers of mercury spatial patterns. Mercury concentrations of blue mussels and common eiders were twofold and fivefold higher, respectively, on the James Bay coast near the community of Chisasibi compared to sites in east Hudson Bay. Liver and muscle mercury concentrations of eiders from James Bay are among the highest values reported for the circumpolar subarctic and Arctic. Multiple lines of evidence (mercury spatial patterns, crustal elements in blue mussels, and mercury isotope values of common eiders) suggest elevated mercury in the coastal food web of east James Bay may be due to mercury loading from the La Grande River, which drains one of the largest hydroelectric developments in the world. These findings highlight the importance of further research on environmental processes linking large rivers to mercury bioaccumulation in northern coastal food webs.

University campus networks need wired (ethernet) and dense wireless fidelity networks that have devices like access points, switches, and routers that are always turned on. Consequently, they generate two important problems: the energy bill and the influence of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Energy savings are the solution to those problems. There are several proposals to augment the energy savings separately in ethernet and wireless fidelity, but there is no integrated method to simultaneously reduce them in both parts of the networks. Our novel method combines idle cycling and machine learning techniques to efficiently obtain energy savings in both parts of the network simultaneously. We categorize network devices into two groups: (a) those that are always turned on and (b) those that can be dynamically turned on or off based on network performance. We formulated two algorithms that decide when to turn on and off access points. We use Ward's machine learning hierarchical clustering technique to optimize the energy savings of our model in the network of the Unidades Tecnológicas de Santander (Bucaramanga, Colombia). We showed that energy savings of 21.5 kWh per day are possible. The success of the model in this context highlights its potential to achieve substantial energy savings.

In this paper, we argue that Indigenous data sovereignty (IDS) is vital for addressing threats to ecosystems, as well as for Indigenous Peoples re-establishing and maintaining sovereignty over their territories. Indigenous knowledge-holders face pressure from non-Indigenous scientists to collaborate to address environmental problems, while the open data movement is pressuring them to make their data public. We examine the role of IDS in the context of cumulative effects and climate change that threaten salmon-bearing ecosystems in British Columbia, guided by content from an online workshop in June 2022 and attended exclusively by a Tier-1 audience (First Nations knowledge-holders and/or technical staff working for Nations). Attention to data is required for fruitful collaborations between Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous researchers to address the impacts of climate change and the cumulative effects affecting salmon-bearing watersheds in BC. In addition, we provide steps that Indigenous governments can take to assert sovereignty over data, recommendations that external researchers can use to ensure they respect IDS, and questions that external researchers and Indigenous partners can discuss to guide decision-making about data management. Finally, we reflect on what we learned during the process of co-creating materials.

Research licensing administered by the Nunavut Research Institute (NRI) affords Nunavummiut (people of Nunavut) an opportunity to engage in research. The NRI partnered with researchers at McMaster and Carleton Universities to investigate social sciences research licensed between 2004 and 2019. This partnership aimed to understand the scope of research trends in Nunavut. Thematic content analysis was used to (i) identify research topics in social sciences and Inuit knowledge projects; (ii) determine frequency and diversity of topics according to leadership, location, and timeframe; (iii) develop metrics to improve tracking of research; and (iv) contribute to the development of a Nunavut research portal making NRI research applications and reports public. Social sciences research increased during the 16-year study period. Projects were predominantly led by Canadian academics. The highest intensity of research occurred in Iqaluit, and the lowest intensity in Grise Fiord. Social sciences research was mainly focused on topics related to Inuit culture and knowledge. Social scientists most often conducted research using interviews and shared their work via peer-reviewed journal articles. This project is a starting point in raising awareness about research trends for Nunavummiut. This work aims to contribute to broader efforts in developing Nunavut-specific approaches to achieving Inuit self-determination in research.

Contemporaneous reforms to Canada and British Columbia's environmental impact assessment legislation have the potential to advance Access to Environmental Justice. Access to Environmental Justice is the ability of individuals and communities who are disproportionately and negatively impacted by environmental decisions to access legal and regulatory processes and to have their concerns heard and addressed through environmental decision-making and dispute resolution. Access to Environmental Justice connects concepts of environmental justice, public participation, the rule of law, and access to justice to provide a framework for evaluating the implementation of environmental impact assessment laws. We conducted a preliminary analysis of early implementation of legislative reforms in Canada and British Columbia. Our analysis indicates that a number of factors influence who is seeking to access environmental justice through environmental impact assessment, including geography, project type, and the availability of a legislative mechanism that allows anyone to request an assessment. Whether Canada and British Columbia's reforms are advancing Access to Environmental Justice requires continued analysis as projects continue to be assessed under the new laws.

Pathogen dispersal from infected aquaculture sites into the surrounding ocean poses risks of infection to wild and farmed species, but is difficult to predict. This study aimed to build a framework using an ocean circulation and a particle tracking model in conjunction with a dynamic infection model and a virus inactivation model to simulate the dispersal of the infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV) from Atlantic salmon farms. Simulated particles were released from hypothetically infected farms and advected by modelled currents. Inactivation of viral cohorts by ambient ultraviolet radiation and natural microbial communities was simulated during advection. Simulations showed that ISAV concentration varied spatiotemporally with the progression of the outbreak, current speed and direction, tidal elevation amplitude, and environmental decay. Connectivity among aquaculture sites varied in relation to seaway distances, though simulations showed that connectivity can also be asymmetrical between farm sites. Sensitivity analyses showed that the dispersal of ISAV was moderately sensitive to uncertainty associated with the viral decay model, highlighting the importance of obtaining accurate estimates of inactivation rates of ISAV. This framework provides an approach to simulate waterborne viral transmission that considers the biology and epidemic features of significance for pathogens and the dynamic conditions of the ocean.

Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) are keystone predators. However, contact with congenerics, like the bobcat (Lynx rufus), could alter lynx trophic ecology and destabilize boreal food webs. We set out to describe the trophic niches of these species in allopatry and sympatry to assess how resources are partitioned among them and project whether the northward expansion of the bobcats’ range will lead to the displacement of lynx. To quantify the trophic niche, we measured stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in muscle and liver samples of bobcat and lynx. Our results indicate that both bobcat and lynx consumed snowshoe hare as their primary prey. However, lynx specialized on hare throughout our study, whereas bobcats foraged as generalists in sympatry with lynx and hare-specialists in allopatry. Our results highlight the contrasting ecological strategies of two congeneric felids and underscore the potential relevance of foraging efficiency in shaping the trophic niche of consumers in competitive environments.

In late 2020, a private volunteer group operating through a Facebook group approached Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) with an interest in participating in the Citizen Science Nest Protection and Monitoring Volunteer Program. During the 2021 season, TRCA staff virtually trained volunteers in turtle nest detection, protection, and monitoring due to COVID-19 social constraints, and provided necessary supplies and equipment. In 2021 volunteers and staff detected 181 turtle nests and were able to protect 75 nests with simple predator-exclusion devices, while in 2022, 165 nests were detected, and 155 were protected. The volunteers also collected data, including nesting location, date, and species in addition to the number of successful hatchlings (2021 only). In 2021, the 75 protected nests yielded 81 Midland Painted Turtle and 665 Snapping Turtle hatchlings. Five Midland Painted Turtle’s eggs were also recovered from an injured turtle, and 44 Snapping Turtle eggs were recovered from a partially predated nest, transported to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, incubated, hatched, and overwintered, and then released back into the local wetlands. The partnership with a local community group proved effective, and we would recommend this practice to other conservation organizations interested in turtle nest protection.

While community-based monitoring (CBM) can support meaningful participation of the public in environmental decision-making, it remains unclear if and how CBM can support western science approaches to biophysical studies within cumulative effects assessment (CEA). We scored 40 Canadian CBM projects on their ability to enhance CEA's western science approaches to environmental monitoring. We used multivariate analyses to determine if the highest-scoring projects shared characteristics that could inform the design of CBMs to support CEA. Cluster analysis and non-metric multi-dimensional scaling ordination revealed that highest-scoring projects were distinct from lower scoring projects, and the Similarity Percentages Routine identified characteristics that differentiated these projects. The highest-scoring projects involved non-profit organizations as bridging organizations that coordinated community participation and received funding and in-kind support from provincial/territorial government agencies. Participants in these projects collected measurements and samples using standardized protocols described in training manuals. Their data were publicly accessible in georeferenced databases and were used for baseline studies and resource management. There are existing CBM projects in Canada that thus appear well positioned to enhance western science approaches to CEA. Further study is required to identify how CBM projects can be designed to braid Indigenous and western science approaches to mutually enhance CEA methods.

Shallow ponds can provide ideal conditions for production of greenhouse gases (GHGs) carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), and thus are important to include in global and regional GHG budgets. The Canadian Prairie Pothole Region contains millions of shallow natural ponds, and we investigated GHG dynamics in 145 ponds across the region. Ponds were consistently supersaturated with CH₄, often supersaturated with CO₂ (57% occurrence), and often undersaturated with N₂O (65% occurrence). Spring measurements showed higher N₂O saturation (p = 0.0037) than summer, while summer had higher CH₄ (p < 0.001) and CO₂ (p = 0.023) saturation than spring. Ponds exhibited large physicochemical variation, yet sulfate concentration and pH were strong predictors of dissolved CH₄ and CO₂, respectively. No predictor was identified for N₂O. The link between sulfate and CH₄ has important implications as dissolved CH₄ in low sulfate (<178 mg L⁻¹) systems was much more responsive to changes in temperature. This research fills an important knowledge gap about the GHG dynamics of prairie pothole ponds and the role of water chemistry for diffuse GHG release. Our work can also be used in ongoing efforts to describe ecosystem services (or disservices) assigned to ponds in this agriculture-dominated region.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of gathering restrictions in slowing the spread of communicable disease. Many restrictions on activities were applied without identifying how effective the restrictions might be in curtailing disease spread. We present a model that estimates the probability of contacting an infected individual as a function of prevalence and self-reported or hypothesized activities. The model incorporates an age adjustment factor to account for differences between the age demographics of infected versus activity participants. The age adjustment factor was important to include when the difference in prevalence between age groups was sufficiently large, and prevalence and activity group sizes were moderate. We applied our contact probability model to two scenarios to demonstrate how the model may inform the development of public health measures. Our model presents a method for estimating contact probability that could be adopted by jurisdictions considering facility closures or group size limits, or for individuals evaluating their own behaviours in future outbreaks or pandemics.

Large amounts of waste paper are generated annually worldwide. Although some of it is recycled, up to 50% is landfilled or incinerated. The remanufacturing of waste paper to produce pencils is proposed as a novel, sustainable business solution. A sustainability analysis of this process was performed to quantify indexes of technical, environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Small-to-medium business models were evaluated, in which 15 000 pencils/shift/day can be produced from 135 kg of waste paper, with a maximum productivity of 64 800 pencils/day. Productivity, operating costs, power consumption, land footprint, machine delivery cost, and number of workers were used to analyze the technical feasibility. The cost-to-profit ratio, cost and profit per pencil, and daily profit were used to evaluate economic sustainability. The amounts of municipal solid waste and recovered paper waste, saved embodied energy, and prevented CO₂ emissions were used to analyze environmental sustainability. The number of workers and labor costs were used to evaluate human development and social sustainability. The machines required for the remanufacturing line are considered sufficiently mature, remanufactured pencils are less expensive to produce than wooden pencils, and the proposed process minimizes the amount of waste paper sent to landfills and avoids the use of new wood for producing pencils, thereby satisfying technical, economic, and environmental sustainability, respectively. The final sustainability index of 0.9 is considered very high and sufficient for operating a profitable, sustainable business with a profit of 252–583 USD/day.

Documented plastic pollution throughout the Laurentian Great Lakes system prompted investigation of microplastics (MPs) in sediment cores. We examined offshore sediment cores from Lake Huron (LH43) and Lake Ontario (403A) to understand temporal trends and changes in microplastic (MP) pollution in the size range 53 µm to 2 mm. MP abundances varied from 18.1 to 280.1 particles per g of dry weight sediment (N g⁻¹ dw) in LH43, and 8.2–488.4 g⁻¹ dw in core 403A. The 15 cm cores are equivalent to 56 years of accumulation in Lake Huron and 72 years of accumulation in Lake Ontario. Analysis of the two cores shows an increasing trend in MP accumulation from 1964 to 1989, which mirrors the global plastic production rate. Subsequent peaks and troughs in the MP abundance profiles reflect macroeconomic changes and regional controls. These results show how changing abundances of MPs in lake sediment cores can act as proxies for global perturbations in oil supply as well as national economic shifts.

Inclusion has been gaining increased attention in various domains, including education and the workplace, as well as development, governance, urbanization, and innovation. However, in the context of climate change adaptation (CCA), the concept of “inclusiveness” remains comparatively underexplored, with no overarching framework available. This gap is crucial, given the global scope and multifaceted nature of climate change, which demands a comprehensive and inclusive approach. In this article, we address this deficiency by developing a comprehensive conceptualization of inclusive climate change adaptation (ICCA). Grounded in ethical analysis, our framework is presented for discussion and practical testing. We identify nine specific priority areas and propose one to two qualitative indicators for each, resulting in a suite of 15 indicators for the evaluation of ICCA policies. This research not only highlights the urgency of incorporating inclusiveness into CCA, but it also provides a practical framework by which to guide policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in this critical endeavor. By acknowledging and accommodating diverse value systems and considering the entire policy process, from conception to evaluation, we aim to foster a more inclusive and sustainable approach to CCA.

In many regions, a tradeoff exists between draining wetlands to support the expansion of agricultural land, and conserving wetlands to maintain their valuable ecosystem services. Decisions about wetland drainage are often made without identifying the impacts on the services these systems provide. We address this gap through a novel assessment of impacts on ecosystem services via wetland drainage in the Canadian prairie landscape. Draining pothole wetlands has large impacts, but sensitivity varies among the indicators considered. Loss of water storage increased the magnitude of median annual flows, but absolute increases with drainage were higher for larger, less frequent events. Total phosphorus exports increased in concert with streamflow. Our analysis suggested disproportionate riparian habitat losses with the first 30% of wetland area drained. Dabbling ducks and wetland-associated bird abundances respond strongly to the loss of small wetland ponds; abundances were predicted to decrease by half with the loss of only 20%–40% of wetland area. This approach to evaluating changes to key wetland ecosystem services in a large region where wetland drainage is ongoing can be used with an economic valuation of the drainage impacts, which should be weighed against the benefits associated with agricultural expansion.

A laboratory-based study was conducted to investigate the consumption and degradation of expanded polystyrene (EPS) by superworms (darkling beetle larvae, Zophobas morio; heterotypic synonym Zophobas atratus). Superworms fed on one of three diets (wheat bran control, EPS blocks, or EPS S-shaped chips) following a 60-second pretreatment with UV radiation or no UV radiation exposure. Loss-of-mass measurements were conducted every week for 4 weeks. Nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and EPS degradation products in frass were determined as well as the superworm gut microbiome composition. The average loss of mass after 28 days was 34.7% for EPS blocks and 25.6% for S-shaped chips. Small quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus were found in the frass of superworms that fed on the EPS diet, but they were lower than those from wheat bran-fed superworms. Twenty-one EPS degradation products were identified in the frass of superworms on an EPS diet, including short-chain carboxylic acids, polyols, amino acids, metabolites of amino acids, and phosphoric acids. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (polystyrene degrader) and Stenotrophomonas sp. (nitrogen fixer and phosphorus solubilization promoter) were identified from the guts of superworms that fed on an EPS diet. Overall, superworms have the potential to deal with plastic waste degradation problems.

The strengths of Indigenous Knowledges and need for reconciliation are increasingly recognized within conservation, leading to a rise in collaborative, cross-cultural research initiatives. As both a cultural keystone and important harvest species, moose are of value to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples, presenting an opportunity to pursue moose monitoring strategies that embrace the strengths of Indigenous and Western knowledges. While various frameworks provide theoretical direction on how to do so, few resources outline how to apply them in practice. Leaning on guidance of the Ethical Space framework, we explored the meaning and application of value-based approaches in the context of moose monitoring in central Ontario through semi-structured interviews with First Nation communities, the Ontario provincial crown government, and academic researchers. Collectively, 20 core values were identified to be important when bringing Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners together, coupled with a range of tangible actions necessary for fostering Ethical Space. Values and actions reflected three main themes: an emphasis on the long term, the importance of building and maintaining relationships, and the ability to evolve and adapt over time. Insights from this research provide tools and guidance for others interested in enacting Ethical Space in the context of cross-cultural wildlife monitoring and research.

Migratory seabirds move across ocean basins and are one of the primary reservoirs of low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV). This includes the millions of thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) and common murres (Uria aalge) that are distributed across northern hemisphere oceans. In response to increasingly frequent detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) in Europe in 2020–2021, avian influenza virus (AIV) monitoring in wildlife has increased. We compiled data from murres tested for AIV in Canada between 2007 and 2022 to quantify spatiotemporal variation in the prevalence of LPAIV and HPAIV in these birds. No HPAIV was detected in murres prior to 2022, but HPAIV was present in 46% of both live/harvested and found dead murres in the northwestern Atlantic in 2022 with prevalence peaking at 63% among live birds in the summer. In the eastern Canadian Arctic, HPAIV prevalence in 2022 was <1% while LPAIV prevalence was 21%, which was significantly higher than previous sampling years. Power analyses suggest approximately 100 samples from breeding murres should be collected annually per colony or region to detect moderate changes in HPAIV prevalence. These analyses inform robust monitoring of viruses in wildlife, with implications for conservation, harvest management, and public health.

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified concerns about food insecurity, prompting its investigation. An online pilot survey anonymously gathered responses from a non-probabilistic sample of 2058 Ecuadorian women. The Food and Agriculture Organization's Food Insecurity Experience Scale was used to measure moderate or severe food insecurity (MSFI). Data quality was assessed using the Rasch item response theory model; this is a single-parameter logistic model that considers food insecurity severity as a latent trait. The analysis produced MSFI prevalence rates with 90% confidence level margins of error (90%MoE). The highest MSFI was found in women: lacking resources for personal expenses (29.53%, 90%MoE = 3.21) compared to those who had them (12.47, 90%MoE = 1.40); who live in the Amazon region (21.37, 90%MoE = 4.24) versus those living in Highlands (17.66%, 90%MoE = 1.77) or in Coast (13.44%, 90%MoE = 2.40); with three or more children (20.97%, 90%MoE = 4.71) against those without children (12.63%, 90%MoE = 3.57); who experienced income reduction during confinement (18.31%, 90%MoE = 2) compared to those who did not (15.71%, 90%MoE = 1.85); and who are rural (18.13%, 90%MoE = 2.83) versus urban residents (16.63%, 90%MoE = 1.55). This study highlights that the most vulnerable Ecuadorian women experienced the highest food insecurity levels during lockdown, emphasizing the need to consider the intersection between income and sociodemographic factors and their impact on women's food insecurity in future research and policymaking.

Transboundary rural communities in West Africa play an important role in the exchange of goods, mainly food, among countries. The COVID-19 pandemic restricted these activities due to the closure of the borders. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in two regions of Senegal and Burkina Faso to examine the impacts of these restrictions on the pillars (availability, access, utilization, and stability) of food security in rural areas on men and women. The data set included 230 interviews, and they were analyzed through thematic content analysis. The results showed a decrease in agricultural production in all the communities due to mainly lack of labor force, and limited access to inputs, resulting in increased post-harvest losses. The disruption of trade and border and market closures affected rural families engaged in transboundary trade. Farmers experienced a sharp loss of household income leading to debts and decapitalization. Availability and diversity of and access to food was also heavily affected. Food security greatly varied among the communities and between countries. Perceptions also varied between men and women in terms of production, mobility, and food consumption. The restriction measures have triggered a spiral of effects and responses seriously impacting long-term food security in already highly vulnerable countries.

Strontium isotopes are used for provenience and mobility studies in archaeology, ecology, and forensic studies, and rely on accurate baseline maps that are used to compare and interpret human and animal strontium ratios. Here, we present a bioavailable ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr map, also called an isoscape, for southern British Columbia derived from modern plant samples’ ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios. We sampled 67 medium root depth plants over a 900 km transect from the southern BC coast to inland BC to capture the natural ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of plants along the four major geological belts in British Columbia. Non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis and pairwise Wilcox tests were used to examine whether the geological belts had statistically significant mean differences. It was found that the province could be effectively divided into east and west, with the Coastal–Intermontane and Omineca–Foreland regions having statistically different means from each other. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios had statistically significant relationships with salt deposition, volcanic deposition, and mean age of the underlying lithology. Generally, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios increased with distance from the coast as the atmospheric input of radiogenic strontium from marine-derived rainwater decreased and the input of radiogenic strontium isotopes from the underlying geology of the Rockies in the far east of the province increased.

Funding is critical in ecology and related fields, as it enables research and sustains livelihoods. However, early-career researchers (ECRs) from diverse backgrounds are disproportionately underrepresented as funding recipients. To help funding programs self-evaluate progress towards increasing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in their funding opportunities, we introduce the Stage-based Assessments of Grants for EDI (SAGE) Toolkit. Developed using existing literature, semi-structured interviews, and coauthors’ experiences, the toolkit considers how each funding stage (Advertisement, Application, Review, Awarding) interacts with applicants from racialized and other underrepresented backgrounds. The toolkit offers specific criteria and recommendations, with explanations and examples from funding agencies, to support applicants who have been historically marginalized in ecology and are often left out of equitable funding consideration. Changes in funding mechanisms alone will not reverse the marginalization of communities and peoples in the field of ecology, but advancing EDI must include action throughout the grant process. Efforts to increase EDI must be sustained, and the toolkit allows for additional considerations and evolving best practices. With the SAGE Toolkit, efforts to increase EDI can help to transition away from a transactional dynamic between funder and applicant to instead supportive community and collaboration. The SAGE Toolkit is available online at bit.ly/ediSAGEtoolkit.

COVID-19 was a stark reminder that understanding a novel pathogen is essential but insufficient to protect us from disease. Biomedical and technical solutions are necessary, but they do not prevent or resolve misinformation, vaccine hesitancy, or resistance to public health measures, nor are they sufficient to advance the development of more equitable and effective healthcare systems. Responding to crises such as pandemics requires deep collaboration drawing on multiple methodologies and perspectives. Along with the science, it is imperative to understand cultures, values, languages, histories, and other determinants of human behaviour. This policy briefing argues that the humanities—a group of methodologically diverse fields, including interdisciplinary studies that overlap significantly with the social determinants of health—are an underused source of cultural and social insight that is increasingly important and could be better leveraged in such collaboration. Humanities disciplines approach health and illness as part of the human condition. Their historical perspective could be more effectively mobilized to explore the social and cultural context in which science exists and evolves, in turn, helping us understand the forces shaping perceptions, concerns, and assumptions.

Assisted migration is increasingly being considered as a potential climate change adaptation tactic even though it also comes with potential risk to ecosystems and society. When implementing conservation actions that involve risk, it is prudent to have policies and guidelines to ensure that such actions are conducted in ways that conform to regional standards and consider risks. Here, we report on a policy scan focused on assisted migration in the context of climate change adaptation originally as a protected areas tactic only, but then broadened to ecosystems in Canada beyond those boundaries. Policy scans are a useful strategy for understanding the evolving policy and regulatory landscape for a given topic and can guide the development of such policies in other jurisdictions. Our scan focused on Canada, where multi-scalar governance systems exist relevant to biodiversity and environmental management. Our comprehensive policy scan (involving scans of legislation, policies, and guidelines found online and through direct inquiries with government bodies) revealed major gaps in the assisted migration policy landscape with very few provincial/territorial or federal policies in Canada. A more rudimentary scan in the United States revealed a similar pattern. There was evidence that some jurisdictions anticipated need for such policies and even a few examples of very specific policies (e.g., seeds) that had already been developed, but there were not comprehensive policies or frameworks. Governments and other relevant bodies/organizations may wish to consider working collaboratively toward the development of robust, evidence-based policies for assisted migration given that we anticipate this conservation intervention becoming more popular as climate change impacts on ecosystems become more evident and dire.

Western Canada is increasingly experiencing impactful and complex wildfire seasons. In response, there are urgent calls to implement prescribed and cultural fire as a key solution to this complex challenge. Unfortunately, there has been limited investment in individuals and organizations that can navigate this complexity and work to implement collaborative solutions across physical, cognitive, and social boundaries. In the wildfire context, these boundaries manifest as jurisdictional silos, a lack of respect for certain forms of knowledge, and a disconnect between knowledge and practice. Here, we highlight the important role of “boundary spanners” in building trust, relationships, and capacity to enable collaboration, including through five case studies from western Canada. As individuals and organizations who actively work across and bridge boundaries between diverse actors and knowledge systems, we believe that boundary spanners can play a key role in supporting proactive wildfire management. Boundary spanning activities include: convening workshops, hosting joint training exercises, supporting knowledge exchange and communities of practice, and creating communication tools and resources. These activities can help overcome unevenly valued knowledge, lack of trust, and outdated policies. We need collaborative approaches to implement prescribed and cultural fire, including a strong foundation for the establishment of boundary spanning individuals and organizations.

There is growing interest among Western-trained scientists in engaging with Indigenous sciences. This interest has arisen in response to social pressures to reckon with the colonial foundations of Western science and decentre Western ways of knowing, as well as recognition of the need to draw upon the gifts of multiple knowledge systems to address today's many complex social and ecological challenges. However, colonial patterns and power relations are often reproduced at the interface between Western and Indigenous sciences, including the reproduction of epistemic Eurocentrism and extractive modes of relationship between settlers and Indigenous Peoples. This paper seeks to support Western-trained scientists to recognize and interrupt these patterns in order to create the conditions for more ethical, respectful, and reciprocal engagements with Indigenous sciences. We also offer a map of the different ways that Western sciences have thus far engaged Indigenous sciences. We particularly highlight the emergent possibilities offered by a reparative approach to engagement that emphasizes the responsibility of Western science to enact material and relational repair for historical and ongoing harm, including by supporting Indigenous self-determination and sovereignty in science and beyond.

In recent years, increasing attention has been directed to “natural climate solutions” to mitigate climate change through the protection, restoration, and improved management of carbon-storing ecosystems. In practice, Indigenous Peoples have been implementing natural climate solutions for millennia through land stewardship. As Indigenous nations and communities in Canada reassert stewardship roles through Indigenous Guardians programs, the question arises: what possibilities emerge when natural climate solutions are driven by Guardians, guided by multifaceted community priorities and Indigenous knowledge? This paper responds to this question, drawing upon collaborative research with Wahkohtowin Development, a social enterprise based in Treaty 9 territory (Ontario, Canada), made up of Chapleau Cree First Nation, Missanabie Cree First Nation, and Brunswick House First Nation. We engaged youth Guardians in workshops that generated insights on the role of youth, cross-cultural collaboration, and holistic conceptualizations of climate action rooted in Indigenous ontologies (such as the Cree philosophy of wahkohtowin, embodying kinship and interconnectedness). Our analysis reveals that Indigenous Guardians are well positioned to advance natural climate solutions and to do so in an integrative manner that addresses intersecting challenges—with benefits for communities, ecosystems, climate action, and reconciliation.