Download Plenary Theme: Novel Approaches to Managing Aquatic

PlenaryTheme:NovelApproachestoManagingAquaticEcosystemsinaRapidlyChangingWorld
SpecialSessionThemes
1.GenomicsApplicationsinFisheriesandtheConservationofAquaticEcosystems:WhereAreWeNow?
P.Bentzen(DalhousieU),L.Bernatchez(LavalU),I.Bradbury(DFO)andD.Heath(UWindsor)
Theapplicationofgenomicstechnologiesinaquaticsciencehasincreasedrapidlyoverthelast10years,drivenbyunique
opportunitiestousethetechnologyforpressingissuesinfisheriesmanagementandaquaticconservationbiology,andby
lowercostandhigherthroughput.Thepurposeofthissessiontoprovidefisheriesandaquaticscienceresearchers,
professionalsandstudentsaforumtopresenttheircutting-edgeworkandinteractwithCanada’stopaquaticgeneticists.
Thescopeofthesessionwillbebroad,encompassing:fishgenomicsandtranscriptomicsappliedtopopulation-level
processesandpatterns,aquaticmetagenomicsinvolvingallaquatictaxa,environmentalDNAapplicationstoaquatic
invasivespeciesandspeciesatriskdetection,transcriptomicprofilingofaquaticorganismsresponsetostressors,metatranscriptomicsinaquaticecosystems,andnovelapplicationstogenomicsinfisheriesandaquaticscience.
2.RiverEcologyinChangingNaturalRivers:StructureandFunctionintheAnthropocene
T.Linnansaari(UNewBrunswick)andN.Jones(OntarioMinistryofNaturalResourcesandForestry–TrentU)
Thissessionhighlightspresentationsexaminingeitherfundamentalorappliedresearchquestionsinnaturalriversand
streams.Presentersworkingontopicscoveringgeneralriverecologyareinvitedtosubmit.Thehealthofnaturalriverine
habitatsisdeclininginmanypartsofCanadaduetoimpactsofvariousstressors,suchasalterationscausedbywater
withdrawals,diversionsoradditions,pollution,orimpactspredictedbyclimatechange.Understandingthestructureand
functionofriversandhowtheyrespondtobothnaturalandhumanalterationandstressiscriticaltotheirmanagement.
Whileriversciencehasmaturedconsiderablyoverlastcentury,gapsinfundamentalknowledgestillexistandstudies
revealingbasicscalesacrossscalesareneeded.Insomecases,unansweredproblemscanbebetterunderstoodby
utilizingcuttingedgetechnology.Forexample,remotesensingusingLiDARorFLIRtechnology,sonars,varioustelemetry
methodsorcomputermodelingtoolscansignificantlyenhanceourabilitytobettermanagetheriverinefreshwater
resource.Applyingthelatesttechnologytoanswerfundamentalecologicalquestionsinriversandstreamsandtheir
associatedbiotamayhelpinfindingsolutionstomitigatestressors,andallowindustriestominimizetheir“waterprint”on
naturalrivers.
3.ManagementBenefits,Costs,Trade-offsandSynergiesinRegulatedAquaticEcosystems
K.Turgeon(McGillU)andS.Harris(ProvinceofBCMinistryofEnvironment)
Increasedhumandemandforwater-relatedecosystemserviceshasresultedinextensivemanagementofaquatic
ecosystems.Regulatedriversandreservoirsprovideessentialservicesthatarevitaltohumanwellbeingsuchas
hydroelectricity,irrigationforagriculture,floodcontrol,anddrinkingwater.Theseservicescancometohighecological,
socialandeconomiccosts.Forexample,themodificationofhydrologicalregimesbydamsaresuggestedtobeoneofthe
majordisturbancestoaquaticecosystemsstructure,functionandbiodiversity(i.e.,disservices).Todevelopwell-reasoned,
strategicandresponsibledecision-makingpoliciesofwateruse,weneedtoevaluatetheecological,socialandeconomic
costsofregulatingaquaticecosystems,andhowtheyinteract.Atthemoment,itisunclearhowmanagementdecisions
balancehumanneeds,ecosystemservicesandecosystemintegrity.Thissessionwillseektoidentifynewchallengesand
researchopportunitiesinmanagingregulatedriversandreservoirs.Weparticularlywelcomeresearchquestions
recognizingtheimportanceofmanagementtrade-offs.
4.LinkingBehaviour,PersonalityandCognitiontoFisheriesScienceandManagement
C.K.Elvidge(CarletonU)andR.McLaughlin(UGuelph)
Likemostbiologists,behaviouralecologistshavelongbeeninterestedinintraspecificvariation.However,theearly
incorporationofoptimalitythinkingtothestudyofbehaviourmayhavefocusedtoomuchattentiononidentifyingabest
decision.Therecentexplosionofresearchonanimalpersonality,muchofitonfishes,hasdrawnattentiontoconsistent
individualdifferencesinbehaviourthatcoexistwithinpopulationsandchallengethenotionofasinglebestwaytobehave.
Recognizingthisvariationhasstimulatedawealthofresearchontheorigin,ontogeny,function,andmaintenanceofthis
variationwithinpopulations.Theconservationandmanagementimplicationsoffishpersonalitiesarecrucialforthose
chargedwithmanagingcapturefisheries,restoringaquatichabitats,mitigatingtheeffectsofinvasivespeciesoroperating
aquaculturefacilities.Thissessionwilldrawtogetherbehavioralecologistsinterestedindocumentingthenatureand
extentofindividualvariationandfisheriesscientistsexploringitsappliedsignificance.
5.EvaluatingBycatchandDiscardMortalityinCommercialFisheries
J.Runnebaum,R.BoenishandY.Chen(UMaine)
Bycatchremainsaseriousthreattotheconservationofrare,endangered,oroverfishedspecies.Mortalityofbycaughtand
discardedfishspeciesisasignificantsourceofuncertaintyinfisheriesstockassessment,management,andconservation.
Areliableestimationofdiscardedspeciesandagoodunderstandingoffactorsthatinfluencepost-releasemortalityunder
realisticfishingconditionscanleadtomoreaccuratemeasuresofdiscardmortalityandimprovestockassessmentquality
andconservationmeasures.Therehasbeenarecentsurgeofinnovativefisheriesresearchworkingtosolvepartsofthis
fisheriesissue.Thissessionwillfocusoncurrentresearcheffortsevaluatingtheinteractionofcommercialfishinggearand
bycatchspecies.Researchareascoveredbythissessionincludeunderstandingtheinteractionbetweencommercial
fisheriesandotherspecies,bycatchestimates,discardmortalityestimates,gearmodificationstoreducebycatch,reducing
mortalityfrombarotraumaofbycatchspecies,andtheincorporationofthisresearchintostockassessments.Thissession
aimstoprovideanup-to-datesynthesisofthecuttingedgeresearchinthisfieldandwillalsobeusedtoincrease
collaborationsbetweenindividualscientistsandbetweenresearchinstitutions.
6.HabitatModelinginChangingEcosystems:Data,Methodology,andApplication
K.Tanaka,J.Cao,B.Li,M.TorreandY.Chen(UMaine)
Effectivemanagementofspeciesofgreatcommercialandrecreationalvaluesrequiresacomprehensiveunderstandingof
theimpactofecosystemchangeonthespeciesdistributionandhabitatavailability.Tomeetthisdemand,developmentof
ecologicalmodelstopredictrelativespeciesabundanceoverspaceandtimewithrespecttobioticandabiotic
environmentalvariableshasbecomeacriticalprerequisiteformanyaspectsofassessment,managementand
conservationplanningoffisheryresources.Inthissession,wewilldiscussnewdevelopmentsinhabitatmodelingand
highlighttheproliferationofhabitatmodelingeffortsandapplicationstoecologically,commerciallyandrecreationally
importantspecies.Wewillpresentmethodsbasedonhabitatsuitabilityindex(HSI),generalizedadditivemodel(GAM),
machinelearning(ML),geographicallyweightedregressionmodel(GWR),andothernewlyemerginggeostatistical
models.Wewillalsopresentabio-physicalmodelingframeworkthatlinkstheoreticalecologicalmodelsofspecies
distributionstoexistingregionalclimatemodels,whicharewidelyusedtopredictrangeshiftsoforganismsduetobottomupforcingssuchasclimatechange.Wewillalsodiscusstheuseofoutputfromthesehabitatmodelingeffortsin
facilitatingincorporationofenvironmentalvariabilityintoconventionalstockassessment,designationofcriticalhabitat,and
developmentofecosystem-basedfisheriesmanagement.Thissessionwillprovideinsightsofhabitatmodelingto
researchersandpractitionersinabroadrangeofdisciplinesincludingstockassessment,fisheryecology,andecosystembasednaturalresourcesmanagement.
7.NorthernAquaticProcessesintheAnthropocene
R.Hutchins,M.BogardandR.Vogt(UQuébecàMontréal)
AvastamountoftheEarth'sfreshwaterislocatedinnorthernregions(especiallyintheboreal/taigaandtundrabiomes).
TheseareasareundergoingrapidchangesintheAnthropoceneduetohuman/industrialactivitiesaffectingthe
atmosphere.Greenhousegasesandnutrientandcontaminantdepositionhaveallincreasedexponentiallysincethe
industrialrevolution.Northernregionsareexperiencingincreasingtemperaturesandatmosphericdepositionaswellas
changesinprecipitation.Thesechangeswilldirectlyaffectinlandwatersinthisareawhicharesensitiveecosystems.It
remainsuncertainhowanthropogenicactivitieswillchangethephysical,chemicalandbiologicalprocesseswithinthese
northernaquaticsystems.Giventheirexposuretorapidenvironmentalchangesandthecomplexityoftheseaquatic
systems,multi-disciplinaryresearchisrequiredtounderstandthesechangesandprocesses.Thissessioninvites
researchersstudyingnorthernaquaticenvironmentssuchas(butnotlimitedto)lakes,rivers,wetlandsandgroundwater.
Examplesofpotentialtopicsinclude:carbonandnutrientcycling,microbialecology,ecologicalinteractions,hydrology,
metabolismandoxygendynamics,environmentalcontaminantsandmetals.Presentersareencouragedtopresenttheir
workinthecontextofglobalchange.Manyofthesetopicssharefundamentalphysicalandbiologicalprocesses,andthe
goalofthissessionistostimulateinterdisciplinarythinkingaboutproblemsrelatedtonortherninlandwaters.
8.UsingLong-TermRecordstoInvestigateClimateChangeasaDriverofPlanktonCommunities
K.Griffiths(McGillU)andK.Hargan(UOttawa)
Anthropogenicclimatechangeisoneofthemostpervasiveregionaldriversofenvironmentalchangeforbothaquaticand
terrestrialecosystems.Changingtemperaturescanimpactfreshwaterplanktondirectlythroughincreasedwatercolumn
temperatures,butalsoindirectlythroughphysical,chemical,andbioticshifts.Theseindirectpressuresmayinclude
increasingthelengthoftheice-freeperiod,increasingwatercolumnstability,thenorthwardshiftsofspeciesranges,
increasingtheratesofweatheringanddecomposition,changesinsnowmelt,andshiftingwaterbalances,amongother
impacts.Theresultingchangestolakeshavebeenlinkedtodrasticalterationsinlakephytoplankton,theessentialprimary
producersinaquaticenvironments,includingincreasesinpotentiallytoxiccyanobacterialblooms,alterationsinthediatom
communitycomposition,andincreasesinoverallphytoplanktonbiomass.Physicalchangestolakewatercolumn
properties,aswellasalteredphytoplanktoncommunitiescanalsohaveramificationsonzooplankton,whichoccupyan
importantintermediatepositionintheaquaticfoodweb.Understandinghowfreshwaterplankton(bothphytoplanktonand
zooplankton)havebeenimpactedbyrecentclimatechange,andforecastinghowouraquaticecosystemsmightlookin
thefuture,requiresalong-termperspective.Paleolimnologicalrecords,space-for-timesubstitutions,andmonitoring
datasetsarepowerfultoolsthathavethepotentialoftrackingandassessingtheimpactsofthechangingclimateon
aquaticsystems.Thisspecialsessionwillfocusonnovelresearchexaminingdirectandindirectimpactsofclimatechange
onlakesandtheresultingimpactsforfreshwaterplankton,includingresearchusinglong-termdatasetsandresearch
examiningcombinedeffectsofclimateandotheranthropogenicstressors.
9.StreamSalmonidResearch:RecognizingtheLegacyofDr.R.JohnGibson(1931-2016)
R.Cunjak(UNewBrunswick)
Dr.R.JohnGibsonwasaproductivestreamfishbiologist,curiousnaturalist,avidoutdoorsmanandtirelessenvironmental
advocate.HiscontributionstoCanadianfreshwatersciencearemanyandvaried.Forsixdecades,hepublishedpapers
onthebehaviouralecologyofstreamsalmonids,speciesinteractions,populationdynamics,growth,freshwaterproduction
andanthropogenicimpacts,fromManitobatoUngavaandNewfoundland.Thegoalofthissessionistodemonstratethe
breadthandrelevanceofDr.Gibson’sresearchandhowitcontinuestoinfluenceCanadianfisheriesresearchtoday.
Contributedpapersshouldidentifyhowtheirpresentationisrelatedto,orwasinfluencedby,specificoriginalpublications
ofDr.Gibson.
10.UnderstandingandPredictingChangestoAquaticFoodWebs:ATributetoJosephRasmussen
A.Ricciardi(McGillU),M.Trudel(FisheriesandOceansCanada)andM.J.VanderZanden(UWisconsin)
ThisspecialsessionhonoursthecareercontributionsofDr.JosephRasmussen(CanadaResearchChairinAquatic
Ecosystems,2010FrankH.RiglerAwardrecipient,2001J.C.StevensonAwardrecipient)towardunderstandingthe
dynamicsofaquaticfoodwebs.Usingavarietyofapproaches(e.g.ecologicalmodelling,fieldexperiments,stable
isotopes,theuseofcontaminantsasecologicaltracers),Dr.Rasmussen’sworkhasadvancedourunderstandingand
managementofseveralenvironmentalissuesthatlinklimnologyandfisheriesresearch,includingthebiomagnificationof
persistentcontaminants(suchasPCBs,mercuryandradiocesium);theimpactsofheavymetals,miningpractices,and
sewagedisposaloncommunitycompositionandecosystemfunction;andtheeffectsofintroducedinvertebratesand
fishesonfoodwebsinlakesandrivers.Thissessionwillfeatureaseriesofcutting-edgeresearchpresentationsonhow
contemporaryaquaticfoodwebsandfisheriesarerespondingtoclimatechange,flowregulation,biodiversityloss,novel
contaminants,andspeciesinvasions.
11.JamesandHudsonBayWatershedStudies
J.Gunn(LaurentianU)andB.Branfireun(WesternU)
Canada’sborealandsubarcticecozonesareitsmostgeographicallyextensiveandresourcerich,butarealsothemost
sensitivetochangedrivenbydevelopmentandclimate.TheHudsonBayLowlands,locatedinCanada’ssubarcticregion,
isoneofthelargestwetlandsintheworld,andencompassesarguablythemostvulnerableofCanada’sfreshwater
ecosystems.Anunderstandingofhowthesevastpeatlandsystemslinkwithnorthernriversandsupportbothfreshwater
andcoastalaquaticecosystemfunctionsandservices(AES)remainslargelyunknown.TheCanadiansubarticwill
experiencesomeofthemostsignificantincreasesinannualaveragetemperatureonEarth(IPCC2007),coupledwith
predictedseasonalshiftsinprecipitation,significantlyalteringhydrologicregimes.Theobjectivesofthisspecialsession
aretopresentrecentfindingsrelatedtotheeffectsofchangingclimate,industrialdevelopmentandatmospheric
depositionofcontaminants(mainlyHg)onAESwithinthemassivewatershedsofsomeofthelargestunregulatednorthflowingriversinNorthAmerica.ManyofthesestudiesaresupportedaspartoftheNSERCCanadianNetworkforAquatic
EcosystemServices(CNAES).
12.SharingtheFindingsofaFive-YearCollaborationintheCanadianFisheriesResearchNetwork
K.Turgeon(McGillU)andC.Parlee(UNewBrunswick)
TheNSERCCanadianFisheriesResearchNetwork(CFRN)wasaninitiativeinvolvingacademicresearchers,thefishing
industry,governmentresearchersandmanagers.Thisuniquecollaborationsoughttoaddressstrategicquestionsto
reshapefisheriesresearchinCanada.ThemainobjectivesoftheCFRNweretoimproveourknowledgeofCanadian
aquaticecosystems,toinformdecision-making,andtoevaluatetheeffectivenessofmanagementstrategieson
ecological,economic,socialandinstitutionaldimensionsofsustainability.AnotherobjectiveoftheCFRN,wastotrainthe
nextgenerationofCanadianfisheriesresearchersandmanagers.Asignificantproportionoftheresearchconductedinthe
CFRNwasdonebymorethan50students,fortheirtheses,whoweredistributedamong13Projects.After5yearsof
supportfromNSERC(2010-2015),theCFRNiscomingtoacompletion.Wewouldliketotaketheopportunityprovidedby
theCCFFR/SCLtosharewhathasbeenlearnedthroughoutthisfruitfulcollaboration.Morespecifically,thissessionwill
coverrecentfindingsonecologicalsustainabilityoffishedstocks,thesocio-ecologicalcomplexityoffisheriessciences,the
innovativeinstitutionsforsustainablemanagementandthesocio-economicviabilityandmanagementofCanadian
fisheries.Weparticularlywelcomeinterdisciplinarycontributionspresentedbystudentsandindustrymembers.
13.MiningImpactsonAquaticEcosystems
J.Korosi(YorkU),D.Orihel(UOttawa)andJ.Thienpont(UOttawa)
TheminingsectorisanimportantcontributortotheCanadianeconomy,producingadiverserangeofminerals,metals,
andpetroleumproducts.However,miningactivitiesmayalsorepresentastressoronaquaticecosystems,withthe
potentialfordeleteriouseffectsfromthereleaseoftailingsandatmosphericemissionsofcontaminants,aswellashabitat
destruction,amongothers.SomeexamplesofenvironmentalharmresultingfromminingoperationsinCanadainclude
extremeacidificationandmetalcontaminationinSudbury(followedbysubsequentrecoverywithemissionreductionsafter
1970),therecenttailingsbreachatMountPolley,BC,thelegacyofheavymetalcontaminationfromgoldminingin
Yellowknife,NWT,andtheongoingenvironmentalconcernssurroundingthesurfaceminingofbitumenintheAlbertaoil
sands.Thissessionwillbroadlyexploretheenvironmentalconsequencesofminingoperationsonaquaticecosystemsin
Canadaandabroad.Weinvitesubmissionsthatexaminelakes,rivers,andwetlandsimpactedbycurrentorhistorical
miningactivities,incorporatinganyaspectofdirectorindirectminingeffectsonphysical,chemicalorbiologicalproperties
ofwaterbodies.Wealsowelcomesubmissionsthatfocusonrestorationeffortsortrajectoriesofecosystemrecovery.
14.TheFateandEffectsofNanosilverinAquaticEcosystems
M.Rennie(LakeheadUniversity)andC.Metcalfe(TrentUniversity)
Theincreaseduseofnanomaterialsinconsumerproductsandinindustrialprocessesmayleadtothereleaseof
nanoparticlesintotheenvironment.Becauseofthewidespreaduseofnanosilver(AgNP)incommercialproducts,thereis
greatpotentialforAgNPtobereleasedintoaquaticecosystems.Interdisciplinaryresearchteamshavebeenstudyingthe
fateandeffectsofAgNPinaquaticecosystemsatboththeExperimentalLakesAreainnorthwesternOntarioandtheSt.
LawrenceRiverestuaryinQuebec.TeamsofresearchersinCanadahavebeenstudyingthefateandeffectsofAgNPsto
achievethefollowingresearchgoals:i)CharacterizethechemicaltransformationsandspatialmovementsofAgNPs
withinaquaticecosystems;ii)Examinetheresponsesoforganismsinlittoralandpelagicecosystemstoexposureto
AgNPandtheimpactsonecologicalfunction;iii)DeterminetheabilityofAgtobioaccumulateandmovethroughfood
websandaffectuppertrophiclevels,includingfishpopulations.Inthissession,facultyandgraduatestudentsinvolvedin
studiesofAgNPsinaquaticecosystemswillpresenttheirresearchresultsandwillinterprettheirdatawithregardsto
theseresearchobjectives.
15.GeneralContributedPresentations
J.Grant(ConcordiaU)andM.A.Rodríguez(UQuébecàTrois-Rivières)
Forthcoming
PlenaryTalks
WWFReportCards:Why,How,andNovelApproachesinDataPoorRegions
C.Paquette(WWF–Canada)
Simple,intuitivereportcardsarebecominganincreasinglycommontooltoinformthepublicaboutthestateoftheirlocal
watersheds,andtoestablishabaselineagainstwhichwemeasurechangesinthequantityandqualityofhabitatand
species.However,untilrecentlyCanadalackedanational,comprehensiveassessmentofthehealthofourwater,
habitats,andspecies.ToaddressthisWWF-Canadadevelopedananalyticalframeworkbasedon4keyhealthindicators
(flow,waterquality,fish,andbugs[invertebrates])and7threats(pollution,habitatloss,habitatfragmentation,overuseof
water,invasivespecies,climatechange,alterationofflows).Wethendevelopedaninteractivewebsitetodisplaythe
resultsofournationalassessments.ThroughthisprocessWWFhaslearnedseveralvaluablelessons:Canadalacks
sufficient,standardizedmonitoringdata;scientistslackconsensusonarobustfishhealthmetric;novelanalytical
approachesareneededindatasparseregions;andENGOsandcommunitiesareactivelyengagingindatacollectionbut
lackacoordinateddatawarehousewhichlimitstheirabilitytoinformmanagement.Inthissessionweproposetoexplore
thekeylearningsfromWWF’sexperienceundertakinganationalassessmentoffreshwaterhealthandtheimplicationsfor
freshwaterhealthandfishmanagementinCanada.Wewillbringtogetherspeakersandcollaboratorstoshowcase
examplesofhowandwhywemustachievestandardized,nationaldata;presenton-goingeffortsinOntariotodevelopa
fishhealthmetric;hownovelexpertelicitationmethodscanbeusedtoassesscumulativeeffectsinadatapoorregion;
andshowcaseexamplesofcommunitybasedmonitoringcollectingdatathatisusefultomanagement.
Tobeannounced
Y.Huott(USherbrooke)