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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)