2023

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/1807/126417

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Open Access
Water Resource Management Research in Benin: A Systematic Review
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-11-14) Maforikan, Ella Sèdé; Hammani, Ali; Anthony-Krueger, Christian
Benin has been the subject of numerous investigations in the complex realm of water resource management, encompassing hydrological, engineering, economic, ecological, and sociological facets. However, noticeable gaps exist, warranting a comprehensive review of the existing knowledge. This study offers a systematic review on the trends in water management research within Benin. Scholarly papers were carefully selected from reputable academic databases, including Web of Science, WorldCat, Google Scholar, the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Science Direct, and Scopus. The selection criteria were stringent, focusing on English-keywords, journal articles and conference papers centered on water management or its associated challenges in the Benin context. The selection process entailed a two-phase screening protocol, commencing with an initial assessment based on titles, followed by subsequent screening based on abstracts and keywords. The chosen studies then underwent a thorough bibliometric analysis. The findings of this review reveal a noticeable surge in research activity related to water resource management in Benin in recent decades. These studies predominantly concentrate on rural areas. The breadth of research topics covers a wide spectrum, including water pricing reform, water policy formulation, water-related conflicts, the application of integrated water resource management, agro-dam management, challenges inherent in water resource management, water quality assessment, agricultural water usage, assessment of water availability, utilization of Geographic Information System (GIS), and the development of basin information system platforms. A majority of the examined articles emphasize water management and water availability. This review underscores the growing interest within the scientific community in exploring water resource management issues in rural Benin. Ineffective water management in Benin can be attributed to various factors, including inadequate financial support, deficient coordination among stakeholders in the water sector, a lack of transparency, suboptimal management of hydraulic infrastructure, inadequate dissemination and implementation of established legal and institutional frameworks, overlapping roles among actors involved in water resource management, and a notable scarcity of data. These findings highlight the urgent need for further research initiatives and policy interventions in these domains, with the overarching goal of enhancing the state of water management in Benin.
Open Access
Americium-241 in peat bogs as a global marker of the beginning of the Anthropocene: examples from Europe and North America.
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-06-04) Oleksandrenko, Andrii; Appleby, Peter G.; Duke, Michael John Maclachlan; Noernberg, Tommy; Shotyk, William
Fallout radionuclides, potential global indicators of the Anthropocene, raise questions about their preservation in bogs. This study evaluates the reliability of
Open Access
Americium-241 in peat bogs as a global marker of the beginning of the Anthropocene: examples from Europe and North America.
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2024-06-04) Oleksandrenko, Andrii; Appleby, Peter G.; Duke, Michael John Maclachlan; Noernberg, Tommy; Shotyk, William
Fallout radionuclides, potential global indicators of the Anthropocene, raise questions about their preservation in bogs. This study evaluates the reliability of
Open Access
Wetlands as integral parts of surface water – groundwater interactions in the Athabasca Oil Sands Area: review and synthesis
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-11-21) Volik, Olena; Petrone, Richard; Price, Jonathan
Wetlands comprise unique water storage and conveyance mechanisms that maintain landscape integrity under the sub-humid climate in the Athabasca Oil Sands Area. In addition to their internal function, wetlands support a two-way hydrological connection to adjacent uplands and provide water for downstream water courses. Understanding the role of wetlands as integral parts of surface water (SW) – groundwater (GW) exchange can provide insights into the functioning of the hydrological system as a whole and contribute to thoughtful water management strategies and better coordination of monitoring efforts in the areas affected by oil sands (OS) activities. As such, this paper summarizes the current state of hydrological knowledge on the role of wetlands in SW – GW interactions based on studies conducted within the Western Boreal Plains. In particular, the role of wetland soils and their properties in SW – GW interactions, the effects of wetlands on landscape hydrological connectivity and watershed runoff, and features of ‘wetland – aquifer” and “wetland – open waterbody” interactions were reviewed. Given that alteration of SW – GW interactions in wetlands can occur as a result of anthropogenic disturbances, coordination of GW, SW, and wetland monitoring efforts and targeting areas where increased SW – GW exchange occurs would be beneficial for the economic and logistical efficiency of the OS monitoring network.
Open Access
Accelerating environmental flows implementation to bend the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-06-20) Arthington, Angela Helen; Tickner, David; McClain, Michael E.; Acreman, Mike; Anderson, Elizabeth P.; Babu, Suresh; Dickens, Chris W.S.; Horne, Avril C.; Kaushal, Nitin; Monk, Wendy A.; O’Brien, Gordon C.; Olden, Julian D.; Opperman, Jeffrey J.; Owusu, Afua G.; LeRoy Poff, N.; Richter, Brian D.; Salinas-Rodríguez, Sergio; Shamboko-Mbale, Beauty; Tharme, Rebecca; Yarnell, Sarah M.
Environmental flows (e-flows) aim to mitigate the threat of altered hydrological regimes in river systems and connected waterbodies and are an important component of integrated strategies to address multiple threats to freshwater biodiversity. Expanding and accelerating implementation of e-flows can support river conservation and help to restore the biodiversity and resilience of hydrologically altered and water-stressed rivers and connected freshwater ecosystems. While there have been significant developments in e-flows science, assessment and societal acceptance, implementation of e-flows within water resources management has been slower than required and geographically uneven. This review explores critical factors that enable successful e-flows implementation and biodiversity outcomes in particular, drawing on 13 case studies and the literature. It presents e-flows implementation as an adaptive management cycle enabled by 10 factors: legislation and governance, financial and human resourcing, stakeholder engagement and co-production of knowledge, collaborative monitoring of ecological and social-economic outcomes, capacity training and research, exploration of trade-offs among water users, removing or retrofitting water infrastructure to facilitate e-flows and connectivity, and adaptation to climate change. Recognising that there may be barriers and limitations to the full and effective enablement of each factor, the authors have identified corresponding options and generalizable recommendations for actions to overcome prominent constraints, drawing on the case studies and wider literature. The urgency of addressing flow-related freshwater biodiversity loss demands collaborative networks to train and empower a new generation of e-flows practitioners equipped with the latest tools and insights to lead adaptive environmental water management globally. Mainstreaming e-flows within conservation planning, integrated water resource management (IWRM), river restoration strategies and adaptations to climate change, is imperative. The policy drivers and associated funding commitments of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework offer crucial opportunities to achieve the human benefits contributed by e-flows as nature-based solutions (NBS), such as flood risk management, floodplain fisheries restoration and increased river resilience to climate change.
Open Access
Future-proofing the Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-06-01) Lynch, Abigail Julia; Hyman, Amanda A.; Cooke, Steven J; Capon, Samantha J.; Franklin, Paul A.; Jähnig, Sonja C.; McCartney, Matthew; Hòa, Nguyễn Phú; Awuor Owuor, Margaret; Pittock, Jamie; Samways, Michael J.; Silva, Luiz G. M.; Steel, E. Ashley; Tickner, David
Freshwater biodiversity loss is accelerating globally, but humanity can change this trajectory through actions that enable recovery. To be successful, these actions require coordination and planning at a global scale. The Emergency Recovery Plan for global freshwater biodiversity aims to reduce the risk for freshwater biodiversity loss through six priority actions: 1) accelerate implementation of environmental flows; 2) improve water quality to sustain aquatic life; 3) protect and restore critical habitats; 4) manage exploitation of freshwater species and riverine aggregates; 5) prevent and control nonnative species invasions in freshwater habitats; and 6) safeguard and restore freshwater connectivity. These actions can be implemented using future-proofing approaches that anticipate future risks (e.g., emerging pollutants, new invaders, synergistic effects) and minimize likely stressors to make conservation of freshwater biodiversity more resilient to climate change and other global environmental challenges. While uncertainty with respect to past observations is not a new concern for freshwater biodiversity, future-proofing has the distinction of accounting for the uncertainty of future conditions that have no historical baseline. The level of uncertainty with respect to future conditions is unprecedented. Future-proofing of the Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity will require anticipating future changes and developing and implementing actions to address those future changes. Here, we showcase future-proofing approaches likely to be successful using local case studies and examples. Ensuring that response options within the Emergency Recovery Plan are future-proofed will provide decision-makers with science-informed choices, even in the face of uncertain and potentially new future conditions. We are at an inflection point for global freshwater biodiversity loss; learning from defeats and successes can support improved actions towards a sustainable future.
Open Access
Review of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Implementation in Canada’s Forest Ecosystems Part II: Successes and Barriers to Effective Implementation
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-10-17) Antwi, Effah Kwabena; Burkhardt, Henrike; Boakye-Danquah, John; Doucet, Tyler Christopher; Abolina, Evisa
With its northern location, the exposure and vulnerability of Canada’s forest ecosystems to climate change impacts are all too glaring. While there is now an extensive body of literature describing expected climate change impacts and potential responses, studies characterizing the implementation of adaptation and mitigation practices in forest management remain rare in the Canadian forest sector. Using a systematic literature review approach, we examined reports on forest management practices implemented in response to climate change, specifically focusing on governance and institutional arrangements that either support or limit climate change adaptation and mitigation responses. Our literature sample size of 24 documents suggests that the body of literature reporting on adaptation and mitigation practices in Canadian forest management is scarce. Governments remain the dominant actors providing funding and leading the implementation and reporting of climate change adaptation activities, primarily in response to national or international climate change commitments. Forest practices such as enhanced silviculture, assisted migration, and nature-based solutions were the most frequently reported. However, given the scarcity of literature, it is difficult to conclude the scope of practice uptake in Canada. Barriers such as lack of information/data, inter-jurisdictional knowledge transfer, policy conflicts, forest tenure models, technical capacity gaps, and economic barriers to adaptation need to be overcome in order to strengthen climate change response in forest management in Canada. Better coordination of reporting at the provincial and national levels and improved information flows between the private and governments are needed.
Open Access
Review of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Implementation in Canada’s Forest Ecosystems Part I: Reporting, Science and institutional/governance supporting practices in Canada
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-10-03) Antwi, Effah Kwabena; Burkhardt, Henrike; Boakye-Danquah, John; Doucet, Tyler Christopher; Abolina, Evisa
Canada is recognized as a global leader in sustainable forest management. Canadian forests and the forest sector remain vital pillars of the Canadian economy and home to many rural and remote communities. However, climate change is an existential threat to the sustainability of forests and forest-dependent communities. While both direct and indirect threats posed by climate change to Canada’s forest sector are now well understood, our understanding of specific forest practices that have emerged from the body of science to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts is not well documented. Through a review of the scientific and grey literature, this paper expands our knowledge and operational gaps associated with implementing climate change adaptation and mitigation practices in Canadian forests. The study found a dearth of literature specifically dedicated to reporting on the type of forest practices currently in use across Canada to address mitigation and adaptation. Most reports or studies were published in 2019 or later, with federal and provincial governments being the dominant actors in reporting and monitoring, research, and funding. Across the 15 terrestrial ecozones in Canada, forest practices linked to climate change were reported in 12 ecozones, with most practices reported in the Montane Cordillera located in western Canada. Common forest practices reported include fuel management, assisted migration, enhanced silvicultural activities, and carbon offset projects. We conclude that climate change adaptation/mitigation practices in Canada are in their early stages of implementation. Many practices remain in experimental stages (e.g., genetic trials) or are implemented at a relatively small scale in Canada (e.g., climate-based seed transfer, carbon reserves). The literature suggests that the most mainstream practices associated with climate change mitigation in Canada include tree planting for carbon sequestration and the designation of protected areas to enhance ecosystem resilience. We conclude that despite increasing reports linking climate change benefits with reported forest practices, the reporting in the scientific literature is scarce, poorly reported, and often not grounded in credible evidence.
Open Access
Managing exploitation of freshwater species and aggregates to protect and restore freshwater biodiversity
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-03-14) Cooke, Steven J; Piczak, Morgan; Nyboer, Elizabeth A; Michalski, Fernanda; Bennett, Abigal; Koning, Aaron A.; Hughes, Kathy A.; Chen, Yushun; Wu, Jinming; Cowx, Ian G.; Koehnken, Lois; Raghavan, Rajeev; Pompeu, Paulo S.; Phang, Sui; Valbo-Jorgensen, John; Bendixen, Mette; Torres, Aurora; Getahun, Abebe; Kondolf, G. Mathias; Acreman, Michael C.; Song, Andrew M.; Taylor, William W.
For millennia humans have extracted biological and physical resources from the planet to sustain societies and enable the development of technology and infrastructure. Growth in the human population and changing consumption patterns have increased the human footprint on ecosystems and their biodiversity, including in fresh waters. Freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity face many threats and it is now widely accepted that we are in a biodiversity crisis. One means of protecting and restoring freshwater biodiversity is to better manage the exploitation of freshwater biota and aggregate resources (e.g., sand, gravel, boulders). Here we outline the threats arising from such exploitation and identify response options to ensure that methods and levels of extraction are sustainable and allow recovery of over-exploited freshwater biodiversity and ecosystems. The guidance we provide will enable practitioners, policy makers, and resource stewards to embrace effective, sustainable, and evidence-based approaches to resource extraction. Response options for managing species exploitation include strengthening assessment and reporting, using science-based approaches to reduce overexploitation and support recovery, embracing community engagement, and building or tightening legislation. Response options for managing exploitation of freshwater aggregate resources include reducing demand for harvest, strengthening governance, reporting, and monitoring of environmental impacts, and promoting the restoration of degraded ecosystems or compensating for losses. Diverse case studies highlight examples of where various management actions have been implemented in an effort to consider how they can be scaled up and adapted to other contexts. Managing exploitation will be a key aspect of broader initiatives needed to protect and restore freshwater biodiversity around the globe.
Open Access
Carbon sequestration and storage implications of three forest management regimes in the Wabanaki-Acadian Forest: A review of the evidence
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-09-12) Cox, Emma; Beckley, Thomas M.; de Graaf, Megan
Forests contain substantial carbon stores, including above and below ground, living and non-living biomass. Different management regimes produce different outcomes related to stored and sequestered carbon in forests. The geographic focus of this paper is the Wabanaki-Acadian Forest of the Maritime Provinces of Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island). This manuscript reviews literature to evaluate the carbon impacts of (1) intensive forest management for fiber products, (2) unharvested (or conservation) forest, and (3) climate-focused, ecological forestry. Each of these forest management strategies and concomitant silviculture regimes sequester and store carbon at varying rates and across different carbon pools in the forest. The literature suggests that unharvested (conservation) forests store and sequester the most carbon, and traditional, intensive fiber management stores and sequesters the least. Ecological forestry may provide the best balance between carbon sequestration and storage and climate adaptability, while also allowing for the provision of some timber/fibre products. This paper also discusses the co-benefits offered by forests under each of the three management regimes. New research, in general and in the region, needs to examine further below-ground carbon dynamics in soil as most efforts to document carbon focuses on above ground carbon pools.
Open Access
Carbon sequestration in Canada’s croplands: A review of multiple disciplines influencing the science policy interface
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-06-01) Ashton, Lisa; Lieberman, Hannah; Morrison, Callum; Samson, Marie-Élise
One widely recognized climate change mitigation strategy in agriculture is enhancing soil carbon (C) sequestration – the process of capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide and storing it in the soil. By adopting natural climate solutions (NCS) such as cover crops, reduced tillage, and diverse crop rotations, farmers can increase soil C sequestration and co-benefits such as biodiversity. Canada is increasingly interested in better positioning farmers to adopt NCS via government cost-share programs, ecosystem marketplaces, and outreach and education initiatives. Given the policy and market driven interest in soil C sequestration in agriculture, there is a need to advance the science policy interface, ensuring foundational science, NCS implementation, and approaches to promote NCS are aligned. Herein, the objective is to present insights from multiple disciplines that can help build connections between soil carbon sequestration science and policy relevant to Canada's croplands. The method is a review of literature on soil and pedoclimate science, agricultural NCS adoption, agricultural NCS governance, and science policy interfaces to achieve this objective. From this review, key insights underline that Canadian cropland soils do not have a homogenous history in NCS adoption and production type, nor are all regions influenced by the same contextual factors, have the same potential in C storage or exist within the same agri-environmental conditions. Therefore, it is emphasized herein that policies that aim to enhance soil organic carbon in croplands should consider local context and C sequestration potential. Policies and programs implemented locally to enhance C sequestration across Canada should be complemented by nationally scalable measuring and monitoring to ensure outcomes are accounted for against climate goals. This review aims to contribute to building a common understanding of soil C sequestration in Canada’s croplands and its science policy interface. Efforts to further strengthen the science policy interface for soil C sequestration in Canada’s croplands might include greater integration and utilization of science and data from multiple disciplines, co-design and collaborative opportunities, and establishing on-the-ground test projects to explore innovation in policy and market design.
Open Access
Accelerating environmental flows implementation to bend the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-06-20) Arthington, Angela Helen; Tickner, David; McClain, Michael E.; Acreman, Michael C.; Anderson, Elizabeth P.; Babu, Suresh; Dickens, Chris W.S.; Horne, Avril C.; Kaushal, Nitin; Monk, Wendy A.; O’Brien, Gordon C.; Olden, Julian D.; Opperman, Jeffrey J.; Owusu, Afua G.; LeRoy Poff, N.; Richter, Brian D.; Salinas-Rodríguez, Sergio; Shamboko-Mbale, Beauty; Tharme, Rebecca; Yarnell, Sarah M.
Environmental flows (e-flows) aim to mitigate the threat of altered hydrological regimes in river systems and connected waterbodies and are an important component of integrated strategies to address multiple threats to freshwater biodiversity. Expanding and accelerating implementation of e-flows can support river conservation and help to restore the biodiversity and resilience of hydrologically altered and water-stressed rivers and connected freshwater ecosystems. While there have been significant developments in e-flows science, assessment and societal acceptance, implementation of e-flows within water resources management has been slower than required and geographically uneven. This review explores critical factors that enable successful e-flows implementation and biodiversity outcomes in particular, drawing on 13 case studies and the literature. It presents e-flows implementation as an adaptive management cycle enabled by 10 factors: legislation and governance, financial and human resourcing, stakeholder engagement and co-production of knowledge, collaborative monitoring of ecological and social-economic outcomes, capacity training and research, exploration of trade-offs among water users, removing or retrofitting water infrastructure to facilitate e-flows and connectivity, and adaptation to climate change. Recognising that there may be barriers and limitations to the full and effective enablement of each factor, the authors have identified corresponding options and generalizable recommendations for actions to overcome prominent constraints, drawing on the case studies and wider literature. The urgency of addressing flow-related freshwater biodiversity loss demands collaborative networks to train and empower a new generation of e-flows practitioners equipped with the latest tools and insights to lead adaptive environmental water management globally. Mainstreaming e-flows within conservation planning, integrated water resource management (IWRM), river restoration strategies and adaptations to climate change, is imperative. The policy drivers and associated funding commitments of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework offer crucial opportunities to achieve the human benefits contributed by e-flows as nature-based solutions (NBS), such as flood risk management, floodplain fisheries restoration and increased river resilience to climate change.
Open Access
Future-proofing the Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-06-01) Lynch, Abigail Julia; Hyman, Amanda A.; Cooke, Steven J; Capon, Samantha J.; Franklin, Paul A.; Jähnig, Sonja C.; McCartney, Matthew; Hòa, Nguyễn Phú; Awuor Owuor, Margaret; Pittock, Jamie; Samways, Michael J.; Silva, Luiz G. M.; Steel, E. Ashley; Tickner, David
Freshwater biodiversity loss is accelerating globally, but humanity can change this trajectory through actions that enable recovery. To be successful, these actions require coordination and planning at a global scale. The Emergency Recovery Plan for global freshwater biodiversity aims to reduce the risk for freshwater biodiversity loss through six priority actions: 1) accelerate implementation of environmental flows; 2) improve water quality to sustain aquatic life; 3) protect and restore critical habitats; 4) manage exploitation of freshwater species and riverine aggregates; 5) prevent and control nonnative species invasions in freshwater habitats; and 6) safeguard and restore freshwater connectivity. These actions can be implemented using future-proofing approaches that anticipate future risks (e.g., emerging pollutants, new invaders, synergistic effects) and minimize likely stressors to make conservation of freshwater biodiversity more resilient to climate change and other global environmental challenges. While uncertainty with respect to past observations is not a new concern for freshwater biodiversity, future-proofing has the distinction of accounting for the uncertainty of future conditions that have no historical baseline. The level of uncertainty with respect to future conditions is unprecedented. Future-proofing of the Emergency Recovery Plan for freshwater biodiversity will require anticipating future changes and developing and implementing actions to address those future changes. Here, we showcase future-proofing approaches likely to be successful using local case studies and examples. Ensuring that response options within the Emergency Recovery Plan are future-proofed will provide decision-makers with science-informed choices, even in the face of uncertain and potentially new future conditions. We are at an inflection point for global freshwater biodiversity loss; learning from defeats and successes can support improved actions towards a sustainable future.
Open Access
Protecting and restoring habitats to benefit freshwater biodiversity
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-05-17) Piczak, Morgan; Perry, Denielle; Cooke, Steven J; Harrison, Ian; Benitez, Silvia; Koning, Aaron A.; Peng, Li; Limbu, Peter; Smokorowski, Karen; Salinas-Rodríguez, Sergio A.; Koehn, John; Creed, Irena
Freshwater biodiversity is under great threat across the globe as evidenced by more severe declines relative to other types of ecosystems. One of the main stressors responsible for these concerning trends is habitat fragmentation, degradation, and loss stemming from anthropogenic activities including energy production, urbanization, agriculture, and resource extraction. Habitat protection and restoration both play an integral role in efforts to save freshwater biodiversity and associated ecosystem services from further decline. In this paper, we summarize the sources of threats associated with habitat fragmentation, degradation, and loss, and then outline response options to protect and restore freshwater habitats. Specific response options are to: legislate the protection of healthy and productive freshwater ecosystems; prioritize habitats for protection and restoration; enact durable protections; conserve habitat in a coordinated and integrated manner; engage in evidence-based restoration using an adaptive management approach; ensure that potential freshwater habitat alterations are mitigated or off-set; and future-proof protection and restoration actions. Such work should be done through a lens that engages and involves local community members. We identify three broad categories of obstacles that arise during the implementation of the response options outlined: a) scientific (e.g., inaccessible data or uncertainties), b) institutional and management (e.g., capacity issues or differing goals across agencies), and c) social and political (e.g., prioritizing economic development over conservation initiatives). The protection and restoration of habitats is key to bending the curve for freshwater biodiversity, with a comprehensive, connected, and coordinated effort of response options needed to protect intact habitats and restore fragmented, degraded, and lost habitats and the biodiversity and ecosystem services that they support.
Open Access
Towards a Quantitative Definition of Cyanobacteria Blooms
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-06-20) Frau, Diego Germán
Cyanobacteria blooms represent a global problem with human health, economic, and ecosystem nuisance effects. Until now, we have used arbitrary and sometimes confusing criteria to decide if we are in the presence of a cyanobacteria bloom. Through scientometric analysis of studies published between 1953 and 2022, I aimed to identify a threshold value that can be used to quantify cyanobacteria blooms numerically. I considered several methodological approaches (field, field-experimental, and satellite data) and kinds of environments (coastal, marine, and continental ecosystems). The analysis revealed that 48% of the papers used "cyanobacteria bloom" or similar terms qualitatively without providing or employing a quantitative definition. These papers were focused on other topics related to the ecology of Cyanobacteria (78%), while some others (21%) defined blooms by using visual criteria (scum visualization or water discoloration). Of the other half (52%), a few were mathematical models or review papers (5%), while the rest (65%) defined blooms quantitatively. Of these, most reports (approximately 80%) were from eutrophic inland waters and reported mean values for blooms between 80,000 and 249,000 cells mL-1 or 41 and 69 µg L-1 of chlorophyll-a. Calculations were also carried out for oligotrophic to mesotrophic inland waters and marine-coastal waters, which had fewer reports available in the literature. This is a first attempt to identify a consensual definition based on values reported as blooms in nature. A threshold that can undoubtedly be useful in the future to make possible comparisons among several environments and temporal scales.
Open Access
Measures to Safeguard and Restore River Connectivity
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-06-01) Thieme, Michele; Birnie-Gauvin, Kim; Opperman, Jeffrey J.; Franklin, Paul A.; Richter, Holly; Baumgartner, Lee; Ning, Nathan; Vu, An Vi; Brink, Kerry; Sakala, Michael; O’Brien, Gordon C.; Petersen, Robin; Tongchai, Pakkasem; Cooke, Steven J
Freshwater connectivity and the associated flow regime are critical components of the health of freshwater ecosystems. When freshwater ecosystems are fragmented, movements and flows of species, nutrients, sediments, and water are altered, changing the natural dynamics of freshwater ecosystems. The consequences of these changes include declines and loss of freshwater species populations and freshwater ecosystems, and alterations in the delivery of certain ecosystem services, such as fisheries, buffering of flood events, healthy deltas, recreational and cultural values, and others. Measures exist that can maintain and restore connectivity or mitigate against its loss in the face of constructed barriers or other habitat alterations. These measures include system-scale planning for energy and water resources that includes options for limiting loss of freshwater connectivity; putting in place protections for keeping critically important freshwater habitats connected; mitigating impacts on freshwater ecosystems via barrier design, fish passage or implementation of environmental flows; restoring freshwaters via barrier removal and reconnection of rivers, wetlands and floodplains and via active management of groundwater recharge. We present case studies of measures applied in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas and reflect on the next generation of innovation needed to further enhance and advance the implementation of restoration and protection and the mitigation of freshwater connectivity impacts.
Open Access
Research Progress, Challenges and Prospects of PM2.5 Concentration Estimation using Satellite Data
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-05-25) Zhu, Shoutao; Tang, Jiayi; Zhou, Xiaolu; Li, Peng; Liu, Zelin; Zhang, Cicheng; Zou, Ziying; Li, Tong; Peng, Changhui
Satellite data are vital for understanding the large-scale spatial distribution of PM2.5 due to their low cost, wide coverage, and all-weather capability. Estimation of particulate matter (PM2.5) using satellite aerosol optical depth (AOD) product is a popular method. In this paper, we review the PM2.5 estimation process based on satellite AOD data in terms of data sources (i.e., inversion algorithms, data sets and interpolation methods), estimation models (i.e., statistical regression, chemical transport models, machine learning and combinatorial analysis) and modeling validation (i.e., four types of cross-validation (CV) methods). We found that the accuracy of time-based CV is less than others. We found significant differences in modeling accuracy between different seasons (p
Open Access
Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration associated with Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry (ICLF) systems
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-05-25) Leite, Fernanda Figueiredo Granja Dorilêo; Nobrega, Gabriel Nuto; Baumgärtner, Lana Cristina; Alecrim, Fabiano Barbosa; da Silveira, Julia Graziela; Cordeiro, Renato Campello; Rodrigues, Renato de Aragão Ribeiro
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Agriculture, Forest, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector account for 23% of net global anthropogenic emissions. However, effective conservation agriculture practices can sequester carbon (C) up to one meter in soil depth and vegetation biomass. Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forestry (ICLF) systems attempt to ensure sustainable agricultural production by combining various agricultural, livestock, and forestry production systems. This bibliographic review aims to present and discuss ICLF systems, and their advantages and disadvantages compared to conventional systems, achieving a better understanding of the sources and sinks of greenhouse gasses (CH4, N2O, and CO2). Integrated systems exist in tropical and temperate climates, with different practices, arrangements, designs, and modalities. Intercropping species with different root structures provide more ecological interactions that enhance biodiversity, soil quality, and C sequestration while reducing GHG emissions. Yet, ICLF systems are complex and require technical assistance and support for being implemented, besides an extensive initial investment that increases the cost of operation. A relevant carbon sink in ICLF systems is carbon from tree biomass, where the wood can be used for various purposes. Timber for sawmills and general construction has a longer C immobilization time. Methane from enteric fermentation is the greatest contributor to GHG emissions in livestock and ICLF systems. Nitrous oxide is released primarily from synthetic fertilizers (when applied), manure deposited on pastures, and decomposition of plant residues. Carbon dioxide is emitted to a lesser extent from the application of lime and urea. Many studies do not include all compartments in the C balance and often focus on only one GHG or compartment of C. Accordingly, more studies on the sources and sinks of C and their potential to offset GHG emissions in terms of CO2 equivalent are urged.
Open Access
Long-term environmental changes in the Canadian boreal zone: Synthesizing temporal trends from lake sediment archives to inform future sustainability
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-04-25) Gros, Michelle; Zilkey, David R.; Griffiths, Katherine T.; Pham, Jennifer; MacKeigan, Paul W.; Taranu, Zofia E; Aulard, Candice; Baud, Alexandre; Garner, Rebecca E.; Ghanbari, Hamid; Lachapelle, Maude; Monchamp, Marie-Ève; Paquette, Cindy; Antoniades, Dermot; Francus, Pierre; Smol, John P; Gregory-Eaves, Irene
Covering 55% of Canada’s total surface area and stretching from coast to coast to coast, the Canadian boreal zone is crucial to the nation’s economic and ecological integrity. Although often viewed as relatively underdeveloped, it is vulnerable to numerous stressors such as mining, forestry, and anthropogenic climate change. Natural archives preserved in lake sediments can provide key insights by quantifying pre-disturbance conditions (pre-1850 CE) and the nature, magnitude, direction, and speed of environmental change induced by anthropogenic stressors over the past ~150 years. Here, we paired a review of paleolimnological literature of the Canadian boreal zone with analyses of published sediment core data to highlight the effects of climate change, catchment disturbances, and atmospheric deposition on boreal lakes. Specifically, we conducted quantitative syntheses of two lake health indicators: elemental lead (Pb) and chlorophyll a. Segmented regressions and Mann-Kendall trend analysis revealed a generally increasing trend in elemental Pb across the boreal zone until ~1970 CE, followed by a generally decreasing trend to the present. Snapshot comparisons of sedimentary chlorophyll a from recent and pre-industrial sediments (i.e., top-bottom sediment core design) revealed that a majority of sites have increased over time, suggesting a general enhancement in lake primary production across the boreal zone. Collectively, this body of work demonstrates that long-term sediment records offer a critical perspective on ecosystem change not accessible through routine monitoring programs. We advocate using modern datasets in tandem with paleolimnology to establish baseline conditions, measure ecosystem changes, and set meaningful management targets.
Open Access
Khaki conservation: a review of the effects on biodiversity of worldwide Military Training Areas
(Canadian Science Publishing, 2023-05-01) Caudal, Pascaline; Gallet, Sébastien
Military training areas (MTA) are special environments with specific anthropogenic activities. The aims of this review are (1) to understand the interactions between military training activities and biodiversity, (2) to quantify the available scientific literature on this subject, (3) to highlight the origin of the studies. Queries were carried out on two literature databases: Scopus and Wiley. The queries returned a large number of papers, but few actually matched the research topics. These two databases contain nearly 400 articles that discuss the interactions between military training and biodiversity at different scales. These articles come from all over the world, but the majority were conducted in the United States. In Europe, the studies are mainly conducted on German, English and Czech sites. Impacts on biodiversity from all types of military training and from restricted areas were studied. The impacts on these areas are multiple and affect the landscape, the soil, fauna and flora. They can be directly or indirectly related to military activities. Responses to disturbance by military trainings can be complex as they are variable. Thus, the same training may result in positive, neutral or negative impacts depending on the habitats or taxa targeted and the country studied. Training methods are constantly evolving and vary between countries, it appears important to maintain research about conservation in those particular areas, which paradoxically represent opportunities for nature conservation.

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