Latest news with #UniversityofVictoria
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Can kelp forests help tackle climate change?
Countries around the world are increasingly turning to nature to help alleviate the impacts of climate change. Forests, grasslands and wetlands are already considered as 'natural climate solutions.' Now, some scientists are asking: could kelp forests be part of the solution too? As some of the fastest growing species on Earth, kelp form lush underwater forests along temperate coastlines. In addition to supporting marine biodiversity, sustaining fisheries and contributing to local economics and livelihoods, kelp forests also absorb carbon. But their role in climate change mitigation remains uncertain. In the first national assessment of Canada's kelp forests, our research team set out to estimate how much carbon these ecosystems might be capturing and storing in the ocean, and whether that carbon stays out of the atmosphere long enough to be considered a natural climate solution. To tackle this question, we assembled a national kelp forest database, including satellite and aerial maps, kelp productivity measurements and ocean current models to estimate how much kelp carbon actually leaves the continental shelf. This study is part of a national research effort being led by researchers at the University of Victoria called Blue Carbon Canada, which was funded by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Oceans North and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to investigate how Canada's 'blue carbon' could fit into its national climate mitigation strategy. Our team included 22 kelp researchers and experts from 14 academic institutions, government agencies and NGOs from Canada, the United States and Australia. Read more: The carbon absorbed by trees, peatlands and seagrasses typically gets locked away for decades or longer. However, when kelp dies or breaks apart, instead of storing the carbon in the ground, much of it is released back into the ocean. Depending on the conditions, some of it sinks. Some of it washes back to shore. Some gets eaten and and fuels coastal food webs. Only a small fraction settles in coastal seafloor sediments or makes it far enough offshore to reach deep water, where it's more likely to stay out of the atmosphere over the long term. Another fraction decomposes and becomes tiny dissolved particles that can circulate on ocean currents below the mixed layer depth for decades to centuries. So while protecting and managing kelp forests promotes carbon capture, it may not always directly translate into climate change mitigation. Our research found that between 40,000 and 400,000 metric tonnes of carbon per year is likely being captured and exported from Canadian kelp forests to the deep ocean. In terms of carbon dioxide removal, this would be at least comparable to more established natural climate solutions carbon ecosystems in Canada, like tidal marshes and seagrasses, suggesting they merit further consideration. It's a promising number. But the potential role of kelp in Canada's climate action plans is far from settled. Our findings are relevant as countries increasingly look to count natural sources of carbon removal in their nationally determined contributions under the Paris Climate Accord, with the idea that better ecosystem management, protection and restoration could all enhance natural carbon sinks. Kelp forests have not yet been included in national inventories. However, there has been growing interest in whether better kelp forest management and even restoration could qualify. Part of the problem is data. Most countries, including Canada, still lack sufficient information on where their kelp forests are, how productive they are, where that carbon is going in the ecosystem and how these dynamics are changing over space and time. As a result, few countries have been able to assess their kelp forests at national scales. There are also unanswered questions about how much kelp forest loss can be prevented under climate change and how much ecosystem restoration could be scaled up to meaningfully contribute to climate change mitigation. Restoration methods for kelp forests, such as green gravel, are being actively developed but remain largely untested. Our study provides guidance to help countries overcome some of these challenges. We offer a step-by-step blueprint for developing first kelp carbon estimates from limited data, including data needs and sources and tools for data analysis that acknowledge data uncertainties. Managing and protecting kelp forests is likely to be a low-regret option, meaning that while it might not significantly mitigate climate change, its many other benefits would still outweigh the costs. After all, these ecosystems offer a host of benefits, from supporting fisheries to shoreline protection. Given our findings, they may also have the ability to help tackle climate change. But leaning too heavily on kelp before the science is clear could backfire. Overstating its role in climate change mitigation could lead to misplaced confidence and unrealistic expectations. Worse, it could distract from the most important and immediate task: fossil fuel reductions. That does not mean kelp's climate solutions potential should be dismissed. At present, it's thought that kelp forests and other algae capture and store around 175 million tonnes annually, maybe more given recent research. But Canada needs to proceed carefully and invest in closing key knowledge gaps before scaling up plans to include kelp in national carbon accounting. This includes greater public investment in kelp forest mapping, monitoring, high resolution oceanographic modelling and ground-truthing of national estimates. Read more: Overall, a precautionary approach is needed to ensure we don't miss out on future kelp solutions. That's because even as interest in kelp grows, these ecosystems are disappearing in many places. In British Columbia, kelp forests have declined in recent decades due to climate change-fuelled marine heatwaves and population booms of sea urchins, which graze on kelp. Similar trends have been documented in many parts of the world, from Norway to Tasmania, where lush kelp forests are being replaced by weedy turf algae. When kelp forests are lost, the carbon they hold can be released quickly. Export of kelp carbon to the deep ocean and other carbon sinks stops. So instead of helping to slow climate change, their loss could make things much worse. Kelp forests will not solve the climate crisis on their own. But our research shows they could be apart of the solution, especially if we act now to fill critical research gaps. Today, the most immediate value of kelp forests lies in supporting marine biodiversity, coastal fisheries, and community livelihoods. That alone makes them worth saving. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organisation bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Jennifer McHenry, University of Victoria and Julia K. Baum, University of Victoria Read more: For many island species, the next tropical cyclone may be their last Colonial-era borders create conflict in Africa's oceans – how to resolve them Antarctica has its own 'shield' against warm water – but this could now be under threat Jennifer McHenry receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO),and Oceans North. Julia K. Baum receives funding from NSERC, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Oceans North. She is also affiliated as a science advisor with the Kelp Rescue Initiative.
Cision Canada
6 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security Awards $60,000 in Scholarships to Shed Light on Food Insecurity in Canada Français
Scholarships support new research to combat food insecurity in Canada. MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 4, 2025 /CNW/ - Maple Leaf Foods (TSX: MFI) and the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security ("the Centre") today announced the recipients of the 2025/26 Maple Leaf Board Scholarships in Food Insecurity. This year, four outstanding scholars have been awarded a total of $60,000 to support their research on food insecurity in Canada. Masters candidates Rachel Blais from University of Victoria, Sylvia Odhiambo from University of Alberta, Michaela Tokarski from Carleton University, and Doctoral candidate Gabrielle Jacob from McGill University will each receive a $15,000 scholarship to support their research: Rachel Blais, University of Victoria: Examining the role of the nonprofit sector in addressing food insecurity in Iqaluit and developing community-led recommendations for poverty reduction policy measures. Gabrielle Jacob, McGill University: Measuring differences in food insecurity rates between marginalized populations and determining how food insecurity changes over time with food bank usage. Sylvia Odhiambo, University of Alberta: Investigating the relationship between immigration status, experiences of trauma/mental disorders, and food insecurity. Michaela Tokarski, Carleton University: Analyzing the impact of Ottawa Food Bank's recent decision to reduce food distribution by 20-50% on clients, member agencies, and staff. These scholarships honour the extraordinary contributions of David Emerson, Wallace McCain, Purdy Crawford, and W. Geoffrey Beattie, past Chairs of the Maple Leaf Foods Board of Directors. Each year, the Centre awards four scholarships to Masters or Doctoral students who are pursuing research that contributes to the body of knowledge on food insecurity in Canada. Candidates are selected based on their academic standing, contribution to filling research gaps, and quality of the submission, including feasibility and methodological rigor. "The rise in food insecurity rates in Canada is prompting changes in the way the nonprofit sector is responding and coping," said Sarah Stern, Executive Director of the Centre. "These research projects will help to expand our knowledge of how charities are addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, including newcomers and those living with mental disorders." The Centre is proud to support research that contributes to our understanding of barriers and interventions to achieve food security. Since its inception in 2020, the scholarship program has supported 21 students in their research endeavours. For more information about the scholarship process, visit the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security. About the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security The Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security ("the Centre") is a registered charity committed to working collaboratively to reduce food insecurity in Canada by 50% by 2030. The Centre advocates for critical public policies and invests in knowledge building and programs that advance the capacity of people and communities to achieve sustainable food security. The Centre was created in 2016 and is governed by a board of directors, including four independent experts. About Maple Leaf Foods Maple Leaf Foods Inc. ("Maple Leaf Foods") is a leading protein company responsibly producing food products under leading brands including Maple Leaf®, Maple Leaf Prime®, Maple Leaf Natural Selections®, Schneiders®, Mina®, Greenfield Natural Meat Co.®, LightLife® and Field Roast™. The Company employs approximately 13,500 people and does business in Canada, the U.S. and Asia. The company is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, and its shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MFI). @FeedOpportunity @MapleLeafFoods
Montreal Gazette
29-05-2025
- Health
- Montreal Gazette
Bill 106 will not boost productivity of doctors: health policy expert
By There is scant evidence that the Quebec government's proposed bill to tie doctors' pay to their performance will lead to more patients being treated, argues a prominent health policy expert. Damien Contandriopoulos, a professor of public health at the University of Victoria who had previously taught at the Université de Montréal, is highly critical of Bill 106, which proposes linking up to 25 per cent of a doctor's pay to performance targets as an incentive for them to take on more patients. 'It's a government that likes the notion of direct control, top-down, all the way from the ministry to the worker,' Contandriopoulos said in an interview Wednesday after he testified on Bill 106 at a National Assembly hearing. 'Centralized systems, data collection, heavy monitoring, and this kind of top-down, direct-control approach is generally not a great fit for super complex, extremely large systems like the health-care system,' he added. Bill 106 has sparked an intense backlash in the medical community, with physicians charging that the legislation would drive some doctors away from the profession or the province — and worsen patient care. The bill follows Health Minister Christian Dubé's creation of Santé Québec in December to run the province's $65.5-billion-a-year public system. Despite opposition to Bill 106, Premier François Legault has said the Coalition Avenir Québec government intends to have the legislation adopted. Dubé tabled the bill on May 8 amid contract negotiations with two Quebec federations representing physicians. The 25-per-cent pay figure tied to performance targets was calculated in a mathematical formula that Contandriopoulos described as 'complete nonsense.' Even if the performance targets aren't met, doctors would still receive 10 per cent, according to the formula written in the bill. In Contandriopoulos's report on Bill 106, he wrote similar past incentives in Quebec have not notably increased doctors' capitation — which is the term used for the number of patients a physician has on their roster, and the new rules would only make it harder for them to do their jobs. He illustrates that financial incentive systems are prone to 'gaming,' meaning doctors will try to exploit the system's flaws to their advantage. He cited a recent initiative in Quebec, the 'Guichet d'accès pour la clientele orpheline,' which tied a payment incentive to the registration of new patients. Because of a flaw in the system, he suggested many doctors retroactively enrolled patients who had already been treated. This gave physicians the financial benefit despite the fact they didn't take on additional patients. He also suggested that with Bill 106, doctors may be less motivated to take on complex cases that require extra attention and expertise if their remuneration were based largely on the number of patients they see. As a result, doctors may flood their schedules with patients who could be treated by nurses, social workers or other health professionals on their team as a way to maximize their patient load and increase their remuneration, Contandriopoulos said. If a doctor delegated their straightforward patients to nurses and social workers, 'then they would be stuck with demanding, challenging, long visits,' he explained, adding that this approach would be effectively penalized under Bill 106. 'They would go bankrupt because the system doesn't reward them to do so. So if we want physicians to really focus on the work that they are the best trained to do and where the benefit for society is the highest, we need to incentivize them to really focus on (these complex cases), which we do not.' Dubé said during a scrum Tuesday afternoon that Bill 106 won't be adopted this session of the National Assembly and he would like for discussions to continue. Amid the hearings on Bill 106, Dubé reiterated he wants 100 per cent of Quebecers to have access to a health professional by the summer of 2026.
Hamilton Spectator
25-05-2025
- Science
- Hamilton Spectator
Snowy owl's threatened status an 'alarm bell' for a changing Arctic, scientist says
MONTREAL - A scientific committee's decision to assess the snowy owl as threatened is yet another concerning sign of the changes shaping Canada's Arctic, two experts say. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada, an advisory body to the federal government, announced earlier this month it was recommending a change of status for the emblematic northern species, which is also Quebec's official bird. That recommendation has been passed on to the federal government, which will decide whether to list the snowy owl as threatened under the Species at Risk Act. Louise Blight, co-chair of the subcommittee overseeing birds, said snowy owl observations have declined about 40 per cent over the last three generations, or 24 years. She says climate change — as well as direct threats such as vehicle strikes and poisoning — are to blame. 'Not only does this species nest in a region with one of the fastest-changing climates on the planet, but when it heads south for the winter it faces additional threats — collisions, electrocution, rodenticide poisoning, and diseases like avian influenza,' she wrote in a news release. Blight, who is also an adjunct associate professor at the University of Victoria's School of Environmental Studies, said in a phone interview that climate change reduces sea ice, which the birds use for resting and hunting. It has also led to increased shrub cover in the wide-open tundra habitat where the owl breeds, and there have been suggestions the population cycles of lemmings — its main prey — are being affected, she said. She said it's hard to measure the specific impacts of climate change on the owls, in part because the habitat changes are happening so quickly. 'I talked to a colleague a couple of years ago who works in the comment was, 'the Arctic is changing so fast we can't even keep track of it,'' Blight said. The owl, she said, is one of many species that are declining at 'really concerning rates' for a number of different reasons, including habitat change, invasive species and climate change. 'I find them all alarming comments on the state of nature,' she said. David Rodrigue, biologist and Executive Director of the Ecomuseum Zoo west of Montreal, said the committee's recommendation should be a 'rallying cry' to accelerate efforts to protect Canada's biodiversity. He says Quebec has yet to begin its own formal process to assess the status of its official bird. Rodrigue says a government decision to designate the species as threatened would trigger measures to help it, including an obligation to create a recovery plan and some habitat protection. He said more can also be done to help the birds when they migrate south, including limiting the use of certain rodent poisons. In Canada, 'threatened' means a species is likely to become endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to its disappearance. Rodrigue said the Ecomuseum has had snowy owls in its care, and visitors are always drawn to the beautiful snow-white birds that shot to global fame when they were featured in the 'Harry Potter' franchise. 'They're extremely striking,' he said. Rodrigue believes the snowy owl's population decline sends a 'huge signal' about the vulnerability of the Arctic, and believes everyone should take notice. 'The Arctic in many ways is extremely important for, literally, human survival as well,' he said. 'And we don't see what's happening there. People don't realize that things are so bad there that you've got species like that that are crashing.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
25-05-2025
- Science
- Winnipeg Free Press
Snowy owl's threatened status an 'alarm bell' for a changing Arctic, scientist says
MONTREAL – A scientific committee's decision to assess the snowy owl as threatened is yet another concerning sign of the changes shaping Canada's Arctic, two experts say. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada, an advisory body to the federal government, announced earlier this month it was recommending a change of status for the emblematic northern species, which is also Quebec's official bird. That recommendation has been passed on to the federal government, which will decide whether to list the snowy owl as threatened under the Species at Risk Act. Louise Blight, co-chair of the subcommittee overseeing birds, said snowy owl observations have declined about 40 per cent over the last three generations, or 24 years. She says climate change — as well as direct threats such as vehicle strikes and poisoning — are to blame. 'Not only does this species nest in a region with one of the fastest-changing climates on the planet, but when it heads south for the winter it faces additional threats — collisions, electrocution, rodenticide poisoning, and diseases like avian influenza,' she wrote in a news release. Blight, who is also an adjunct associate professor at the University of Victoria's School of Environmental Studies, said in a phone interview that climate change reduces sea ice, which the birds use for resting and hunting. It has also led to increased shrub cover in the wide-open tundra habitat where the owl breeds, and there have been suggestions the population cycles of lemmings — its main prey — are being affected, she said. She said it's hard to measure the specific impacts of climate change on the owls, in part because the habitat changes are happening so quickly. 'I talked to a colleague a couple of years ago who works in the Arctic…her comment was, 'the Arctic is changing so fast we can't even keep track of it,'' Blight said. The owl, she said, is one of many species that are declining at 'really concerning rates' for a number of different reasons, including habitat change, invasive species and climate change. 'I find them all alarming comments on the state of nature,' she said. David Rodrigue, biologist and Executive Director of the Ecomuseum Zoo west of Montreal, said the committee's recommendation should be a 'rallying cry' to accelerate efforts to protect Canada's biodiversity. He says Quebec has yet to begin its own formal process to assess the status of its official bird. Rodrigue says a government decision to designate the species as threatened would trigger measures to help it, including an obligation to create a recovery plan and some habitat protection. He said more can also be done to help the birds when they migrate south, including limiting the use of certain rodent poisons. In Canada, 'threatened' means a species is likely to become endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to its disappearance. Rodrigue said the Ecomuseum has had snowy owls in its care, and visitors are always drawn to the beautiful snow-white birds that shot to global fame when they were featured in the 'Harry Potter' franchise. 'They're extremely striking,' he said. Rodrigue believes the snowy owl's population decline sends a 'huge signal' about the vulnerability of the Arctic, and believes everyone should take notice. 'The Arctic in many ways is extremely important for, literally, human survival as well,' he said. 'And we don't see what's happening there. People don't realize that things are so bad there that you've got species like that that are crashing.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2025.
