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Over the past decades, concerns regarding the local and cumulative impacts of oil sands development have been increasing. These concerns reflect the industry's emissions, land disturbance, water use, and the resulting impacts to Indigenous Rights. Effective environmental management is essential to address and ultimately manage these concerns. A series of ambient regional monitoring programs in the oil sands region (OSR) have struggled with scope and governance. In the last 10 years, monitoring has evolved from a regulatory‐driven exercise implemented by industry into a focused, collaborative, multistakeholder program that attempts to integrate rigorous science from a multitude of disciplines and ways of knowing. Monitoring in the region continues to grapple with leadership, governance, data management, scope, and effective analysis and reporting. This special series, "A Decade of Research and Monitoring in the Oil Sands Region of Alberta, Canada," provides a series of critical reviews that synthesize 10 years of published monitoring results to identify patterns of consistent ecological responses or effects, significant gaps in knowledge, and recommendations for improved monitoring, assessment, and management of the region. The special series considered over 300 peer‐reviewed papers and represents the first integrated critical review of the published literature from the region. This introductory paper of the series introduces the history of ambient environmental monitoring in the OSR and discusses historic and ongoing challenges with the environmental monitoring effort. While significant progress has been made in areas of governance, expanded geographical scope, and inclusion of Indigenous communities in monitoring in the region, significant issues remain regarding a lack of integrated reporting on environmental conditions, public access to data, and continuity of monitoring efforts over time. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:319–332. © 2021 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). KEY POINTS: This article introduces a special series that reviews over 300 manuscripts published over 10 years across environmental disciplines in the oil sands region of Alberta.The series is the first integrated critical review of published literature in the region.We discuss the history of ambient environmental monitoring in the region and the historic and ongoing challenges including how western science and Indigenous knowledge have been considered.While some progress has been made, significant issues remain regarding a lack of integrated reporting on environmental conditions, lack of public access to data, and discontinuity of monitoring efforts over time due, in part, to political influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African immigrant children and youth have some of the poorest social and mental health outcomes in Canada. Although parenting challenges have been widely documented as a key driver of these outcomes, limited systematic research has investigated this phenomenon. In this paper, we report the results of a study examining parenting challenges among a sample of African immigrant parents in Alberta, Canada. We relied on the theoretical lens of transnationalism to collect and analyse data from a purposive sample of African community leaders (n = 14), African immigrant parents (n = 32), and a range of stakeholders (n = 30). Our thematic data analysis revealed several intricately intertwined parenting challenges, organized around six overarching themes, namely, cultural incompatibility, family tension, state interference, limited social supports, poor access to services, and low socioeconomic status. We present these themes and the policy and service implications of our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Geographer is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As boreal forests rapidly warm due to anthropogenic climate change, long‐term baseline community data are needed to effectively characterize the corresponding ecological changes that are occurring in these forests. The combined seasonal dynamics (SEADYN) and annual dynamics (ANNDYN) data set, which documents the vegetative changes in boreal forests during the snow‐free period, is one such source of baseline community data. These data were collected by George H. La Roi and colleagues in Alberta, Canada from 1980 to 2015 within permanent sampling plots established in the Hondo‐Slave Lake area (eight stands; 1980–2015) in central Alberta and the Athabasca Oil Sands (AOS) region (17 stands; 1981–1984) near Fort McMurray in northeastern Alberta. Various data were collected, with temporal and spatial coverage differing by data set. These data sets include, but are not limited to, cover of each identified vascular plant and bryoid (moss, liverwort, and lichen) species; forest mensuration; forest litter production; and soil temperature and moisture. Notably, permanent sampling plots were set up as a grid, which will facilitate analyses of spatial relations. These data can be used to analyze long‐term changes in seasonal dynamics and succession within boreal forest communities and serve as a baseline for comparison with future forest conditions in unmanaged, managed, and reclaimed forests. Data are released under a CC‐BY license; please cite this data paper when using the data for analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When, why and how do policy mixes change and evolve? Much of the contemporary interest in such mixes is focused on distinguishing simple policies from more complex policy mixes, evaluating the relationships between single and multiple policy tools within a mix, and developing criteria to assess the likely performance of particular mixes. These are important and necessary analytical tasks. However, another required step in understanding policy mixes is to understand how and why mixes evolve and change over time and to determine whether any changes are an improvement. In this paper, we analyse the development of a complex policy mix in the case of reclamation and remediation of the Alberta oil sands from an earlier 'simple goal, single instrument' policy regime to a more complex one. This case study reveals the presence of at least two dynamic processes at work in policy mix development, with significant implications for the nature of the changes that result from them. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Geographer is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Forest fragmentation can disrupt important ecological processes both within and among species. Of particular interest is the extent to which fragmentation decouples economically important pest species from their parasites. In an influential paper, Roland and Taylor (1997) advanced the hypothesis that forest fragmentation at a relatively fine spatial scale would disrupt the ability of parasitoids to aggregate in response to host density, thereby facilitating the build-up of host populations at isolated sites. Our study provides the first experimental test of this notion. We augmented existing densities of forest tent caterpillar individuals at two types of sites: isolated forest fragments and continuous tracts of forest. Of the four parasitoid species studied by Roland and Taylor (1997), two were encountered in our experiment. For the sarcophagid fly Arachnidomyia aldrichi and the tachinid Carcelia malacosomae, we found no difference in parasitism rates among forest fragments and continuous forest tracts. A third tachinid species unique to this study, Lespesia frenchii, is known to be a broad generalist with respect to host choice. In this species, we observed significantly elevated parasitism in forest fragments, and higher parasitism at the forest edge than within the forest. All of these findings suggest complex effects of forest fragmentation on parasitoid movement, and warn against broad generalizations from observational studies. Forest fragmentation may affect movement patterns in a multitude of ways, significantly obscuring or modifying the simplest mechanisms proposed by Roland and Taylor (1997). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines gender-specific transformations of nursing practice in institutional mental health-care in Alberta, Canada, based on archival records on two psychiatric hospitals, Alberta Hospital Ponoka and Alberta Hospital Edmonton, and on oral histories with psychiatric mental health nurses in Alberta. The paper explores class and gender as interrelated influences shaping the work and professional identity of psychiatric mental health nurses from the 1930s until the mid-1970s. Training schools for nurses in psychiatric hospitals emerged in Alberta in the 1930s under the influence of the mental hygiene movement, evolving quite differently for female nurses compared to untrained aides and male attendants. The latter group resisted their exclusion from the title ‘nurse’ and successfully helped to organize a separate association of psychiatric nurses in the 1950s. Post-World War II, reconstruction of health-care and a de-institutionalization policy further transformed nurses’ practice in the institutions. Using social history methods of analysis, the paper demonstrates how nurses responded to their circumstances in complex ways, actively participating in the reconstruction of their practice and finding new ways of professional organization that fit the local context. After the Second World War more sophisticated therapeutic roles emerged and nurses engaged in new rehabilitative practices and group therapies, reconstructing their professional identities and transgressing gender boundaries. Nurses’ own stories help us to understand the striving toward psychiatric nursing professionalism in the broader context of changing gender identities and work relationships, as well as shifting perspectives on psychiatric care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross‐sectional survey reports on the experiences and impact of mothers in shared parenting arrangements and their young children ages 0–4 years across three provinces in Canada (Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario). The purpose of the study was to explore shared parenting arrangements in the context of domestic violence, and we sought to recruit mothers from a range of experiences regarding reported violence in their relationships with their ex‐partners. The online survey consisted of standardized tools to measure child development, depression, substance use, and anxiety, extent and severity of domestic violence, and coparenting. Recruiting during the pandemic was challenging, which required various recruitment strategies. The total sample included 84 mothers who completed questionnaires. Findings show that while mothers experienced various forms of domestic violence in shared parenting arrangements, experiences of coercive control were most evident. Implications are identified and discussed in relation to parenting plans, shared parenting and all forms of domestic violence including coercive control. Key points for the family court community: While shared parenting is being routinely ordered in Canadian family courts in contested custody and access situations, domestic violence is not being screened for and mothers and children are subjected to current and ongoing acts of violence and coercive controlling behaviors.With legislation changes to the Canadian Divorce Act will come policies that require attention to coercive control and practices for ensuring the safety of mothers and young children.Greater attention to screening for coercively controlling behaviors for legal and social service actors will be as important as screening for physically violence behaviors.The correlation presented here between the HITS scores and the COPAFS scores imply some of the ways in which the CoPAFS may be used in practice as a means to support (or not) decisions for shared parenting.This study begins to paint a picture of the impacts of domestic violence beyond physical violence in shared parenting arrangements that is not currently being considered in Canadian family courts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquakes induced by human activities can impede the development of underground resources. Significant induced events (M5) have caused both economic and human losses. The recent ML 5.6 (MW 5.1) event near Peace River, Alberta occurs in a region of in situ bitumen recovery. We find that 3.4 cm of ground deformation was caused by reverse fault slip (∼29 cm), possibly related to Peace River Arch faulting. Events are located within the shallow basement, nearby to significant wastewater injection into Paleozoic strata. We find a statistical relationship between earthquakes and injection operations. These events were likely related to the in situ bitumen development: dominantly from wastewater disposal induced pore pressure increases, with smaller poroelastic contributions from bitumen recovery. The assessment of this earthquake as induced will likely have implications for future energy development, management, and regulation—including carbon capture and blue hydrogen. Plain Language Summary: Earthquakes can be caused by underground fluid injection; cases of M5 induced events have caused damage and harm. One of the largest recorded earthquakes in Alberta (ML 5.6) occurred in a region of underground oil sand development. Here, ground shaking and deformation information are combined into an interpreted result: that ancient faults were reactivated with reverse slip. The fault slip is largely within the crystalline basement, with a small portion extending into basal sediments. Nearby injection operations dispose of petroleum‐related wastewater in these basal sediments. This earthquake was likely triggered by the injection process: injection increases pore pressure, which diffuses laterally along permeable sediments, until encountering fractured rock, which channelizes flow into the crystalline basement—the increase of pore pressure within the fault continues until reaching a critical point for slip initiation. This event likely being induced will have important implications for future operations. Key Points: On 30 November 2022 one of Alberta's largest recorded events (ML 5.6, MW 5.1) occurred in a region of in situ bitumen recoveryA well oriented fault was reactivated with reverse slip (29 cm), causing up to 3.4 cm of ground deformationThe event was likely induced by pore pressure from disposal, with smaller poroelastic stress changes from bitumen production [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mining activities in the Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR) have contributed to an increase of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) locally. However, many PACs found in the AOSR, and the combined effects of PAC mixtures have not been evaluated for genotoxicity in wildlife. Here, we examine whether mutation frequencies in AOSR river otters are correlated to PAC tissue burdens. We used single‐molecule polymerase chain reaction (SM‐PCR) to measure the mutant frequency of unstable DNA microsatellite loci in the bone marrow of wild river otters (n = 11) from the AOSR. Microsatellite mutation frequencies were regressed against liver PAC burden (total, low/high molecular weight [LMW/HMW], and parent/alkylated PACs), and to the distances from where the samples were collected to nearby bitumen upgraders. We found that microsatellite mutation frequency was positively correlated with total liver PAC burden. LMW and alkylated PACs were detected at higher levels and had a stronger positive relationship with mutation frequency than HMW (alkylated and parent) PACs. There were no significant relationships detected between mutation frequency and LMW parent PACs or the distance from bitumen upgraders. Furthermore, pyrogenic and petrogenic signatures suggest PACs in animals with high mutation frequencies were associated with combustion processes; although further investigation is warranted, due to limitations of diagnostic ratio determination with biotic models. Our findings support the hypothesis that PACs found in the AOSR increase mutation frequency in wildlife. Further investigation is required to determine if the elevated PAC levels associated with higher mutation frequency are due to natural exposure or elevated human activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating animal abundance and density are fundamental goals of many wildlife monitoring programs. Camera trapping has become an increasingly popular tool to achieve these monitoring goals due to recent advances in modeling approaches and the capacity to simultaneously collect data on multiple species. However, estimating the density of unmarked populations continues to be problematic due to the difficulty in implementing complex modeling approaches, low precision of estimates, and absence of rigor in testing of model assumptions and their influence on results. Here, we describe a novel approach that uses still image camera traps to estimate animal density without the need for individual identification, based on the time spent in front of the camera (TIFC). Using results from a large‐scale multispecies monitoring program with nearly 3000 cameras deployed over 6 years in Alberta, Canada, we provide a reproducible methodology to estimate parameters and we test key assumptions of the TIFC model. We compare moose (Alces alces) density estimates from aerial surveys and TIFC, including incorporating correction factors for known TIFC assumption violations. The resulting corrected TIFC density estimates are comparable to aerial density estimates. We discuss the limitations of the TIFC method and areas needing further investigation, including the need for long‐term monitoring of assumption violations and the number of cameras necessary to provide precise estimates. Despite the challenges of assumption violations and high measurement error, cameras and the TIFC method can provide useful alternative or complementary animal density estimates for multispecies monitoring when compared to traditional monitoring methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We synthesize the information available from the peer‐reviewed literature on the ecological status of lakes and rivers in the oil sands region (OSR) of Canada. The majority of the research from the OSR has been performed in or near the minable region and examines the concentrations, flux, or enrichment of contaminants of concern (CoCs). Proximity to oil sands facilities and the beginning of commercial activities tend to be associated with greater estimates of CoCs across studies. Research suggests the higher measurements of CoCs are typically associated with wind‐blown dust, but other sources also contribute. Exploratory analyses further suggest relationships with facility production and fuel use data. Exceedances of environmental quality guidelines for CoCs are also reported in lake sediments, but there are no indications of toxicity including those within the areas of the greatest atmospheric deposition. Instead, primary production has increased in most lakes over time. Spatial differences are observed in streams, but causal relationships with industrial activity are often confounded by substantial natural influences. Despite this, there may be signals associated with site preparation for new mines, potential persistent differences, and a potential effect of petroleum coke used as fuel on some indices of health in fish captured in the Steepbank River. There is also evidence of improvements in the ecological condition of some rivers. Despite the volume of material available, much of the work remains temporally, spatially, or technically isolated. Overcoming the isolation of studies would enhance the utility of information available for the region, but additional recommendations for improving monitoring can be made, such as a shift to site‐specific analyses in streams and further use of industry‐reported data. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:361–387. © 2021 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). KEY POINTS: Contaminants of concern are often found at elevated concentrations adjacent to oil sands mines and some guidelines are occasionally exceeded in lakes and rivers. While site preparation and construction activities may influence streams, studies using upstream reference sites to detect change at the downstream exposure locations report differences but often cannot separate natural and anthropogenic causes. Paleolimnological reconstructions of biotic commuities from lake cores and contemporaneous collections of invertebrates from lakes do not show evidence of toxicity and instead often suggest increases in primary productivity or good ecological status. Preliminary analyses suggest relationships between on‐site industry practices with deposition of contaminants in snow, and with health of fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canada's federal recovery strategy for boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) classifies areas burned by forest fire as disturbed habitat. This assignment of fire as a disturbance has potential economic and social implications across Canada, and influences plans and actions to achieve caribou conservation and recovery. Previous researchers have reported caribou avoid burned habitat, but these studies did not typically consider unburned residual patches within fire perimeters. Additionally, the implications of burned habitat on individual caribou survival is unclear. We examined resource selection by boreal woodland caribou of burns, and unburned residual patches, using global positioning system (GPS) locations for 201 caribou across 6 caribou populations in Alberta, Canada. We also examined if burned habitat affected the survival of adult female caribou. Caribou avoided burns and unburned residual patches. Increased use of burned habitats, however, did not lower the survival of adult caribou. Collectively, these results provide evidence to support current assertions that burns, and the embedded unburned residual patches are not preferred caribou habitat and increase our understanding of the implications of forest fire for caribou vital rates. Our investigation offers important information about the role of forest fire in caribou ecology and enhances the identification of disturbed habitat under recovery strategy guidelines to effectively address caribou population declines. © 2021 The Wildlife Society. : Woodland caribou in Alberta, Canada avoid burned habitat including unburned residual patches; however, there was no relationship between burned habitat use and adult female survival. This suggests fire disturbance is not a key influence of caribou population persistence, and we recommend reevaluation of the current approach listed in the federal boreal caribou recovery strategy that includes anthropogenic and fire disturbance in a cumulative assessment of disturbed habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleopathology, or the study of ancient injuries and diseases, can enable the ecology and life history of extinct taxa to be deciphered. Large‐bodied ornithopods are the dinosaurs with the highest frequencies of paleopathology reported to‐date. Among these, the crested hadrosaurid Parasaurolophus walkeri is one of the most famous, largely due to its dramatic elongated and tubular nasal crest. The holotype of Parasaurolophus walkeri at the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada, displays several paleopathologies that have not been discussed in detail previously: a dental lesion in the left maxilla, perhaps related to periodontal disease; callus formation associated with fractures in three dorsal ribs; a discoidal overgrowth above dorsal neural spines six and seven; a cranially oriented spine in dorsal seven, that merges distally with spine six; a V‐shaped gap between dorsal spines seven and eight; and a ventral projection of the pubic process of the ilium which covers, and is fused with, the lateral side of the iliac process of the pubis. These lesions suggest that the animal suffered from one or more traumatic events, with the main one causing a suite of injuries to the anterior aspect of the thorax. The presence of several lesions in a single individual is a rare observation and, in comparison with a substantial database of hadrosaur paleopathological lesions, has the potential to reveal new information about the biology and behavior of these ornithopods. The precise etiology of the iliac abnormality is still unclear, although it is thought to have been an indirect consequence of the anterior trauma. The discoidal overgrowth above the two neural spines also seems to be secondary to the severe trauma inflicted on the ribs and dorsal spines, and probably represents post‐traumatic ossification of the base of the nuchal ligament. The existence of this structure has previously been considered in hadrosaurs and dinosaurs more generally through comparison of origin and insertion sites in modern diapsids (Rhea americana, Alligator mississippiensis, Iguana iguana), but its presence, structure, and origin‐attachment sites are still debated. The V‐shaped gap is hypothesized as representing the point between the stresses of the nuchal ligament, pulling the anterior neural spines forward, and the ossified tendons pulling the posterior neural spines backward. Different reconstructions of the morphology of the structure based on the pathological conditions affecting the neural spines of ROM 768 are proposed. Finally, we review the history of reconstructions for Parasaurolophus walkeri showing how erroneous misconceptions have been perpetuated over time or have led to the development of new hypotheses, including the wide neck model supported in the current research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In western Canada, there has been an increase in seismic activity linked to anthropogenic energy‐related operations including conventional hydrocarbon production, wastewater fluid injection, and, more recently, hydraulic fracturing (HF). Statistical modeling and characterization of the space, time, and magnitude distributions of the seismicity are vital for a better understanding of induced earthquake processes and development of forecasting models. In this work, a statistical analysis of the seismicity in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin was performed across past and present time periods by utilizing a compiled earthquake catalog for Alberta and eastern British Columbia. Specifically, the interevent space‐time distance distributions of earthquakes were studied using the nearest‐neighbor distance (NND) method. Additionally, the frequency‐magnitude statistics and aftershock parameters of several clusters were analyzed using the Gutenberg‐Richter relation and the epidemic‐type aftershock sequence model. The results suggest that recent regional changes in the NND distributions, namely, a disproportionate increase in loosely and tightly clustered seismic activity over time, are unnatural and likely due to the rise in HF operations for the development of unconventional resources. It is concluded that both these loosely and tightly clustered earthquake subpopulations differ measurably from what may be the region's tectonic seismic activity. Additionally, HF treatments have a greater probability of triggering swarm‐like sequences that sharply spike the seismicity rate and are characterized by larger Gutenberg‐Richter b values. In contrast, conventional production and wastewater disposal operations largely trigger loosely clustered activity with more typical magnitude occurrence distributions. Plain Language Summary: In western Canada, there has been an increase in earthquake activity linked to industrial activities including fossil fuel extraction, wastewater disposal, and, more recently, hydraulic fracturing. Statistical modeling of earthquake phenomena is important for the understanding of the specific mechanisms involved in triggering earthquakes. In this work, a statistical analysis of the recorded earthquakes in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin was performed. The results suggest that there are discrete statistical differences between the natural, tectonic earthquakes and those triggered artificially by human activity. Additionally, hydraulic fracturing operations appear capable of triggering swarm‐like sequences that temporarily increase the earthquake rate and tend to occur at small‐to‐moderate magnitudes. Conventional fuel production and wastewater disposal operations trigger earthquakes that are loosely clustered together in space and time across a broader magnitude range. Key Points: Parts of western Canada have seen an increase in clustered seismic activity coinciding with the growing usage of hydraulic fracturingThe regional seismicity can be subdivided into three main classes of interevent distance using the nearest‐neighbor distance methodAnalysis of earthquake clusters occurring near different types of anthropogenic operations reveals key differences in scaling and structure [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper describes the species composition of remnant grasslands in the aspen parkland region of Alberta and its relation to soil characteristics and small-scale disturbance. Our findings are consistent with the centrifugal model of communities with Festuca hallii dominating undisturbed `core' habitat and the composition of more `peripheral' habitats varying in soil properties and in the magnitude of disturbance. Invasive non-native species are not present in the core habitatand are present only in the disturbed sites, most abundantly in those with the highest soil nitrogen. The centrifugal model, as it applies to these remnant grasslands, differs from its previous application to wetlands and forests in that the core communities are not on the most fertile sites, but on the least disturbed. These findings have implications for the management of prairie remnants to exclude invasiveexotic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: Question: Flood disturbance in peatlands can create temporary or permanently submerged areas where tolerant species may persist and replace intolerant species over time. Fen moss species and communities occur along a hummock–hollow gradient in natural ecosystems, but their resistance and resilience to different durations of submergence has yet to be tested. We asked what are the short‐ and long‐term effects of submergence duration on four common boreal fen moss species and the implications for ecosystem resilience? Location: Rich fen near Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Methods: To examine the effect of submergence duration on fen moss species and communities, we harvested and submerged monoculture plugs dominated by Hamatocaulis vernicosus, Sphagnum warnstorfii, Tomentypnum nitens and Aulacomnium palustre in the field under rich fen water for 1–8 weeks. After submergence, we planted the plugs in bare peat at the same site to evaluate the short‐ and long‐term responses of each species and changes in moss community composition over time. Results: We found that moss species response to duration of submergence is not strictly related to their occurrence along a hummock–hollow gradient and that tolerant species maintain or restore moss cover. H. vernicosus was most tolerant to submergence of all durations, whereas S. warnstorfii was nearly eliminated by submergence. Over the long term, more tolerant species replaced less tolerant species, increasing diversity and moss community resilience. Overall, moss communities without S. warnstorfii were resilient to 4 weeks of submergence because T. nitens and H. vernicosus maintained dominance or established where the cover of less resilient species was limited. Conclusions: We show that moss species varied in their responses to submergence duration, resulting in shifts in community composition and long‐term effects on community resilience with longer durations of submergence. This provides insight into how moss communities provide stability to peatlands in response to disturbance through shifts in community composition that support tolerant dominant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Politics & Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We studied the role of ecological and anthropogenic impact gradients on ecosystem structure and composition of 56 freshwater springs among mountain, foothills, and prairie ecoregions in southern Alberta, Canada. A random stratified site selection from 2008 to 2012 was based on representation of characteristic springs types across elevation, ecoregions, and land use histories. Springs emergence varied over geomorphic contexts and was dominated by hillslope (28), helocrene (marsh, 13), and rheocrene (stream channel, seven) types, with fewer limnocrene (pool, four), cave (two), gushet (one), and hanging garden (one) springs. Among these springs, specific conductance of non-geothermal springs water was negatively related to elevation and groundwater temperature ( R2 = 0.343 and 0.336 respectively). Plant species richness was positively related to habitat area ( R2 = 0.328) and weakly to geomorphic diversity ( R2 = 0.135) and total alkalinity and specific conductance ( R2 < 0.181). We detected at least 444 higher native plant taxa on only 3.82 ha of springs habitat, equalling 25% of Alberta's flora on <0.001% of the provincial land area. Non-native plant species density was positively related to that of native plants ( R2 = 0.36). Human impacts on springs included livestock production and domestic water supplies, while beaver and other wildlife commonly influenced ecosystem function on protected lands. We conclude that the springs of Alberta are ecologically important but are understudied and inadequately protected, especially with increasing demand for groundwater as a result of extensive allocation and use of surface water in southern Alberta. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Our aims were to determine whether cross-taxon congruence of species composition patterns varies across regions and human disturbance levels and to infer whether these patterns relate to the size of the regional species pool and the sorting of species along a gradient of human disturbance. Location Alberta's Boreal and Grassland Natural Regions, Canada. Method We compiled presence-absence data of four biological groups (birds, vascular plants, bryophytes and mites) from low and high disturbance sites in upland habitat. The cross-taxon congruence across ecoregion and disturbance levels was analysed using Mantel and Procrustes tests. We applied resampling without replacement to generate confidence intervals to test for significant differences in strength of congruency between disturbance levels and ecoregions. We performed indicator species analysis to highlight how the species-level response to high and low disturbance influences the pattern in community-level cross-taxon congruence. Results Cross-taxon congruence was stronger when all sites were considered than when high and low disturbance sites were considered separately. Congruency was relatively stronger in high than low disturbance sites in the Boreal ecoregion, but the pattern was reversed in the Grassland ecoregion. More species were indicators of undisturbed habitat than of highly disturbed habitats for all biological groups except for birds. Overall, biological groups that were poorly represented in a region and/or with few characteristic indicator species showed weak congruence in those sites. Main conclusions We conclude that a longer disturbance gradient can promote cross-taxon congruence by increasing the species pool characteristic of low or high disturbance levels. Moreover, regional context can influence (or even reverse) the relative strength of cross-taxon congruence in high and low disturbance sites, which may explain the inconsistent strength of cross-taxon congruence along the disturbance gradient. To use biodiversity surrogates across biogeographical regions, it is therefore important to account for the regional and disturbance-level dependence of cross-taxon congruence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the water balance of a forested ombrotrophic peatland and adjacent burned peatland in the boreal plain of western Canada over a 3-year period. Complete combustion of foliage and fine branches dramatically increased shortwave radiation inputs to the peat surface while halting all tree transpiration at the burned site. End-of-winter snowpack was 7-25% higher at the burned site likely due to decreased ablation from the tree canopy at the unburned site. Shrub regrowth at the burned site was rapid post-fire, and shading by the shrub canopy in the burned site approached that of the unburned site within 3 years after fire. Site-averaged surface resistance to evaporation was not different between sites, though surface resistance in hollows was lower in the burned site. Water loss at both burned and unburned sites is largely driven by surface evaporative losses. Evaporation at the burned site marginally exceeded the sum of pre-fire transpiration and interception at the unburned site, suggesting that evapotranspiration during the growing season was 20-40 mm greater at the burned peatland. Although the net change in water storage during the growing season was largely unchanged by fire, the lack of low-density surface peat in the burned site appears to have decreased specific yield, leading to greater water table decline at the burned site despite similar net change in storage. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining sediment transport direction in ancient mudrocks is difficult. In order to determine both process and direction of mud transport, a portion of a well-mapped Cretaceous delta system was studied. Oriented samples from outcrop represent prodelta environments from ca 10 to 120 km offshore. Oriented thin sections of mudstone, cut in three planes, allowed bed microstructure and palaeoflow directions to be determined. Clay mineral platelets are packaged in equant, face-face aggregates 2 to 5 μm in diameter that have a random orientation; these aggregates may have formed through flocculation in fluid mud. Cohesive mud was eroded by storms to make intraclastic aggregates 5 to 20 μm in diameter. Mudstone beds are millimetre-scale, and four microfacies are recognized: Well-sorted siltstone forms millimetre-scale combined-flow ripples overlying scoured surfaces; deposition was from turbulent combined flow. Silt-streaked claystone comprises parallel, sub-millimetre laminae of siliceous silt and clay aggregates sorted by shear in the boundary layer beneath a wave-supported gravity flow of fluid mud. Silty claystone comprises fine siliceous silt grains floating in a matrix of clay and was deposited by vertical settling as fluid mud gelled under minimal current shear. Homogeneous clay-rich mudstone has little silt and may represent late-stage settling of fluid mud, or settling from wave-dissipated fluid mud. It is difficult or impossible to correlate millimetre-scale beds between thin sections from the same sample, spaced only ca 20 mm apart, due to lateral facies change and localized scour and fill. Combined-flow ripples in siltstone show strong preferred migration directly down the regional prodelta slope, estimated at ca 1 : 1000. Ripple migration was effected by drag exerted by an overlying layer of downslope-flowing, wave-supported fluid mud. In the upper part of the studied section, centimetre-scale interbeds of very fine to fine-grained sandstone show wave ripple crests trending shore normal, whereas combined-flow ripples migrated obliquely alongshore and offshore. Storm winds blowing from the north-east drove shore-oblique geostrophic sand transport whereas simultaneously, wave-supported flows of fluid mud travelled downslope under the influence of gravity. Effective wave base for sand, estimated at ca 40 m, intersected the prodelta surface ca 80 km offshore whereas wave base for mud was at ca 70 m and lay ca 120 km offshore. Small-scale bioturbation of mud beds co-occurs with interbedded sandstone but stratigraphically lower, sand-free mudstone has few or no signs of benthic fauna. It is likely that a combination of soupground substrate, frequent storm emplacement of fluid mud, low nutrient availability and possibly reduced bottom-water oxygen content collectively inhibited benthic fauna in the distal prodelta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing the diagnosis of Q fever ( Coxiella burnetii) is important in directing the application of therapy to prevent severe manifestations of the infection. In Alberta, Canada, the presence of high livestock density creates a significant risk of infection, but to date, there has been no comprehensive analysis of local Q fever epidemiological trends and exposure patterns. Between 1998 and 2011, there were 39 cases and an overall adjusted case rate of 0.087 per 100 000 person-years. Cases were identified most commonly during the May-June season (Figure 2). The median age at date of diagnosis was 49.0 (range: 8.7-71.5) with slightly higher percentage of cases in men (56.4%) than in women (43.6%). There was an apparent geographical clustering of cases. The majority of these cases, with exposure data ( n = 31), reported contact with farms and/or livestock, predominantly cattle (6), sheep (5) and goats (5). Cases tended to occur in census divisions with higher density of sheep, goats and cattle. Our findings suggest the need for an increase in targeted messages about Q fever to those in the livestock industry, as more targeted case finding among patients with a high index of suspicion for Q fever. In addition, widespread implementation of a standard questionnaire for cases would enhance surveillance of Q fever in Alberta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Helicopter flights may affect wildlife, but habituation to disturbance is possible. We tested the hypothesis that mountain goats in a population exposed to helicopter flights for over 40 years have habituated to helicopter traffic. We contrasted behavioral responses of marked mountain goats to helicopter flights during 2 time periods (1995 vs. 2005-2009). The proportions of helicopter flights resulting in no/light, moderate, or strong disturbance were similar in 1995 and 2005-2009. Horizontal distance was the main factor determining mountain goat responses to helicopter flights; goats had a very high probability (>0.8) of being moderately and strongly disturbed (moderate: moved 10-100 m, alert for 2-10 min; strong: ran >100 m, alert for >10 min) when they were approached within 500 m by helicopters. We found that mountain goats only very slightly habituated to helicopter flights during a period of 10-15 years of repeated helicopter traffic. Because disturbance from helicopter flights has remained high, and in view of the continuous increase of helicopter traffic in mountainous habitat, we recommend helicopter flights do not approach closer than 1,500 m from mountain goat groups. © 2013 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Geographer is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Constitutional and institutional legacies were combined to create a very decentralized forest policy sector in Canada. Where coherent policy requires a national response-as is the case with adaptation to climate change-the critical challenge is to locate the relevant decentralized policy capacity and steer it toward meeting national objectives. While there is some evidence that significant policy capacity exists in provincial forest and resource management departments, climate change adaptation has led to an expansion of departmental mandates that is not being addressed by better coordination of the available policy capacity. The relevant federal agencies are not well represented in information networks and forest policy workers report lower levels of internal and external networking than workers in related policy subsectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Geographer is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Gray wolf (Canis lupus) populations are recovering in many parts of the world and managers from various jurisdictions will be faced with difficult decisions as wolf populations continue to increase. Wolf management in Alberta, Canada, is achieved mostly through trapping on a registered trapline system. Wolf harvest increased over the last 22 years relative to population increases. Most wolf harvests occurred in the Rocky Mountains and surrounding foothills area and this pattern was consistent over time. On average, trappers only harvested an estimated 9.8% of the provincial population annually despite the lack of bag limits or quotas. Harvests are spatially autocorrelated with peak autocorrelation coinciding with average home-range size for wolves in Alberta. When wolf control actions are deemed necessary, trappers are unlikely to remove a sufficient number of wolves over a large enough area to limit subpopulations under the registered trapline system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which aims to examine the spatial, temporal and frequency patterns of climatic variables in Alberta, and relate them to its eco-climate regions. It explores the use of wavelet analysis, wavelet-based empirical orthogonal function (WEOF) analysis and empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis on gridded precipitation, air temperature, potential evapotranspiration and net precipitation. It also evaluates the variability relationship between precipitation and runoff.

Trapping for furbearers remains an important outdoor activity in Alberta, Canada, despite low fur prices and extensive industrial development. We investigated the influence of landscape change on furbearer harvests using 30 years of marten (Martes americana) harvest records, interviews with trappers, and Geographic Information System maps of industrial activity and vegetation types. We used an information-theoretic approach to explore variation in trapper success. Cover type and landscape metrics apparently influenced trapper success, because traplines where martens were consistently caught had less vehicle and all-terrain vehicle access, fewer oil and gas wells, and greater proportion of mature conifer forests than traplines where martens were infrequently caught. We identified an important cutoff value or statistical threshold that identified 45% closed-conifer cover, suggesting that a minimum amount of forest cover is crucial for trappers to catch martens. We conclude that the nature and extent of industrial disturbance is contributing to the decision by trappers to trap as well as influencing their success. We recommend that wildlife managers collect trapping effort information (i.e., species-specific no. of trap-nights) on fur reports in association with landscape changes to monitor furbearer harvests more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribe Alberteae, presently classified in the subfamily Ixoroideae (Rubiaceae), has historically been an artificial grouping of genera. In the present study, phylogenetic analyses of the chloroplast DNA markers rbcL, ndhF, trnS-G, trnT-F and trnH-psbA as well as the ITS region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA, are done to assess the delimitation of Alberteae. The resulting phylogenetic hypothesis is highly resolved, with most clades strongly supported. The genus Alberta is found to be paraphyletic as presently circumscribed. As a consequence, we propose the new genus Razafimandimbisonia Kainul. & B. Bremer to accommodate the Malagasy species. The newly delimited Alberta is distinguished by having two calycophylls that expand after anthesis as well as awl-shaped stigma lobes. Razafimandimbisonia is distinguished from the remaining Alberteae by having dehiscent fruits and anthers without basal appendages. We demonstrate that the genera Airosperma, Boholia and Crossopteryx are not associated with Alberteae, as has previously been suggested. Alberteae is considered restricted to the genus Alberta endemic to Southeast Africa, and the two Malagasy endemic genera Netnatostylis and Razafimandimbisonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Geographer is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Stratification is commonly used to improve sampling efficiency of aerial surveys of ungulate populations with strata typically based on a priori information, such as preflight animal observations or vegetation attributes as surrogates for animal densities. We evaluated the usefulness of stratifying survey units for elk (Cervus elaphus) in the Rocky Mountain foothills of Alberta, Canada, using a resource selection function (RSF). We compared precision and design efficiency (DEFF) of population estimates from stratification approaches based on an RSF model to the past approach using amount of forest cover. We used a sample of telemetry relocations taken over a 3-year period from 165 elk, rarified to times of the day and months of the year when aerial surveys are conducted, to develop the RSF. We then used the top RSF model, based on Akaike's Information Criterion, to derive the average RSF value for an 8-km² survey unit. Using survey data from the first year, we evaluated binning schemes to define RSF-oriented strata based on poststratification and showed that Jenks natural breaks in the RSF values provided the greatest improvement in DEFF and increased precision, compared to 2 other stratification schemes. We then used this approach with data from 2 additional surveys to find that stratification by RSF consistently improves relative precision and design efficiency of elk population estimates, whether we employ pre- or poststratification. Where a RSF is available it could be used as a surrogate for animal densities when conducting stratified sampling for population surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only two ornithomimid genera, Ornithomimus and Struthiomimus, are currently known from the Upper Cretaceous of North America. However, a number of ornithomimid elements from Alberta’s Dinosaur Park Formation (Upper Campanian), cannot be assigned to either Ornithomimus or Struthiomimus. These bones, including a frontal, caudal vertebrae, and unguals of the manus and the pes, come from animals significantly larger than any previously known Judithian ornithomimid. The frontal exhibits several unusual features, including transverse expansion over the prefrontals, and extreme reduction of the supratemporal fossae. Caudal vertebrae are characterized by neural arches that are posteriorly shifted and transversely expanded. Manual unguals possess a highly concave articular surface, a flexor tubercle divided by a sulcus, and a broad claw. Pedal unguals display highly concave articular surfaces, and a ridge-like flexor tubercle dividing a deep ventral fossa. Although it is difficult to know whether these elements represent a single taxon, this is currently the most parsimonious hypothesis. This study demonstrates how isolated dinosaur bones can extend our knowledge of dinosaur faunas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context The proportion of rural background applicants to medical school does not reflect the proportion of the general population that resides in rural communities. It is also believed that rural background applicants are disadvantaged by the admission processes of urban-based medical schools. This study sought to examine how rural background applicants actually fare as they progress through the stages of admission. Methods A 10-year cohort of Alberta applicants were tracked as they progressed through the interview and admittance stages. Background, grade point averages (GPAs) and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores plus interview ratings were utilised in the analysis. Results Of the 4407 applicants, 1138 were interviewed. Significantly greater proportions of urban (26.8%) and rural (29.1%) background applicants than regional background (21.0%) applicants were interviewed, although the GPAs and MCAT scores of regional background applicants did not differ from those of the other applicant groups. Of those interviewed, 463 applicants were admitted. The proportions of urban (39.9%), regional (42.3%) and rural (46.3%) background applicants admitted were similar. Reviewers did not rate the files of urban, regional and rural background applicants differently. Only 6.7% of applicants admitted had rural backgrounds. Discussion Rural background applicants were not disadvantaged or discriminated against by the admission process. Although the backgrounds of applicants admitted reflect those of the original applicants, the proportion of rural background applicants is below the proportion of Albertans who reside in rural areas. Strategies to increase the number of applicants of rural origin are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kaskapau and Cardium Formations span Late Cenomanian to Early Coniacian time and were deposited on a low-gradient foredeep ramp. The studied portion of the Kaskapau Formation spans ca 3·5 Myr and forms a mudstone-dominated wedge thinning from 700 to <50 m from SW to NE over ca 300 km. In contrast, the Cardium Formation spans about 2·1 Myr, is about 100 m thick, sandstone-rich and broadly tabular. The Kaskapau and Cardium Formations are divided, respectively, into 28 and nine allomembers, each bounded by marine flooding surfaces. Kaskapau allomembers 1 to 7 show about 200 km of offlap from the forebulge, accompanied by progradation of thin sandstones from the eroded forebulge crest. In contrast, Kaskapau allomembers 8 to 28 and Cardium allomembers C1 to C9 show overall onlap onto the forebulge of about 350 km, and contain no forebulge-derived sandstones. This broad pattern is interpreted as recording a latest Cenomanian pulse of tectonic loading which led to shoreline back-step in the proximal foredeep and coeval uplift of the forebulge, leading to erosion. The advance of the sediment wedge after Kaskapau allomember 7 is attributed primarily to the isostatic effect of a distributed sediment load; the advance of the orogenic wedge had a subordinate effect on subsidence of the forebulge. For Kaskapau allomembers 1 to 6, isopachs trend north to south, suggesting a load directly to the west; allomembers 7 to 28 show an abrupt rotation of isopachs to NW–SE, suggesting that the load shifted several hundred kilometres to the south. This re-orientation might be related to a change from an approximately orthogonal to a dextral transpressive stress regime. Within the longer-term offlap–onlap cycle recorded by the Kaskapau and Cardium Formations, individual allomembers are grouped into packages reflecting higher-frequency onlap–offlap cycles, each spanning ca 0·5 to 0·7 Myr. Offlap from the forebulge tends to be accompanied by more pronounced transgression in the foredeep, whereas onlap onto the forebulge is accompanied by progradation of tongues of shoreface sandstone. This relationship suggests that changes in deformation rate in the orogenic wedge modulated proximal subsidence rate, enhancing or suppressing shoreline progradation, and also causing subtle uplift or subsidence of the forebulge region. Wedge-shaped allomembers in the Kaskapau Formation contain shoreface sandstone and conglomerate that prograded, respectively, <40 and <25 km from the preserved basin margin; progradation of coarse clastics was limited by rapid flexural subsidence. Tabular allomembers of the Cardium Formation imply a low flexural subsidence rate and contain sandy and conglomeratic shoreface deposits that prograded up to ca 180 km from the preserved basin margin. This relationship suggests that low rates of flexural subsidence promoted steeper alluvial gradients, more vigorous gravel transport and more extensive shoreface progradation. Overall, observed stratal geometry and facies distribution is explained readily in terms of current elastic flexural models. Most shoreface sandstones in the proximal foredeep show evidence of forced regression. Eustasy provides the most plausible explanation for relative sea-level rise–fall cycles on the 125 kyr allomember timescale. Geometric relationships suggest eustatic oscillations of about 10 m. Forced regressive shoreface development was suppressed during Kaskapau allomembers 1 to 10 when the rate of flexural subsidence was at its highest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factors controlling widespread cratonic arch formation across western North America from the Early Paleozoic to the Middle Mesozoic remain poorly understood. While a number of causes, such as mantle hot spots, lithospheric contraction, mantle flow, and lithospheric flexure due to surface loading, have been suggested to explain the localized uplift of basement blocks on otherwise tectonically quiescent margins, a variety of mechanisms may be at work. Here, we test the hypothesis that seismically detected packages of discrete midcrustal igneous sheet intrusions impart rheological contrasts within the crust, which act as seeds for cratonic arch formation in the presence of weak intraplate compression, using finite element modeling of intraplate deformation. We find that the seismically resolved sills can generate significant surface uplift in the presence of modest strain rates over reasonable orogenic timescales. Cratonic arch formation would be enhanced in the presence of additional thin, seismically unresolvable sills. While midcrustal sheet intrusions may be just one of many factors influencing cratonic arch formation, their presence in northern Alberta, Canada, can help explain the asymmetric configuration of the well-studied Peace River Arch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat management for ducks has significantly influenced prairies and wetlands used by other species. However, the effects of management on other species have not been clearly assessed. We present the first study to compare the nesting success of ducks with the productivity of coexisting passerines. We evaluated effects of cattle grazing, subdivision of fields, habitat edges, year, and vegetation structure on duck and songbird nesting success in 32 mixed-grass prairie fields in southern Alberta, Canada. Duck and songbird nesting success were not correlated. Duck nesting success was influenced by timing of grazing and vegetation structure, and tended to be higher in wetter years, whereas nesting success of most songbirds was not influenced by vegetation structure or grazing, and was sometimes higher in drier years. Local habitat management for ducks cannot be assumed to benefit songbirds. However, some management strategies, such as those that promote tall grass and short litter, might benefit both taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing concern that populations of migratory ungulates are declining globally. Causes of declines in migratory behavior can be direct (i.e., differential harvest of migrants) or indirect (i.e., habitat fragmentation or land-use changes). Elk (Cervus etaphus) are an important big game species in North America whose migratory behavior is changing in some montane ecosystems. We evaluated evidence and hypotheses for changes in migratory behavior and population decline in one of Canada's largest elk populations, the Ya Ha Tinda. We compared the ratio of migrant to resident elk (M:R) in the population and seasonal spatial distributions obtained from 22 winter and 13 summer helicopter surveys between 1972 and 2005. Timing of migration and the summer distribution for a sample of radiocollared elk also was compared for 1977-1980 (early period) and 2001-2004 (recent). The population M:R ratio decreased from 12.4 (SD - 3.22) in the early period to 3.0 (SD - 1.63). The decrease was greater than expected based on population change. Declines in M:R also mirrored behavior of radiocollared elk. More than 49% of radiocollared elk we monitored resided near the winter range year-round by 2001-2004, and migrants were spending less time on summer ranges. We found winter range enhancements, access to hay fed to wintering horses, recolonization by gray wolves (Canis lupus), and management relocations of elk were most consistent with observed elk population growth (adjusted for harvest and removals) and the change in migratory behavior. However, we could not isolate the effects of specific factors in time-series population modeling. We believe directly relating migrant and resident demography to habitat and mortality factors will be required to understand the mechanisms affecting migratory behavior in this and other montane elk herds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Succession of stream ponds mediated by beaver (Castor canadensis) damming and foraging in riparian zones may contribute to changes in amphibian populations. Our study examined the use of beaver ponds by the wood frog (Rana sylvatica) in a network of boreal streams in west-central Alberta, Canada. We quantified relations between breeding populations of wood frogs estimated from call surveys and pond age and riparian canopy cover, and we compared an index of juvenile recruitment to metamorphosis estimated with pitfall trap captures between new (<10 yr) and old (>25 yr) beaver ponds. We also conducted an in-pond enclosure experiment to determine if differences in physicochemical conditions of new versus old ponds influenced larval performance. Regression and Akaike's Information Criterion model averaging indicated that both density and calling intensity of male wood frogs at beaver ponds had a negative relationship with percent riparian canopy cover and had a positive relationship with pond age. The best a priori statistical models, however, included riparian canopy cover rather than pond age as a significant covariate. Old ponds had reduced riparian canopy and greater abundance of submergent vegetation, thermal degree-days, and dissolved oxygen concentrations compared to newly formed ponds. While survival of larval wood frogs in enclosures did not differ between pond age classes, growth and development rates in old ponds were greater than in new ponds. In addition to warmer water in old ponds, results from a laboratory experiment suggest that higher concentrations of dissolved oxygen characteristic of old ponds can enhance larval growth rates. Older beaver ponds may support more breeding wood frogs due to adult selection for open-canopy ponds and the associated larval environments favourable for high rates of juvenile recruitment. Forest management that protects beaver and their food supplies may also promote healthy populations of boreal amphibians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research activities in dairy science at the University of Guelph, Université Laval, and the University of Alberta are presented. At the University of Guelph, the Ontario dairy industry (producers and processors) and the federal government sponsor two dairy research chairs, one in dairy chemistry/technology and the other in dairy microbiology/food safety. This activity is complemented by other food science faculty with dairy research interests. At Université Laval, the dairy research group STELA, comprised of several faculty and support staff, focuses on the chemistry and technology of milk proteins, milk lipids and lactic acid fermentations. The University of Alberta also supports an active dairy research group. Dairy research is very strong at these institutions due to very proactive funding arrangements with dairy industry groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Privatization of the retail sale of alcohol in Alberta took place primarily between the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of this privatization on alcohol sales and on the incidence of fatal motor vehicle traffic accidents in the province.Interrupted time-series analysis (ARIMA) with a quasi-experimental control area design was used, and all series were differenced to remove long-term trends. Canada, with the exception of Alberta, was the control area. The effects of privatization were measured by means of created privatization variables. In the analyses of the effects of privatization on alcohol sales, the inhabitants’ disposable income and alcohol prices were used as control variables. The study period was 1950–2000. When effects on the number of fatal motor vehicle traffic accidents were analysed the number of road motor vehicle registrations was used as a control variable, and the study period was 1950–98.Privatization had a significant permanent effect on the sale of spirits, but the effect was not large enough to affect total sales. The effect on wine and beer sales was not significant. There was no significant effect on the number of fatal motor vehicle traffic accidents.The fact that sales on the wholesale level continued to be monopolized, along with the fact that alcohol sales were never allowed in ordinary grocery stores, may explain the lack of any larger effects of privatization on alcohol sales in Alberta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flooding patterns and variations in the composition and successional trends of riparian vegetation in the upper and lower Red Deer River in southern Alberta, Canada, were studied in order to establish which flood regimes were most important in the regeneration and maintenance of riparian vegetation communities, with a particular focus on riparian poplars. The dominant riparian tree in the upper river is Populus balsamifera with some Picea glauca and in the lower river Populus deltoides (the plains cottonwood). Dendrochronological studies of the poplars along the river show that major periods of regeneration correspond with major flood events during the record period. Extensive cottonwood regeneration occurred in the period 1900-20, corresponding with a series of floods, some as high as the 1 in 100-year event. In addition, just prior to and during this period there was a significant reduction in use of the floodplain by bison, clearance of forests and a higher incidence of fires in upper reaches of the river and a series of high rainfall years. A series of floods greater than the 1 in 10-year flood occurred in the 1950s and stimulated the most extensive regeneration of poplars experienced since the 1920s. Parts of the lower Red Deer floodplain are now at elevations well above the 1 in 100-year flood event. It is suggested that fringe replenishment of riparian poplars is currently the dominant form of regeneration and that the large stands of mature poplars found on the floodplain, initiated during the end of the last century and first decades of this century, are unlikely to be replaced unless large floods (>1 in 50-year events) occur again. Construction of the Dickson Dam above the city of Red Deer in 1983 has led to attenuation of floods and a reduced likelihood that extensive flooding and poplar regeneration will occur again. A number of recommendations are made regarding flow management to both retain the fringe regeneration of poplars currently occurring and to stimulate more widespread regeneration of poplars on the floodplain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]