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  • OPEN ACCESS
    Superworm (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae, Zophobas morio) degradation of UV-pretreated expanded polystyrene
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 15
    A laboratory-based study was conducted to investigate the consumption and degradation of expanded polystyrene (EPS) by superworms (darkling beetle larvae, Zophobas morio; heterotypic synonym Zophobas atratus). Superworms fed on one of three diets (wheat bran control, EPS blocks, or EPS S-shaped chips) following a 60-second pretreatment with UV radiation or no UV radiation exposure. Loss-of-mass measurements were conducted every week for 4 weeks. Nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and EPS degradation products in frass were determined as well as the superworm gut microbiome composition. The average loss of mass after 28 days was 34.7% for EPS blocks and 25.6% for S-shaped chips. Small quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus were found in the frass of superworms that fed on the EPS diet, but they were lower than those from wheat bran-fed superworms. Twenty-one EPS degradation products were identified in the frass of superworms on an EPS diet, including short-chain carboxylic acids, polyols, amino acids, metabolites of amino acids, and phosphoric acids. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (polystyrene degrader) and Stenotrophomonas sp. (nitrogen fixer and phosphorus solubilization promoter) were identified from the guts of superworms that fed on an EPS diet. Overall, superworms have the potential to deal with plastic waste degradation problems.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Rooting natural climate solutions in Wahkohtowin through Indigenous guardianship: insights from a youth-led initiative in Northern Ontario, Canada
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 17
    In recent years, increasing attention has been directed to “natural climate solutions” to mitigate climate change through the protection, restoration, and improved management of carbon-storing ecosystems. In practice, Indigenous Peoples have been implementing natural climate solutions for millennia through land stewardship. As Indigenous nations and communities in Canada reassert stewardship roles through Indigenous Guardians programs, the question arises: what possibilities emerge when natural climate solutions are driven by Guardians, guided by multifaceted community priorities and Indigenous knowledge? This paper responds to this question, drawing upon collaborative research with Wahkohtowin Development, a social enterprise based in Treaty 9 territory (Ontario, Canada), made up of Chapleau Cree First Nation, Missanabie Cree First Nation, and Brunswick House First Nation. We engaged youth Guardians in workshops that generated insights on the role of youth, cross-cultural collaboration, and holistic conceptualizations of climate action rooted in Indigenous ontologies (such as the Cree philosophy of wahkohtowin, embodying kinship and interconnectedness). Our analysis reveals that Indigenous Guardians are well positioned to advance natural climate solutions and to do so in an integrative manner that addresses intersecting challenges—with benefits for communities, ecosystems, climate action, and reconciliation.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Integrative adaptive management to address interactions between biological invasions and protected area connectivity: a Canadian perspective
    FACETS • Vol. 8 • pp. 1 - 12
    Expanding and creating protected area networks has become a central pillar of global conservation planning. In the management and design of protected area networks, we must consider not only the positive aspects of landscape connectivity but also how that connectivity may facilitate the spread of invasive species, a challenge that has become known as the connectivity conundrum. Here, we review key considerations for landscape connectivity planning for protected area networks, focusing on interactions between network connectivity and the management of invasive species. We propose an integrative adaptive management framework for protected area network planning with five main elements, including monitoring, budgeting considerations, risk assessment, inter-organizational coordination, and local engagement. Protected area planners can address the dynamic aspects of the connectivity conundrum through collaborative and integrative adaptive management planning.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Co-creating Ethical Space in wildlife conservation: a case study of moose (Mooz; Alces alces) research and monitoring in the Robinson Huron Treaty region (Ontario, Canada)
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 14
    The strengths of Indigenous Knowledges and need for reconciliation are increasingly recognized within conservation, leading to a rise in collaborative, cross-cultural research initiatives. As both a cultural keystone and important harvest species, moose are of value to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples, presenting an opportunity to pursue moose monitoring strategies that embrace the strengths of Indigenous and Western knowledges. While various frameworks provide theoretical direction on how to do so, few resources outline how to apply them in practice. Leaning on guidance of the Ethical Space framework, we explored the meaning and application of value-based approaches in the context of moose monitoring in central Ontario through semi-structured interviews with First Nation communities, the Ontario provincial crown government, and academic researchers. Collectively, 20 core values were identified to be important when bringing Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners together, coupled with a range of tangible actions necessary for fostering Ethical Space. Values and actions reflected three main themes: an emphasis on the long term, the importance of building and maintaining relationships, and the ability to evolve and adapt over time. Insights from this research provide tools and guidance for others interested in enacting Ethical Space in the context of cross-cultural wildlife monitoring and research.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Assessing climate change vulnerability in Canadian marine conservation networks: implications for conservation planning and resilience
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 15
    Marine protected areas (MPAs) are critical in safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem functions under climate change. The long-term effectiveness of these static conservation measures will depend on how well they represent current and future ocean changes. Here, we use the Climate Risk Index for Biodiversity to assess the vulnerability representation of marine ecosystems within the Canadian marine conservation network (CMCN) under two divergent emissions scenarios. We found that MPAs best represent climate vulnerability in Atlantic Canada (85% representativity overall, and 93% in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence under low emissions), followed by the Pacific (78%) and Arctic (63%; lowest in the Eastern Arctic (41% under high emissions) regions). Notably, MPAs with lower climate vulnerability are proportionally overrepresented in the CMCN. Broad-scale geographic targets employed in the Scotian Shelf-Bay of Fundy network planning process achieve over 90% representativity of climate vulnerabilities, underscoring the importance of ensuring habitat representativity and geographic distribution in conservation planning to enhance climate resilience, even if not explicitly prioritized. Moving towards Canada’s target to protect 30% of its waters by 2030, prioritizing representativity and designation of MPAs in currently underrepresented climate-vulnerable regions may be crucial to enhancing the resilience of the CMCN amidst an ever-changing climate.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Identifying indigenous knowledge components for Whudzih (Caribou) recovery planning
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 11
    In Canada, recent advances towards reconciliation have introduced new collaborations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments, including for species-at-risk recovery planning. During these collaborations, Indigenous Knowledge (IK) is often requested, however, clear expectations of what IK is being sought and how diverse knowledge systems will be woven to produce tangible benefits to species recovery are often limited. Here, we provide a case study of a two-stage process to identify and collect IK components that can aid whudzih (caribou) recovery planning. First, we surveyed non-Indigenous government professionals involved in caribou initiatives to specify what IK would benefit recovery planning. Responses were used to guide the development of semi-structured interview questions. Interviews were conducted with knowledge holders from Lhtako Dene, a Southern Dakelh Nation in British Columbia, Canada with historic socioecological ties to caribou. Responses of government professionals highlighted 24 topics for caribou recovery, and interviews with Lhtako Dene knowledge holders revealed strong linkages between ecological and social information types. In some cases, the IK requested was not available from knowledge holders. Collaborations for caribou recovery would benefit from clarity on expectations and outcomes of IK sharing. We suggest that structured processes that respectfully facilitate IK requests and collection become commonplace in species recovery planning.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Cadre législatif québécois pour la protection des espèces sauvages en situation précaire: évaluation critique et recommandations pour une révision majeure
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 14
    In Quebec, the Act Respecting Threatened or Vulnerable species (ARTV), adopted in 1989, aims to safeguard Quebec's wild genetic diversity by protecting species at risk. However, since its implementation about 30 years ago, it has been repeatedly pointed out that the application of the Quebec legislative framework for the protection of wildlife species at risk was often slow and inadequate. The aim of this article is therefore to make a series of observations on the limits of current legislation and then propose nine urgent recommendations to improve the effectiveness of conservation efforts for species at risk in Quebec. Our recommendations aim to increase the efficiency and transparency of the designation process, reconsider compensation mechanisms for the loss of critical habitat, and harmonize species status between the federal and provincial levels. We hope that our article will pave the way for a constructive discussion leading to an improved protection of wildlife species in precarious situations and their persistence for future generations. The English version of this article is available in the Supplementary material file.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Remanufacturing of paper waste for pencil production: a sustainable business assessment
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 12
    Large amounts of waste paper are generated annually worldwide. Although some of it is recycled, up to 50% is landfilled or incinerated. The remanufacturing of waste paper to produce pencils is proposed as a novel, sustainable business solution. A sustainability analysis of this process was performed to quantify indexes of technical, environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Small-to-medium business models were evaluated, in which 15 000 pencils/shift/day can be produced from 135 kg of waste paper, with a maximum productivity of 64 800 pencils/day. Productivity, operating costs, power consumption, land footprint, machine delivery cost, and number of workers were used to analyze the technical feasibility. The cost-to-profit ratio, cost and profit per pencil, and daily profit were used to evaluate economic sustainability. The amounts of municipal solid waste and recovered paper waste, saved embodied energy, and prevented CO2 emissions were used to analyze environmental sustainability. The number of workers and labor costs were used to evaluate human development and social sustainability. The machines required for the remanufacturing line are considered sufficiently mature, remanufactured pencils are less expensive to produce than wooden pencils, and the proposed process minimizes the amount of waste paper sent to landfills and avoids the use of new wood for producing pencils, thereby satisfying technical, economic, and environmental sustainability, respectively. The final sustainability index of 0.9 is considered very high and sufficient for operating a profitable, sustainable business with a profit of 252–583 USD/day.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Ărramăt: an example of Indigenous Peoples’ holistic approach of health and well-being
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 10
    Status quo frameworks are highly Eurocentric and narrow in scope protecting; biodiversity conservation in many parts of the world and reflect a kind of dichotomized conservation that has created and perpetuated patterns of poverty, food insecurity, and socio-economic marginalization, particularly among Indigenous Peoples. By dichotomized conservation, we mean an approach to conservation that is not taking into consideration the intrinsic interdependence of environment, people, and all the species. It is the management of conservation of different ecosystems and species separately. This framework is opposed to the Indigenous approach to conservation in which people cannot think about their health and well-being without thinking about the health and well-being of Mother Earth. New conceptualizations of biodiversity are needed that are holistic in nature and confront these historical and systemic patterns of exclusion of Indigenous Peoples.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Conserving at-risk aquatic species in agricultural drains
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 10
    Many of Canada’s waterways are modified by the deepening and straightening of stream channels, converting them into agricultural drains to create arable land. While these agricultural drains support diverse aquatic communities and provide important habitat for species at risk, current policies allow for maintenance activities that threaten the survival and longevity of at-risk fish populations. Using three case studies from Ontario, we highlight current challenges to protecting aquatic species at risk in agricultural drains and potential conservation actions that can be taken to protect and restore aquatic species at risk and their habitat within those drains. Conservation actions may vary from ecological modeling to collaborative development of mitigation techniques, and restoration of naturalized habitat in anticipation of future alterations. We provide nine recommendations (including improved legislation, permitting, mitigation, and compliance) on how to better conserve and protect aquatic species at risk in agricultural drains in the future.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Fishing in turbulent waters: resilience, risk, and trust in British Columbia’s declining commercial salmon fishery
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 17
    The impacts fishing communities face as a result of declining fisheries productivity and access may largely hinge on measurable attributes of their social resilience. Wild-origin Pacific salmon populations have been in a marked decline since the 1960s, resulting in progressively declining access for many commercial fisheries. More recent acute stressors have caused appreciable tribulation to commercial fishers in British Columbia, raising concern over their capacity to remain viable in the industry, and underscoring the need to examine the fishery under a social resilience framework. Here, we coupled an online survey instrument with in-depth interviews to assess commercial salmon fishers’ social resilience, socioeconomic characteristics, risk perceptions, trust in fishery management, and the relationships between these variables. Our results show that social resilience is low overall, with older, more experienced, and less diversified fishers being particularly vulnerable to declining salmon access. While 73% of fishers reported having plans to adapt to future declines in salmon access, 92% reported feeling that there are barriers impeding their adaptation, and 75% reported having no trust in fisheries management helping them adapt. Fishers’ social resilience was positively correlated with their trust in, and perceived trust from fisheries management.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Transport does not influence maximum metabolic rate or thermal tolerance of endangered redside dace (Clinostomus elongatus)
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 9
    Reintroduction is an important tool in the conservation and recovery of aquatic species at risk. However, components of the reintroduction process such as transportation have the potential to induce physiological stress and the extent to which preparatory techniques can mitigate this stress is poorly understood in small-bodied fishes. To address this concern, we studied the effect of transport on two fitness-related performance measures: maximum metabolic rate and thermal tolerance in redside dace (Clinostomus elongatus), an imperilled small-bodied stream fish native to eastern North America. Prior to transportation, we manipulated the body condition of redside dace over a 12-week period, by providing either low (1% of their total body mass) or high (2% of their total body mass) rations. The goal of this manipulation was to influence body condition, as higher body condition can enhance physiological performance. Subsequently, redside dace were transported for varying durations: 0, 3, and 6 h. Following transportation, we measured maximum metabolic rate (µmol/h) and thermal tolerance (CTmax, °C). Our results indicate that neither transport nor body condition had a significant effect on maximum metabolic rate or thermal tolerance (CTmax). These findings provide preliminary evidence that redside dace can physiologically tolerate transport based on the endpoints measured and this information may possibly be extended to other small-bodied fish, for which information is lacking.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    An integrated assessment of impacts to ecosystem services associated with prairie pothole wetland drainage quantifying wide-ranging losses
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 15
    In many regions, a tradeoff exists between draining wetlands to support the expansion of agricultural land, and conserving wetlands to maintain their valuable ecosystem services. Decisions about wetland drainage are often made without identifying the impacts on the services these systems provide. We address this gap through a novel assessment of impacts on ecosystem services via wetland drainage in the Canadian prairie landscape. Draining pothole wetlands has large impacts, but sensitivity varies among the indicators considered. Loss of water storage increased the magnitude of median annual flows, but absolute increases with drainage were higher for larger, less frequent events. Total phosphorus exports increased in concert with streamflow. Our analysis suggested disproportionate riparian habitat losses with the first 30% of wetland area drained. Dabbling ducks and wetland-associated bird abundances respond strongly to the loss of small wetland ponds; abundances were predicted to decrease by half with the loss of only 20%–40% of wetland area. This approach to evaluating changes to key wetland ecosystem services in a large region where wetland drainage is ongoing can be used with an economic valuation of the drainage impacts, which should be weighed against the benefits associated with agricultural expansion.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    The state of plant conservation in Canada: a survey of practitioners
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 13
    Plants make up more than one quarter of all species listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act, but very few have improved in status over time. Ineffective legal protections, lack of public awareness, difficulties in prioritizing species, and a scarcity of research relevant to the recovery of plant species at risk are some of the many challenges facing effective plant conservation in Canada. We used an online survey to ask 243 people who work in plant conservation or who do research in plant ecology or evolution to assess the state of plant conservation in Canada and to identify the actions needed to improve it. Most respondents agreed that Canada is underperforming or merely average when it comes to conserving plants. Based on their responses, we outline a set of recommendations that could form the basis of a national strategy for plant conservation in Canada. These include greater advocacy for habitat protection, connecting researchers with funding opportunities, supporting graduate students working on research related to plant conservation, increasing public awareness of plants, collaborating with and respecting Indigenous knowledge holders, promoting collaboration between researchers and local conservation groups, and increasing capacity to assess the status of species that are potentially at risk.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Determining reasonable response actions following a fly ash spill in the headwaters of Banff National Park, Canada
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 13
    It can be challenging for practitioners to determine reasonable response actions following an environmental spill because there are risks associated with the recovery process, acute constraints on time, and few case studies available from antecedent events. Here, we evaluate environmental risk using a screening level assessment (SLA) and describe risk management actions during the response phase of a train derailment that released 600 tonnes of fly ash into a headwater creek in Banff National Park, Canada. Trace metal concentrations and physico-chemical parameters from downstream of the derailment site were compared to Canadian environmental quality guidelines and upstream reference values. There was a 1–2.2-fold exceedance of sediment quality guidelines (As, Cd, and Se) as well as a 3.6–17.5-fold exceedance of water quality guidelines (Al, Cd, Fe, and turbidity) downstream of the train derailment. Despite uncertainty about site-specific toxicity when using a SLA, we did require the removal of the settled fly ash from the creek based on the multiple exceedances of guidelines, regulatory context, wilderness setting, and potential contribution to cumulative effects downstream. Case studies that evaluate risk and describe risk management actions help practitioners make consistent and efficient decisions during the response phase of a spill.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Seasonal movement and habitat use of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) near the northern geographic range extent
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 15
    The movement ecology of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in watersheds at the northern geographic range extent is not well understood. We implanted 54 Bull Trout with acoustic transmitters in the Prairie Creek watershed, Northwest Territories, Canada and tracked fish from July 2011 to October 2012 using 19 stationary hydrophones. Bull Trout movement patterns generally corresponded to two groups, as a result of individual variation within and across seasons. The first group exhibited seasonal variations in movement and habitat use, moving most (range 11.7–115.9 km) and occupying the largest home ranges in summer and autumn, while exhibiting little movement during winter and spring. The second group made negligible movements within seasons and resided in localized areas. Restricted movement in winter resulted in a severe range contraction. The average distance moved within a season was 11.5 km (range 0.3–64.9 km per fish). The unusually high prevalence of stationarity in this watershed suggest fish can complete all life processes (spawning, feeding, and rearing) in short reaches (<10 km) of Prairie Creek and tributaries. We encourage researchers to replicate our work in other northern watersheds to determine if the life history we describe represents a regional divergence from more southerly populations.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Assessing species at risk legislation across Canadian provinces and territories
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 18
    Canada’s provinces and territories govern species at risk across most of Canada, with the federal Species at Risk Act generally covering only aquatic species, migratory birds, and species living on federal land. More than a decade after a 2012 report by the environmental law charity Ecojustice on species at risk protection in Canada, we use the same criteria to evaluate the current state of provincial and territorial species at risk legislation, and we provide updates on changes in each jurisdiction since 2012. These criteria are as follows: whether at-risk species are being identified, whether these species are being protected, whether their habitat is being protected, and whether species recovery plans are being created and implemented. We find that there is considerable variation across jurisdictions, with shortcomings that result in inadequate protections for at-risk species, as well as strong components that should be adopted by all jurisdictions. We recommend seven key areas for improvement: dedicated and harmonized legislation, limited discretionary power, increased embrace of scientific and Indigenous knowledge, appropriate timelines for actions, reasonable exemptions to protections, habitat protection across land ownership types, and transparency throughout the process. We urge policymakers to address current shortcomings as they work toward meeting Canada’s biodiversity conservation commitments.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Helping land trusts prepare for a new climate: experiences of challenges and facilitators for translating knowledge about climate change adaptation in Ontario, Canada
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 18
    The environment is changing under the impact of climate change, but many Ontario land trusts still operate with the goal of maintaining historic patterns of biodiversity. This misalignment of conditions and goals may render the important work of these land trusts less effective. To help improve this situation, we conducted several knowledge translation activities to inform Ontario land trusts about possible climate change adaptation options. Throughout the knowledge translation activities, we collected participants’ comments and examined them with hypothesis and descriptive coding to reveal data about challenges and facilitators, which we grouped into themes with pattern coding. The results helped us identify challenges and facilitators that land trusts experience when participating in climate change knowledge translation and attempting to adapt to climate change. The challenges include a lack of resources, limited technical skills and species knowledge, and competing priorities and perspectives. Facilitators include a general interest in climate change, use of tools for adaptation planning, and resource sharing. To increase climate change adaptability in the Ontario land trust sector, we recommend greater collaboration between land trusts, modest modifications to existing conservation actions, shifting from passive to active conservation, and moving from species-level to community and ecosystem function conservation goals.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    An expert opinion process to prioritize One Health information needs during a zoonotic disease outbreak
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 13
    There is a global movement to implement a One Health approach across sectors to holistically address emerging issues that have implications for public, animal, and environmental health. The operationalization of a One Health model can support knowledge sharing and build an evidence base for designing research programs and decision-making tools to evaluate and mitigate intersectoral health challenges. In late 2021, the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 2.3.4.4b was detected in eastern Canada, and subsequently spread throughout the flyways of North America. Given the multiyear persistence of the current HPAIV in Europe and the continued detections in North America, Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners recognized the need to prioritize HPAIV-related information needs to inform future decision-making and management. In early 2023, we carried out an expert opinion exercise with partners from across One Health domains and expertise to prioritize information needs related to the conservation and management of migratory birds in Canada. The results informed on-the-ground programming for migratory bird activities in 2023 and onwards. The process illustrates how a One Health lens can be applied with a conservation focal point, using dedicated facilitation to synthesize expert opinions across groups with non-overlapping mandates.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Provincial diffusion, national acceptance: the transfer of conservation easement policy in Canada
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 11
    Conservation easements (CEs) are a private land conservation (PLC) tool, with landowners voluntarily selling property rights to an outside entity (governmental or nongovernmental). Pioneered in the USA, CEs were operationalized in the late 1980s, and by 2001, legislation had swept across Canada. I asked how did subnational Canadian CE policy develop? I analyzed Hansard records and interviewed government officials, finding coercion from the Federal government and environmental nongovernmental organizations (eNGOs), with transfer being ideologically, geographically, and temporally uneven. CE legislation reveals a fundamental shift in how subnational governments were trying to enhance biodiversity conservation, specifically by legitimizing PLC and non-state partners. Interestingly, this study both confirms, and pushes back against, previous Canadian policy transfer studies. I found a lack of formal subnational policy networks and an increased role of subnational policy innovators unlike previous studies, while the substantial U.S. influence align with older policy cases. ENGOs were the most active proponents to push for CE legislation, not policymakers or foreign states. Ultimately, Canadian federalism creates unique subnational policy arenas that require further study to understand the movement of conservation policy, especially with the crises of biodiversity and climate.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Food Systems Innovation to Nurture Equity and Resilience Globally (Food SINERGY): insights from the Food SINERGY network
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 15
    The international collaboration network Food Systems Innovation to Nurture Equity and Resilience Globally (Food SINERGY) unites food system experts concerned with the confluence of environmental, geopolitical, economic, and public health stressors that weaken food systems and increase inequalities. In March 2023, Food SINERGY participants from universities, research institutes, food policy advocacy groups, Indigenous networks, farmers’ associations, consumer organizations, social enterprises, and non-governmental organizations from around the world met in Mont Orford, Québec, for a forum to revisit food system structures across local-to-global scales and to identify key junctures for transformation. This article summarizes the network's discussions in the context of the existing literature. Key knowledge contributions include the importance of diversification throughout the food system for cultivating resilience; the value of food sovereignty in promoting equity across scales; the reconciliation between food sovereignty and equitable trade; the need for consonance between policy environments at different scales to enable positive societal actions; the pioneering role of food system innovations that challenge conventional political and economic structures, with emphasis on agroecology; and the need for critical self-reflection around knowledge production and knowledge use to better serve equitable food systems. These discussion outcomes provide insights for actors seeking to transform food systems in support of equity and resilience.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    A One Health perspective on recreational fisheries
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 9
    Recreational fisheries involve an intimate connection between people, individual fish, and the environment. Recreational fishers and their health crucially depend on healthy fish and ecosystems. Similarly, fish and ecosystems can be impacted by the activities of people including recreational fishers. Thus, amplified by the global interest in recreational fishing, we posit that recreational fishing is particularly suited as an empirical system to explore a One Health perspective, with a goal of creating pathways to better manage such socio-ecological systems for the benefit of people, fish, and the environment. Although zoonoses are uncommon in fishes, fish can carry pathogens, biotoxins, or contaminants that are harmful to people. When captured and released, fish can experience stress and injuries that may promote pathogen development. Similarly, when humans contribute to environmental degradation, not only are fish impacted but so are the humans that depend on them for nutrition, livelihoods, culture, and well-being. Failure to embrace the One Health perspective for recreational fisheries has the potential to negatively impact the health of fish, fisheries, people, society, and the aquatic environment—especially important since these complex social–ecological systems are undergoing rapid change.
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    No evidence of migration in a 4-year study of an at-risk migratory fish—the centenarian bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus) of Saskatchewan
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 10
    The bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus, Valenciennes 1844) is a long-lived freshwater fish native to North America that is listed as a species of special concern in its Saskatchewan-Nelson range. Little is known about their ecology and behavior, especially in the Saskatchewan Qu'Appelle River system where it faces multiple threats such as habitat fragmentation and competition with invasive species. In this study, we used acoustic telemetry to track the movements of 44 bigmouth buffalo throughout the Qu'Appelle River system in 2017–2019, and 2021, to monitor migration patterns from spring to fall and investigate if any of the five dams were impeding their ability to access either breeding or overwintering grounds. We found that bigmouth buffalo demonstrated minimal use of the river during this 4-year study, instead staying within the confines of a single lake year-round. Our results suggest that bigmouth buffalo in the Qu'Appelle River do not exhibit migratory behavior during nonflooding years. Considering their extended lifespan (>125 years), this could be attributed to their potential bet-hedging strategy for spawning primarily during flood years. The results indicate that bigmouth buffalo voluntarily remained within Buffalo Pound Lake throughout the study period. Whether this behavior was natural or was influenced by modifications to the system’s hydrology requires further investigation.
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    Drivers of high rates of carbon burial in a riverine-influenced freshwater marsh in the Long Point Walsingham Priority Place of southern Ontario
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 14
    Reported rates of soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation in wetlands are markedly higher over recent versus longer timescales, caused by SOC losses through decomposition, paleoenvironmental changes, and recent increases in sedimentation or biomass production. Explaining changes in SOC sequestration rates and determining the time horizon over which high rates are sustained are both critical for accurately measuring the potential for wetland conservation as a natural climate solution. Here, we present analyses on a 4-m core from a riverine-influenced marsh in Big Creek watershed, southern Ontario, to track changes in SOC accumulation regimes. Since wetland initiation ∼5700 years ago, mean long-term (pre-industrial) rates of SOC accumulation were 24 g C m−2 year−1, and recent rates up to four times higher. We demonstrate that elevated recent rates of SOC accumulation are largely explained by more labile carbon in surficial soils, and are sustained for less than a century before transitioning to slower burial rates of predominantly recalcitrant organic matter. However, there are exceptions to this trend, such as when labile SOC was buried intermittently during Holocene Lake Erie highstands. Our research underscores the importance of organic matter type and hydroclimatic context in predicting long-term potential for marsh soils to stabilize atmospheric carbon.
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    The decline of walleye populations: an ecological tipping point?
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 17
    Walleye/ogaa (Sander vitreus (Mitchill)) (hereafter, walleye; ogaa = Ojibwe translation) populations have historically supported important multi-use, harvest-oriented fisheries. Despite intensive management, walleye populations have declined in the midwestern United States raising concerns about the sustainability of the species. Numerous factors have been implicated in walleye population declines, including climate change, habitat loss, invasive species, species-interactions, production overharvest (i.e., harvest consistently exceeding annual production), and changing angler behaviors. These factors have negatively influenced natural recruitment and contributed to depensatory recruitment dynamics. I provide a review and perspective suggesting that the current trajectory of walleye populations is at or nearing an ecological tipping point. Although fish populations are often considered compensatory (i.e., negatively density-dependent), current walleye populations appear prone to depensation (i.e., positive density dependence). My review and perspective suggest that a compensatory management perspective for walleye is misaligned. A change in management towards a depensatory resource focus using ecosystem-based fisheries management and the recognition of walleye fisheries as social–ecological systems is needed for conservation. If compensatory management ensues, walleye persistence will likely be further threatened because many drivers of change are outside of managerial control, and those commonly used within managerial control have seemingly been ineffective for sustaining or rehabilitating naturally reproducing walleye populations.
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    Decolonizing Indigenous science: Bees and Indigenous sovereignty
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 11
    In this conceptual paper, we argue that the assumptions behind laboratory and field studies are that chemical and compositional analysis may reveal structures unseen by means of human observation. However, replacing human observation to make it obsolete is not the purpose of science; if something can be seen, but is not measurable, that does not make it irrelevant. Although science is frequently primarily regarded as a quantitative field, we argue that qualitative data inclusion is necessary determine the consequences of research on Indigenous communities. We discuss key points, including historical and anthropocentric views of science, suggesting that Indigenous Science requires greater wisdom-based knowledge in association with traditional ecological knowledge. We introduce a new conceptual model called “Pollen Sovereignty”, a sister to Indigenous food sovereignty, to begin critical discussions around the ethics of field research and the impacts of research on the environment, land management, and Indigenous communities. That is, through simple scientific concepts, critical thought, and logic new conceptual frameworks and avenues of research, Indigenous knowledges cannot merely be coopted and reused, but respected and valued.
  • OPEN ACCESS
    Protection of seabed sediments in Canada's marine conservation network for potential climate change mitigation co-benefit
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 14
    Marine conserved areas (MCAs) can provide a range of ecological and socio-economic benefits, including climate change mitigation from the protection and enhancement of natural carbon storage. Canada's MCA network is expanding to encompass 30% of its Exclusive Economic Zone by 2030. At present, the network aims to integrate climate change mitigation by protecting coastal vegetated blue carbon ecosystems (saltmarsh, seagrass, kelp). Here, we argue that incorporating unvegetated seabed sediments could bring similar benefits. Seabed sediments can store and/or accumulate high densities of organic carbon, and due to their large spatial extent, contain carbon stores orders of magnitude larger than coastal vegetated habitats. We estimate that currently designated MCAs encompass only 10.8% of Canada's seabed sediment organic carbon stocks on the continental margin, and only 13.4% of areas with high carbon densities. Proposed MCAs would cover an additional 8.8% and 6.1% of total stocks and high carbon areas, respectively. We identify an additional set of high-priority seabed areas for future research and potential protection, ranking their importance based on carbon stocks, proxies for lability, and ecological/biological significance. The incorporation of seabed sediments into MCA networks could support climate change mitigation by preventing future releases of stored carbon.
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    Does regulation delay mines? A timeline and economic benefit audit of British Columbia mines
    FACETS • Vol. 9 • pp. 1 - 12
    Seeking to capitalize on a surge in global demand for critical minerals, the Canadian mining sector claims that regulatory processes like Environmental Assessment (EA) impede and delay mining’s economic benefits. This paper investigates whether regulation has delayed mining projects and how much economic benefit mines have delivered in British Columbia (BC), focusing the mines’ performance post-EA. We audit the 27 mines granted an EA certificate in BC since 1995 and projected to open by 2022, comparing each mine’s forecasted and actual timelines and economic benefits (production, employment, and taxes), and identifying publicly-stated reasons for any mine delays. Seven of the 27 mines opened on time: 13 remain non-operational, and of the 14 mines that have operated, seven were delayed. Regulation was cited as a factor in only three of the 20 delayed projects; economic factors like commodity prices were the most common cause of delay. Lack of data and transparency on economic benefits significantly constrained our benefit audit, but BC mines for which data are available are underperforming across production (−77%), employment (−82%), and tax revenue (−100%). These findings suggest economic underperformance and mine delays post-EA are common, with delays typically resulting from economic factors, not government regulations.
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    Hopeful insights from wildlife recoveries in Canada
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 17
    Facing the global biodiversity crisis, conservation practitioners and decision-makers seek to catalyze wildlife recoveries in their region. Here we examined social-ecological attributes related to threatened species recovery in Canada. First, we used a retrospective approach to compare the trajectories of the original species assessed by Canada’s species-at-risk committee and found that only eight of 36 species now have decreased extinction risk relative to the past. There were no significant differences in human or financial capacity provided for recovery across species doing better, the same, or worse; the only significant difference was whether the primary cause of decline was alleviated or not. Second, when looking at species assessed at least twice between 2000 and 2019 we found that only eight of 422 (1.9%) experienced both increasing abundance and decreasing extinction risk. The defining characteristic of successful recoveries was first alleviating the original cause of decline, which was most often accomplished through strong regulatory intervention. Once declines were halted, practical interventions were highly species-specific. It is instructive to learn from conservation successes to scale resources appropriately and our results emphasize the importance of threat-specific intervention as a fundamental precursor to the successful restoration of biodiversity in Canada.
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    Ratchet effects revisited: power effects and systematic bias in natural resource management
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 10
    Regulatory ratchets arise when governance appears to be effective, but actually masks a steady loss of natural capital. This occurs when biases in environmental impact assessment (EIA) systematically underestimate the true impact of large developments, generated by statistical convention fixing α at 0.05 (Type 1 error or false positive rate; i.e., the probability of concluding that a development will have an impact when there is none) while β, the false negative rate (failing to detect a true impact, or Type 2 error), is often fixed at 0.2. This asymmetry (β > α) generates a higher likelihood of mistakenly permitting development than mistakenly preventing it. Beyond statistical bias in EIA, routine environmental regulations are often ineffective due to low compliance, inadequate thresholds, and broad exemptions, which tend to cryptically institutionalize net loss. Measuring bias and inefficiency of environmental regulation is foundational to correcting regulatory ratchets and identifying pathways towards no net loss. Like net loss from major developments, cumulative net loss from inadequate routine environmental protections also needs to be estimated and offset by active habitat restoration; this should be delivered as a core program of resource management agencies, with the goal of fully integrating the mitigation hierarchy into routine natural resource governance.
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    Anthropogenic impacts on seagrass habitat connectivity: a model to explore potential links between human activity and marine invertebrate metapopulation persistence
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 15
    Coastal ecosystems face numerous stressors from anthropogenic activities. Furthermore, local stressors that directly impact ecological processes in one location can scale up to have indirect regional consequences. In the case of dispersing marine invertebrates, human activity may impact dispersal and survival rates, which can then alter connectivity patterns and metapopulation dynamics across the seascape. Here, we developed a framework to model metapopulation persistence of seagrass-associated invertebrates in the Salish Sea, focusing primarily on British Columbia, Canada. We combined a biophysical model of dispersal with metrics of habitat naturalness to model how local human activities that may impact dispersal can alter habitat connectivity patterns and potentially impact regional metapopulation persistence. We found that human activities that potentially impact dispersal can reduce population persistence across a region, although the effect varied based on location, population dynamics, and severity of the impacts modeled. The majority of populations, however, remained persistent, suggesting that there are robust and redundant pathways of dispersal that can maintain population connectivity in the face of local disturbances. This study highlights the importance of understanding human impacts and connectivity together in a regional context which could have implications for future marine spatial planning and the effective management of biodiversity.
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    What are Canadians willing to pay for bird habitat conservation? A contingent valuation approach
    FACETS • Vol. 10 • pp. 1 - 15
    The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) is an international agreement between the Governments of Canada, the United States, and Mexico to coordinate the conservation and restoration of wetlands, associated uplands, and other key habitats for waterfowl and other bird species. To understand public support of NAWMP goals, we conducted a survey of Canadians (n = 2324) and asked about their willingness to make a one-time donation to NAWMP using the contingent valuation method (CVM). Results demonstrate that almost one-third were willing to donate to NAWMP to protect and conserve bird habitats. Parametric analysis of CVM responses provides a mean one-time donation estimate of roughly $33.00 per person. We found that participation in birdwatching is associated with higher willingness to donate to NAWMP, and that this association is stronger among people who participate in multiple outdoor recreation activities. Financial support is more likely to be captured by a variety of donation mechanisms. Fundraising communications that promote purchase of conservation lands, or conservation on public lands, science, and education/outreach programs are more likely to attract donors than conservation on private lands. These findings provide important insights that can assist conservation groups in Canada and beyond in formulating public engagement strategies to enhance revenues from voluntary donations.