Agricultural production of crops requires an intensive amount of inputs that go beyond just planting the seed, such as fertilizers, pesticides and biological inoculants. As the need to produce a greater quantity of crops increases with the population, it is our duty to ensure we are using these inputs efficiently. Our research will examine how commercial products and fertilization strategies common to the Canadian Prairies can influence overall crop productivity within a glasshouse study.
Post-secondary education, if community-led and projects-based, has the potential to transform education, food and housing policy, as well as build capacity locally in Brokenhead First Nation compared to two First Nations lacking road access. This partnership will explore optimal solutions to resolve development challenges through applied adult education, particularly applied to housing, food and community development.
In collaboration between Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and Beaver Meadow Farms (BMF), we propose to investigate the invasive foreign red seaweed Mazzaella Japonica as a food additive for ruminant livestock, primarily cattle. BMF is a multi-faceted agricultural company based on northern Vancouver Island built around organic pasture-raised cattle but also the harvest of storm-cast Mazzaella Japonica.
Research problem: Reclamation practices in regions known to be undergoing rapid climate change must consider what adaptive measures could be implemented to maximize short-term reclamation success and long-term resilience of reclaimed sites. Objectives: I will investigate how a multi-scale ecological classification system can be used to predict regeneration success of different forest tree species at reclamation sites in north-central Yukon.
The wild food system of northern Quebec is a critical natural resource, health resource, and cultural resource of the people of Eeyou Istchee and Nunavik, which has and will be impacted by climate change in many, diverse ways. The research proposed here seeks to identify the likely climate change impacts on key wild food species as well as the adaptation strategies that enable the maintenance of traditional food security in changing environments.
This project involves in depth interviews of HR/line managers as well as skilled migrant employees in 3 organizations. Our focus is on understanding current issues and challenges related to inclusion and integration of skilled migrants locally. Our goal is offer actionable practical suggestions in terms of how identified challenges may be addressed in the future. Specifically, we are interested in providing advice around better inclusion practices and in depth understanding of current issues from multiple perspectives.
Many forest carnivores in British Columbia (BC) meet their nutritional requirements by preying on squirrels, hares and grouse. Although considerable effort has gone into studying the predator species, there is a substantial information gap on the habitat needs of their prey items. Knowledge of prey species habitat requirements provides another important dimension to our ability to manage for both them and their predators. Staff at the John Prince Research Forest near Fort St.
The Mixedwood Growth Model (MGM) is used by forest managers in estimating growth and yield outcomes for common boreal tree species in North America. MGM has been shown to effectively model both managed and unmanaged stands in Alberta and surrounding regions. Currently, climate effects are not accounted for in growth functions used in MGM. Recent work for black spruce has shown that there is need to understand and model the effect of climate for other boreal tree species including white spruce, aspen, balsam poplar, lodgepole pine and jack pine.
Bats are a crucial part of healthy ecosystems, providing vast economic benefits through control of forest, agricultural and human pest insects (including mosquitoes!). Unfortunately, bat populations face many threats, including an exotic fungus causing white-nose syndrome, which is lethal to bats. It is important to understand how we can enhance bat habitats so they can successfully raise young an essential part of maintaining or recovering populations. Our proposed work will support a MSc student who will compare maternity colonies in the Okanagan and Kootenay regions of BC.
In forestry, the two major costs of delivering wood to the mill are the costs of forest road construction and transportation of harvested wood. Given the magnitude of the costs involved, and the complexity of the planning problem, computer optimization models are used. In this research project, we have outlined a research plan by which current, state-of-the-art algorithms can be used to improve how we model and solve this important problem.
