Marine species are threatened by a growing number of human activities occurring in our seas and oceans. Understanding the consequences of pollution, for instance, requires combining information relative to the distribution of pollutants in marine environments with information relative to the spatial distribution of marine species. Our project aims at creating a framework for the assessment of marine species exposure to pollutants such as noise, light and toxic chemical compounds. The project consists of two phases: framework design and testing.

The mining industry forms an integral part to the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador. The island of Newfoundland is particularly important to the NL mining industry, as it houses several active mining operations, as well as minerals exploration and developments in several areas including the Baie Verte peninsula.

Locally-caught freshwater fish is a healthy and important source of protein, especially for First Nation peoples living in remote communities across northern Ontario, where access to affordable fresh produce is limited. However, some of these fish have elevated concentrations of chromium (Cr), a potentially toxic metal that is abundant in the surrounding bedrock. Not all forms of Cr, however, are toxic to humans and the main goal of our study is to develop a method to differentiate the begin form of Cr (Cr3) from the toxic form (Cr6).

This project will use customer data, and laboratory and field testing to examine and improve the ability of a carbon dioxide flux chamber to measure gas emissions underneath snow in order to provide monitoring of remote, harsh weather environments. Reliable gas emission measurements during the winter could provide Important infonnatlon about climate change.

People world-wide spends about 87% of their time indoor. Furthermore, indoor pollutants can generate health risks; the smallest the pollutants diameter is and the higher the chance of an impact to the human health. Thus, it is critical to assess the amount and the dimension of particulates present in indoor environments, such as homes, offices, hospitals, libraries, etc. uHoo is an international company dedicated to the development of a low-cost indoor air quality sensor. Their sensors are currently available for purchase from both private and public associations.

This MITACs proposal seeks funding to establish an internship cluster dedicated to development and testing of novel semiochemical solutions with potential for worldwide distribution and sales. The objective of this three-year project is to enable successful development, testing and commercialization of effective and environmentally-responsible pheromone-based detection and mitigation products that will complement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies for controlling insect pests in agriculture and forestry within Atlantic Canada and beyond.

Salt marshes are intertidal ecosystems found on sheltered temperate marine coastlines which are known to provide a range of ecosystem services. These services include storm surge and flood protection, and carbon storage, which have been identified as valuable services to help coastal communities prepare for and fight against climate change. Salt marshes are good sinks for atmospheric carbon dioxide relative to their small size due to their ability to trap and bury organic matter in their soils.

As part of the Masters of Arts in Sustainability Studies Program at Trent University, the graduate intern will engage in a community-based research group that looks into the local community needs at Haliburton, Ontario. Specifically, the graduate intern will work with a host partner organization, Abbey Gardens Community Trust, to understand the local food security needs arising from the harsh local climate, as well as to procure adequate project resources to implement a community greenhouse project with the host partner.

My master’s project in partnership with InnoTech Alberta will be assessing potential effects of industrial activity from in-situ oil and gas extraction on carnivore and white-tailed deer populations in northeastern Alberta. Deer populations have been increasing for the past fifty years and two of the leading causes are attributed to climate change and human disturbance.

The University of Saskatchewan (U of S) specializes in developing and building instruments which make detailed measurements of the composition of the atmosphere. These measurements provide a key link to the Earth’s climate system and are important in estimating and predicting air quality. The U of S has partnered with ABB Inc. to develop an instrument called LIFE which measures greenhouse gases. This internship will focus on developing software to control and acquire data from the instrument. The intern will study LIFE and the programming system used by ABB.