Evaluation of the remedial actions in the Toronto and Region Area of concern

The Toronto and Region Area of Concern (TRAOC) has been one of the most polluted sites in the Great Lakes posing health risks to millions of people. The Remedial Action Plan (RAP) has made significant progress towards restoring the system and meeting the delisting targets. Yet, several critical questions still need to be addressed, such as: How close is the Toronto ecosystem currently to meeting the TRAOC RAP delisting criteria? What additional research and assessment will be required to guide remedial actions? Which attributes best reflect the integrity and health of the ecosystem? To answer these questions, my plan is to apply a novel modelling framework that combines the Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) software with Bayesian analysis. The results of this research will be particularly useful to local stakeholders and regulatory agencies when making decisions regarding the progress of TRAOC toward reaching a sustainable desirable state.

Faculty Supervisor:

D. George Arhonditsis

Student:

Monir Hossain

Partner:

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

Environmental industry

University:

University of Toronto

Program: