Framework for assessing environmental threats to marine endangered species and creating shipping management scenarios

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. Testing scenarios will be focused on cetacean species (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) exposure to ship-related impacts such as noise and ship strike. However, this approach could be applied to other oceanic sources of pollution.

Faculty Supervisor:

Rodolphe Devillers

Student:

Simone Cominelli

Partner:

Esri Canada

Discipline:

Geography / Geology / Earth science

Sector:

Environmental industry

University:

Program: