Assessing the lice cleaning efficacy and diet of lumpfish in Canadian Atlantic salmon sea cages using metabarcoding and conventional diet analysis

The salmon aquaculture industry is a highly profitable industry, known to contribute significantly to the Canadian economy. During this time an ectoparasite called the sea louse may infect the salmon leading to animal welfare concerns a significant economic loss. Lumpfish are a species of cleaner fish used as a biological control for sea lice and […]

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The role of Peyer’s patches in mycotoxicity

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites from mold that commonly contaminate cereal and livestock feed crops around the world. The consumption of mycotoxins contributes to substantial economic losses to the livestock industry due to reduced productivity and health. There are over 500 different classes of mycotoxins, many of which have unknown mechanisms of action (MOA). Adding mycotoxin […]

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Assessing the effectiveness of customer management efforts on profitability in the insurance industry

To have a strategic advantage over competitors, companies have been encouraged to adopt customer-centric, value added processes and capabilities. Firms allocate resources to train their employees in the necessary skills to build and maintain healthy relationships with their customers, yet little is understood on how investments in training impacts a firm’s performance. The objective of […]

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Root associated microbiome of trees growing in a fractured bedrock toluene phytoremediation site

Phytoremediation is a promising in-situ technology that uses plants and its associated microorganisms (particularly bacteria and fungi) to clean up contaminated soils. The efficacy of these processes however, requires an in-depth knowledge on the diversity of microbial communities closely interacting with plant roots. Several studies have demonstrated that plants growing in contaminated soils select for […]

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Root associated microbiome of trees growing in a fractured bedrock toluene phytoremediation site – Year two

Phytoremediation is a promising in-situ technology that uses plants and its associated microorganisms (particularly bacteria and fungi) to clean up contaminated soils. The efficacy of these processes however, requires an in-depth knowledge on the diversity of microbial communities closely interacting with plant roots. Several studies have demonstrated that plants growing in contaminated soils select for […]

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Advancing biomonitoring eDNA practices. The case of PCR inhibition and implications on eDNA detections

Conventional biomonitoring methods based on capture and observations can be difficult, destructive of habitat, stressful for the organisms, inefficient, and expensive. Living organisms shed DNA into the environment (eDNA) and this signal can be detected using molecular methods. eDNA allows species detection without physical observation or capture. The non-invasive nature of eDNA is essential for […]

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Advancing biomonitoring eDNA practices. The case of PCR inhibition and implications on eDNA detections – Year Two

Conventional biomonitoring methods based on capture and observations can be difficult, destructive of habitat, stressful for the organisms, inefficient, and expensive. Living organisms shed DNA into the environment (eDNA) and this signal can be detected using molecular methods. eDNA allows species detection without physical observation or capture. The non-invasive nature of eDNA is essential for […]

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Long-term effects of tillage, crop rotation, cover crop, and fertilizer nitrogen on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen storage – Year two

Soil organic matter and soil organic carbon (SOC) are the important drivers of soil health. Although winter wheat and red clover have improved the soil health and system resiliency in Ontario (Gaudin et al., 2013), little is known on how quickly changes to soil health can be made and under which management systems. With Federal […]

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Promoting economic development and vitality of rural communities in Ontario

Many rural regions do not have a sufficient labour force providing the skills that rural businesses need. Many job vacancies go unfilled or are filled by less than ideal candidates. This research looks at strategies to attract and retain the workers that Ontario rural communities need to generate economic development and vitality. By engaging local […]

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