Dalhousie University
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Reef design influences habitat provision on a restored oyster reef
No full textHabitat restoration efforts are often limited by cost, making it important that
available funds are used efficiently and effectively to achieve desired restoration
goals. In this study, we evaluate habitat provision for oysters and motile epifauna
on restored oyster reefs in a northwestern Gulf of Mexico estuary constructed
with discrete high vertical relief (~0.6m“reef mounds”) or continuous low vertical
relief (<0.08 m “reef flats”). Habitat provision on reef mounds exceeded that on
reef flats within one month of construction and supported 0.75x higher oyster
density, 2x higher motile epifauna biomass, and 3.6x higher motile epifauna
density one year after construction. Oyster density on reef mounds remained
relatively high throughout the study period, with ~2x higher oyster densities than
reef flats 18 months after construction and ~1.5x higher oyster densities by the
end of the study. Both reef mounds and reef flats increased oyster and epifaunal
densities compared to unrestored areas. Although on-reef oyster densities were
higher on reef mounds than reef flats, the total restored oyster areal density and
volumetric density was higher in restored reef flat areas, primarily because the
restored flats area had no gaps within its restoration boundaries. Our findings
have practical value for better predicting restoration outcomes and achieving
desired restoration goals based on restored oyster reef height, with reef mounds
maximizing on-reef oyster and epifaunal densities and reef flats maximizing the
total number of oysters per area restored or volume of substrate purchased.
Understanding the benefits and tradeoffs between restoration designs will allow
resource managers to improve cost-efficiencies in future restoration projects
Characterization of the relationship between nitric oxide and serotonin in the formation of long-term memory in an invertebrate model
No full textLearning is a process by which all animals modify their behaviors to ensure increased fitness. In the mollusk Aplysia, long-term sensitization (LTS) serves as a prime example of this learning process, where defensive behaviors, such as the tail-siphon withdrawal reflex (TSWR), are heightened for prolonged periods as a result of repeated exposure to noxious stimuli, showcasing the organism's adaptation to experience. This behavioral plasticity is paralleled by neurophysiological changes, including the long-term increase in excitability (LTIE) of tail sensory neurons (TSNs), serving as neural correlates of LTS and providing a window into the cellular and molecular mechanisms sustaining this form of memory. The neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) is known to mediate LTS formation in Aplysia. 5-HT exposure alone can also induce LTS in vivo as well as LTIE in vitro. However, recent findings indicate that the neurotransmitter nitric oxide (NO) is also necessary for LTS formation. However, it is not known where exactly NO lies in the chemical pathway concerning 5-HT. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to investigate NO’s involvement in long-term memory formation in an invertebrate model. More specifically, the way two chemical messengers, NO and 5-HT, work in the brain. Our findings reveal that NO likely functions downstream of 5-HT, as evidenced by the blockage of in vivo LTS formation by L-NAME, an NO inhibitor, despite the presence of 5-HT. Further, we confirm that NO's role is not significant in in vitro long-term increase in excitability (LTIE), reinforcing its specific importance in LTS. In conclusion, our study significantly advances the understanding of LTS in Aplysia by detailing the interactions between NO and 5-HT. Our findings not only advance our understanding of LTS but also open new avenues for memory and learning research, emphasizing the complexity of neurochemical interactions in learning processes.Life SciencesCollege of Scienc
Group consensus with the Analytical Hierarchy Process using singular value decomposition and methods for tensors
No full textThe Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), created by Saaty [12, 13, 15, 14], has been used over the last few decades to enhance the decision making process in several fields of study. Such fields include medicine, computer science, education, and business. AHP uses pairwise comparison matrices (PCM), where the diagonal entries = 1 and for all other entries , = 1/. Consistent pairwise matrices will satisfy the requirements of a PCM, and will also satisfy the consistent property of = ×. Pairwise comparison matrices that are inconsistent may not necessarily be of rank one and will not satisfy the consistent property. Any inconsistent PCM will have an approximate consistent version. Solving a PCM means determining the individual weights of the criteria. Saaty’s Eigenvector method can be used on consistent PCMs to determine the weight vector, but is unreliable for those that are inconsistent. Gass and Rapscak [10] proposed a new method of determining weights through SVD, which is applicable to pairwise comparison matrices of varying consistency. This thesis will focus on creating tensors from pairwise comparison matrices. The tensor slices or faces will each be a pairwise comparison matrix. Each slice can be compared to an individual’s relative preference, and the tensor will group all preferences together. Ideally, the individuals will be making a decision on the same topic, but their ”best” choice may not be the same as the other group members. Once the preferences are grouped together, the method of unfolding will be used to further study the tensor. Saaty’s geometric mean method for group consensus will also be observed and compared to the method of unfolding. There are conditions a method must meet to be used for determining group consensus. These conditions will be observed and proven for unfolding. Afterwards, some calculations will be made to compare the methods and understand their differences.Mathematics and StatisticsCollege of Scienc
Methane emissions from southern Texas estuaries
No full textDataset ranging from May 2018 to May 2021 of methane emissions from southern Texas estuaries
Women working overtime: The influence of the second shift discrepancy on relationship and life satisfaction
No full textThe second shift phenomenon can be described as the second unpaid shift of work performed by women after a full paid work shift. Women disproportionally perform more household work even when both men and women in a relationship perform the same working labor hours. With the utilization of Relationship Assessment Scale, Life Satisfaction Assessment, The Second Shift Scale, and Gender Role Stereotype Scale, we will be able to determine if the second shift is influenced by certain factors such as gender role attitudes, religiosity, political affiliation, gender, whether the couple has children, age of children, and relationship status (i.e., married, engaged, dating). We determine if the predictor values and the division of household labor influence relationship satisfaction and life satisfaction for each partner. Through various linear regression analyses, it was found that women who have (younger or older) children compared to women with no children had greater life satisfaction while women who had children predicted lower relationship satisfaction. Interestingly, couples who are not married had higher levels of second shift of household chores, and couples with higher levels of second shift emotional work led to lower women's life satisfaction. Past literature has not investigated the influence of incongruencies in actual versus aspiration second shift for partners on relationship satisfaction in the U.S; therefore, further analysis will focus on couples’ incongruencies of perceived second shift and how it influences men’s and women’s life and relationship satisfaction.Psychology & SociologyCollege of Liberal Art
Pláticas con las meras: Voices of emerging and established Latina leaders' journeys to the superintendency
No full textThe underrepresentation of Latina superintendents in Texas is a pressing concern, as Hispanic students comprise an ever-increasing majority of enrollment in the state's public school districts. This qualitative narrative study explores the perceptions and experiences of current and aspiring Latina superintendents through the lens of intersectionality theory. Employing pláticas, a culturally responsive methodology, seven Latina leaders from South Texas shared their leadership journeys, challenges, and triumphs. Four overarching themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) Overcoming Barriers and Challenges in Work-Life Integration, (2) Mentorship, Support Systems, and Advocacy, (3) Identity, Background, and Representation, and (4) Career Advancement, Qualifications, and Leadership Development. The findings illuminate the complex interplay of personal, professional, and cultural factors that shape Latina superintendents' experiences, underscoring the resilience, determination, and unique strengths they bring to their roles. The study highlights the urgent need for targeted support, mentorship, and inclusive practices to foster Latina leaders' success and address their underrepresentation in the superintendency. Implications for practice, research, and policy are discussed, emphasizing the importance of culturally responsive leadership development, equity-focused hiring practices, and systemic reforms. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on Latina leadership in education, offering a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by Latina superintendents in South Texas. By amplifying the voices and experiences of these leaders, the study aims to inspire and support the next generation of Latinas in their pursuit of educational leadership roles.Educational Leadership, Curriculum & InstructionCollege of Education and Human Developmen
Fighting for Abortion Access in Canada: A Constitutional Analysis
Full text linkAccess to abortion is a controversial matter that creates a labyrinth of polarizing issues. Perspectives on abortion range from anathema to overzealous support, with stakeholders occasionally resorting to legal avenues to control access one way or another. This paper will explore the possibility of protecting and expanding access to abortion through constitutional mechanisms in the Canadian legal landscape. By analyzing Canada\u27s current degree of access, this paper will explain that abortion services for those in need are inadequate. In order to advocate for greater access, this paper examines a multitude of legal tools and doctrines to constitutionally protect access to abortion care in Canada. These tools include recognizing positive rights under sections 7 and 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, protection under the national concern doctrine, and other conventional Charter challenges. However, this paper will ultimately suggest that legal protection is not the most effective strategy. Overall, political and social avenues, rather than legal ones, are more productive paths that can create lasting change in advocating for greater access to abortion
Developing a bioassessment framework to inform tidal stream management along a hydrologically variable coast
No full textTidal streams are spatiotemporally varying areas that encompass tidally influenced limnetic and oligohaline zones within estuaries. These areas are important for many biogeochemical processes and for the life cycles of many fishery species. However, tidal streams are also susceptible to impairment from coastal development and watershed-derived runoff, which potentially affects faunal assemblages within the ecosystem. This study developed indices of biotic integrity (IBIs) for nekton and benthic macroinfauna in tidal streams along the southern Texas coast. Fifteen tidal stream sites with mean salinities ranging from 0.4 to 11.9 were classified as degraded if their surrounding land use was > 20 % urban or agricultural, watershed population density was > 50 km−2, and nutrient and chlorophyll concentrations exceeded specific screening limits. Otherwise, sites were classified as reference. Nekton and benthic macroinfauna communities were then sampled at these fifteen stream sites in 2020 and 2021. Historical metrics and metrics derived from multivariate analyses were considered for inclusion in the IBIs, and were assessed for collinearity, redundancy, suitability for score assignment, and agreement with historical literature. Nine univariate nektonic metrics (including total abundance, number of invertebrate taxa, and the percent abundance of five species, one family, and one functional group) and six benthic macroinfauna metrics (including Shannon’s diversity, total abundance and biomass, and the percent abundance of two taxa and one functional group) were incorporated into separate nektonic and benthic IBIs. Mean IBI scores of reference sites were greater than degraded sites by 42 % for nekton and 30 % for benthic macroinfauna. Seven out of eight reference sites had greater mean nekton IBI scores than the mean scores of all seven degraded sites, while four of eight reference sites had greater benthic IBI scores than all degraded sites. However, overlap in the ranges of scores calculated for degraded and reference sites occurred, which is likely caused by spatiotemporal variability, including stream size variation and the changing climatic and biogeographical gradient along the southern Texas coast. The IBIs developed in this study represent an important preliminary step in bioassessment development for Texas tidal streams, and will help to provide a useful tool for coastal environmental management
When (and Where) is a Crime a Crime? “Double Criminality” as a Principle of Fundamental Justice
Full text linkThe idea that crime crosses borders is fast becoming ordinary, even old hat, particularly in an age of online crime such as ransomware attacks, cyber-extortion and the like. As we have become more geographically mobile, however, it is increasingly common for people to have engaged in criminal conduct in one state1 but then seek to exercise legal rights, or face legal entanglements, in others. Legal questions can then arise about what effect should be given by one state—in this article, Canada—to an individual’s conduct that was, or is alleged to have been, a crime in a foreign state. The inquiry boils down to this: what should the law do in situations where one’s status as a criminal offender crosses borders, or some party or state agency seeks to have it do so? Put another way, in situations where it matters legally that a person has committed a crime, does it matter that the crime was committed in a foreign state? And if so, how do we determine whether that foreign crime should be given legal effect here in Canada
Colin Jackson: Articulation of OSP in Deans Knight
No full textJoin student editor, Christian, for a discussion with Associate Professor and Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) Colin Jackson of the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. Christian and Colin discuss his recent article in Perspectives on Tax Law & Policy, titled, “Articulation of OSP in Deans Knight”. The conversation covers current interpretation of the general anti-avoidance rule and touches on how imminent changes to the rule might shape legal disputes