MacEwan Open Journals (MacEwan University)
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Effects of Thermal Stress on Fluorescence and Dinoflagellate Density in the Captive Coral, Anthelia spp.
No full textThe obligate mutualistic relationship between corals and dinoflagellates is a classic example of symbiosis. Over the last few decades, coral reefs have been devastated by warm temperatures, hence, the necessity to develop a method to predict future mass bleaching events is higher than ever. Fluorescence might be used as an indicator of coral health, but very few studies have attempted to utilize it as a proxy for dinoflagellate density, which was the scope of the present research. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of thermal stress on fluorescence and dinoflagellate density in the captive coral, Anthelia spp.. Over a five-week period, tanks filled with Anthelia spp. underwent gradual increases in temperature, beginning at 28°C and ending at 33°C. Samples were quantified for fluorescence and dinoflagellate density using fluorescence microscopy and a maceration method. As temperature gradually increased, fluorescence values subsequently decreased. In contrast, dinoflagellate density first increased until it reached a threshold, followed by a sudden drop in numbers. Symbionts might be increasing their mitotic rate in response to thermal stress to compensate for the shortage of photosynthate supply for their host. Therefore, fluorescence analysis may be a potential predictor of coral bleaching in Anthelia spp..
Discipline: Biological Sciences
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ross Sha
Inception Movie Timeline
No full textFor our infographic design course, we were required to research and analyze non-linear films. The goal was to visually represent the films progression, character journeys, symbolism, scores, etc. all within one cohesive design.
Discipline: Design Studies
Faculty Mentor: Constanza Pache
Analysis of a Marine Sediment Core from the Key M’Clintock Channel, an Important Deglacial Waterway
No full textThis research project focuses on the analysis and description of the sedimentology and stratigraphy of marine sediment core 2016805-0041GC from M\u27Clintock Channel in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA). M’Clintock Channel is a vital area in the deglacial history of the CAA, as it was home to repeated ice shelf re-advances, due to high velocity ice streams caused by the collapse of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. This is the first marine sediment core that has been taken from this area, and as a result, will likely contain information about the deglacial history of M\u27Clintock Channel as well as its transition to a polar marine environment. Thus, it can offer important analogues to present day deglacial ice sheet and ice shelf conditions in the Antarctic and Greenland during the current period of rapid, human-induced, climate change. The goal of the project is to develop a detailed lithostratigraphic log as well as an accurate description of the sediment core. The core will undergo photography, x-ray imaging, x-ray fluorescence and diffraction imaging, the working half will be subsampled for a variety of analyses including carbon dating. The archive half will be described for CaCO3 content, consistency, disturbances, sedimentological structures, as well as cursory grain size analysis. This information will be compiled into a comprehensive lithostratigraphic log, which is a graphical representation of grain size, presence of laminations, color, and other factors present in the core. This log, the core description, and any interpretations gathered will be utilized in published academic articles.
Discipline: Physical Sciences
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mark Furz
Synthesis of Vanillin into Dehydrozingerone using Non-Hazardous Procedures
No full textIn this study, we investigate the conversion of vanillin, a molecule found naturally in the pods of the vanilla plant to dehydrozingerone and gingerol, which are molecules found naturally in the roots of the ginger plant, using a series of organic reactions. Gingerol is highly marketed for its medicinal purposes, smell and taste; however, like vanillin, the extraction process previously used to obtain material from the natural source is inefficient and can be expensive. By using vanillin as a precursor, we are looking to cut the costs associated with synthesis of gingerol and determine if it can be an effective laboratory project for third year undergraduate organic chemistry students. Using a series of chemical reactions, specifically aldol condensations, oxidations and reductions, we will devise a route to gingerol that produces the target molecule in a time and resource-efficient manner.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Tina Bott
Discipline: Chemistr
Eeyou Itschee: The Eastern James Bay Cree
No full textThis presentation seeks to demonstrate the impacts of colonization on health and well-being among the James Bay Cree of Northern Quebec. It seeks to understand the differences in views of animals and the land as well as demonstrate ways in which communities have resisted the process of colonization
Ecuador Extractive Imperative and the ITT Initiative
No full textIn Ecuador, following the late 2000’s commodity boom, a populist government invested increased oil revenues into social spending, reducing inequality, and gaining a rare period of political stability. The Yasuní National Park has been the focal point of this dynamic since 2006 when the government endorsed a ground-breaking plan to protect the park called the Yasuni ITT initiative. The initiative’s demise in 2013 raises the question: what explains the government’s initial support of, and then rejection of the ITT initiative? Upon combining the theories of extractive imperative and limited access order, this paper’s thesis is that, given Ecuador’s choice to fund public services through extractive industry rents, reducing extractive industry rents through constraining extractive industries is too painful politically. These theories help to structure a narrative, producing insights into the political dynamic impacting the ITT initiative and its eventual collapse. This thesis pursues its investigation through a case study of Yasuní National Park
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing and Sub-Inhibitory Growth Effects of Seven African Medicinal Plant Extracts
No full textNovel antibiotic therapies are urgently required in light of the antibiotic resistance crisis. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of plants is under-researched, but early results indicate plants may constitute a reservoir of novel antimicrobial compounds. Empiric determination of unstudied traditional plant preparations is desired, because traditional plant medicine is relied upon in many areas of the developing world. Herein, we investigated the antimicrobial properties of seven plants from African traditional medicine, as well as the effects of sub-lethal concentrations on bacterial growth. We found that gram-positive organisms were susceptible to plant extract treatment between 0.5-10% (v/v) concentrations, while gram-negative organisms tested demonstrated resistance. Sub-lethal plant extract treatments indicated bioactivity other than antimicrobial activity. Observations included proliferation, adhesion, and possible biofilm formation promotion. Determination of bioactive compounds present in the tested plant extracts is desired for pursuing drug development. Likewise, confirmation of biofilm promotion at sub-lethal doses is desired for potential identification of potential targets for novel antibiotic drug development. Lastly, as the plant extracts we tested are used in traditional medicines our results may aid in improving the efficacy of their use by traditional practitioners.
*Indicates faculty mentor
Local abundance of leaf-nosed bats on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
No full textLeaf-nosed bats make up over half of Neotropical bat diversity and provide essential ecological services. They can be restricted to certain distributions and habitats due to factors such as roost selection, feeding habits and the structure of forests. Arita (1993) studied the average local abundance and distribution of bats across the Neotropics, using a rank abundance and rank distribution method to categorize rare species. Our study investigated the local abundance of leaf-nosed bats based on sampling efforts carried out at Piro Biological Research station on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. The purpose of this study was to (1) see how the abundance of leaf-nosed bats compared to the Neotropical average; (2) determine if trends existed among leaf-nosed bats within the same dietary group (frugivores, animalivores, nectarivores, sanguinivore); and (3) identify individual bats notably deviating away from what was expected. We created a rank local abundance vs. rank area of distribution graph. We did not observe any trends that appeared to be related to each dietary group, but seven individual species did show notable deviations. We concluded that the dietary groups often used for leaf-nosed bats are not an effective method for categorization. Individual bat species should be considered when determining reasons for rarity, considering individual dietary habits and other potential environmental factors such as moon phase.
Arita HT. 1993. Rarity in Neotropical bats: correlations with phylogeny, diet and body mass. Ecol App. 3(3): 506-517.
*Indicates faculty mentor
Scat Based Dietary Analysis of Beaver Hills Canids
No full textRecently, the Cooking Lake Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area (BPRA), has been recolonized by wolves, an apex predator. The potential inclusion of domestic ungulates into the wolf diet through depredation events poses concerns for the local grazing community. Additionally, the arrival of an apex predator may have trophic consequences for the coyote, the current top predator in the BPRA. The diet of canids in the BPRA is being determined using scat analysis. A small sample of each collected scat is cleaned with acetone to isolate twenty representative hairs and/or presence of other food for identification. During the summer season, results indicate that canid diet is primarily composed of insects, berries, and small mammals. A comparison of the girth and composition of canid scat suggests that as scat diameter increases the likelihood of the scat containing large mammals and plants increases, as does the likelihood of a given scat being from a wolf. Smaller scats were found to contain more insects and small mammals. These results suggest that, during the summer of 2015, domestic ungulates play a very small role in the diet of canids, an observation confirmed by the grazing association as only one calf was depredated. The results also suggest that the recolonizing and resident canids are currently competing in terms of diet but that as the wolf population increases we expect to see a divergence in diet due to resource partitioning. Further genetic work to confirm the species of scat is ongoing.
*Indicates faculty mentor
Spatial and temporal wolf distribution in the Beaver Hills
No full textWolves have recently recolonized the Beaver Hills region. The return of an apex predator may present interesting trophic consequences as well as being of management concern for agricultural activity in this landscape. Over approximately the past year wolf presence and movements have been monitored in Elk Island National Park (EINP) and the Cooking-Lake Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area (BPRA) using remote camera traps. During this time, we have processed approximately 190,000 images and recorded 79 unique wolf observations. Using these remote images, we describe the spatial distribution of wildlife at camera sites. Similarly using GIS, we compare the diversity of wildlife observed at a particular camera location to the diversity of habitat types associated with the camera’s location. Secondly, we describe the temporal distribution of wildlife activity in EINP and BPRA as indicated by the distribution of when remote images were captured. Thirdly, we have observed a relationship between the proportions of wolves at cameras compared to coyotes. As the wolves recolonize EINP and BPRA, we hypothesize that we should observe spatial partitioning between them and the resident coyote population. However, we found that the number of wolf and coyote images was correlated across sites suggesting that the wolf population is currently not high enough to limit coyote activity through competitive exclusion. The results of these analyses can be used to better understand the relative abundance and distribution of wildlife on this landscape and in particular provide information for management to promote predator co-existence in this recently recolonized, multi-use agriculture landscape.
*Indicates faculty mentor