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Running on empty: determining the presence of feeding behaviour in anadromous alewife in Jolicure Lake, NB
No full textAlewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) are an anadromous species of herring that live in the Atlantic Ocean. Adult Alewife spend most of their lives in the marine environment, only travelling into freshwater lakes to spawn each year. As thousands of these fish pass upstream through rivers on their annual spawning migration, they have become a commercially valuable species for many maritime communities. Although research has been conducted on adult feeding behaviour and prey selection in both their estuarine and marine habitats, there is very little information on adult feeding
behaviour in freshwater. As many larger predatory species feed on Alewife both in freshwater and at sea, whether or not
Alewife are feeding at their spawning site could have large implications for nutrient transfer through trophic levels when they return to sea. In this study, I assess the evidence for Alewife feeding as well as the primary and secondary prey organisms important to freshwater Alewife diets. During the summer of 2019, 30 Alewife from the Missiguash Tide Gate and 202 from Jolicure Long Lake were sampled and dissected. Measurements of spawning stage were evaluated using gonad mass, Gonadosomatic Index (GSI), and visual spawning stage assessment. Measurements of stomach fullness were estimated using a Stomach Fullness Index (SFI). Overall, fish from the tide gate were found to be in an earlier spawning stage than fish at Jolicure Long Lake. Although all fish were found to have stomach contents, fish from the Tide Gate had a higher stomach fullness (0.015 ± 0.003) than fish at Jolicure Long Lake (0.011 ± 0.008). The primary and
secondary prey species of Alewife feeding in freshwater were determined to be calanoid copepods (Calanoida spp.) and mayfly nymphs (Ephemeroptera Ephemeriidae)
Cecil Lake British Columbia: a paleolimnological analysis of natural and anthropogenic environmental change
No full textLake sediment archives are an established tool for examining environmental change over time. Cecil Lake is a productive shallow lake located in the Peace River Region of northeastern British Columbia and supports a variety of waterbirds, including a significant northern breeding population of eared grebes (Podiceps nigricollis). Over 2% of the Canadian population of eared grebes breed at Cecil Lake; this species is iconic and may be an indicator of ecosystem health. The Cecil Lake watershed was primarily well-forested muskeg when the surrounding area was first homesteaded in 1928. As of 2018, ~80% of the landscape has been developed by the agricultural and energy sectors. Consequently, Cecil Lake represents an opportunity to examine the effects of this development on a northern lake. The bulk geochemistry of the lake sediment
archive at Cecil Lake was investigated to decouple natural and anthropogenic impacts over time. Water samples were collected for limnological assessment. Three sediment cores were collected in July 2018 using a gravity corer. A 30 cm core was extruded at a 0.5cm scale to determine stratigraphic variations in bulk geochemistry (metals, δ15 N, δ15C, Total C, N). X-ray fluorescence analysis was used to determine metal concentrations at different depths in the core. Total lead data suggested the recovery of a greater than 100-year record. A distinct zone of change, estimated to have occurred 1920-1940, was characterized by increasing calcium, and manganese, as well as decreased titanium, potassium, and iron. This period was also characterized by increased %C, δ13C, and %N and a steadily increasing trend in the δ15N ratio. Strontium, zinc, and iron data showed increased variability from ~1940 onwards. Collectively these data indicate three distinct zones: background conditions, a strong response to initial clearing and development, and increased environmental fluctuations associated with resultant water level variability and nutrient input changes. 210Pb analysis of the core will provide stronger
temporal control allowing for the accurate correlation of historic events to the sediment archive. In the future this record will be coupled with ecological data to better understand the vulnerability of habitat in northern lakes to environmental changes
Canadian federal election expenses modeling
No full textMoney and election results are related. Candidates who spend more money win more elections. This thesis explores the relationship between election spending and percentage of the vote won, at the level of individual candidates. A regression model is estimated using data from the 2011 and 2015 Canadian federal elections to predict percentage of the vote won for federal ridings. In addition to spending, variables such as political party, incumbency, rural ridings, perceived leader quality and region are used as predictors. After adjusting for these variables, there is a strong and nonlinear relationship between spending and percentage of the vote won. Model predictions are used to determine the probability that a candidate will win a riding. Using these predictions as inputs to a linear programming problem, different spending strategies are identified to find the best allocation of funds for major political parties. The analysis uses the model to determine optimal allocation of fundraising dollars in various scenarios for the 2015 federal election, including how the Conservative party could possibly have allocated funds differently to win more seats, preventing a Liberal majority in 2015.</p
A computable general equilibrium simulation of the U.S.-China trade war.
No full textOn April 3rd 2018, the United States of America announced 25% tariffs on goods imported from China, which applied to approximately $46 billion (USD) of trade, and China retaliated by placing tariffs of equal value on imports coming from the United States. As the two biggest economies in the world, China and the U.S. comprise more than 40% of global trade, and their international trade policies have a significant influence on the global economy.
This study examines the possible consequence of the U.S.-China trade war at the aggregate level by applying an Armington type of static computable general equilibrium model. Simulation results show that both the U.S. and China experience a welfare loss, and the magnitude of loss in China is larger than that of the U.S.. If China retaliates, the U.S. is expected to gain in the manufacturing sector, and China may suffer from a more significant loss in welfare
An exploration into sport-related concussion management in Nova Scotia
No full textBACKGROUND: Sport-related concussions (SRC) have become more widely known and researched in recent years. Concussion is known as a functional injury that typically resolves spontaneously within 7-10 days. Approximately 10-15% of concussions last longer than two weeks and no consensus exist with regards to how to manage non-acute concussions. There is a paucity ofresearch exploring the effectiveness of concussion management in Canada while identifying the specific barriers perceived by athletes and health care providers.
PURPOSE: To identify barriers to effective concussion management in Nova Scotia from the perspectives of various health care providers as well as student-athletes. METHODS: This cross-sectional mixed methods study involved 40 student athletes who competed at the varsity or club level at a Canadian institution and 20 health care providers with various backgrounds. Each participant completed a questionnaire while 9 from each cohort participated in a follow-up semi-structured interview to explore the themes that emerged from the questionnaires. RESULTS: In this study, 45% of the athletes reported their concussion recovery lasted more than 30 days and more than 60% indicated they thought their concussions were managed well. However, 30% of athletes did not feel supported by their coaches. Health care providers (HCPs) identified lack of education and awareness as well as miseducation as the largest barriers to effective concussion
management. CONCLUSIONS: This study reinforced that, in addition to previously studied lack of knowledge, there exist other challenges that HCPs and athletes face when it comes to effective concussion rehabilitation. Athletes identified their mental state, attitude and various symptoms as well as pressure from others as being challenges during concussion ecovery. HCPs indicated that systematic issues such as a lack of referral base and minimal follow up, (if any) and doctors'
billings in Nova Scotia were barriers
A petrological comparison of Silurian and Devonian plutons in the Leonard MacLeod Brook and Gillis Mountain areas, Aspy and Mira terranes, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
No full textMapping, petrological studies, and U-Pb (zircon) dating have identified four bimodal plutons herein named Gillis Brook, Leonard MacLeod Brook, Easach Ban, and Barren Brook in the southern part of the Ganderian Aspy terrane in Cape Breton Island. The plutons consist mainly of gabbroic to dioritic rocks and syenogranitic rocks which are closely associated and locally display mingled relationships with one another, consistent with their similar ages of ca. 435-430 Ma. They display alkalic to calc-alkalic chemical signatures and it is not clear if they formed in a subduction-related magmatic arc or within-plate extensional setting. They were emplaced at shallow depth and are co-magmatic with their Silurian volcanic and sedimentary host rocks of the Sarach Brook Formation. They are petrologically distinct from and not related to the younger
(Devonian) and entirely granitic Bothan Brook pluton which also intruded the Sarach Brook Formation in the same area. None of these plutons shows evidence for significant economic mineralization potential. In contrast, the Devonian Gillis Mountain pluton in the Avalonian Mira terrane of southern Cape Breton Island hosts porphyry-style copper-molybdenum mineralization. New studies of trace element characteristics of surface and drill core samples from the Gillis Mountain pluton confirm previous work which showed that it is calc-alkalic and emplaced in a subduction zone setting, intruded into Cambrian shale and siltstone. The presence of sulphide minerals and elevated background metal contents are evidence of its economic potential. Comparison of these plutons shows contrasts in field and petrological characteristics. These differences are consistent with the fundamental distinction between the Aspy and Mira terranes in terms of origin, geological evolution, and tectonic setting through to the Devonian
Behind closed doors: the stories and experiences of siblings of persons with mental illness
No full textWhen one or more sibling in a family has a mental illness, the siblings' relationship with each other can be impacted in various ways. While there is some quantitative research that looks at the impacts the mental illness has on well siblings, there is very little that explores their stories and experiences through qualitative research.
The purpose of the study was to explore the narratives of sibling's of persons with mental illness; start to understand the benefits and challenges that come with the well sibling experience; and to explore the ways in which well sibling's relationships with their families are impacted by their relationship with their sibling with mental illness. The research was done through two qualitative semi-structured interviews and photo-elicitation pieces with five well siblings from Ontario and Nova Scotia between the ages of twenty and twenty-three.
The study found that the participants often had challenging relationships with their siblings and experienced fear, guilt, and anger because of their experiences. Participants also expressed changes in their family dynamics and their relationships with their parents. They showed empathy, understanding, and growth, highlighting that the well siblings are dynamic and act as important supports in their families. The finding also touched on the problems with labelling siblings as well and unwell and the need for better supports for siblings
Determining habitat use by black bears (Urus americanus) based on vegetation characteristics in a forested region in southwest Kings County
No full textThe forested area of southwest Kings County, Nova Scotia, is heavily influenced by logging and forestry practices, which has a large effect on wildlife habitat use and wildlife behaviour. Black bears (Ursus americanus) have an omnivorous diet which
allows them to inhabit many different habitats with varying home ranges, in order to source the variety of food needed to survive. Black bears rely on many food sources including fruits, nuts, colonial insects, green vegetation and many more depending on the season, causing larger home ranges if food is scarce. This study set out to see if any habitat haracteristics promoted overall, female and male black bear presence in southwest Kings County. The habitat characteristics collected were horizontal cover percent, vegetation percent and vegetation abundance, as well as basal area per hectare and tree richness. Using a quadrat, a robel pole and a relascope the habitat characteristic measurements were obtained. Sixty-six scent stations were used to collect habitat characteristics, with eight sampling locations within. Deciduous tree count and vegetation percent using a logistic regression were significant towards female bear presence. An analysis of deviance for generalized linear model fits, using a Chi-square test for goodness of fit was used, and showed that the inner area for female presence logistic regression model as significant. No significance was found for total and male bear presence using
α = 0.05. All non-significant trends were thought to be due to adequate abundance of the habitat characteristics throughout the whole study area. All significant and non-significant trends produced from the data collected in summer 2018, due to the small sample sizes, will only be used for future hypothesis building until a larger data set is acquired and trends are strengthened
Welcoming Moms and babies: barriers, supports, and transitioning to a culture of welcome
No full textThis research sought to define welcomefor low-income mothers in Kentville, Nova Scotia. This was done through an extensive literature review, as well as a qualitative study involving in-depth, semi-structured interviews of 10 professionals working with or for this demographic. Their sectors of experience ranged from social, public, and health services to municipal politics. Welcome to communities is a subject that has only been studied a few times, and in those cases, the studies were in reference to immigrants and psychiatric patients. Welcome for mother-baby dyads has never been studied,
and motherhood in general has been neglected in the research of Community Development and the Social Sciences since the nineties. My research has found that there is astrong link between mother and infant and that they are best seen as a
dyad. Mothers are still the primary caregivers in the majority of situations and contribute the highest proportion of care regardless of partnership status. Low-income mothers are also more likely than middle-income mothers to be experiencing multiple intersecting oppressions related to age, race, family structure, and mental health status; a feminist and gendered lens was used to explore how welcome is impacted by these factors.
The theme of socioeconomic status as an overarching aspect of welcome emerged clearly, including the intensified stigma surrounding those of lower-income and class in rural versus urban areas of Nova Scotia. Similar to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the research shows that basic needs such as housing, food security, healthcare access, and transportation are a foundation for welcome. These areas also informed policy recommendations that must be supported to create a
welcoming culture for low-income mother-baby dyads
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in ex situ populations of Eastern Mountain Avens, Geum peckii Pursh (Rosaceae) from Nova Scotia, Canada
No full textGeum peckii Pursh (Rosaceae) is a rare and endangered herbaceous perennial found to exist in only two places worldwide including the White Mountains of New Hampshire and among the coastal bogs of Brier Island and Harris Lake, Digby County, Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia population was reported in 2010 by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) to show a 64% decline in mature individuals since 1986. Acadia University seed bank houses collections of G. peckii seeds for ex situ conservation strategies to study the plant outside its natural environment in a controlled setting. Furthermore, research has observed using mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to inoculate seed bank specimens to
improve establishment of outplanting material and help with recovery strategies. G. peckii was outplanted to a coastal
peatland in 2016 and underwent the following three treatments: commercial mycorrhizal inoculant, native Brier Island mycorrhizal inoculant, and a sterile non-inoculated control (Fancy, 2017). Plants from the ex situ population of G. peckii in
Balancing Rock bog on Long Island, Digby County were extracted from their respective site locations for further analysis
while plant roots were sampled from a separate population located at the K.C Irving Environmental Science Centre (K.C.I.C.
.). Plant roots were stained, and AMF was observed to determine per cent root AMF colonization. The rDNA from root and AMF was amplified using AMF specific primer sets to identify species of fungi colonizing G. peckii. Colonization counts showed a range of 40-49% AMF colonized root length of G. peckii in the Balancing Rock bog. Data obtained through DNA
barcoding showed that all rosettes sampled at the K.C.I.C.. population contained AMF and a potentially new Dominikia (Glomeraceae) species. All plants collected from Balancing Rock bog contained AMF, but samples were not successfully
sequenced. While AMF associations have been noted before in this plant host, to our understanding, this is the first time that AMF species have ever been identified colonizing Geum peckii, and the first time they have been confirmed in an ex situ population located in a peatland bog. This information will hopefully help to streamline future studies and recovery strategies