Welcome - April Edition (1 Feb - 31 Mar)

Welcome to the April edition of sCRIbbles!

The ice and snow are melting... so everyone is getting geared up for busy field and research seasons but we hope that you take the chance to read through this edition to see what has been happening over the past two months.

Thanks and enjoy,
Michelle and Katy

Recent Happenings - Feb-Mar Peake (Manitoba) Lab

The Peake Lab (Steve Peake, Cam Barth (PhD student), Peter Allen (post-doc), and Gary Anderson (U of M collaborator and CRI Associate) took a recent research trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin as a part of a collaborative effort with Ron Bruch, Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources. The trip offered a unique opportunity to collect adult lake sturgeon samples and bear sub-zero temperatures. The samples are being analyzed along with samples from the Winnipeg River, Manitoba.

Cam Barth has been working hard this winter continuing his work on juvenile lake sturgeon abundance, habitat use and ecology in the Winnipeg River, Manitoba. The River is frozen at the moment, but that provides opportunities for analyses and teaching others how to curl.

Recent Happenings - Feb-Mar Kidd Lab

Heidi Swanson was awarded the Lorraine Allison Scholarship from the Arctic Institute of North America. Congratulations Heidi!

Karen Kidd is a guest co-editor of special issue of Environmental Pollution entitled “Mercury Cycling and Bioaccumulation in the Environment”.

Recent Happenings - Feb-Mar Culp Lab

Alexa Alexander received an honorarium from Health Canada for her efforts in reviewing and providing feedback to Health Canada on the proposed CCME guideline for the pesticide Imidacloprid. As well, Alexa has recently been awarded the 2007 FM Christie Research Fellowship ($1000). Way to go Alexa!

Laura Noel recently had the opportunity to work with Dr. Len Wasenaar and Dr. Geoff Keolher at the National Hydrology Research Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to learn oxygen stable isotope determination techniques in water samples. This information can then be used to model the photosynthesis: respiration: gas exchange ratio’s of my research sampling sites located along nutrient gradients of the Saint John River. Laura also was lucky enough to attend some of the lectures of a graduate course that Len and Geoff were teaching on stable isotopes. It was a fantastic learning experience. Laura feels that she has become truly infected with the ISOBUG (the unidentified virus responsible for the onset of the transformation from isodope to isotopeteer).

Completed students

Wedge, Peter. Salmonid passage through stream culvert entrances. MScE. Mar 13, 2007. (Dr. Katy Haralampides)

Peter is now working for Hydro-Com Technologies, an engineering firm in Fredericton, NB.


Klassen, Cheryl. The use of black-fly larvae in lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) conservation efforts. MSc. Mar 20, 2007. (Dr. Steve Peake)

Cheryl will be starting her PhD research in May at the University of Manitoba, co-supervised by Dr. Steve Peake and Dr. Mark Abrahams.

Publications

Reports

Arciszewski, T., K. Munkittrick, K. Kidd, J. Culp, K. Heard, and R. Parker. 2007. Fraser Papers Inc. Edmundston, New Brunswick. Environmental Effects Monitoring Cycle 4 Interpretive Report. 36 pp.

Conference/invited presentations

Kidd, K.A. 2007. Effects of a whole lake estrogen addition on aquatic populations. Gulf Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Feb 7, 2007. Moncton, NB. (invited presentation)

Paterson, M., C. Podemski, P. Azevedo, P. Blanchfield, D. Findlay, R. Hesslein, K. Mills, R. Rooney, L. Tate, M. Turner, M. Kullman, C. Bristow, and K.A. Kidd. 2007. Ecosystem effects of cage aquaculture: an update of results from the Experimental Lakes Area. Developments in Freshwater Aquaculture in Canada, Interprovincial Partnership for Sustainable Freshwater Aquaculture Development, Feb 8, 2007. Hull, QU.


6th International Symposium on Ecohydraulics, Feb. 18-23, 2007. Christchurch, New Zealand.

Gallant, M.J., K. Haralampides, R.A. Cunjak, P.W. Emerson, C. Connell, C., and R.W. Newbury. 2007. Salmon Hotel Design: An ecohydraulics approach to increasing riverine production of juvenile wild Atlantic Salmon.

Halleraker, J.H., T.P. Linnansaari, K.T. Alfredsen, H.-P. Fjeldstad, and R.A. Cunjak. 2007. Influence of physical processes on activity pattern and movement of overwintering Atlantic salmon: juveniles PIT-tagged in ice-covered streams.

Haralampides, K., and P. Wedge. 2007. Fish in the Engineering Building? Salmonid passage through stream culvert entrances.

Stickler, M., T. Linnansaari, E.C. Enders, K. Alfredsen, R.A. Cunjak, and D.A. Scruton. 2007. The role of stream margin and pool habitats for Atlantic salmon parr in small streams during winter.



Gray, M.A. 2007. Overview: CRI research in agricultural regions. Working Towards A Strategic Approach to Riparian Management in the Atlantic Region. Agri-Food and Agriculture Canada (AAFC) workshop. Mar 21, 2007. Moncton, NB. (invited presentation)

Linnansaari, T.P. 2007. Effects of winter on behaviour, activity and habitat use of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). 3rd Nordic Workshop for PhD students on Salmo salar and Salmo trutta Research, Mar 22-25, 2007. Jyväskylä, Finland.

Upcoming Workshops/Conferences

13th Annual Continuous Flow Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (CF-IRMS) Workshop

This workshop brings together researchers, technicians and manufacturers from around the globe in a casual setting to discuss the technical issues surrounding Stable Isotope Analysis.

The workshop takes place from June 24 at 28 in Fredericton. It provides new and longtime users with hands on experience, access to the manufacturer's tradeshow of the latest equipment as well as insight from colleagues on the performance of instruments and their applications.

Visit our website at http://www.unb.ca/conferences/cfirms/.

Upcoming Courses

23-25 Apr: Watershed Management and Ecosystem Protection – Fredericton NB (contact: m.gray@unb.ca)

26 May – 3 Jun: Stream restoration: design and monitoring – Fredericton NB (contact: m.gray@unb.ca)

4-8 Jun: Backpack electrofishing certificate practicum courses – Fredericton NB (contact: m.gray@unb.ca)

16-24 Jul: River habitats and hydraulics field course – Kananaskis AB (contact: m.gray@unb.ca)

For students, staff, and faculty to see and register for professional development short courses offered continuously through UNB's Coordinated Training and Development please visit: http://www.unb.ca/ctd/courses.cgi

New Projects

Munkittrick, K.R., M.A. Gray, S. Dalton, T. Needham, K. Reimer, and B. Bramble. Developing a management strategy for cumulative impact assessment for watersheds. Canadian Water Network Knowledge Transfer Funding. 2007-2009. Feb 2007.

Curry, R., K. Kidd, D. MacLatchy, and K. Munkittrick. Effects of tourism on coral reef health in Cuba. University of New Brunswick International R&D Seed Grant Competition. 2007. Mar 2007.

Gray, M.A., and R.A. Curry. Development of aquatic health assessment tools for NB agricultural regions. Canada – New Brunswick Water Management Program Tier 3 Strategic Initiatives. 2007-2008. Mar 2007.

Haralampides, K. The Green Power of Blue: Environmentally Responsible Tidal Power. New Brunswick Innovation Foundation. 2007-2008. Mar 2007.

Kidd, K.A., and H. Swanson. The effect of anadromous Arctic charr on food web structure and contaminant bioaccumulation in coastal Arctic lakes. NSERC CRD with Miramar Mining Corporation. 2006-2007. Mar 2007.

Kidd. K., and T. Jardine. Fish health indicators in New Brunswick streams: interacting effects of mercury and selenium. New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund. 2007-2008. Mar 2007.

Reist, J. (PI, Fisheries and Oceans Canada), with collaborating partners M. Power (University of Waterloo), N. Halden (University of Manitoba), D. Muir and F. Wrona (Environment Canada), B. Dempsen (Fisheries and Oceans Canada), and K. Kidd (UNBSJ/CRI). Climate variability and change effects on char in the arctic. International Polar Year proposal. 2007-2011. Feb 2007.


MacQuarrie, K.T.B. Groundwater flow characterization for Research Wells 1 and 2, North Battleford Saskatchewan: Implications for Well Performance. City of North Battleford (Canada-Saskatchewan Water Supply Expansion Program). 2007-2008. Mar 2007.

April edition - Featured CRIer

This new feature will highlight one of our CRIers and explain in a bit more detail what they are working on. If you want to nominate someone for the next edition just include the information with your sCRIbbles submission.

Andrew Sutherland (Post-doctoral fellow with Dr. Joseph Culp).

Andrew is working with Environment Canada (EC) to develop deposited sediment performance standards for streams draining agricultural lands. Specifically, as part of the National Agri-Environmental Standards Initiative (NAESI), his research involves 1) the determination of appropriate deposited sediment criteria, including both performance indicators (e.g. streambed stability) and condition indicators (e.g. benthic invertebrate indices), 2) the development of methods for rapidly assessing these criteria and 3) the development of performance standards for deposited sediment in Canada’s agricultural streams.

If you want to contact Andrew about his research, he can be reached at: andrews"at"unb.ca

CRI in the news

This is a new feature highlighting CRI in the news.... If you have any submissions, send them along to katy@unb.ca or m.gray@unb.ca and we will publish them in the next edition of sCRIbbles.

Click on the image above to bring up the article and then use your browser's back button to return to sCRIbbles.

New CRI mugs and water bottles - on sale now

Check this out! Beautiful CRI mugs for you to keep your coffee or tea warm, or your water cool as you sit and wish you far away from your computer...

$15 - contact Michelle m.gray@unb.ca.

New CRI mugs and water bottles - on sale now

... and here is the CRI water bottle (18 oz) - very sleek and will keep you hydrated during all of your activities...

$10 - contact Michelle m.gray@unb.ca

Welcome - February 2007 issue

Welcome!

The monthly sCRIbbles will be the main route for communication of events, news bits, research productivity, and new endeavours for the CRI so we hope you support sCRIbbles by ensuring that you send us any pertinent information that you feel should be included (any and all CRI members) and for those from outside of CRI we would love to hear any comments that you may have about sCRIbbles.

If you have any questions regarding sCRIbbles, please email katy@unb.ca or m.gray@unb.ca and if you are interested in, or have questions directed at, any particular CRI research lab please visit the individual lab web pages at www.unb.ca/cri to get more information or contact information.

Thanks and we hope you enjoy our Canadian Rivers Institute newsletter, sCRIbbles.

- Michelle and Katy

Recent Happenings - MacQuarrie Lab

Kerry MacQuarrie has returned from a sabbatical year that included a research visit to CSIRO Land and Water, in Perth, Western Australia. Kerry interacted primarily with researchers in the water resource protection stream, see:
http://www.clw.csiro.au/research/urban/protection/

Kerry was involved with several research projects including a modelling-based interpretation of stable isotope field data to identify the fate of chlorinated solvents in groundwater, and reactive transport modelling of riverbank filtration processes.

Recent Happenings - Peake Lab

At the University of Manitoba, Cameron Barth, PhD student, and Peter Allen, Post-Doctoral Fellow, are working on research projects directed at understanding the ecology and environmental physiology of lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens. Currently, Cam is elucidating relationships between age, diet and habit use in juvenile lake sturgeon. Peter is investigating calcium regulation in lake sturgeon, and how reproductive development affects whole body calcium regulation. Both Cam and Peter's research projects are based at the Canadian Rivers Institute's Manitoba Field Station with Dr. Stephan Peake and at the University of Manitoba with Dr. Gary Anderson.

Recent Happenings - Baird Lab

Environment Canada, CRI and the University of Canberra, Australia partner in developing on-line training in biomonitoring

A four-day strategic planning workshop was held on November 20-23, 2006 in Fredericton to bring together Environment Canada staff, research scientists from University of New Brunswick and the Canadian Rivers Institute and University of Canberra, Australia to develop a national online training program for the Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN). The University of Canberra developed a successful national training program for stream monitoring in Australia and has been running the program over the past two years. Scientists from Canberra visited with EC and CRI staff to assist in the development of these tools in Canada. With the assistance of the University of Canberra and partnership with the Canadian Rivers Institute and the University of New Brunswick, an online training program should be available for trialing by CABIN partners in Spring 2007. This program will provide accreditation for anyone interested in collecting biomonitoring data and contributing to the Environment Canada CABIN Program.

For more information on CABIN visit:
http://cabin.cciw.ca/Main/cabin_about.asp?Lang=en-ca

New CRI People

(Supervisor's name in brackets)

Dr. Natasha Hogan, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Joint between Dr. Mike van den Heuvel's Lab at UPEI and the MacLatchy Lab at UNB Saint John.

Laura Henderson. Ecology of age-0 lake sturgeon. Currently a technician, starting an M.Sc. in 2007 (Dr. Steve Peake).

Holly Labadie. Ecology of adult lake sturgeon. Currently a technician, starting an M.Sc. in 2007 (Dr. Steve Peake).

Daniel Paynter. Invertebrate community in juvenile sturgeon nursery habitat. Currently an undergraduate doing a senior research project (Dr. Steve Peake).

Sylvie Morton. Well field properties near Research Wells 1 and 2, North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Currently an undergrad, starting an M.Sc.E. in 2007 (Dr. Kerry MacQuarrie).

Completed Students

Rainie Sharpe, PhD. Investigation of effects and mechanisms of endocrine disruption by _-sitosterol in goldfish (Carassius auratus). December 2006 (Dr. Deb MacLatchy).