MSpace

MSpace is the University of Manitoba’s Institutional Repository. The purpose of MSpace is to acquire, preserve and provide access to the scholarly works of University faculty and students within an open access environment.

 

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Open Access
Evaluating temporal trends in behavior and demographics to understand the lack of recovery of an endangered whale population
(2025-03-24) Ryan, Kasey; Ferguson, Steven (Biological Sciences); Mundy, CJ (Environment and Geography); Dall, Sasha (University of Exeter); Wheeler (Watt), Cortney; Roth, James
Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) are critical components of the Arctic marine ecosystem, and they face numerous threats from environmental changes and human activities. Understanding their population dynamics, habitat use, and social structure is crucial for their conservation. The research outlined here investigates the endangered Cumberland Sound beluga whale population using various techniques including drone surveys, aerial surveys, and satellite telemetry. The thesis begins with an overview of beluga whale ecology, behavior, and the threats they face, and explores how many of these aspects vary between populations. Satellite telemetry was used to explore behavioral trends, revealing stable migration timing over several years. Dive behavior analyses suggest a change in prey preference from Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) to capelin (Mallotus villosus), which may have negative consequences for the population over time as the distribution and abundance of capelin can be less predictable. Drone technology was used to create a photographic identification catalog for the beluga whale population, allowing for detailed monitoring of individual whales, minimizing disturbance, and providing insights into age structure and social dynamics. From 2017 to 2019, drone surveys identified 93 individual whales, revealing many uniquely marked adults and consistent resightings, and the existence of stable social groups over multiple years. Aerial surveys in 2014 and 2017 provided extensive coverage of the beluga whale population and showed a potential contraction in geographical range and a lower proportion of juveniles compared to other populations. The integration of drone and aerial surveys in this study resulted in comprehensive data on demographic trends, crucial for understanding population health. This thesis also examined the long-term impacts of satellite tagging. Two whales were photographed with tag remnants and scars, suggesting although tagging did not result in long-term health issues in these cases, the remnants of tagging may remain long after intended. In summary, this thesis provides a detailed examination of the Cumberland Sound beluga whale population, demonstrating the importance of varied research methods for effective monitoring. Given interpopulation differences in beluga whale ecology, these insights are crucial for developing targeted conservation strategies and ensuring the long-term resilience of the population against environmental and anthropogenic pressures.
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Open Access
Taking a ‘One Welfare’ approach to dairy farmer well-being: a qualitative exploration of dairy farmer well-being within the context of animal care and technology
(2025-03-26) Le Heiget, Arielle; Kinley, Jolene (Clinical Health Psychology); Plaizier, Kees (Animal Science); Jones, Andria (Animal Science); Hagen, Briana (Animal Science); King, Meagan
Farmers from all commodity groups encounter different stressors; livestock farmers especially grapple with choices that muddle ethical, emotional, and economical boundaries. Canadian farmers experience higher levels of anxiety, depression, perceived stress, and are at an elevated risk of burnout in comparison to the general population, and animal-care related occupations also experience higher levels of psychological distress. Agriculture is rooted in culture and tradition, and being a ‘good farmer’ is frequently part of one’s identity (Burton, 2004). In animal agriculture, on-farm technology is promoted to enhance farmer well-being, animal welfare, and/or environmental sustainability. As such, technology has advantages but the fundamental changes it brings to the farmer-cow dynamic cannot be ignored. The objective of this study was to explore dairy farmer well-being in the context of (1) animal health and welfare, and (2) on-farm technology. I conducted semi-structured interviews to address these objectives and conducted a thematic analysis for each. I found that the emotional and physical act of caring for livestock, as well as the connection to their animals, may play a role in dairy farmer well-being, serving as both a risk and reward. It was evident that technology can be of benefit when used as a tool, if appropriate for the farmer and the specific on-farm context. In both research chapters of the thesis, external pressures were an added source of stress for farmers which underscores that many stressors are out of their control, particularly when it comes to feed sovereignty and weather, uncertainty, economic volatility and labour shortages, and structural inequity.
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Open Access
Impact of dietary inclusion of field peas (Pisum sativum) on the production, rumen fermentation, and composition of rumen bacterial community of lactating dairy cows
(2025-03-12) Alizadeh, Arezoo; McGeough, Emma (Animal Science); Guan, Leluo (Animal Science); Derakhshani, Hooman; Plaizier, Kees
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of partially substituting a corn grain-based concentrate diet with coarsely ground field peas on milk yield and composition, blood metabolites, rumen fermentation parameters, and rumen bacterial community composition in lactating dairy cows. This study used 12 mid-lactation Holstein cows in a repeated 3 × 3 Latin square experimental design with three 21-d periods. The third week of each period is designated for sampling. The cows were fed either a control total mixed ration (TMR) or TMR mixed diets containing field peas at a 3.9% dry matter (DM) inclusion (LP) or a 7.8% DM inclusion (HP). Increasing inclusion rates of field peas in the diet linearly increased ruminal ammonia nitrogen (P = 0.02), milk urea nitrogen (P < 0.01), plasma urea (P = 0.01), and total concentration of ruminal branched-chain volatile fatty acid (P = 0.05) concentrations. Dry matter intake (DMI) increased quadratically (P = 0.03), and milk fat percentage increased linearly (P = 0.05) with higher milk C16:0 fatty acids and lower C18:2 isomers without impacting milk yield, protein, lactose levels, ruminal pH, and short-chain volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations. However, increasing inclusion rates of field peas in the diet linearly decreased (P < 0.01) the total tract digestibility of DM, crude protein (CP), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Although the alpha diversity indices of the rumen bacterial community remained unchanged, a comparison of the Euclidean distances of the rumen bacterial community revealed a trend (P = 0.07) between cows fed field pea diets and those in the control group. Additionally, differential abundance analyses revealed changes (P < 0.05) in the relative abundances of several bacterial genera and ASVs in response to the field pea diets. This study demonstrated that field peas (up to 7.8% DM) can replace corn grain-based concentrate diets as a potential alternative protein and energy source for lactating dairy cows. Their inclusion can enhance microbial protein degradation and milk fat percentage without negatively affecting milk production and rumen fermentation.
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Open Access
Thermal imaging technology for rapid in-vivo evaluation of carcass composition in growing-finishing pigs
(2025-03-13) Ndams, Veronica; Lei, Victor (Animal Science); Juarez, Manuel (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada); Rodas-Gonzalez, Argenis; Dallago, Gabriel
Selecting market hogs' antemortem is labour-intensive and time-consuming, involving evaluations based on weight and conformation. However, most hog markets pay the producer based on pork carcass merit, which is determined at postmortem by carcass leanness percentage. The objective of this study was to predict carcass traits and composition of live animals by using multispectral thermal imaging with computer vision models. A total of 243 finishing pigs (crossbred Large White × Landrace barrows and gilts; average body weight 122 kg) were used for that purpose. Three days before slaughter, dorsal images were captured using a multispectral camera (5–15 μm wavelength range). Once pigs were slaughtered, lean depth, fat depth and leanness percentage were obtained from hot carcasses using a Destron probe. After 24 hours postmortem, chilled carcasses were fabricated into primal cuts and analyzed for leanness percentage via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Images were preprocessed, and 238 were selected based on quality and complete data. Computer vision models were trained with data augmentation techniques to predict carcass traits and classify carcasses based on lean grade index (higher lean grade indexes > 109 scores; between 57.7 to 64.2% of leanness and 80 to 105 kg of hot carcass weight). Bayesian optimization was applied to fine-tune model hyperparameters. The models showed low performance in predicting individual carcass traits and composition variables with an (RMSE of 4.93mm, an ooSR2 of 0.04) for fat depth and (RMSE of 5.77mm, and an ooSR2 of -0.14) for lean depth. The classification model moderately distinguished high and low lean-grade indexes based on DEXA lean yield (F1 score: 0.73), while Destron assessments showed a lower F1 score (0.38). Multispectral imaging technology could enable producers to market hogs based on the best grid grade. Future research should focus on increasing sample size, and integrating additional measurements, like phenotypic (e.g., body weight, sex classification, feed efficiency, and age), and genomic data, (e.g., breed type, sire, and dam lineage) and advancing from 2D to 3D imaging to enhance model accuracy and reliability.
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Embargo
Gardnerella contributions to the cervicovaginal microbiome, mucosal immune responses, and bacterial vaginosis
(2025-03-27) Shvartsman, Elinor; McKinnon, Lyle (Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases); Ambagala, Aruna (Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases); Jefferson, Kimberly (Virginia Commonwealth University); MacDonald, Kelly; Sandstrom, Paul
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge that is characterized by a depletion of optimal vaginal lactobacilli and increased abundance of facultative and anaerobic bacteria. BV has been linked to increased risk to human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and other reproductive sequelae, possibly via alteration of the mucosal immune milieu. The pathogenesis of BV remains incompletely understood which has resulted in limited interventions that suffer high recurrence rates. Gardnerella has been proposed as a causative agent of BV, however this taxon has also been isolated from healthy individuals, challenging its etiological role. Relevant to this, genomic investigations have resolved four Gardnerella subgroups which exhibit differences in virulence potential in-vitro and may therefore play different roles in the pathogenesis of BV and associated sequelae. To better understand the significance of Gardnerella heterogeneity, cpn60 microbial profiling was used to examine the contributions of cervicovaginal microbiome dominance by different Gardnerella subgroups to microbiome-mucosal immune response associations and BV in a longitudinal cohort of reproductive age Kenyan women. This analysis showed non-Lactobacillus dominant microbiomes were generally associated with an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, microbiomes dominated by different Gardnerella subgroups exhibited divergent associations with the chemokine IP-10 relative to optimal microbiomes. Those microbiomes associated with reduced IP-10 levels (polymicrobial and Gardnerella subgroup A dominant) were more common in those with BV. Given these findings and the relevance of Gardnerella dominant biofilms to BV, follow up in-vitro experiments were performed using isolates from Gardnerella subgroups A, B, and C to examine differences in biofilm forming capabilities and proteomic determinants of these. This analysis revealed superior in-vitro biofilm formation in the G. leopoldii (subgroup A) and G. piotii (subgroup B) isolates relative to the G. vaginalis (subgroup C) isolate used. Comparative proteomic analysis of these biofilms revealed significant differences in functional pathways as well as in many proteins including those associated with metabolic processes and bacterial virulence. In conclusion, this thesis highlights the importance of considering Gardnerella heterogeneity in studies of BV and the vaginal microbiome and sheds light on potential drivers of biofilm formation in different Gardnerella species.
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Open Access
Mediation practice in Nigeria: experiences from Abuja and Ondo with lessons from Ontario, Canada
(2025-04-15) AYITA, Oluwafisayo; Short, Donn (Law); Jochelson, Richard (Law); MacPherson, Darcy
This thesis examines mediation practices in Nigeria: its development, challenges and success, precisely within the judicial precinct of Abuja and Ondo, while drawing lessons from Ontario, Canada. The research explores extensively, the evolution of dispute resolution mechanisms in Nigeria, from traditional methods to the formal integration of mediation within the judicial system. Comparatively, the study analyses the legal frameworks, institutional structures, and operational challenges of court-connected mediation in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja and Ondo State. The research provides a detailed overview of mediation's development in Nigeria, including the establishment of Multi-Door Courthouses and Alternative Dispute Resolution Centers. It examines the effectiveness of these institutions in resolving disputes and improving access to justice. The thesis also traverses the recent enactment of the Nigerian National Mediation Act (Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023) and its potential impact on mediation practices across the country. In contrast, the study investigates Canada's mediation landscape, with a specific focus on Ontario's Mandatory Mediation Program (OMMP). It traces the evolution of mediation in Canada, highlighting the push for national legislation and the development of guidelines by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada (ADRIC). The research offers insights into the structure, implementation, and outcomes of the OMMP, offering useful lessons for Nigeria's evolving mediation system. The thesis employs a comparative analysis to identify best practices and potential areas for improvement in Nigeria's mediation framework. It addresses key challenges facing mediation in Nigeria, such as inadequate funding rising from absence of Judicial autonomy, reluctance among legal practitioners to embrace ADR because of paucity of research in mediation and ADR, this poor knowledge results in low referral rates from judges and magistrates. Hence, the findings emphasize the pivotal role of judicial autonomy, adequate funding and comprehensive legal education in advancing effective court-connected mediation and ADR. By drawing on Canada's experiences, particularly the success of the OMMP, the study proposes recommendations for enhancing Nigeria's mediation practices. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on alternative dispute resolution in Nigeria and offers practical insights for policymakers, legal practitioners, and stakeholders involved in the administration of justice. The findings and recommendations aim to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of mediation as a tool for dispute resolution within the Nigerian legal system.
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Open Access
Dynamic scene modeling in agent-based survival simulation
(2025-03-25) Wall, Riley; Anderson, John (Computer Science); McLeod, Bob (Engineering); Thulasiraman, Parimala
Agent-based models (ABMs) simulate agents and the interactions between agents and their environments. We focus on the coevolution of prey and predator ABM. This thesis proposes to train agent models for increased accuracy in scene modeling by selecting agents capable of recognizing and modeling the relative locations of landmarks in their simulated environment to test and demonstrate the feasibility of this method. There are, therefore, two goals to this thesis. First, to develop a simulation-based technique for training AI agents in proficiency of scene modeling using population level “survivability” metrics. Since scene modeling is viewed as a competitive advantage in terms of survival in nature, the research investigates whether a survival simulation is a sufficient motivation for selecting agents capable of accurately modeling their surroundings. Through experiments, we demonstrate the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of this ABM-inspired survival simulation as a viable training method for simulating complex behaviors. Second, we show how procedural generation techniques can extend existing ABMs into the third dimension and allow the rendering of this environment from several unique perspectives. This extension opens the door between simulated robotics and the large base of available ABM models, allowing new methods for comparing robot behaviors in highly dynamic environments.
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Open Access
Biofilm development and comparative genomic analysis on biofilm formation in Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Kentucky strains isolated from poultry
(2025-03-25) Zhang, Jiayi (Alice); Malalgoda, Maneka (Food and Human Nutritional Sciences); Sparling, Richard (Microbiology); Narváez-Bravo, Claudia
Salmonella Enteritidis has been a leading cause of foodborne illnesses worldwide, and food contamination continue to occur despite implemented foodborne pathogen reduction interventions. A key factor that might contribute to Salmonella persistence is the formation of biofilms, which enhance Salmonella’s resilience. This study aims to evaluate the biofilm formation abilities of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and Salmonella Kentucky (SK) at 20-22°C, linking phenotypic date with genomic insights through comparative analysis of marker genes associated with biofilm formation and strain resilience. Fifteen SE and 24 SK strains isolated from poultry processing facilities were compared to assess their biofilm-forming abilities. Biofilm were formed for 5 d at 20-22°C and assessed using the crystal violet method (CV). Genomes were sequenced using Illumina, assembled and annotated using the BV-BRC pipeline. A comparative systems analysis was conducted to screen for genes associated with biofilm formation. A protein-coded gene comparison was conducted to compare the only SE intermediate bovine strain to a strong SE poultry strain. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) variation analysis was used to screen for genetic mutations. There were 11 strong and 4 intermediate SE strains, and 4 strong, 5 weak, and 15 non-biofilm SK strains. For curli and cellulose production, 11/15 SE and 4/24 SK strains were positive for both. A pan-genome of 39 Salmonella strains generated 5,396 genes and 122 of them were associated with biofilm formation, curli, cellulose, fimbria, flagellum, pilus, and type IV secretion system (T4SS) that might impact biofilm formation, and 107 of them were common to all strains. Strains resulted in almost the same genomic profiles except for curli genes csgDEF and T4SS genes virB1, virB3, virB4, virB6, virB10, virB11, and virD4. Twenty-four genes with mutations could possibly influence the biofilm formation, including bcsFGQ, flgAB, motAB, and tolABR. The nonsynonymous mutations of the bcs and tol genes might play important roles in biofilm forming capacity, explaining the weaker biofilm within some Salmonella strains. Protein-coded gene comparison revealed the absence of some T4SS proteins, including VirB1, VirB3, VirB4, VirB5, VirB6, VirB9, VirB10, VirB11, TraR (VirD2 homolog), and VirD4 in the intermediate strain while present in the strong biofilm strain.
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Open Access
Encouraging robust oil spill planning, preparedness, and response in Chesterfield Inlet, Nunavut, Canada
(2025-03-25) Adams, Ashley; Stern, Gary (Environment and Geography); Hostetler, Glen (Natural Resurces Institute); Aggark, Barnie (Chesterfield Inlet); Sinclair, John
Area-based oil spill plans such as community oil spill plans are essential for Arctic regions. The outcome of this project is the creation of a series of policy briefing notes based on consideration of Canadian policy and programs alongside those in Arctic jurisdictions outside of Canada. The project’s objective was aimed at “creating a policy brief on oil spill planning, preparedness, and response for Canadian Arctic communities”. Given the results of the document and literature review, the briefing notes focused on the following areas: Background Area Information, Monitoring Regimes, Training Regimes, Local Involvement Requirements, and Framework for a Community Oil Spill Response Company. Recommendations in each of these areas are applicable to the Canadian Eastern Arctic community context. Some of the project’s main findings include the use of background information as a reference point/resource to inform area-based monitoring and training regimes. Regarding local involvement, it is suggested that a community advisory council/board would promote community-led oil spill planning, preparedness, and response tasks, such as risk assessments and knowledge exchange (oil spill response experience). A regional oil spill response company should be established that emphasizes community to community agreements (based on a hub structure). This would require ship/vessel owners to enter into response agreements with the company. The detailed briefing notes and recommendations are focused on local involvement and will help to inform Arctic communities, such as Chesterfield Inlet, and all levels of government about actions that are essential to improve the oil spill planning, preparedness, and response capabilities.
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Open Access
Dispossession, violence, resistance: First Nations and Mapuche women in the face of settler colonial patriarchy
(2025-03-26) Nunez, Piaroa; Li, Fabiana (Anthropology); Perry, Adele
Land dispossession by European colonizers in what we know as North, Central, and South America brought about the erasure of Indigenous cultures, traditions, and languages across the region, including First Nations in Canada and the Mapuche people in Chile, whose resistance against settler colonialism continues to resonate today. This paper presents a comparative analysis of First Nations and Mapuche women's experiences within colonial patriarchy, using an interdisciplinary approach by integrating a review and analysis of historical, feminist, and decolonizing secondary sources. Using settler colonialism as a framework, the first section reviews the European processes of colonization and the settler-Indigenous relations to the land and property rights in what is now Canada and Chile, comparing the colonial methods of land dispossession and unveiling how the attempts to control First Nations and Mapuche people through their lands were part of these settler-colonial projects. The second section uses patriarchal colonialism and cuerpo-territorio to understand how colonial assimilation policies and systemic marginalization relate to direct forms of violence against Indigenous women. From the structural issues behind missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) in Canada to militarized violence against Mapuche communities in Chile, it explores the continuous impact of colonial policies on Indigenous women. Finally, based on research on First Nations women's activism and Mapuche women's efforts within and beyond their communities, the last section will examine how Indigenous women have organized and challenged colonial patriarchy. This section will provide insight into how Indigenous women have fought against oppressive systems historically and what this means for decolonizing the present and future.