Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources Scholarly Works
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- ItemOpen AccessEarth Sciences Graduate Symposium Program with Abstracts(2024-04-15) Brink, Kirstin; Brueckner, StefanieAbstract book for the Earth Sciences Graduate Symposium
- ItemOpen AccessDo beluga whales truly migrate? Testing a key trait of the classical migration syndrome(BMC, 2023-08-30) Storrie, Luke; Loseto, Lisa; Sutherland, Emma L.; MacPhee, Shannon A.; O’Corry-Crowe, Greg; Hussey, Nigel E.Background Migration enables organisms to access resources in separate regions that have predictable but asynchronous spatiotemporal variability in habitat quality. The classical migration syndrome is defined by key traits including directionally persistent long-distance movements during which maintenance activities are suppressed. But recently, seasonal round-trip movements have frequently been considered to constitute migration irrespective of the traits required to meet this movement type, conflating common outcomes with common traits required for a mechanistic understanding of long-distance movements. We aimed to test whether a cetacean ceases foraging during so-called migratory movements, conforming to a trait that defines classical migration. Methods We used location and dive data collected by satellite tags deployed on beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the Eastern Beaufort Sea population, which undertake long-distance directed movements between summer and winter areas. To identify phases of directionally persistent travel, behavioural states (area-restricted search, ARS; or Transit) were decoded using a hidden-Markov model, based on step length and turning angle. Established dive profiles were then used as a proxy for foraging, to test the hypothesis that belugas cease foraging during these long-distance transiting movements, i.e., they suppress maintenance activities. Results Belugas principally made directed horizontal movements when moving between summer and winter residency areas, remaining in a Transit state for an average of 75.4% (range = 58.5–87.2%) of the time. All individuals, however, exhibited persistent foraging during Transit movements (75.8% of hours decoded as the Transit state had ≥ 1 foraging dive). These data indicate that belugas actively search for and/or respond to resources during these long-distance movements that are typically called a migration. Conclusions The long-distance movements of belugas do not conform to the traits defining the classical migration syndrome, but instead have characteristics of both migratory and nomadic behaviour, which may prove adaptive in the face of unpredictable environmental change. Such patterns are likely present in other cetaceans that have been labeled as migratory. Examination of not only horizontal movement state, but also the vertical behaviour of aquatic animals during directed movements is essential for identifying whether a species exhibits traits of the classical migration syndrome or another long-distance movement strategy, enabling improved ecological inference.
- ItemOpen AccessA systematic scoping review of Indigenous governance concepts in the climate governance literature(Springer, 2022-04-25) Wilson, Nicole J.; Lira, Maria G.; O'Hanlon, GraceWhile Indigenous peoples have governed their territories for millennia, mainstream climate governance literature underrepresents Indigenous governance roles in climate governance. The objective of this study is to systematically document the extent to which Indigenous governance concepts are incorporated into the climate governance literature. Using a systematic scoping search and screening process, we identified 195 references. To be included, references had to be published between 2010 and 2020, in English, explicitly mention Indigenous peoples, have a substantial focus on human responses to experienced or anticipated effects of climate change and governance, and be based on primary data or a review of primary data. Relevant references were analyzed using a data extraction questionnaire. Our results indicate that despite the growing number of publications, only two-fifths fully incorporated Indigenous governance concepts. We found that Indigenous governance concepts were more likely to be incorporated in references that included an author affiliated with an Indigenous organization, used qualitative methods, and focused on protected areas or climate transformation. Finally, most references incorporated Indigenous Knowledge systems, but this did not correspond to greater attention to Indigenous governance. Based on our findings, we make three recommendations for the climate governance literature: (i) follow Indigenous research protocols, (ii) move beyond a narrow focus on the “supplemental value” of Indigenous Knowledge systems to acknowledge the “governance value,” and (iii) engage with transformational climate responses that address the systemic inequalities created by historical and ongoing colonialism.
- ItemOpen AccessGoverning water insecurity: navigating indigenous water rights and regulatory politics in settler colonial states(Taylor & Francis, 2021-06-30) Wilson, Nicole J.; Arsenault, Rachel; Curley, Andrew; Montoya, TeresaIndigenous peoples experience water insecurity disproportionately. There are many parallels between the injustices experienced by racialized and marginalized populations and Indigenous peoples. However, the water insecurity experienced by Indigenous peoples is distinctly shaped by settler colonialism. This article draws on examples from Canada and the United States to illustrate how jurisdictional and regulatory injustices along with the broader political and economic asymmetries advanced by settler colonial States (re-)produce water insecurity for Indigenous peoples. We conclude by engaging with how Indigenous peoples are pushing back against these arrangements using State and non-State strategies by revitalizing Indigenous knowledge and governance systems.
- ItemOpen AccessQualitative Methods for the Next Generation of Impact Assessment(2023-08-01) Walker, Heidi; Pope, Jenny; Sinclair, John A.; Bond, Alan; Diduck, AlanSustainability-oriented IA moves beyond a primary focus on biophysical impacts to consider a broader range of potential social, health and well-being, economic, cultural, cumulative, and equity implications of proposed projects. Canadian IA under the IAA (2019), for example, now explicitly requires consideration of health, social, and economic issues; consistent use of gender-based analysis plus (GBA+); evaluation of contributions to sustainability; bridging of Indigenous and Western scientific knowledge; and meaningful public participation. Quantitative methods are typically used to examine cause and effect associated with biophysical impacts and to identify, for example, alternatives and mitigation measures. Delivering effective IA within the broadening scope of next-generation, sustainability-oriented IA, however, requires new thinking and effective methods that enable meaningful inclusion of diverse knowledges, values, and information sources. For many of the broader range of impacts considered in next-generation, sustainability-oriented IA, cause and effect can only be established—and alternatives and mitigation measures suggested—through qualitative methods that can explain the values and connections people have with the places and land where projects are proposed. While this report is primarily intended for those involved in Canadian IA, the project was implemented by an international project team and informed by experts around the globe. Therefore, we anticipate this report will also be relevant to those working in a range of IA systems and geographical contexts. Specifically, this report may be of interest to: • practitioners working for/with communities and project proponents to gather the best possible information about the potential implications of proposed developments; • decision makers with a role in evaluating and synthesizing the information received throughout an IA process; • researchers who are testing, critiquing, and pushing the boundaries of IA processes and methods; • educators fostering the upcoming generations of IA professionals; • communities and members of the public who (should) play a role in selecting and implementing the methods that best tell their stories of place, change, and impact. There is considerable opportunity for the continued integration of qualitative methods in IA, but there are also barriers that often make it difficult to implement these methods in practice. While this report presents a range of conventional, innovative, and participatory qualitative methods (17 methods categories in total), it also discusses the barriers that must be overcome if these methods are to be effective in the context of sustainability-oriented IA.