Quantcast
Channel: Jacqueline Boivin – Masit Communications Science Blog Mixed up with the Arts
Viewing all 15 articles
Browse latest View live

Getting Started with Moodle – Posting #2

0
0

I now have a Moodle learning site set up through Ninehub.com and chose a site name:

http://jacbird.freewebclass.com

I chose a theme by clicking on Appearance → Themes → Theme Selector,

and a fully functional Moodle site was ready!

 

My next stop was browsing through the Moodle documentation for teachers, located here:

http://docs.moodle.org/en/Getting_started_for_teachers

You can also experiment on the Moodle demonstration site, which is wiped clean and restored back to normal every hour on the hour:  http://demo.moodle.org

I found that the next step was to Turn Editing On, and Add a New Course.  This takes you to the course settings page where you can define yourself as an administrator and name your course.

Jacbird Test Course

    • Click on the course name, and you will see the administrator settings at the left. Administration area_left
    • Click on the Settings link to edit the course settings, and use the top navigation bar to navigate back to the main course page. Top Navigation Bar

In order to add or alter course activities, you have to Turn Editing On which is a button located at the top right.  Then use the drop-down menus in the centre window to add a resource or activity:

  • Add an activity such as a Forum, Chat, Wiki, Glossary, or Survey
  • Add a resource such as a Text Page or Web Page

Lysichiton – A Disjunt Distribution for Skunk Cabbage

0
0

This is my course paper on the skunk cabbage genus Lysichiton, describing it’s Western North American / East Asian disjunct distribution.

Please view the PDF for the time being, until I can manage to convert it over to an HTML blog format.  Sometime soon, I promise!

The Brooks Peninsula in B.C. as an Ice Age Refugium

0
0

Brooks Peninsula LocationOne of the interesting things I learned about in the phytogeography course was that there was a glacial refugium right here in B.C., located on the Brooks Peninsula of Vancouver Island (see point A on the map).

So I wondered, how was it determined that this was a glacial refugium, and what evidence was taken into consideration to support this?  One great paper on this, was written by an expedition team who went to the Brooks Peninsula to look for evidence to support this idea of a glacial refugium (Hebda, R.J., 1997).

The researchers looked at geographical evidence, as well as biological and paleoecological evidence.  For example,they found a glacial “trim line” with different features above and below this line.

Evidence of glaciation below the trim line includes stoss and lee forms (whalebacks) and striations on the bedrock ridges in saddles just below the trim line as well as other formations.  Above the trim line, the topography is more rugged and jagged with steep slopes indicating a non-glaciated terrain.

They also looked at the soil type, at higher elevations.  This podzolic soil, contained gibbsite (which is a clay mineral, largely unkown in Canadian soils), and high levels of talc – suggesting that this soil may be older than the postglacial soils found elsewhere on Vancouver Island.

Biological evidence included the existence of fossil pollen data, such as pollen from a coastal endemic plant – Ligusticum calderi in late glacial sediments, indicating that it survived the last Fraser glaciation in this area.  The possibility that the pollen was wind blown to this area after the ice melted is weakened by the fact that this plant is not well adapted for long distance dispersal.

It was also found that most insect species with disjunct distributions have their nearest neighbouring populations in northwest Washington State, which was largely beyond the glacial ice limits.  And in addition to this, a high percentage of flightless ground beetles were also found, which is another indicator of a glacial refugium.

As for macro or microfossil evidence, unfortunately none was found. However, taking into consideration the above data, it appears likely that the Brooks Peninsula in BC was indeed a glacial refugium.

Resources:

  • Reference:  Hebda, R.J, Howes, D., Maxwell B. (1997).  Brooks Peninsula: An ice age refugium on Vancouver Island – Chapter 15:  Brooks Peninsula as an Ice Age Refugium.  Occasional Paper No. 5, Ministry of Enviornment, Land & Parks:  Victoria
  •   en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_glacial_period

 

Find me on Twitter: @jacbird

Household Items Recycling Survey

0
0

The following survey was created as part of an action assignment for a conservation biology course at SFU.

edu.surveygizmo.com/s3/784813/Household-Items-Recycling-Survey

The goal of this survey is to provide you with some easily accessible information on how to recycle some common household items.  And also, to find out what might be stopping or blocking you from recycling these items, even though you might have good intentions.  If the results are significant enough, I will try to let your various communities know!

I would really appreciate if you could take the time to answer the questions in this survey.  It should only take about 10 minutes of your time, and there is no need to read through all the links that are provided before progressing to the next page in the survey.

Clicking on a link will open the URL into a new page on your browser, and you can save it or bookmark it for later reference.

If you have any feedback on the survey questions, or the information provided within the survey, please let me know.  Thanks you for taking the time to answer this survey!

Additional Instructions:

If you selected Yes to indicate that you DO recycle the item(s) being asked about, then you will still be taken to a page that provides additional information on how to recycle those items, just in case you find the information useful.

If you run into any issues, or have any suggestions, don’t hesitate to let me know!

Cycads: Are we pushing them to the edge of extinction?

0
0

Encephalartos woodiiCycads are gymnosperms arising from an ancient lineage, and are considered to be the most primitive of the living seed-bearing plants (Norstog 1997, Jones 2002).  Certain aspects of their biology and life cycle, are combining with human activities to push them to the edge of extinction (Norstog 1997, Jones 2002, Terry 2008).

Cycads have been around for at least 250 million years (Raven 1999), but they have been rapidly declining in numbers in recent years.  The cycads belong to a large class of trees known as the gymnosperms, which are non-flowering seed-bearing plants with “naked seeds” in their ovules that are directly exposed to pollen grains (Norstog et al. 1997, Everett).  The gymnosperms are comprised of eight orders, with three extinct (Cordaitales, Bennettitales and Glossopteridales) and five still living (Gingkoales, Cycadales, Pinales, Taxales and Gnetales) (Jones 2002).  The nearest relatives are thought to be the long extinct Pteridospermales (seed ferns) (Norstog 1997). At first glance, they can appear similar in form to palms, and in fact, in America are sometimes called sago-palms (Everett 1968).  But, they are more closely related to ferns than to palms (Everett 1968).

Cycads flourished during the Mesozoic era (Snow 2007), reaching the peak of their evolution by the Jurassic (Norstog 1997).  There are now believed to be upwards of 300 species (Donaldson 2004, Terry 2008) with 10 subspecies in 11 genera (Jones 2002).
The following are biological factors that predispose cycads to extinction:  habitat degradation and fragmentation, obligate insect pollinators, large seed size, and a dioecious life cycle.

Habitat Degradation and Fragmentation:
The world distribution for cycads is mainly tropical, subtropical to warm temperate regions of both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, with the region of greatest diversity occurring in Central America (Jones, 2002).  They are also usually restricted to areas within roughly 30 degrees on either side of the equator (Norstog 1997), but can occur in a variety of habitats, such as moist rainforests, deciduous mesophyll and evergreen sclerophyll forests (Jones, 2002).

However, cycads are usually restricted to particular climates and soil types (Jones 2002).  For example, Zamia Montana, is a mist forest cycad restricted to mist forests in Columbia (Jones 2002).  Therefore, any degradation or fragmentation to these habitats is troublesome.  For example, habitat degradation can lead to an increase in genetic drift, inbreeding, and can negatively impact interactions with pollinators and dispersers (Lopez-Gallego 2010, Terry 2008).  This can be particularly problematic for rare species, such as Dioon sonorense from Sonora, Mexico, due to high genetic differentiation, low diversity and limited to no recruitment of juveniles (Gonzalez-Astorga 2009).

Insect Pollination and Seed Dispersal:
It was long thought that cycads were predominantly wind pollinated (Norstog 1997, Jones 2002), but recent studies have shown that they are almost exclusively insect pollinated (Jones 2002, Terry 2008).  It was also found that insect pollinators, such as beetles, weevils and thrips, are often involved in obligate mutualisms with their host cycads (Jones 2002, Terry 2008), and that these relationships are ancient, dating back more than 200 million years ago (Jones 2002).  However human activities, including the use of pesticides, overcollection, habitat degradation and fire are leading to the loss of these host-specific pollinators (Jones 2002, Terry 2008, IUCN 2003).

Cycads also have large seeds when compared to other gymnosperms, with the largest cycad seeds belonging to Macrozamia species (Jones 2002).  In these cases, faunal extinctions can signal the loss of important seed dispersal mechanisms, as in the case for Macrozamia lucida (Snow 2007).

Another paper looked at Macrozamia platyrhachis of Queensland, Australia (Terry 2008).  This species has a long juvenile stage of 5 to 20+ years, along with low seedling establishment and localized seed dispersal.  This is another reason why habitat destruction and disturbance is problematic, as it can take a long time to re-establish viable adult populations.

Dioecious Life Cycle:
Cycads are generally dioecious (Raven 1999, Jones 2002, Norstog 1997), meaning that both male and female plants have separate forms.  This is beneficial for genetic outcrossing (Norstog 1997), but has negative implications for conservation for various reasons.
In the dioecious life cycle, both male and female plants need to be within the same vicinity for genetic outcrossing to occur. Therefore, at least two separate dispersal events are required if establishment of a new colony is to be successful (Jones 2002).

The dioecious nature of cycads also makes them vulnerable to overcollection of one sex or another, which can lead to sex imbalances.  For example, in the case of Cycas beddomei, of the Eastern Ghats in India, over-collection of male cones for medicinal purposes is threatening this species (Jones 2002).

Human Issues Affecting Conservation:
The biological aspects described above, are combining with human activities to further drive cycads toward extinction.  Examples of human activities include commercialization of cycad products such as starch from stems and seeds, illegal poaching for the nursery trade, and traditional uses (such as medicinal and religious (Perez-Farrera 2006)).  Habitat fragmentation and disturbance is due to agriculture and fire, the construction of highways and dams, mining and other activities. (Jones 2002, Donaldson 2004, Perez Farrera 2006, Norstog 1997).

Solutions and Conservation Management Strategies:
Many efforts are being made to slow or stop the extinction of cycads.  These include networks and rescue schemes (such as “Operation Wildflower”) along with in situ and ex situ conservation strategies (Jones 2002, Whitelock 2002).

Other efforts include the creation and enforcement of local and international laws, such as CITES and IUCN red listing, which are designed to limit the import and export of rare and endangered cycads (Norstog 1997, Whitelock 2002, Jones 2002).  IUCN red listing and taxonomy efforts increase public awareness of vulnerable species, and help to prevent illegal trade (Donaldson, 2004).  Another important effort is educational programs for the general public and of indigenous peoples who do not know the value of the plants being destroyed (Whitelock 2002, Jones 2002).

In conclusion, cycads are beautiful, ancient plants that can offer public enjoyment and insight into an ancient era.  However, their biology and human activities are combining to make them extremely vulnerable to extinction.  Hopefully, with greater public awareness and recent conservation management strategies, cycads will be on earth for many more millennia to come.

References:

Books and Journals:

    1. Alvarez-Yepiz, J., Dovciak, M., Burquez, A. (2011). Persistence of a rare ancient cycad:  Effects of environment and demography. Biological Conservation, 144:  122-130
    2. Donaldson, J., (2004). Saving Ghosts? Concepts and Recommendations:  Chapter:  Saving Ghosts? The Implications of Taxonomic Uncertainty and Shifting Infrageneric Concepts in the Cycadales for Red Listing and Conservation Planning. In Osborne, T., Walters, R.,  Cycad classification:  concepts and recommendations. Cambridge, MA:  CABI Publishing.
    3. Everett, T.H. (1968). Living trees of the world. New York:  Doubleday & Company
    4. Gonzalez-Astorga, J., Vovides, A.P., Cabrera-Toledo, D., Nicolalde-Morejon, F. (2009). Diversity and genetic structure of the endangered cycad Dioon sonorense (Zamiaceae) from Sonora, Mexico:  Evolutionary and conservation implications. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 36: 891-899
    5. Jones, D.L. (2002). Cycads of the World:  Ancient Plants in Today’s Landscape. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
    6. Lopez-Gallego, C., O’Neil, P. (2010). Life-history variation following habitat degradation associated with differing fine-scale spatial genetic structure in a rainforest cycad. Popul Ecol, 52: 191-201
    7. Norstog KJ, Nicholls T. (1997).  The Biology of the Cycads. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.
    8. Perez-Farrera, M., Vovides, A.P., Bol.Soc.Bot.Mex. (2006) The commercial use of the threatened “Espadana” cycad (Dioon merolae, Zamiaceae) by a community of the central depression of Chiapas, Mexico, Bol.Soc.Bot.Mex.,78: 107-113
    9. Raven, P.H., Evert, R., Eichhorn, S.E. (1999) Biology of Plants, Sixth edition. Freeman, Worth.
    10. Snow, E.L., Walter, G.H. (2007). Large seeds, extinct vectors and contemporary ecology:  testing dispersal in a locally distributed cycad, Macrozamia lucida (Cycadales). Australian Journal of Botany, 55: 592-600
    11. Terry, I., Forster, P., Moore, C.J., Roemer, R.B., Machin, P.J. (2008). Demographics, pollination syndrome and conservation status of Macrozamia platyrhachis (Zamiaceae), a geographically restricted Queensland cycad. Australian Journal of Botany, 56: 321-332
    12. Whitelock, L.M., (2002). The Cycads. Portland, OR: Timber Press

Online Resource:

  1. “The Cycad Society, Inc.” www.cycad.org/conservation.htm (Publications section, February 2012). Publication:  IUCN News Release, (2003), Modern Lifestyle Threatens Oldest Seed Plants on Earth.
  2. picture credit: http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/41881/0

Evolution of Virulence in Nematode Parasites of Fig Wasps

0
0

Fig Wasp and Nematode Interaction:

Fig pic - from HowstuffworksThis 1993 David Herre paper discusses how increased opportunities for parasite transmission will promote the evolution of increased virulence. This is in contrast to the usual assumption that parasites and other disease-producing organisms tend to evolve benign relationships with their hosts.

The model system used to demonstrate this point is the natural history of fig-pollinating wasps and the nematodes that parasitize these wasps. This system is useful because the foundress wasps that remain within the fig fruit may be counted and their lifetime reproductive success can be measured.

In Herre’s experiments, 11 species of Panamanian fig wasps were studied. The nematode virulence of different population structures (i.e. vertical vs. horizontal transmission) were determined by comparing the relative reproductive success of infected versus uninfected single foundress wasps.  It was found that the nematode species with the greatest estimated virulence were associated with host wasp species that are characterized by population structures providing the most frequent opportunities for horizontal transmission of their parasites. This is evidence that counters the theory that parasites and other disease-producing organisms tend to evolve benign relationships with their hosts over time.

The links provided below explore the fig-wasp life cycle in more detail.

Fig Wasp Life Cycle:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/insects-arachnids/fig-wasp.htm

  • fig wasps play an essential role in the fig’s life cycle, as the plant’s only pollinator
  • fig plant provides wasp with source of food and shelter
  • the fig fruit is a syconium, and is like an inverted flower
  • fig wasp climbs to center of syconium through ostiole
  • enzyme in fig is ficin, which breaks down wasp carcass into protein
  • some vegetarians and vegans refuse to eat figs and fig products

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfkiYfrStrU

  • David Attenborough video

http://www.esa.org/esablog/field/the-story-of-the-fig-and-its-wasp/

  • a fig is not actually a fruit, it is an inflorescence
  • the seeds are the ovaries of the fig
  • this tree-wasp relationship is a well-known example of coevolution
  • parthenocarpic – seedless

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/food-and-drink/news-fig-nursery-and-mausoleum-fig-wasp

  • there are several varieties of fig and fig wasps

References:

1. Herre, E.A., Population Structure and the Evolution of Virulence in Nematode Parasites of Fig Wasps. Science, 259, 1442-1444 (1993)

2. Image reference: http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/insects-arachnids/fig-wasp1.htm

Self-Employment Idea – Information Gathering Survey!

0
0

I am now venturing into the unknown abyss of being a self-employed technical writer and web content consultant and editor. In addition to working for clients as a technical writer, web content editor and offering audio transcription services, I will also be offering a whole suite of Web and SEO / Social Media products and services.

Please take the following survey to let me know which products and/or services are of interest to you! Thanks for taking the time to read this posting and please also consider filling out the survey.

http://edu.surveygizmo.com/s3/1484438/Self-Employment-Idea-Information-Gathering

Arctic Animals – Surviving a Changing Climate and Habitat

0
0
Photo by Keith M. Williams/flickr

Photo by Keith M. Williams/flickr

It’s no secret that the habitat of our more Northern creatures is declining due to increases in overall temperature. It is also true that in the history of the earth, there have been closings and openings of waterways and formation and then subsequent retreat of glacial ice sheets; however, it is the rate at which Arctic ecosystems are now changing that is of concern (Root et al. 2003, Overpeck et al. 2005, Walsh 2008). Research is now being done to explore what the effects of melting ice and loss of habitat are on Arctic species populations.

One such paper was written by the Ecological Society of America (Moore and Huntington in 2008, Ecological Applications pp. S157-S165). In this paper, the authors explore how recent changes in Arctic climate may challenge the adaptive capability of more northern adapted species, such as some species of whales, walrus seals and polar bears. The issue is that other species of whales and seals only seasonally occupy the Arctic and subarctic, but are now more easily able to encroach into these northern habitats due to climate change. For example, killer whales can now more easily access northern Arctic habitats and compete with resident northern whale species there for prey and habitat. In the paper, the authors take a two-step approach to examining the impacts and resilience of Arctic marine mammals to climate change: a conceptual model that accounts for ecological scale of the species, and resilience scenarios relative to climate change in four Arctic regions (1 p. S158).

It is interesting to explore what the impact is on more northern species, when species that are less-well adapted to colder areas are able to infringe on these areas due to a warmer climate.

Other issues include the loss of sea ice due to melting, and therefore its loss in ability to serve as 1) platforms, 2) marine ecosystem foundations and 3) barriers to non-ice adapted marine mammals and human commercial activities (1). In the ice-obligate and dependent category, the polar bear provides the clearest example: reductions in sea ice remove their hunting and resting platforms and likely reduce survivorship of ringed seals, which are their primary prey (Derocher et al. 2004, Laidre et al. 2008) (1 pg. S159).

Links:

 A Landsat-7 Mosaic of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (Natural Resources Canada)

Images and short descriptions of 13 animals of the Arctic – including foxes, polar bears and owls!

Videos:

A short video of Arctic animals (by ArcticKingdom1)

References:

1). Moore, SE, Huntington, HP, Arctic Marine Mammals and Climate Change: Impacts and Resilience. Ecological Applications, 18(2) Supplement (2008), pp. S157-S165


Information and Services

0
0

Welcome to MASIT (Medical and Scientific Information Technology), the website and blog for Jacquie – a Vancouver technical writer and web content specialist. Please read my blog postings below, or check out my services and skills listed here. For further information, please contact me at admin @ masit.ca – enjoy!

Interesting and Odd Wildflowers of British Columbia

0
0

There are very many different types of wildflowers along the west coast of British Columbia (also including farther north and south). Some are just interesting to look at because they are unique and beautiful. Others have medicinal properties and/or are edible. They have long-standing uses by the native aboriginal peoples, and it is estimated that literally thousands of traditional medicines are derived from plants present along the west coast region. This is why the pristine beauty and hidden treasures of this area are definitely worth conserving, and should be left as undisturbed as possible.

Below is a sampling of some of my favourite kinds, just because they are beautiful, intriguing, interesting and/or unique.

Star-flowered False Solomon’s Seal

Smilacina racemosa

False Solomon's Seal

http://www.prairiemoon.com/images/D/Smilacina-racemosa-Solomons-Plume-flower.jpg

Perennial with star-like flowers. The fruit is a round, greenish-yellow berry with 3 or 6 blue-purple stripes, changing to dark blue or reddish-black at maturity. Berries are edible but not especially tasty.

 

 

 

 

Clasping Twistedstalk

http://www.turtlepuddle.org/pix/Flowers/watermellon-berry-flowers.jpg

Clasping Twistedstalk

Streptopus amplexifolius

Perennial with greenish-white, bell-shaped flowers that have flaring tips. The fruit is an oval-oblong berry (yellow to red, sometimes turning dark purple). According to Pojar and MacKinnon, most aboriginal people regard the plants and berries as poisonous.

 

White Fawn Lily

http://www.hillkeep.ca/images/Erythonium_albidum_copyright_Scott_Peterson..jpg

White Fawn Lilly

Erythronium oregonum

Perennial with mottled leaves.
According to Pojar and MacKinnon, Erythronium comes from the Greek erythros for red, in reference to some pinkish-flowered species that were used in ancient times to make a dye.

 

 

http://appliedeco.org/images/gallery/fritillaria-affinis-2.jpg/image_preview

http://appliedeco.org/images/gallery/fritillaria-affinis-2.jpg/image_preview

Chocolate Lilly

Fritillaria lanceolata

Perennial, with a pretty and unique flower.
The bulbs were eaten by Coast Salish, including the Squamish, Sechelt, Halq’emeylem and Straits Salish. These plants are quite rare in many places and should be left undisturbed.

 

 

Mountain Lady Slipper

http://methowconservancy.blogspot.ca/2012/07/scenes-from-spring-season.html

Mountain Lady Slipper

Cypripedium montanum

Very elegant flower design, but threatened by over-collecting. This orchid reportedly takes 15 years to flower.

 

 

 

Ladies Tresses

http://ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.ca/2012/09/another-visit-to-lake-elizabeth.html

Ladies’ Tresses

Spiranthes romanzoffiana

Flowers are arranged in a spiral fashion around the spike.

 

 

 

http://lindberglce.com/SYRPAssoc/flowersBig/800pics/B107_060326.jpg

http://lindberglce.com/SYRPAssoc/flowersBig/800pics/B107_060326.jpg

Miner’s-Lettuce

Claytonia perfoliata

Annual, with slender taproot and leaves forming a disk around the stem, above mid-length. This species is extremely variable in size, colour and shape of leaves, and size of flowers. Called miner’s-lettuce because early miners and settlers used it as a salad vegetable.

 

Bladder campion

http://www.naturefg.com/images/a-plants/silene-vulgaris.jpg

Bladder Campion

Silene vulgaris

Sepals are about one cm long, fused into a chalice. This appears to be a weedy, introduced species.

 

 

Shepherd's Purse

http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/images/84710deaf1883c289389039/original.jpg

Shepherd’s Purse

Capsella bursa-pastoris

This is a common weed, originally from Europe and found in places where there is human-caused disturbance. It has been used in Europe as a source of edible greens and spicy seeds.

 

 

Foam flower

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Tiarella_cordifolia2.jpg

Foamflower

Tiarella trifoliata

Perennial, with three leaflets that are irregularly lobed and coarsely toothed. Tiarella species are called “foamflowers” because the flowers appear like specks of foam.

 

 

 

Book Reference:

1. Plants of Coastal British Columbia including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. Pojar and MacKinnon; Lone Pine publishing, 2004.

 

 

 

New Ideas for Blog Postings!

0
0

I enjoy spreading the word about interesting science, and I’m hoping to delve into some subjects that I’m not as familiar with this year, such as physics and astronomy. Here is your opportunity to give me some of your own ideas for science-based blog posts! Write to me at admin @ masit.ca if you have anything you’d like to see me write about on here in the coming months.

Ideas:

  • Northern Mountain Ecosystems in a Warming Climate
  • Earth’s Moon – Interesting Facts
  • Plastics Recycling – How energy efficient is the plastics recycling process?
  • Early Scientist Overview – Female
  • Coyotes – Behaviour and interaction with humans

Big Tree Trail on Meares Island

0
0

Tofino is known for its great surfing beaches and community, but there are also some fabulous places to hike. One such place is the Big Tree Trail located on Meares Island about half a kilometre across the water from Tofino. This trail features some of the largest and oldest Western red cedar trees in the world with widths up to 20 feet.

Photo by Jacquie Boivin
Boat taxi trip from Tofino to Meares Island

Meares island is a tribal park of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations and got its name in 1862 from George Henry Richards, captain of the HMS Hecate, in honor of John Meares. This island was blockaded to prevent logging by the MacMillan Bloedel company in 1984. As a result of this protest, the Big Tree trail was created with a board walk for the first 1.2 km of the trail.

Photo by Jacquie Boivin
One of the large trees you will see along the board walk.

The board walk takes you to some of the oldest trees in Canada. Two of which are Western red cedar trees and are in the range of 1000-1500 years old. They are known as the hanging garden tree and poster tree, and are just two of the large trees that you will see along this trail.

For those looking for an adventure, continue on past the managed trail area, and follow around to your right to circle back towards the dock. This area is quite muddy, and is difficult to walk in some places. A few other smaller trails lead down to the mudflats. The mudflats are interesting to look at, but you should return towards the direction of Morpheus island and back on the main trail which takes you back to the water taxi dock.

 

 

Photo by Jacquie Boivin
Return trip back to Tofino.

On the trip back to Tofino, you will see the village of Opitsat along the shoreline of Meares island, which is said to be 5000 years old.

Opitsat and Esowista are the two reserves in the area where the Tla-o-qui-aht people reside. With the crystal clear blue waters and fresh forest air this is definitely not a hike to be missed while visiting Tofino.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tla-o-qui-aht_First_Nations
http://www.tourismtofino.com/trails
http://tofinohiatus.com/adventure-hiking/big-tree-trail-meares.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meares_Island
http://www.ancientforestalliance.org/old-growth/meares-island.php

Find me on Twitter:  @jacbird and @masitblog

The Effect of Shrubification on Collared Pikas in a Changing Arctic Ecosystem

0
0
http://ncipl.org/
http://ncipl.org/

It is often easy to ignore the effects of climate change when those effects don’t have a direct impact on your immediate surroundings. However, if you take a closer look at the more northern habitats, you will see how climate change is affecting both the local tundra ecosystems and the animals who call that area home. One such animal is the collared pika – a mammal that resembles a small bunny and is part of the same order as rabbits (Lagomorpha). The effect that climate change is having on this mammal is currently being studied by University of Alberta researchers David Hik and Scott Williamson.

David Hik’s research emphasizes plant-herbivore-climate interactions in northern alpine and tundra ecosystems, while Scott Williamson is involved in research on elevation dependent warming (4). Scott Williamson’s research contributions on elevation-dependent warming were published in the journal Nature Climate Change in April, 2015
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v5/n5/full/nclimate2563.html

http://www.petsmagazine.com.sg/daily-bites/others/629-pika-cute
http://www.petsmagazine.com.sg/daily-bites/others/629-pika-cute

The collared pika is a species of pika that lives in the more extreme northern climates. They have adapted to this colder climate through a combination of different behavoiurs. They burrow under thick snow packs in the winter, which allows them to survive these colder months since they don’t hibernate (2). Collared pikas also gather food in the summer months and store it in a separate pantry or “cache” over the winter (2). In the summer, they hide from predators and shield themselves from the heat in rock “talus” sites at the base of landslides (3).

The food that they gather and store, mostly consists of green grasses and the leaves of alpine meadow plants (2). However, a combination of lower temperatures and other global warming trends is negatively affecting their food supply and ability to shelter themselves from the cold in snow packs. This is a concern considering that their populations are already dropping by 90% over the winter months, as observed by David Hik (2).

Northern habitats are currently being affected by the global warming trend of “shrubification,” which is having an impact on the survival of collared pikas. Shrubification is the colloquial term that describes the process of shrub expansion into more northern areas and at higher altitudes. These shrubs are able to expand farther north due to factors such as lower temperatures, soil disturbances and herbivory (1). For example, reduced temperatures allow for enhanced soil nutrient uptake. Landscape and soil disturbances also contribute to increased shrub abundance and distribution. Grazing herbivores have an impact on shrub distribution by altering seed production and seedbed size, transport of seeds and soil fertilization (1).

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/growth-of-arctic-shrubs-may-accelerate-global-warming-study-finds/article25333574/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/growth-of-arctic-shrubs-may-accelerate-global-warming-study-finds/article25333574/

This process of shrubification is causing the already endangered collared pika populations to dwindle further due to decreasing their food sources and reducing the snow pack cover.

The advancement and canopy thickening of shrubs is causing a reduction in albedo (or, sun reflectance off snow), which contributes to warmer temperatures. It also takes longer for the snow to melt under shrubs, which then covers the meadow plant seedlings for a longer time and delays the growing season (2).

In combination with this, the lower temperatures are also causing more rain and ice and less snow. This then leads to reduced snow pack thickness, and when the rain freezes, it covers any winter vegetation with an impenetrable shell of ice (2). Therefore, the collared pikas face many challenges in their alpine habitats.

http://www.nicolasdory.com/2011-the-year-in-pictures/
http://www.nicolasdory.com/2011-the-year-in-pictures/

To help these creatures, make sure that you are doing all that you can, such as driving less, recycling, drinking water from reusable bottles and reducing your overall energy consumption. These fluffly little bunny-like creatures will surely thank you!

References:

1. Myers-Smith, I. H., Forbes, B. C., Wilmking, M., & Hik, D. S. (2011, December 20). Shrub expansion in tundra ecosystems: Dynamics, impacts and research priorities. Environ. Res. Lett., 6. http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/6/4/045509/meta

2. Pratt, S. (2016, Spring). Swim or Sink. New Trail (University of Alberta Alumni Magazine), 16-28.

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collared_pika

4. https://www.ualberta.ca/science/about-us/contact-us/faculty-directory/david-hik

5. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/growth-of-arctic-shrubs-may-accelerate-global-warming-study-finds/article25333574/

6. https://www.ualberta.ca/news-and-events/newsarticles/2015/april/mountains-warming-faster-say-researchers

7. http://esseacourses.strategies.org/module.php?module_id=99

Find me on Twitter: @jacbird and @masitblog

Original Compositions Playlist

0
0

A different kind of writing…

I have been busy doing a different kind of writing recently, among some other projects that involved writing resource industry training documents. Please check out my latest music compositions that I have been working on. This is a little different than science and technical writing, but it still falls within the writing domain (although a tad more on the creative end of the spectrum). Click on the link below to check out my recordings.

Jacquie’s Composition Playlist

Find me on Twitter: @jacbird

Google search: Native Ocean Tumblr
Google search: Native Ocean Tumblr

Flipbook Project and other Blog Postings 2021 and 2022

0
0
Photo credit: https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/555631672775540565/

Please take a look here at my recent projects and showcases. The Flipbook was a team project, completed for the Scarfe Digital Sandbox. Other science blog postings were written for both the UBC Faculties of Applied Science and Education.

Flipbook Project Showcase – by the Project Team 2021

Click below to check out the Scarfe Sandbox Flipbook:

https://online.fliphtml5.com/xgpvc/ygvv/#p=1

Geering Up’s People-focused Workshops 2022

An overview of the UBC Faculty of Applied Science’s Geering Up program – taking a look at their people focused workshops and initiatives.

https://apsc.ubc.ca/news/2022/geering-ups-people-focused-workshops

Storytelling for STEM Subjects – by Jacqueline 2021

This post explains the concept of teaching science and tech by using storytelling methods. Some relevant examples are also discussed, including the First People’s Principles of Learning.

https://scarfedigitalsandbox.teach.educ.ubc.ca/storytelling-for-stem-subjects/

Honing Pattern Recognition Skills through Dance – by Jacqueline 2021

Another resource post that demonstrates and explains the concept of pattern recognition through learning dance steps. Pattern recognition is useful in mathematics, computer science, scientific discovery and research – and more specifically in biogeography and evolutionary biology. 

https://scarfedigitalsandbox.teach.educ.ubc.ca/honing-%e2%80%afpattern-%e2%80%afrecognition-%e2%80%afskills-through-%e2%80%afdance/

Find me on Twitter: @jacbird


Viewing all 15 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images