Article
Plant Sciences
David J. Garbary, Megan P. Fass, Herb Vandermeulen
Summary: Research on the distribution and ecology of the invasive brown alga Fucus serratus along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, has revealed its significant intertidal penetration and dominance in certain zones, possibly influenced by harvesting of other algae species and climate change.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ricardo A. Scrosati, Matthew J. Freeman, Julius A. Ellrich, Willy Petzold
Summary: This study documents the biogeographic variation at mid-to-high intertidal elevations in wave-exposed rocky habitats on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. It found that northern locations are severely disturbed by ice scour, while southern locations exhibit higher species richness and abundance. Temperature and pelagic food supply were found to be the main factors influencing the biogeographic patterns.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Emily A. Roberts, Matthew E. S. Bracken
Summary: Foundation species like canopy-forming seaweeds provide physical structure that enhances diversity and abundance of associated organisms on rocky shores. Solar radiation, including UV light, can reduce photosynthetic rates and cause DNA damage in algae, but the presence of an algal canopy can protect understory seaweeds by reducing UV exposure. Field experiments showed that removal of the algal canopy led to a significant increase in UV-protective pigment concentrations in seaweeds.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ricardo A. Scrosati
Summary: Intertidal mussel stands play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation on temperate rocky seashores, but their integrity is increasingly threatened by successive environmental extremes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jessie A. McIntyre, Nelson J. O'Driscoll, Ian Spooner, Gregory J. Robertson, John P. Smol, Mark L. Mallory
Summary: Seabirds, especially those scavenging on anthropogenic wastes, play a significant role in the transport of contaminants such as mercury from marine to terrestrial environments. This study found that herring gull breeding colonies in southern Nova Scotia showed higher levels of total mercury in soils compared to nearby reference soils without nesting gulls. The presence of other nesting seabird species, particularly Leach's storm-petrels, likely influenced the levels of total mercury in soils. This research suggests that gulls scavenging on anthropogenic wastes may contribute to the spread of contaminants from industrial sites to their colonies.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kimberley A. Taylor, David Risk, James P. Williams, Grant D. Wach, Owen A. Sherwood
Summary: This study investigated the presence of methane in groundwater in the Stellarton Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada, finding that the majority of methane is of microbial origin, with some trace thermogenic gas likely originating from coal mines in the area. The data obtained in this study may be used as baseline information for future coal-bed methane operations in the region.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kayla M. Hamelin, M. Aaron MacNeil, Kaitlyn Curran, Megan Bailey
Summary: This article assesses the human dimensions of the recreational mackerel fishery, exploring the operational dimensions and benefits derived from recreational fishing. The results provide insights into the stakeholder community, with many respondents sharing comments and suggestions regarding stock management.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Myriam Mora, Tony R. Walker, Rob Willis
Summary: Small craft harbours play a vital role in the fishing industry and have significant socioeconomic and cultural importance for surrounding communities. Potential contaminants in harbour sediments can have adverse impacts on marine life, fishing activities, and the local economy. A risk assessment of different classes of contaminants in 31 small craft harbours in Nova Scotia, Canada, found most harbours to have low ecological risk, with only a few showing high risk. Monitoring is recommended to ensure pollution levels do not increase and to identify and control contamination sources.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kristin A. Hart, Gavin W. Kennedy, Shannon M. Sterling
Summary: Increased rates of acid deposition from fossil fuel burning have led to acidification and elevated aluminum levels in freshwaters and soils. This study investigates the distribution of aluminum in groundwater in Nova Scotia, Canada, finding the highest concentrations in areas underlain by specific rock types. Despite few samples exceeding accepted levels, challenges in aluminum treatment in private wells and potential impacts on human health and aquatic life require further attention.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bryan J. Maciag, James M. Brenan, Michael B. Parsons, Gavin W. Kennedy
Summary: The origin and concentration of arsenic in groundwater in Nova Scotia, Canada vary due to different mineral hosts. Pyrite, which has the highest arsenic concentration, can release arsenic when oxidized. Cordierite, on the other hand, although it has low arsenic concentration, is soluble and could be a previously unrecognized source of arsenic. This study's findings can be used to identify potential sources of arsenic in other granite terranes and reduce exposure through drinking water.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kirsten Ellis, Rosmarie Lohnes, Jeremy Lundholm
Summary: Local nature-based erosion control techniques on slopes in Nova Scotia, Canada, such as mulching with hay and brush and planting native species, have been found effective in reducing soil loss and runoff based on experiments. These techniques, when combined, can significantly reduce soil loss caused by rainfall on slopes, making them suitable as a soft engineering or living shorelines approach for erosion control.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paul D. Kaufman, Sui Huang, Thoru Pederson
Summary: This conference explored the investigation of nuclear bodies, revealing new findings that confirmed and expanded the understanding of genome activity.
Article
Thermodynamics
Mostafa Mostafavi Sani, Hamid Afshari, Ahmed Saif
Summary: This paper investigates a multi-carrier energy infrastructure for generating energy from municipal solid waste. A two-stage robust optimization model is proposed to minimize the total annual cost of waste-to-energy facility, taking into account uncertainties in heat, electricity, and hydrogen prices, as well as waste supply. The results demonstrate the influence of parameter uncertainties on optimal system design and performance, and showcase the efficacy of the proposed framework for selecting waste-to-energy technologies.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Sylvain Charlebois, Marie Le Bouthillier, Janet Music, Janele Vezeau
Summary: This pioneering research establishes a framework for assessing local food consumption in Nova Scotia, Canada. On average, Nova Scotians allocate 31.2% of their food expenditures to locally sourced products. However, this figure may be influenced by participant perspective and is prone to overestimation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Heather Breeze, Shihan Li, Emmaline C. Marotte, James A. Thenault, Jessica Wingfield, Jinshan Xu
Summary: Researchers analyzed acoustic data and vessel traffic data during the COVID-19 pandemic and observed noticeable changes in sound levels and vessel composition, potentially related to pandemic restrictions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Alexis M. Catalan, Joseline Buchner-Miranda, Barbara Riedemann, Oscar R. Chaparro, Nelson Valdivia, Ricardo A. Scrosati
Summary: Predators can indirectly affect community structure through nonconsumptive effects on foundation species, as demonstrated in this study where Acanthina monodon reduced larviphagy and filtration rates of Perumytilus purpuratus. The field experiment showed higher colonization rates of invertebrates and lower algal biomass in mussel beds in the presence of predator cues, altering community structure.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Ricardo A. Scrosati
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Ricardo A. Scrosati
Summary: Predators can influence prey demography not only through consumption but also through triggering behavioral changes in prey. Recent research using intertidal invertebrates as prey and dogwhelks as predators showed that the presence of predators can affect recruitment and reproductive output of prey species by inducing avoidance behavior. This study provides evidence of nonconsumptive effects of predators on prey demography in coastal marine systems.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ricardo A. Scrosati, Alexis M. Catalan, Nelson Valdivia
Summary: Fucoid macroalgal canopies significantly reduce beta diversity in intertidal communities, indicating a limitation on the changes in species composition. This suggests that these foundation species can have opposing effects on alpha and beta diversity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ricardo A. Scrosati
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ricardo A. Scrosati, Janelle K. Holt
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Barbara Riedemann-Saldivia, Joseline A. Buchner-Miranda, Luis P. Salas-Yanquin, Nelson Valdivia, Alexis M. Catalan, Ricardo A. Scrosati, Oscar R. Chaparro
Summary: This study evaluated the non-consumptive effects of a predatory snail on a dominant mussel species. The results showed that predator cues triggered behavioral changes and physiological consequences in the prey, potentially impacting ecosystem processes and community structure indirectly.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Barbara van Genne, Ricardo A. Scrosati
Summary: The abundance-occupancy relationship (AOR) is a commonly observed pattern in species assemblages that can be used to infer the relationship between species abundance and occupancy. While this pattern has been extensively studied in terrestrial systems, its applicability in aquatic systems needs to be evaluated. This study found that the AOR holds in rocky intertidal communities, expanding its applicability to marine benthic systems.
MARINE BIOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ricardo A. Scrosati, Matthew J. Freeman, Julius A. Ellrich, Willy Petzold
Summary: This study documents the biogeographic variation at mid-to-high intertidal elevations in wave-exposed rocky habitats on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. It found that northern locations are severely disturbed by ice scour, while southern locations exhibit higher species richness and abundance. Temperature and pelagic food supply were found to be the main factors influencing the biogeographic patterns.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Ecology
Abigael M. Manning, Ricardo A. Scrosati
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Alexis M. Catalan, Daniela N. Lopez, Eliseo Fica-Rojas, Bernardo R. Broitman, Nelson Valdivia, Ricardo A. Scrosati
Summary: This study investigated the effect of canopy-forming alga on spatial environmental heterogeneity and beta diversity in intertidal communities. Canopy cover was found to reduce the spatial variation of temperature and desiccation, resulting in lower beta diversity for sessile species but not for mobile species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ricardo A. Scrosati, Nicole M. Cameron
Summary: Contemporary climate change has led to an increase in extreme weather events, such as heat waves. This study provides visual evidence of mass bleaching in intertidal seaweeds caused by an unusually severe cold snap in Atlantic Canada. The bleaching was observed in two canopy-forming algae species, Chondrus crispus and Corallina officinalis, following several hours of extreme low temperatures. The loss of these foundation species may have negative effects on intertidal biodiversity.
Editorial Material
Ecology
Nicole M. Cameron, Ricardo A. Scrosati
Article
Ecology
Nicole M. Cameron, Ricardo A. Scrosati, Nelson Valdivia
Summary: This study found that the structural and functional properties of foundation species can predict the functional aspects of associated communities. This has important implications for developing effective restoration strategies after the loss of foundation species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ricardo A. Scrosati
Summary: Intertidal mussel stands play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation on temperate rocky seashores, but their integrity is increasingly threatened by successive environmental extremes.