Article
Food Science & Technology
Ryan B. B. Shartau, Lenora D. M. Turcotte, Julia C. C. Bradshaw, Andrew R. S. Ross, Blair D. D. Surridge, Nina Nemcek, Stewart C. C. Johnson
Summary: This study investigated the presence of algal toxins in the coastal waters of British Columbia, Canada, and found multiple co-occurring toxins. However, the levels detected were below the regulatory limits for health and recreational use.
Article
Ecology
Kyle Schang, Kieran Cox, Andrew J. Trant
Summary: Identifying the influence of past human actions on the environment is crucial for understanding the ecological factors shaping current ecosystems. This study examines the impact of shell midden deposits resulting from Indigenous Peoples' intertidal resource use on various forest metrics. Results show that habitation sites have lower tree species richness and abundance, but higher regeneration diversity and height of dominant tree species. The findings suggest that long-term habitation alters forest community compositions and has a persistent influence on coastal forests.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fahra Rajabali, Kate Turcotte, Alex Zheng, Nick Pauls, Tony Nguyen, Evelyn Kalman, Vedrana Covic, Ian Pike
Summary: This study quantified the total cost of violent firearm-related offenses in British Columbia from 2012 to 2016, estimating direct costs to the health care system, indirect costs to society, and criminal justice system costs. The study found a total of 108 deaths and 245 hospitalizations resulting from violent firearm injuries, with an average annual cost of $294,378,985. The costs were significantly higher in the criminal justice system than in health care.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Geological
K. E. Hughes, M. Geertsema, E. Kwoll, M. N. Koppes, N. J. Roberts, J. J. Clague, S. Rohland
Summary: A bathymetric survey of Harrison Lake in southwest British Columbia revealed deposits of three large landslides on the lake floor, with two of them having the potential to generate tsunamis. This study provides an important foundation for further landslide-tsunami hazard analysis in the region, especially for those living along the shoreline of the lake.
Article
Microbiology
Joseph P. P. Nowlan, Ashton N. N. Sies, Scott R. R. Britney, Andrew D. S. Cameron, Ahmed Siah, John S. S. Lumsden, Spencer Russell
Summary: Tenacibaculum is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria found worldwide. This study focused on Tenacibaculum genomes from Norway, Chile, and Canada, specifically their impacts on salmon aquaculture. The researchers used sequencing techniques to select and analyze isolates from Canadian salmon with mouthrot, discovering several known and unknown species of Tenacibaculum with potential virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Byung-Hun Choe, Andree Blais-Stevens, Sergey Samsonov, Jonathan Dudley
Summary: Landslides are the most common natural hazard in British Columbia, and radar remote sensing has proven to be an effective method for detecting downslope movements. This study reveals significant earthflow movements in the Southern Interior of the province, and new data with higher spatial resolution demonstrate the advantages of monitoring small-scale slope movements.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kerry Schutten, Akshaya Chandrashekar, Madelaine Bourdages, Victoria Bowes, John Elliott, Sandi Lee, Tony Redford, Jennifer Provencher, Claire Jardine, Laurie Wilson
Summary: Since the 1960s, plastic pollution has become one of the most widespread and common forms of pollution globally. However, there is limited knowledge on the ingestion of plastic by terrestrial and freshwater bird species, particularly birds of prey. This study analyzed the gastrointestinal tracts of 234 raptors from 15 species collected between 2013 and 2021, and found that only a small number of individuals had evidence of plastic ingestion. Based on these results, further research on microplastic accumulation in raptors and increasing sample sizes across species is recommended to gain a more comprehensive understanding of plastic ingestion in these birds.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kyle D. Lochhead, Elizabeth J. Kleynhans, Tyler B. Muhly
Summary: The decline in woodland caribou populations is linked to habitat disturbances caused by industrial development. The best predictors for caribou abundance were roads (R50), cutblocks aged 80 or less, and the combination of cutblocks and roads. Recommendations include protecting core habitat, limiting new roads in core habitat, and managing timber harvest in matrix habitat to minimize road construction.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Notice Ringa, Sarafa A. Iyaniwura, Samara David, Mike A. Irvine, Prince Adu, Michelle Spencer, Naveed Z. Janjua, Michael C. Otterstatter
Summary: This study analyzes the relationship between close-contact rates, reported cases, and transmission of COVID-19 in British Columbia, Canada. The results show that contact rates play a significant role in transmission, and an increase in reported cases leads to a decrease in subsequent contact rates.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Yongsheng Wu, Charles Hannah, Pascal Matte, Mitchell O'Flaherty-Sproul, Ruping Mo, Xiaoyi Wang, Phillip MacAulay
Summary: This study investigated the tidal propagation in the Lower Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada using observed data and a hydrodynamic model. The results show that the amplitudes of the principal tides decrease from downstream to upstream and vary with different seasons and locations, strongly correlated with river discharge. The Pitt River and Pitt Lake system is found to be important for tidal propagation in the river channel.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geology
Elizabeth M. Bollen, Harold H. Stowell, Margaret E. Rusmore, Glenn J. Woodsworth, M. Robinson Cecil
Summary: Metamorphism in the Mount Waddington area reached high temperatures and pressures, with garnet growth mainly influenced by high-flux magmatism, but the timing of metamorphism and magmatic events differed significantly.
JOURNAL OF METAMORPHIC GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lori-jon C. Waugh, Iselle Flores Ruiz, Cheng Kuang, Jian Guo, Jay T. T. Cullen, Maria T. T. Maldonado
Summary: The Strait of Georgia is influenced by both ocean and freshwater, with Cu concentration controlled by mixing dynamics and buffering effects of Cu-binding ligands. The results suggest that the marine life in the Strait of Georgia is not threatened by Cu toxicity due to the presence of effective Cu-binding ligands. Factors such as ligand class, concentration, and temperature play a significant role in Cu speciation.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Alireza Babaie Mahani, Stuart Venables, Honn Kao, Ryan Visser, Michelle Gaucher, Ramin M. H. Dokht, Jeff Johnson
Summary: This study evaluates seismic intensity in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) using data collected by the BC Oil and Gas Commission from 2016-2020, providing an isoseismal map for the Septimus region. The research finds that the intensity of shallow earthquakes decays more rapidly with distance compared to deeper events, highlighting the need for more systematic data collection in the WCSB.
SEISMOLOGICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marie Noel, Catherine Wong, Peter S. Ross, Shreyas Patankar, Anahita Etemadifar, Carmen Morales-Caselles, Shirley Lyons, Kelsey Delisle
Summary: Microplastics were found in both surficial marine sediment and mussel samples collected along the coast of British Columbia, Canada, with the main source being textiles. Victoria Harbour and the North Coast were identified as hotspots of microplastic pollution.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Azzam Barham, Mohd Suhaili Ismail, Maman Hermana, N. S. Zainal Abidin
Summary: The Montney Formation source rock in northeastern British Columbia, Canada, was analyzed for its depositional conditions and organic matter source input, as well as its level of thermal maturity. The results indicate that the source rock was deposited in a marine dysxic environment with a mixture of marine-terrestrial derived organic matter. The maturity indices suggest that the source rock is mature to postmature for hydrocarbon generation.