Northern Alberta Research Articles

Influence of Aboveground Pipeline and Associated Factors on Movement of Winter-Active Boreal Mammals in the Alberta In-Situ Oil Sands

Aboveground pipelines (AGP) associated with in-situ oil sands may restrict mammal movement, potentially increasing extinction probability and decreasing reproductive success. Our 12-year study used winter track count techniques to assess the response of winter-active mammals to AGP in northern Alberta, Canada. The primary questions were: which species were most prone to movement obstruction by AGP, facilities or natural factor(s)?; and which factor exerted the strongest influence on crossing likelihood? A total of 2,068 trails of 12 different species were observed. All species crossed more than half of the time. Focal species crossed on average 80% of the time. Crossing likelihood of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), ermine (Mustela erminea), coyote (Canis latrans), lynx (Lynx canadensis), and fisher (Martes pennanti) were significantly influenced by predictors including pipeline height, pipeline corridor width, infrastructure age, vegetation type, and proximity to infrastructure. Deer and lynx crossing likelihood was positively affected by pipe height. Deer, coyote, and ermine crossing likelihood was positively affected by age of pipe. Fisher and deer crossing likelihood was negatively affected by pipeline corridor widths. Our investigations show that most species cross AGP with high crossing frequencies of pipe heights, ranging from 130 cm to 160 cm. These findings are important for impact mitigation because of the scarcity of published studies of wildlife movement responses to AGP, our inclusion of small and mid-sized carnivores, and our investigation of multiple factors. We highlight mitigation and design improvements, effects of pipeline corridor widths, and challenges posed by coupling infrastructure with pipelines, serving to reduce movement barriers and fragmentation.

Peatlands promote fire refugia in boreal forests of northern Alberta, Canada

AbstractIn the boreal forests of North America, large wildfires often leave residual patches of unburned vegetation, termed fire refugia, which can affect post‐fire ecosystem processes. Although topographic complexity is a major driver of fire refugia in mountainous terrain, refugia in boreal plains are more likely driven by a combination of other bottom‐up controls on fuel configuration as well as top‐down climate controls. In this study, we investigated the role of hydrological, ecological, and topographic heterogeneity, as well as climate moisture patterns, on the presence of fire refugia in forested upland and peatland ecosystems within Alberta's subhumid boreal forests over a 33‐year (1985–2018) period. Generalized linear models were used to model the probability of refugia in forested stands as a function of bottom‐up (vegetation, topography, site moisture, and ecosystem) and top‐down (normal and annual climate moisture deficit) controls. We then developed predictive maps of refugia probability for a range of normal and interannual climate moisture deficit values. We found that forested fens had a probability of refugia that was 64% higher than upland forests, while forested bogs did not differ from forested uplands in refugia likelihood. Climate and physical setting presented the strongest controls on fire refugia in uplands and peatlands, respectively. Increasing amounts of adjacent bogs, but not fens, produced a sixfold increase in refugia probability in uplands, while increasing amounts of adjacent bogs and fens produced roughly two times the refugia probability in forested peatlands. In these upland forest stands, fire refugia probability was negatively related to the interaction between regional climate moisture deficits and interannual deviations from these norms, thus increasing the probability of fire refugia during more severe drought conditions in areas with less arid climates, while decreasing refugia probabilities in drier climates. However, in peatlands themselves, neither regional climate moisture conditions nor the interannual deviations affected refugia. Fire size had a negative effect on fire refugia in all upland‐based models and a positive effect in all peatland‐based models. Our results suggest that large areas of intact peatlands may be capable of promoting fire refugia and thereby slowing climate‐driven, fire‐mediated vegetation transitions in surrounding forest ecosystems.

Polarimetric L-Band ALOS2-PALSAR2 for Discontinuous Permafrost Mapping in Peatland Regions

Recently, it has been shown that the long penetrating polarimetric L-band ALOS is very promising for boreal and subarctic peatland mapping and monitoring. The unique information provided by the Touzi decomposition, and the dominant-scattering-type phase in particular, on peatland subsurface water flow permits an enhanced discrimination of bogs from fens, two peatland classes that can hardly be discriminated using conventional optical remote sensing sensors and C-band polarimetric SAR. In this study, the dominant and medium-scattering phases generated by the Touzi decomposition are investigated for discontinuous permafrost mapping in peatland regions. Polarimetric ALOS2, LiDAR, and field data were collected in the middle of August 2014, at the maximum permafrost thaw conditions, over discontinuous permafrost distributed within wooded palsa bogs and peat plateaus near the Namur Lake (Northern Alberta). The ALOS2 image, which was miscellaneously calibrated with antenna cross talk (−33 dB) much higher than the actual ones, was recalibrated. This led to a reduction of the residual calibration error (down to −43 dB) and permitted a significant improvement of the dominant and medium-scattering-type phase (20∘ to −30∘) over peatlands underlain by discontinuous permafrost. The Touzi decomposition, Cloude–Pottier α-H incoherent target scattering decomposition, and the HH-VV phase difference were investigated, in addition to the conventional multipolarization (HH, HV, and VV) channels, for discontinuous permafrost mapping using the recalibrated ALOS2 image. A LiDAR-based permafrost classification developed by the Alberta Geological Survey (AGS) was used in conjunction with the field data collected during the ALOS2 image acquisition for the validation of the results. It is shown that the dominant- and scattering-type phases are the only polarimetric parameters which can detect peatland subsurface discontinuous permafrost. The medium-scattering-type phase, ϕs2, performs better than the dominant-scattering-type phase, ϕs1, and permits a better detection of subsurface discontinuous permafrost in peatland regions. ϕs2 also allows for a better discrimination of areas underlain by permafrost from the nonpermafrost areas. The medium Huynen maximum polarization return (m2) and the minimum degree of polarization (DoP), pmin, can be used to remove the scattering-type phase ambiguities that might occur in areas with deep permafrost (more than 50 cm in depth). The excellent performance of polarimetric PALSAR2 in term of NESZ (−37 dB) permits the demonstration of the very promising L-band long-penetration SAR capabilities for enhanced detection and mapping of relatively deep (up to 50 cm) discontinuous permafrost in peatland regions.

An Effectiveness Analysis of Walk-in Stroke Centres in Northern Alberta (S20.001)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To model the effectiveness of walk-in stroke centres (WSCs) in acute stroke care. <h3>Background:</h3> Access to thrombolytics for people experiencing acute stroke symptoms depends on the onset of symptoms to treatment time (OTT). Decreased OTT has mortality and disability benefits. Not all community hospitals offer thrombolytics for acute stroke symptoms, and patients must await transfer to a primary (PSC) or comprehensive stroke centre (CSC) before stroke therapy can be initiated. WSCs have been established in Northern Alberta enabling earlier access to thrombolytics for stroke patients who self-present. We assess the effectiveness based on the estimated time-saved in OTT of three WSCs on the outskirts of Edmonton, Alberta that are between 19–33 kilometers away from the local CSC. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> The effectiveness of three WSCs was evaluated by estimating transportation times to thrombolysis in two counterfactual scenarios: with and without WSCs using &gt;6000 postal-code origins. Stroke incidence was simulated using the age-stratified population distribution of Alberta using WorldPop data and Alberta vital statistics. Base-case mortality of thrombolysis treated strokes was obtained from the Quality Improvement and Clinical Research Alberta Stroke Program Database (QuICR). Effectiveness was measured as a function OTT difference based on transportation times in each scenario. <h3>Results:</h3> OTT can be decreased on average by 15.8, 19.5 and 21.5 minutes (range 0–30.9 min) for each WSC respectively. From this we estimated an average 1% potential reduction in stroke mortality and a 1% increase in the number of patients presenting within the 4.5hr thrombolytic window. Over 1-year WSCs could facilitate earlier treatment for 79.7% of strokes and when combined save 3.9/100,000 lives. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> Using population level data to simulate transport times for stroke patients we can model the efficacy of WSCs. With this method we found that WSCs can reduce mortality for acute stroke patients when a CSC or PSC is not a patient’s closest hospital. <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Purdy has nothing to disclose. The institution of Dr. Jeerakathil has received research support from University Hospital Foundation. Dr. Oweens has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bendavid has nothing to disclose.

Identifying Sex-Specific Differences in Young-Onset Metabolic Syndrome Using Primary Care Electronic Medical Record.

Objectives: To apply a case definition to a Northern Alberta-based primary care practice population and to assess the sex-specific characteristics of young-onset metabolic syndrome (MetS). Design: We carried out a cross-sectional study to identify and estimate the prevalence of MetS using electronic medical record (EMR) data and perform descriptive comparative analyses of demographic and clinical characteristics between males and females. Setting: Northern Alberta Primary Care Research Network (NAPCReN) consists of EMR patient data from 77 physicians among 18 clinics. Participants: Patients with one or more clinic visit between 2015 and 2018, between 18 and 40 years old, residing in Northern Alberta. Main Outcome Measures: Comparison of prevalence in MetS between sexes as well as sex-specific distribution of MetS characteristics [body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), presence of hypertension, and presence of diabetes]. Results: Of 15,766 patients, 4.4% (n = 700) had young-onset MetS based on recorded data, prevalence was nearly twice as high in males (6.1%, n = 354) compared with females (3.5%, n = 346). The most prevalent risk factor for MetS consisted of having an elevated BMI for both females (90.9%) and males (91.5%). In the presence of MetS, more females had lower HDL-C [68.2% females (F) vs. 52.5% males (M)], and higher prevalence of diabetes (21.4% F vs. 9.0% M), whereas more males had hypertriglyceridemia (60.4% F vs. 79.7% M) and hypertension (12.4% F vs. 15.8% M). Females also had consistently higher percentages of absent laboratory data compared with males when identified as having MetS and BMI ≥25 kg/m2. Conclusions: Males have nearly twice the prevalence of young-onset MetS compared with females, with notable sex-specific differences in the manifestation of MetS, although we suspect that this is partially due to underreporting where the absence of anthropomorphic and laboratory investigations point to a lack of testing. Sex-specific screening for MetS, especially among young females of childbearing years, is important for downstream prevention.

Response of dissolved organic carbon dynamics to salinity in a Constructed Fen Peatland in the Athabasca Oil Sands region

AbstractIn northern Alberta, oil sands mining disturbs the boreal landscape, and reclamation to an ‘equivalent land capability’ is required. Industry is testing peatland construction as part of landscape reclamation. To determine if constructed peatlands can be self‐sustaining, an understanding of the cycling of solutes in pore water and their interactions with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is needed since DOC can represent an important carbon loss from peatlands. DOC is of interest due to its biotic origin and use by the microbial community and impact on carbon budgets. Additionally, salinity as a control on DOC quantity and quality may be important in oil sands reclaimed systems due to the likelihood of elevated sodium (Na+) from saline groundwater input derived from tailings used to construct catchments, and natural sources. For this research, DOC concentration and quality, and Na+ concentration were measured in the rooting zone (10 and 30 cm depth) of Nikanotee Fen to evaluate the role of Na+ in DOC dynamics. DOC concentration and quality suggested that DOC in the fen was largely sourced from vegetation inputs, with quality also suggesting increases in vegetation inputs between years. Elevated Na+ at 30 cm below ground surface corresponded with high concentrations of labile DOC. At 10 cm below ground surface, sampling location and temperature were the best predictors of DOC concentration and quality. With expected increases in Na+, increased production of mobile and microbially active DOC may lead to higher rates of carbon export.

Peatlands promote fire refugia in boreal forests of northern Alberta, Canada

Peatlands promote fire refugia in boreal forests of northern Alberta, Canada

Experiencing Trauma During or Before Pregnancy: Qualitative Secondary Analysis After Two Disasters.

Despite the existing knowledge about stress, trauma and pregnancy and maternal stress during natural disasters, little is known about what types of trauma pregnant or preconception women experience during these disasters. In May 2016, the worst natural disaster in modern Canadian history required the evacuation of nearly 90,000 residents of the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo (FMWB) area of northern Alberta. Among the thousands of evacuees were an estimated 1850 women who were pregnant or soon to conceive. In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey devastated areas of the United States including Texas, with 30,000 people forced to flee their homes due to the intense flooding. To explore immediate and past traumatic experiences of pregnant or preconception women who experienced one of two natural disasters (a wildfire and a hurricane) as captured in their expressive writing. Research questions were: (1) What trauma did pregnant or preconception women experience during the fire and the hurricane? (2) What past traumatic experiences, apart from the disasters, did the women discuss in their expressive writing? A qualitative secondary analysis of expressive writing using thematic content analysis was conducted on the expressive writing of 50 pregnant or preconception women who experienced the 2016 Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Wildfire (n = 25) and the 2017 Houston Hurricane Harvey (n = 25) Narrative data in the form of expressive writing entries from participants of two primary studies were thematically analyzed. One of the expressive writing questions was used in this analysis: "What is the most traumatic, upsetting experience of your entire life, especially that you have never discussed in great detail with others?" NVivo 12 supported thematic content analysis. For some women, the disasters elicited immense fear and anxiety that surpassed previous traumatic life events. Others, however, disclosed significant past traumas that continue to impact them, including betrayal by a loved one, abuse, maternal health complications, and illness. We recommend a strengths-based and trauma-informed care approach in both maternal health and post-disaster relief care.

A143 PEDIATRIC EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS IN CANADA: A MULTI-CENTER COHORT WITH FOCUS ON THE STRICTURING PHENOTYPE

Abstract Background Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic eosinophil-predominant esophageal inflammatory condition, and is now recognized as one of the most common organic causes of dysphagia in pediatrics. While fibrostenotic esophageal strictures are a common complication of adult EoE, characterization of the stricturing phenotype in pediatric EoE remains at an early stage. Purpose Describe the Canadian pediatric EoE experience, with focus on the stricturing phenotype. Method New pediatric EoE diagnoses from 2015-2018 were retrospectively identified in Vancouver (BC), Northern Alberta (AB), Hamilton (ON) and Nova Scotia (NS). Incidence rates were calculated using 2016 Federal census data. Clinical, endoscopic and histologic data were gathered for each patient’s initial clinical encounter and for any esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGD) until the end of the follow-up period (fall 2019). Result(s) 332 new EoE cases were identified during the study period across all 4 sites. The incidence of EoE in patients less than 15 years old was 9.1 (AB), 6.5 (NS), 3.1 (BC) and 5.4 (combined) per 100,000 person-years. Incidence was not calculated for Hamilton due to risk of ascertainment bias given their catchment area overlaps with multiple other centers. Of identified cases, 40 (12.0%) had endoscopically-identified esophageal strictures at diagnosis or during the follow-up period, with a subset of 11 (3.3%) of these patients undergoing mechanical esophageal dilation. Another 11 (3.3%) patients had more subtle signs of esophageal narrowing (ex. mucosal rents), while the majority had no evidence of esophageal narrowing (281, 84.6%). The median age at diagnosis was higher in the cohort with strictures (12.4 years, IQR 8.9-14.1) than those without (10.3 years, IQR 6.1-13.6) but with wide IQR's. A similar trend was seen for the median duration of symptoms at diagnosis (1.5 years, IQR 0.5-3 versus 1.0 years, IQR 0.6-2.8). Patient reported food bolus impaction (OR 9.8, 95% CI 3.9-19.9) and dysphagia (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.3-7.8) were associated with stricturing disease, with other symptoms less clearly linked. Trachealization was the endoscopic finding most closely associated with esophageal strictures (OR 5.7, 95% CI 2.8-11.5). Esophageal stricture(s) were noted on 72 EGDs, including 27 endoscopic esophageal dilations, but excluding 10 esophageal dilations by interventional radiology. Of the 65 EGDs done in follow-up of a known esophageal stricture (see Table), 4 of 31 had resolution of this finding post mechanical dilation, and 19 of 39 had resolution of the stricture after initiation of new medical or dietary treatments (without dilation). Conclusion(s) EoE is common in Canadian children, with esophageal strictures within a few years of diagnosis in 12% of cases. Interestingly, a large portion of strictures resolved without mechanical dilation, which seems to point away from fibrosis as the primary driver of esophageal strictures in this patient population. Please acknowledge all funding agencies by checking the applicable boxes below CAG, Other Please indicate your source of funding; Women and Children's Health Research Institute Disclosure of Interest None Declared

One-dimensional large strain electroosmotic consolidation of ultra-soft geomaterials

Electrokinetic (EK) consolidation has been proven to effectively consolidate ultra-soft geomaterials, such as coal washeries, mine tailings, oil sands tailings and so on. The conventional consolidation model based on the small strain theory encountered difficulties with these geomaterials due to continuous changes in material properties during consolidation. This research developed a one-dimensional large strain EK (LSEK-1D) consolidation model for ultra-soft geomaterials. The model is validated using experimental laboratory results regarding settlements and times on mature fine oil sand tailings (MFT), a major environmental challenge for the oil industry in Northern Alberta, Canada. Moreover, the effects of initial sample heights and applied current densities on consolidation times are evaluated. The experimental data on consolidation times of MFT is consistent with the LSEK-1D model. The LSEK-1D model was used to find the scale effect of drainage path on the EK consolidation behaviour of MFT. The model can also be used for other ultra-soft geomaterials and to facilitate the geotechnical engineering design for EK application.

Mental Health Impacts of Wildfire, Flooding and COVID-19: on educators: A Comparative Study

IntroductionFort McMurray, a city in northern Alberta, Canada, has experienced multiple traumas in the last five years, including the 2016 wildfire, the 2020 floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Eighteen months after the wildfire, major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms were elevated among school board employees in the city.ObjectivesThis study aimed to compare employees of the school board and other employees of Fort McMurray in respect to the impact the 2016 wildfires, the 2019 COVID pandemic, and the 2020 floods had on their mental health.MethodsA quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted in Fort McMurray from 24 April to 2 June 2021. Online questionnaires were administered through REDCap and were designed to capture socio-demographic characteristics, clinical as well as wildfire, COVID-19, and flooding-related variables. Mental health outcome variables were captured using self-reported standardized assessment scales. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, Chi-square/Fisher’s Exact tests, and binary regression analysis.ResultsOf the 249 residents who accessed the online survey, 186 completed the survey, giving a response rate of 74.7%. Of these respondents, 93.5% (174) indicated their employment status and were included in the Chi-square analysis. Most of the respondents were female (86.2%, (150)), above 40 years (53.4%, (93)), and were in a relationship (71.3%, (124)). The prevalence values for MDD, GAD and PTSD among respondents were 42.4%, 41.0, and 36.8%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between employees of the school board and other employees with respect to likely PTSD prevalence (28% vs. 45%, respectively, p &lt; 0.05), although with other factors controlled for, in a binary logistic regression model, employer type did not significantly predict likely PTSD.ConclusionsThe study has established that likely PTSD symptoms were significantly higher in other employees compared to those of school board employees. Greater exposure to the traumatic events and a greater perceived lack of support from other employers might have contributed to the significantly higher prevalence of PTSD in other employeesDisclosure of InterestNone Declared

Effects of cumulative trauma from multiple natural disasters

IntroductionFort McMurray, a city in northern Alberta, Canada, has experienced multiple traumatic events in the last five years, including the 2016 wildfire, the 2020 floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Traumatic events often lead to increased mental health burdens in affected communities.ObjectivesTo assess if the number of traumatic events experienced by residents of Fort McMurray correlates with the prevalence and severity of mental health issues experienced.MethodsA cross-sectional study using an online survey questionnaire was used to gather demographic, trauma (wildfire, flooding, and COVID-19), and clinical information from the resident of Fort McMurray between April 24 to June 2 2021. Likely Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and low resilience were measured using standardized rating scales. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 26 using Chi-Square tests and multivariate regression analysis.ResultsRespondents who experienced COVID-19 and either flood or wildfire traumas (N = 101) were eleven times more likely to have GAD symptoms (OR: 11.39; 95% CI: 1.43-91.04), four times more likely to have likely MDD, (OR: 3.85; 95% CI: .995-14.90), ten times more likely to have likely PTSD (OR: 10.47; 95% CI: 1.28-85.67), and low resilience (OR: 10.56; 95% CI: 1.21-92.17). Respondents who experienced COVID-19, flooding, and wildfire traumas (N = 47) were eighteen times more likely to express GAD symptoms (OR: 18.30; 95% CI: 2.20-152.45) and more than eleven times likely to have likely PTSD (OR: 11.41; 95% CI: 1.34-97.37) in comparison to the respondents who experienced COVID-19 only trauma (N = 19).ConclusionsMeasures to reduce climate change and associated natural disasters could reduce the impact of cumulative trauma and associated mental health burden in vulnerable populations. It is essential that more mental health resources are mobilized to support communities impacted by multiple natural disasters.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Vegetation recovery and edge effects of low impact seismic lines over eight-year period in boreal uplands of northern Alberta

As of the mid-1990 s, low impact seismic (LIS) line construction (<3 m wide) became common practice in western Canada and replaced construction of wider (5–10 m) conventional seismic lines, with the intention of mitigating the known negative environmental impacts (e.g., severe soil damage and minimal vegetation recovery) of these long, narrow corridors used by the Oil and Gas (O&G) industry for exploration. Though the apparent disturbance severity on LIS lines is lower compared to conventional lines and it is expected that succession would proceed more readily towards the conditions resembling pre-disturbance forested state in the upland boreal, there is little scientific evidence that supports this. Here, we assess environmental conditions, successional trajectories and potential edge effects extending into the adjacent forest from the LIS line edges three (2014) and eight (2019) years after their construction in 2011, in the southern upland boreal forest of Swan Hills region in northwestern Alberta, to determine if active restoration measures should be recommended. Soil moisture and light were higher on the lines compared to the adjacent forest. Bryophytes (particularly feathermosses associated with late-succession forests) recovered well within eight years of disturbance (attaining nearly 90 % cover in 2019, from a relatively low cover (∼25 %) on the lines in 2014, compared to ∼ 80–90 % in the adjacent forest in both years), while the shrub and herbaceous layers recovered minimally, and tree species were still mostly absent on these lines. Herbaceous species also had a lower cover in the ∼ 2 m zone away from the line edges compared to the interior 75 m away, indicating edge effects in both years. Our results indicate that LIS lines appear to possess a unique combination of similarities and differences to other common boreal disturbances (fire, harvest), resulting in the equally unique successional trajectories that do not generally follow patterns known to occur in upland boreal forests. Long-term monitoring is imperative to determine whether LIS lines will eventually return to the pre-disturbance conditions or whether human intervention will be required to promote the growth of the canopy cover, especially as they constitute part of the habitat for Woodland caribou, an important threatened wildlife species.

Buried wood effects on macronutrient supply and microbial activity and metabolic potential in different oil sands reclamation soils in northern Alberta

Buried wood is an important yet understudied component of natural and anthropogenic soils. Nutrient immobilization as a response to wood addition during oil sands' reclamation may be a concern since surface wood is salvaged with the soil, thereby becoming buried wood in reclamation cover soils. This project investigated the impact of buried wood on macronutrient supply and microbial communities in different reclamation soils. A 60-day incubation was performed with different rates and types of wood (0%–50%, aspen and pine) and four different soils: fine and coarse forest floor-mineral mix (fFFMM and cFFMM), peat-mineral mix (PMM), and peat. Analysis of macronutrient supply rates using Plant Root Simulator (PRS™) probes and a community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) to assess metabolic potential was performed at the end of the incubation period; microbial activity was measured through soil respiration during the incubation. Responses varied by soil type; however, buried wood caused nitrogen immobilization in three soils due to an increase in the C:N ratio. Soils with lower C:N ratios like fFFMM and PMM were more susceptible to immobilization with a decrease in available nitrogen by up to 95% at a 10% of wood addition. Phosphorus immobilization was observed in cFFMM, and potassium supply increased at 20% of wood and above. Soil microbial activity and metabolic potential increased but no significant changes in the soil profiles were observed. The findings of this study demonstrate that buried wood increases the soil C:N ratio and can potentially cause nitrogen immobilization when added by 10% of volume or more.

The Drying Peace–Athabasca Delta, Canada: Review and Synthesis of Cryo-Hydrologic Controls and Projections to Future Climatic Conditions

The Peace–Athabasca Delta (PAD) in northern Alberta, Canada is one of the world’s largest inland freshwater deltas, home to large populations of waterfowl, muskrat, beaver, and free-ranging wood bison. The delta region has been designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance and is largely located within the Wood Buffalo National Park, itself being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Indigenous residents have depended on the delta for centuries to sustain their culture and lifeways. In the past five decades, the PAD has experienced prolonged dry periods in-between rare floods, accompanied by reduction in the area covered by lakes and ponds that provide habitat for aquatic life. Recharge of the higher-elevation, or “perched”, basins depends on overland flooding generated by major spring ice jams that occasionally form in the lower reaches of the Peace and Athabasca Rivers and in their various distributaries. Indigenous Traditional Knowledge and Historical Records for the unregulated Athabasca River are relatively scarce, but conclusively demonstrate the role of ice jams in replenishing perched basins of the Athabasca sector of the PAD. Similar information, coupled with extensive hydrometric and observational data for the regulated Peace River have enabled elucidation of the physical mechanisms that lead to ice-jam flooding of the Peace sector and assessment of regulation impacts on flood frequency. Such understanding can inform design of remedial strategies to moderate or arrest the drying trend of the delta. Climate-related projections to future scenarios suggest reduced frequency of ice-jam floods, albeit with uncertainty.

Emissions database development and dispersion model predictions of airborne particulate elements in the Canadian Athabasca oil sands region

This study developed an emission inventory for 29 elements in PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 covering an area of approximately 300 by 420 km2 in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region in northern Alberta, Canada. Emission sources were aggregated into nine categories, of which the Oil Sands (OS) Sources emitted the most, followed by the Non-OS Dust sources for both fine and coarse elements over the study area. The top six fine particulate elements include Si, Ca, Al, Fe, S, and K (933, 442, 323, 269, 116, and 103 tonnes/year, respectively), the sum of which accounted for 20.5% of the total PM2.5 emissions. The top five coarse elements include Si, Ca, Al, Fe, and K (3713, 1815, 1198, 1073, and 404 tonnes/year), and their sum accounted for 29% of the total PM2.5-10 emissions. Using this emission inventory as input, the CALPUFF dispersion model simulated reasonable element concentrations in both PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 when compared to measurements collected at three sites during 2016–2017. Modeled PM10 concentrations of all elements were very close to the measurements at an industrial site with the highest ambient concentration, overestimated by 65% at another industrial site with moderate ambient concentration, and underestimated by 27% at a remote site with very low ambient concentration. Model-measurement differences of annual average concentrations were within 20% for Si, Ca, Al, Fe, Ti, Mn, and Cu in PM2.5, and were 20–50% for K, S, and Zn in PM2.5 at two sites located within the OS surface mineable area. Model-measurement differences were larger, but still within a factor of two for elements in PM2.5-10 at these two sites and for elements in both PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 at a background site.

Braiding Indigenous knowledge systems and Western-based sciences in the Alberta oil sands region: A systematic review

The braiding of Indigenous knowledge systems and Western-based sciences offers insights into ecology and has emerged as a way to help address complex environmental issues. We reviewed the publicly available ecological research involving the braiding of Indigenous knowledge systems and Western-based sciences to support collaborative work in the Alberta oil sands region of Canada. We conducted a systematic review, coding for 78 questions in six categories: (1) literature search and bibliographic information; (2) research themes; (3) study setting and design; (4) knowledge systems; (5) power relationships, colonization, and ethical considerations in research; and (6) benefits and challenges of braiding. We identified six articles that braided knowledge, with those articles focusing on environmental management and monitoring for impacts of industrial activity in northern Alberta. Researchers used a broad range of approaches to gather Indigenous knowledge and scientific data and identified multiple challenges (e.g., asymmetries of power, resource availability, and funding) to research. Our findings show that more support is needed to foster, promote, and disseminate interdisciplinary collaborative work involving braiding. Additional support is also required to address Indigenous community research needs related to the assessment of environmental impact and reclamation, as well as the understanding of ecological threats across the region.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

Reviewed by: Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton Graziano Krätli KATE BEATON Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands Montreal. Drawn & Quarterly. 2022. 430 pages. IN THE FIRST two frames of Ducks, Kate Beaton introduces herself as the protagonist of this very personal and profoundly moving memoir: "This story starts in 2005. I am twenty-one years old." Then, almost as an afterthought: "This is me at twenty-one. I'm much older now, and three-dimensional." It is an arresting statement, complicated by an ingenious reference to the underlying theme of the book: the relationship between art (which in the case of a graphic artist is bidimensional) and life (whose three-dimensionality is the result of experience, knowledge, and trauma). This third dimension (painfully acquired and tamed into art) is what makes Ducks a very different—and, inevitably, a more mature and compelling—achievement than Hark! A Vagrant, the witty and hilarious webcomic that established Beaton's reputation and popularity. When, fresh out of college, Beaton left her native Cape Breton and took a job in the oil sands industry of northern Alberta, she could not imagine that the experience would be as affective and transformative as her keen statement, "Now I can't extract myself from having come," eloquently implies. Her only goal, after all, was to repay her student loans as quickly and uneventfully as possible. But in a world where men outnumber women fifty to one, female employees are alternately (or simultaneously) objects of desire and scrutiny, and variously subjected to discrimination, contempt, patronizing attitudes, sexual harassment, and assault. Inevitably, Beaton suffers the whole hypermasculinity catalog but survives the traumatic experience thanks to her candid, compassionate, inquiring attitude ("People do things here that they wouldn't do at home"); her quirky empathy ("I like you guys. But you're assholes"); and her growing commitment to comic art and determination to pursue it. Her progress is marked, symbolically, by three totemic encounters. The first is with relocated buffalo ("They put them on reclaimed old mine land, a company thing"), a veiled reference to the multiple displacements caused by the oil industry—of the workers who come from all over Canada and beyond but also of the Indigenous peoples and the wildlife whose livelihoods are impacted by the mining operations. The second is with a fox who has lost a front leg but keeps prowling around the warehouse at night. Beaton's anger (she chases the poor animal away by throwing snowballs at it) may be surprising but makes sense as a presage of her own coming injury. The third, and most significant, encounter is the news that, in April 2008, 1,600 ducks died after landing on a Syncrude tailings pond north of Fort McMurray, one of the sites at which Beaton worked. This, and a YouTube video of an elder Cree woman speaking out against the oil extraction industry, raises Beaton's awareness of the abuse from a personal to a political level. As we reach the end of the book, we realize that the ducks of the title represent a double tribute—to the birds who died as well as to Beaton herself ("ducky" for her older coworkers), who was able to take off and fly away from the bitumen. Graziano Krätli North Haven, Connecticut Copyright © 2023 World Literature Today and the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma

Multidisciplinary Support To Access living donor Kidney Transplant (MuST AKT): A Clinical Research Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial to Increase Living Kidney Donation.

Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is the optimal treatment for eligible patients with kidney failure, although it is underutilized. Contextually tailored patient- and family-centered interventions may be effective to increase LDKT. We outline a protocol to test the feasibility of the Multidisciplinary Support To Access living donor Kidney Transplant (MuST AKT) intervention designed to increase LDKT. Non-blinded single-center pilot randomized controlled trial with a qualitative interview component. Academic transplant referral center in Northern Alberta Region with a population of more than 2 million in its catchment area. English-speaking patients of the age range 18 to 75 years who are referred for kidney transplantation are eligible to participate. Feasibility will be assessed by indicators of recruitment, retention, and completion rates, treatment fidelity, adherence to intervention, engagement in intervention, and acceptability. Participants will be randomly assigned 1:1 to either standard care (control) or the experimental group who receive standard care plus the MuST AKT intervention, a person-centered program designed to assist and enable the kidney transplant candidate to achieve what is required to receive an LDKT. The intervention consists of an introductory session and 4 intervention sessions delivered in-person or virtually. Inferences cannot be drawn regarding the efficacy/effectiveness of the MuST AKT intervention. This study is non-blinded. This pilot study is the first step in our broader initiative to increase LDKT in our health care jurisdiction. The results of this study will be used to inform the development of a future definitive randomized controlled trial. NCT04666545.

Lincoln's sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) increases singing rate in areas with chronic industrial noise

Animal communication is effective when the transmitted signal reaches the receiver and induces a behavioural response. Increases in anthropogenic noise are altering the ways animals communicate. A common adaptation shown by bird species to anthropogenic noise is song frequency shifts, but birds may also adapt their ability to communicate in noisy environments in other ways. We compared the vocal features of Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii breeding in noisy areas (compressor stations) and in quiet areas in Northern Alberta, Canada. We hypothesized that Lincoln's Sparrow could (1) shift its songs to avoid masking, resulting in higher‐frequency songs, and/or (2) change song allocation (singing rate, number of songs), resulting in improved song transmission. Additionally, we tested the effect of distance and height on song transmission close to a noisy compressor station and in a quiet area to determine if behavioural adaptations might allow more effective song transmission. We did not find frequency shifts between quiet and noisy areas. However, we found birds singing at higher song rates in noisy areas, supporting the song allocation hypothesis. Interestingly, the number of song types sung in noisy sites was fewer than in quiet areas. Distance influenced song transmission differently in noisy and quiet areas, as the signal to noise ratio was substantially less at 20 m in noisy areas than in the control. A higher singing rate may therefore compensate for reduced song transmission by increasing the likelihood of being heard by conspecifics in noisy areas. We found evidence of song adaptation by Lincoln's Sparrow to deal with anthropogenic noise, but whether it is sufficient to facilitate long‐distance communication used to attract females and in male–male interactions remains unknown.