Arctic ecosystems are changing rapidly due to global warming, industrial development, and economic growth. However, the ecological consequences for these ecosystems are difficult to predict due to limited knowledge on species abundance,... more
Arctic ecosystems are changing rapidly due to global warming, industrial development, and economic growth. However, the ecological consequences for these ecosystems are difficult to predict due to limited knowledge on species abundance, distribution, and biodiversity patterns. This study evaluated the diversity and assemblage composition of epibenthic macrofauna in shallow coastal areas from five Eastern Arctic locations with increasing economic and shipping activity. Benthic trawls (n=198) were conducted in nearshore coastal habitats of Anaktalak Bay (Labrador), Churchill (Manitoba), Deception Bay (Quebec), Iqaluit (Nunavut), and Milne Inlet (Nunavut), at depths between 3 and 30 m. Diversity and assemblage composition were compared at various taxonomic levels from phylum to species and correlations with broad oceanographic variables were investigated to identify potential drivers of biodiversity. The spatial variability of benthic assemblages was also assessed within each study loc...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Didemnum vexillum Kott (2002) is a high-impact, globally-invasive, colonial tunicate species that is native to Japan (Lambert, 2009; Stefaniak et al., 2012). It is generally a temperate cold-water organism, and its introduced range... more
Didemnum vexillum Kott (2002) is a high-impact, globally-invasive, colonial tunicate species that is native to Japan (Lambert, 2009; Stefaniak et al., 2012). It is generally a temperate cold-water organism, and its introduced range currently includes New Zealand, the Netherlands, France, Ireland, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and both the west and east coasts of the United States and Canada (Lambert, 2009; Stefaniak et al., 2012; Tagliapietra et al., 2012; Ordonez et al., 2015, Vercaemer et al., 2015). Like other invasive tunicates, D. vexillum has the capacity to reproduce rapidly, outcompete native species, deteriorate environmental integrity, and cause significant economic harm (Lambert, 2005; Blum et al., 2007; Daniel and Therriault, 2007; Langyel et al., 2009; Cordell et al., 2013). For these reasons, this document aims to increase awareness of D. vexillum, with a focus on identification, natural history, current global distribution, potential impacts, and prospects for managem...
Research Interests:
Ships and boats may transport whole communities of non-indigenous species (NIS) through hull biofouling, some members of which may become invasive. Several studies have evaluated the diversity of these communities, but very few have... more
Ships and boats may transport whole communities of non-indigenous species (NIS) through hull biofouling, some members of which may become invasive. Several studies have evaluated the diversity of these communities, but very few have analyzed the survival of organisms after their voyages into different and potentially inhospitable conditions. This factor is important to consider because the last port of call approach for risk assessments assumes that if the conditions observed in the last port of call are different from those observed in a receiving port, risks are diminished or null. Using an innovative experimental system, we tested the survival and recovery of the marine blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and the freshwater zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) by exposing them to adverse salinity conditions at varying temperatures to simulate ships and boats transiting to ports or marinas with contrasting environmental conditions. Both mussel species, which are well-known for their adapt...
Research Interests:
iv Introduction 1 Materials and Methods 2 Results and Discussion 4 Acknowledgements 7 References 7 Figures 11 Appendix 1 – Relaxing and preserving ascidians for taxonomy 14
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... prise d'eau des navires Jean-Yves Couture et Nathalie Simard Direction régionale des sciences Pêches et Océans Canada Institut Maurice-Lamontagne 850, route de la Mer Mont-Joli, Québec, G5H 3Z4 2007 ... par Jean-Yves Couture et... more
... prise d'eau des navires Jean-Yves Couture et Nathalie Simard Direction régionale des sciences Pêches et Océans Canada Institut Maurice-Lamontagne 850, route de la Mer Mont-Joli, Québec, G5H 3Z4 2007 ... par Jean-Yves Couture et Nathalie Simard ...
The introduction of aquatic invasive species (AIS) to ecosystems can cause widespread and irreversible damage to ecosystems. One of the principle mechanisms for the transport of AIS is through the uptake and release of ballast waters,... more
The introduction of aquatic invasive species (AIS) to ecosystems can cause widespread and irreversible damage to ecosystems. One of the principle mechanisms for the transport of AIS is through the uptake and release of ballast waters, which also carries suspended sediments harbouring AIS. Unfortunately, there are few studies that determine the extent to which propagule pressure—the frequency of introduction events
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Mixed-species assemblages are often unintentionally introduced into new ecosystems. Analysing how assemblage structure varies during transport may provide insights into how introduction risk changes before propagules are released.... more
Mixed-species assemblages are often unintentionally introduced into new ecosystems. Analysing how assemblage structure varies during transport may provide insights into how introduction risk changes before propagules are released. Characterization of introduction risk is typically based on assessments of colonization pressure (CP, the number of species transported) and total propagule pressure (total PP, the total abundance of propagules released) associated with an invasion vector. Generally, invasion potential following introduction increases with greater CP or total PP. Here, we extend these assessments using rank-abundance distributions to examine how CP : total PP relationships change temporally in ballast water of ocean-going ships. Rank-abundance distributions and CP : total PP patterns varied widely between trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific voyages, with the latter appearing to pose a much lower risk than the former. Responses also differed by taxonomic group, with invertebra...