Subventions et des contributions :

Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier. (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)

Intertidal invertebrates, especially meiofauna (animals retained on a 45 µm sieve but pass through a 1 mmx000D
sieve), can be powerful tools to monitor and study marine systems. Changes to meiofauna communities canx000D
potentially alert us of disturbances before human-use species like bivalves (clams, mussels, etc.) and salmonx000D
are impacted. Unfortunately we can only use these communities in this way when intertidal communityx000D
dynamics are holistically understood. Currently, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the optimal methods tox000D
assess intertidal invertebrates along the Pacific Coast of Canada. This deficiency is especially prominent alongx000D
the north coast of BC. Given the recently approved Pacific Northwest LNG terminal to be built on Lelu Island,x000D
near the mouth of the Skeena River, the Kitsumkalum Development Corporation (Kitsumkalum First Nation) isx000D
concerned that the increased supertanker traffic associated with this LNG terminal will increase the risk ofx000D
minor and catastrophic fuel/LNG spills in their traditional territory. Even minor spills near productive bivalvex000D
beaches would have devastating impacts upon the marine ecosystem, bivalve fisheries, and decrease foodx000D
security for coastal and First Nations communities. A greater understanding of meiofauna along the north coastx000D
of BC will allow for more detailed monitoring, and detection of minor spills early enough to allow forx000D
remediation or alteration of human activities. This study will address this knowledge gap by assessing thex000D
optimal taxonomic resolution and sieve size needed to effectively utilize intertidal meiofauna to detectx000D
disturbances. These findings will improve our ability to study and monitor intertidal habitats along both thex000D
Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Canada; helping protect coastal ecosystems and commercial bivalve fisheries, asx000D
well as enhancing food security for coastal and First Nation communities.