Subventions et des contributions :

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

In British Columbia, applying biosolids to land is regulated via the Organic Matter Recycling Regulationx000D
(2002), which enables beneficial use of biosolids as a fertilizer while managing the potential for adversex000D
impacts to the environment, livestock, or public health. No policy currently addresses mitigating impacts onx000D
wildlife. Although such impacts are assumed to be minimal, these impacts have not been well examined, andx000D
no policy nor best management practices have been developed (e.g. timing or amount of application, orx000D
leaving set-asides in areas for sensitive species). Understanding how wildlife respond to biosolids will allowx000D
SYLVIS and other biosolids managers to adopt ecologically sensitive and appropriate practices that extendsx000D
beyond current rangeland management and existing regulation. The objective of this research is to assessx000D
whether biosolids applied to grasslands affect the insect and bird communities at the OK Ranch, a 8000 hectarex000D
cattle ranch near Jesmond BC. We will address three main questions: 1) Do biosolids affect habitat use andx000D
nest success by dusky grouse? 2) does songbird diversity or behavior differ between biosolids-treated andx000D
untreated grasslands, and 3) is there a difference in grasshopper abundance or diversity between thesex000D
grasslands? We will radio-collar and track female grouse to see if they are selecting for or againstx000D
biosolids-treated grasslands. A combination of point counts, acoustic monitoring, nest searching, and camerasx000D
will be used to compare songbird diversity and behavior between grasslands. Grasshopper diversity andx000D
abundance will be estimated through repeated trapping in treated and untreated grasslands. Many of the birdsx000D
eat grasshoppers, thus our research will link biosolids to insects to the bird communities. This information willx000D
help SYLVIS to manage their timing of application, as well as indicating whether there are key sensitive areasx000D
to leave as buffers or setbacks for specific grassland bird species.