Wildlife Health
Conserving and protecting wildlife in the face of ongoing and widespread environmental change requires working collaboratively across diverse fields such as toxicology, ecology, and landscape science, among others. Specifically, to better understand the many interacting factors that affect the vulnerability and resilience of individuals, populations, and communities of free-ranging animals, interdisciplinary wildlife-based research that is guided by the principles of One Health (i.e., the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems are interconnected) is critical.
Our team is engaged in field and lab-based projects that evaluate linkages between climate change, contaminants, and the life histories of migratory birds, but we also conduct studies that reduce knowledge gaps related to cumulative effects and that help to inform environmental risk assessments.
Plastics in migratory shorebirds (Dr. Eveling Tavera Fernández, University of Saskatchewan): With funding from Mitacs and Birds Canada, Dr. Tavera Fernández is using non-lethal sampling methods to evaluate egested plastics in shorebirds and test for linkages with migratory behaviour. Paper submitted. See the preprint here.
Pan-Canadian lead assessment (Project lead: Dr. John Chételat, Environment & Climate Change Canada): To assess the prevalence of lead exposure and poisoning and to identify associated risks to bird species, we are working with provincial agencies, the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, and multiple wildlife NGOs to obtain bird carcasses for testing and to generate data that will support policy development.
Plastics and northern-nesting birds (Dr. Jennifer Provencher, Environment & Climate Change Canada, Dr. Zhe Lu, Université du Québec à Rimouski, and Ahiak Area Comanagement Committee): Plastic pollution is an emerging concern for Northerners, not only because of potential health hazards related to ingesting plastic particles, but also because of risks from associated chemical contaminants, including additives. To help Northerners understand what wildlife is most at risk of exposure to plastic-related contaminants, we are collecting and analyzing eggs and muscle tissues from northern-nesting migratory birds, including key subsistence species.
Persistent organic pollutant levels in shorebird eggs (Dr. Keith Hobson, Environment & Climate Change Canada and Western University): We are using a stable isotope approach to test whether variation in allocation of resources for reproduction (i.e. endogenous vs. exogenous nutrients) is an important determinant of contaminant levels in avian eggs.
Contaminant exposure in prairie wetland avifauna (Kevin Kardynal, Environment & Climate Change Canada): This study aims to assess linkages between trophic position, fatty acid content in eggs, and contaminant exposure in a suite of wetland-dependent bird species on the Canadian prairies.
Mercury in shorebirds (Katelyn Luff, M.Sc., University of Saskatchewan): Katelyn collected data at the Karrak Lake Research Station in the Ahiak Migratory Bird Sanctuary (Nunavut) to test how timing of breeding and resource use affects mercury levels in Arctic-nesting shorebirds. Defended in 2019.
View Thesis
Temperature, contaminants, and shorebird incubation (Ella Lunny, M.E.S., University of Saskatchewan): Ella’s thesis was designed to test for interactive effects of climate change and exposure to contaminants on incubation and avian development, using captive and field-based studies. Defended in 2019.
View Thesis
Assessing effects of maternal stressors and post-hatch environment on pre-fledging waterfowl (Breanne Murray, Ph.D., Advised by Dr. Karen Machin, University of Saskatchewan): Breanne’s research is evaluating downstream physiological effects of in ovo exposure to corticosterone and predation risk, using the mallard as a model species. She is particularly interested in further development of fecal metabolomics and corticosterone response as indicators of physiological change. Defended in 2024.
Retention and Biotranslocation of Microplastics (Marshall Ritchie, Ph.D. in progress, Advised by Dr. Heath MacMillan, Carleton University): The MacMillan Lab uses insects as models to study how differences in tolerance to environmental stressors among individuals, populations, and species arise. Building on his research with crickets, Marshall’s research will evaluate potential fates and effects of microplastics ingested by mallards, including translocation of plastics outside of the digestive system.
