Theme: Applying Inter-disciplinary Science on the Ground – Theory and Practice
March 1-3, Geneva Park, Orillia, Ontario
Despite the worst winter storm to hit southern Ontario during the past several years, almost 100 brave souls battled the elements to join us for our 2007 Annual General Meeting & Conference at at YMCA Geneva Park March 1st to 3rd. The theme was Applying Inter-disciplinary Science on the Ground: Theory and Practice. Applying good science on the ground usually requires a multi-disciplinary team. Real life issues and management solutions are complicated and do require the expertise of a number of disciplines. Many of the major presentations and several of the student papers focused on the interesting applications that can be developed when we begin working between the silos.
For example, the presentations by Dr. Bill Annable on the Redhill Creek project, Wolfgang Wolter on the Natural Channel projects in southern and northern Ontario sparked some interest. Papers by both Mason Marchildon and Eric Michell focused on the activities of an engineer and geologist trying to unlock the secrets of groundwater distribution using fish scales and the functioning and characteristics of fish spawning areas using hydroacoustic Doppler technology. Les Stanfield and Christine Tu demonstrated an approach to landscape and local habitat analysis using tools developed through the Ontario Stream Assessment Protocol. Paul Norris presented the range of opportunities for biologist becoming available as hydro-electric development occurs on the north.
Dr. Andrea Bradford, a professor of engineering from the University of Guelph presented some major work that she is doing to develop a framework for identifying environmental flow needs in rivers and streams. The role of riparian systems from a geo-chemical, biological and forestry perspective was presented by forest ecologist, Dr. Andy Gordon, and Dr. Michael Wilkie unlocked the secret of the physiological mechanism of lampricide on sea lamprey. The remaining student papers were superb, well designed and presented. They ran the gamut from the explanation for the Greenside Darter paradox on the Grand River watershed, issues of conservation ecology of fish species-at-risk, to determination of the impacts of barotrauma and winter dissolved oxygen level issues in bass.
The E.J. Crossman Award was won by Mason Marchildon, a student of Dr. Bill Annable in the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Waterloo. Mason presented a extremely interesting paper, titled “Hydrodynamic Properties of Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout Redds”. The Ontario B.A.S.S. Nation Award winner was Mark Poos. Mark is pursuing PhD studies with Dr. Don Jackson at the University of Toronto. He presented a poster titled “The Mismeasure of Functional Diversity: The importance of choice”. The presentation by Steven J. Cooke (Carleton University) entitled “What’s Your Next Move? Perspectives on Employment and Post-Graduate Education for Young Fisheries Professionals” is available for download on the Student Subunit page. Abstracts for all presentations and posters can be found within the Annual Meeting Program.
Josef MacLeod and Amber Cornfield were the Grand Prize winners of the AGM auction. Josef won complimentary admission to the Royal Ontario Museum’s Fish Identification Course, which was generously donated by Erling Holm, Assistant Curator of Fishes at the ROM. Amber won a 52-week subscription to the Globe and Mail newspaper. Congratulations Josef and Amber!
We would also like to thank our sponsors who provided financial support and/or prizes. They include:
Angling Outfitters, Backroad Mapbooks, Bass Pro Shops, Biotactic Fish & Wildlife, Bruce Power, Campbell Scientific, Canadian Aquatic Resources Section AFS, Carleton University, Commercial Solutions Inc., Credit Valley Conservation, EcoMetrix Incorporated, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Fleming College, Galt House Publications Ltd., Gartner Lee Limited, The Globe and Mail, Golder Associates, Halltech Corporation, Hamilton Conservation Authority, Hatch Energy, Hoskin Scientific Ltd, Lucky Strike Baitworks, Marshall Macklin Monaghan, Molson, Natural Resource Solutions Inc, Ontario B.A.S.S. Nation, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario Waterpower Association, Parish Geomorphic Ltd., Peterborough County Stewardship Council, Royal Ontario Museum, Totten Sims Hubicki Associates and Trout Unlimited Canada.
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