Environment, Resources and Sustainability

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This is the collection for the University of Waterloo's School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability.

Research outputs are organized by type (eg. Master Thesis, Article, Conference Paper).

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 535

The Social Impact of Mining on Children: A Case Study in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia
(University of Waterloo, 2025-09-29) Batbayar, Battumur
Abstract Mongolia is considered the most mining-dependent country in Asia. Sandwiched between China and Russia, mining plays a central role in Mongolia’s economy and development strategies. While the country enforces environmental impact assessment law, the absence of a law for social impact assessment in large-scale projects leaves critical gaps in understanding the effects of mining on vulnerable populations, particularly children. The Gobi Desert in Mongolia is rich in minerals such as coal, gold, and copper, yet highly vulnerable to desertification and climate change, and hosts most of the country’s major mining operations. This case study, situated in the Gobi Desert, examines the social impacts of mining on children in two distinct populations: mining employees working under fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) arrangements, and nomadic herders residing in mining host communities. Employing a mixed methods approach consisting of survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, this research aims to unpack the lived experiences of these communities and address regulatory and policy gaps. The study is guided by two objectives: (1) to understand the social context and identify the social impacts of mining on the target populations, and (2) to explain these impacts by analyzing the underlying factors that shape them. The findings indicate that the types of social impacts experienced by children of mining employees and those of nomadic herders are distinct, shaped by differing contextual factors. For children of mining employees, impacts are primarily influenced by income and parental absenteeism: the former enables higher wages and access to better education, while the latter leads to challenges such as disrupted parental involvement and communication breakdowns. In contrast, for children of nomadic herders, key shaping factors include: (1) Corporate Social Responsibility - through local consultations, infrastructure development, and support for social services; (2) environmental conditions - manifested in air pollution and groundwater depletion; (3) migration - characterized by population influx, economic stimulation, and increased child safety concerns; and (4) lifestyle - particularly the threats of displacement and restrictions on the traditional mobility of nomadic herders. These findings contribute to the academic literature on mining and social sustainability while offering practical recommendations for policymakers, highlighting the often overlooked voices of vulnerable communities, such as affected children and families.
Recognition and revitalization of ecocultural landscapes: Indigenous plant management throughout space and time
(University of Waterloo, 2025-09-25) Wickham, Sara
Indigenous Peoples of coastal British Columbia have co-evolved with the temperate rainforest ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest for millennia, cultivating ecocultural landscapes through sophisticated plant management practices grounded in relational worldviews. This thesis explores the historical and ongoing role of Indigenous plant stewardship in shaping biodiversity, ecosystem function, and cultural resilience. Drawing on ecological, archaeological, and ethnobotanical data—as well as community-engaged research with Indigenous Nations—this work highlights the diversity of management systems, from clam gardens to orchards of Pacific crabapple (Malus fusca). Recognizing the negative effects colonial disruptions have had on these systems, I examine how Indigenous-led restoration revitalizes both degraded landscapes and intergenerational knowledge systems and outline the potential for Indigenous-led restoration to influence broader conservation and social justice goals. Through an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach, this research contributes to the recognition, recovery, and renewal of ecocultural landscapes in an effort to support Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination through land stewardship.
How Terminal Lakes Die: Understanding Sacrifice Zones in the American West through Ecohydrology, Political Economy, and Organizational Ecology
(University of Waterloo, 2025-09-23) Jorgensen, Isabel Bianca
The world’s desert lakes are collapsing due to deliberate water diversions, resource extraction, and climate change; threats that are unlikely to subside in the future. I argue that desert lakes are sacrifice zones, a term that refers here to intentional sacrifice of less valued ecosystems to promote growth in distant economic centres, such as major cities. My research focuses on a type of desert lake without an outlet called a terminal lake, known for their higher salinities compared to freshwater lakes and natural fluctuations in their water levels that cause them to dry up entirely in some cases. Beyond terminal lakes, sacrifice zones have been widely documented around the world. Yet, our understanding of how they form and evolve, and why they are consequently so hard to manage, lacks rigorous empirical evidence. My doctoral research is motivated by the need to advance our knowledge of sacrifice zones by examining the ecological, economic, and political factors that might explain the persistence of sacrifice zones. Consequently, my findings contribute knowledge on the barriers to improving conditions for ecosystems and communities in sacrifice zones, informing both theory and practice. Specifically, I examined (1) how we can measure ecological change in sacrifice zones, (2) how we can understand the mixture of public and private interests that shape the evolution of sacrifice zones, and (3) how communities and environmental organizations respond to political processes of sacrifice, including management of its ecological and social impacts. To address these objectives, I focused my research on the terminal lakes and basins of the American West, a region where environmental management is highly regulated and the allocation of land and water has been historically contentious. My approach frames sacrifice zones as a large-scale collective action problem. Accordingly, I worked across disciplines to develop a chain of explanation, which links local environmental degradation to external economic and political processes through the selection of strategic variables. An interdisciplinary multiple methods approach drawing on quantitative and qualitative analysis was therefore necessary to explore the relationships between these variables in each core area of interest. Data sources ranged from remote sensing, citizen science, and spatial landowner datasets to interviews, participant observation, documents, and news articles. To evaluate approaches to measuring ecological change in a remote and extreme sacrifice zone like a terminal lake, I needed to identify data sources that were (1) accessible from afar and (2) routinely gathered. In addition to meeting these criteria, the selected variables had to reflect ecological conditions in a unique ecohydrological setting, where high salinities and ephemeral water flows filter out many aquatic species. For these reasons, I identified migratory waterbird populations and surface water extent as strategic variables for measuring ecological change across multiple study sites. Using a combination of pre-processed satellite data from the USGS and citizen science data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, I used Bayesian modelling to quantify the relationship between the populations of 42 species of migratory waterbird and surface water extent in 17 basins and 16 lakes from 2003 to 2019. While I found that aquatic species were particularly receptive to measures of surface water extent that were contemporaneous to population surveying, I also found that other species exhibited unpredictable relationships that pointed to the presence of other ecological factors at play as well as insufficient monitoring. Thus, while certain species were promising for use as an indicator proxying ecological change in terminal lakes and basins, there is a clear need to collect more extensive data across basins and at different times of year. These findings in part reflected the difficulty of monitoring and analysing remote and extreme environments due to their distance and a lack of analogues to inform priors or hypotheses. The ecological dynamics of declining desert lakes prompted questions about the economic factors that drive them. While water diversions are the primary drivers of terminal lake decline across the region and thus have been the main focus of past studies, land use change and related land tenure arrangements drive secondary processes across terminal basins but has been minimally evaluated from this perspective. Land use change is underpinned by the motives of landowners, in the case of private land, and managers (owners from here on for clarity), in the case of public lands. Given this divide between public and private interests, many have assumed that public interests support conservation while private interests support development. However, evidence suggests that such assumptions and the binary they lead to are overly simplistic. For these reasons, I ask: How can we evaluate the motives of landowners in a way that moves beyond the public vs. private binary to capture their heterogeneity and that supports exploration of their relationship to sacrifice zone processes? I propose a typology that layers three dimensions describing landowner motives: publicness, economic objective, and absenteeism. In doing so, I identify three main motive types broadly classified as sacrifice, support, and speculation and test three variants of my typology in eight terminal basins with different conservation trajectories to capture a nuanced profile of public and private landownership. I find that (1) the motives related to mixed-use public parcels strongly shape the overall mixture of interests in a basin, underscoring their management importance; (2) although sacrifice- and speculation-motivated private landowners are few, they hold consolidated estates; and (3) their land use activities likely have disproportionate social and ecological impacts. Case summaries of the dynamics for three representative basins further demonstrate the additional insights that could be generated by applying our typology longitudinally and pairing it with qualitative insights. Beyond the contribution of a new systematic tool for characterizing landowner motives in sacrifice zones and the research potential associated (e.g., longitudinal studies and dependent variable testing), I also point to the need for greater exploration of the role of ‘outlier’ groups, particularly non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that own private land for conservation to produce public goods. The systemic and complex nature of ecological and economic dynamics associated with sacrifice zones further raised questions about how those affected by such dynamics – environmental organizations and local communities – responded. Furthermore, my previous studies had suggested that NGOs and citizen scientists were important local and third-party actors in the political processes of sacrifice zones through their roles as data collectors and land managers. Consequently, in my final empirical chapter I examined how large environmental organizations and communities responded to political processes of sacrifice and subsequent attempts at managing its impacts by assessing the advocacy strategies used by large environmental organizations (LEOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) at the Salton Sea. Drawing on organizational ecology understandings of the structural features that shape organizational behaviour, particularly as they relate to one another, I conducted abductive thematic analysis to move from initial principles to an evidence-based and theory-informed codebook. I applied this codebook to organizational documents, government reports, white papers, and news articles for LEOs and CBOs actively advocating for intervention in the sacrifice of the Salton Sea. I identified three advocacy niches that characterized NGO advocacy strategies: Pragmatists focused on mitigation; Opportunists seeking co-benefits for communities; and Challengers who confront policy-makers. I then used these niches to guide my analysis of formal collaborations in the Salton Sea region, finding that partial niche overlap was likely important to coordinate on shared goals and broad advocacy strategies while simultaneously broadening their cumulative advocacy toolkit. However, I also found that action from policy makers was slow, lagging behind policy change and funding by years in many cases and demonstrating the limited prerogative of NGOs in converting policy decisions to tangible progress. Synthesizing across all three studies, my research makes three broad contributions. First, I find that sacrifice zones form not only to support extractive value chains and private interests, but also to support public interests in distant places. While this deliberate sacrifice may be followed by emergent sacrifice zone processes that benefit mostly a small number of powerful private interests, it must be noted that the water diversions driving terminal lake collapse benefit a broad external public. With their concentration of otherwise-scarce resources and their remote conditions, terminal lakes and basins may be good candidates for sacrifice zones under prevailing economic paradigms. However, they are not empty. As my research shows, communities and wildlife depend on these ecosystems and the constant imposition of costs for outside benefits has both material and normative implications for distributional equity. Second, I find that sacrifice zones are maintained through a complex web of interdependencies spread out over large spatial scales, making them intractable because of the difficulty in identifying win-win-wins between local economies, local environments, and regional economies. This intractability increases when environments are remote, because their distance from civilization reduces the visibility of their decline, and also when environments are extreme, because they have fewer analogues and thus are less predictable than conventional or familiar environments. This leads to my third contribution that managers will likely have to assess the stage and purpose of sacrifice zones and choose between three broad management pathways: (1) try to stop decline in its tracks, (2) monitor and mitigate gradual decline until some equilibrium is reached, or (3) accept decline and mitigate impacts through alternative measures. Deciding between these three options will likely be based on availability of data, ability to conceptualize the complex processes underway, political willingness and funding, the population and potential exposure of nearby communities, and the scale that the impacts are anticipated to reach. NGOs play an important role in encouraging management, and it is potentially their efforts that have led to the Salton Sea shifting to a managed ‘type 2’ decline as was promised by public agencies as opposed to the ‘type 3’ freefall it was experiencing in practice. However, the Salton Sea has a lucrative agricultural industry and larger nearby communities who are not only exposed but also vocal about their concerns, and thus its experience may not be replicable in all terminal basins. Ultimately, reversing sacrifice is politically costly and involves grappling with trade-offs and distributional issues at regional and local scales simultaneously, a task that is further complicated by unique monitoring issues, incentive structures, and political alliances. While the lenses of ecohydrology, political economy, and organizational ecology are partial, they help contribute to debates in both political ecology and collective action by embracing ecological complexity and heterogeneity within and among actor groups, including third party organizations such as NGOs. In other words, sacrifice zones are hard to measure and hard to reverse, if not impossible. Once they are sacrificed, there might not be any going back. The consequences for terminal lakes in the American West have already been emigration to cities and far-reaching environmental problems like dust storms and the breakdown of migratory networks. Remediating these issues is expensive, sometimes prohibitively so, and introduces additional problems to a world already struggling with many. As interest grows in developing increasingly remote and extreme environments like the Arctic, the deep sea, and outer space, we should remember that – no matter how remote - the consequences are likely to one day reach us in unexpected and costly ways. We must decide if they are worth it.
Anuran Habitat Associations and Minimums: Identification, Application, and Implications
(University of Waterloo, 2025-09-22) Pomezanski, Dorian
Anurans (frogs and toads) are model species for habitat conservation in disturbed areas due to their reliance on a range of land covers and sensitivity to fragmentation. As a group of species that are reliant on a landscape permeability to access different habitat throughout the year, their presence across the landscape can provide valuable information about minimum habitat amounts and distributions necessary to maintain habitat connectivity for a range of species. In Ontario, historical landscape disturbance and the availability of a long-term anuran monitoring database provides a study area suitable for exploring critical landscape characteristics and thresholds related to anuran species presence. Like many jurisdictions in North America, natural heritage planning in Ontario has adopted minimum habitat disturbance and buffer recommendations but low anuran occupancy in disturbed areas suggests they are insufficient to ensure long-term species presence. Requirements related to habitat connectivity in particular lack detail regarding the amount, type, placement, and permeability of land covers across the landscape. To address these fundamental gaps, this thesis identified ecological thresholds amongst several habitat connectivity and landscape composition metrics designed to model anuran habitat usage in Southern Ontario. It also discusses the land use implications of implementing biologically informed and ecologically meaningful minimum habitat protections for maintaining anuran habitat connectivity. Data for anuran occupancy was derived from acoustic survey data in the Birds Canada amphibian monitoring database. Due to regular species turnover and challenges with acoustic detection, the number of monitoring years required to account for all species present in a breeding wetland is uncertain. Using a sample of 66 wetlands in Southern Ontario with at least eight years of acoustic monitoring data and four identified anuran species, I constructed species accumulation curves and determined that a minimum of three years of standardized acoustic monitoring data area is required to capture a complete picture of anuran species composition. With this result, 290 wetlands across Southern Ontario with anuran acoustic data of six commonly occurring species were determined to be suitable for further analysis. In addition to several commonly used landscape composition metrics used in amphibian habitat modelling (e.g., proportion of forest/wetland, urban, and vegetated land cover), several other metrics related specifically to anuran habitat connectivity were designed and compared to anuran presence. Using Generalized Additive Models (GAMs), each metrics’ explanatory strength of anuran species presence was compared. I detail the construction and performance of one particular metric that explicitly models the isolated impact of vehicle impact on road crossing survival; accounting for the exponential reductions in crossing survival with increasing traffic intensity in a way that is not captured by least cost, cost distance, or circuit theory modelling approaches. This metric was compared against an unaltered cost distance tool, with three maximum movement distances and three minimum survival cut-offs of 50%, 25%, and 5%. The top-performing road crossing survival metrics explained up to 22% deviance, performed best for the spring peeper and gray treefrog, and performed similarly to the top-performing unaltered resistance models. A model that accurately captures the dynamics of road mortality for amphibians and which can be applied to other taxa is important for effective conservation and land use planning. I follow this with an expanded detailing of the construction of additional habitat connectivity metrics modelling juvenile anuran dispersal and overwintering habitat connectivity, exploring all possible combinations of explanatory metrics to identify additive habitat influences. These metrics were designed to address gaps in connectivity modelling methods which have not accounted for anuran movement behaviours. The juvenile dispersal metric divides the landscape around a source wetland into discrete wedges to simulate the auto-correlated and laterally restricted movement behaviours exhibited by juvenile dispersing anurans and outputs a measure of connectivity that reflects the proportion of directions that have reachable breeding habitat. The overwintering connectivity metric took a more traditional approach, using typical resistance modelling to output a metric quantifying the accessibility of overwintering forest habitat surrounding a breeding wetland. Both metrics used anuran occupancy as a response variable. The explanatory strength of landscape composition and habitat connectivity metric varied substantially between the six individual species, indicating notable differences in life history processes, landscape interactions, and species monitoring. Landscape composition metrics consistently explained the highest amount of variance in single-variable models regardless of species, explaining as much as 37% of deviance in anuran species occurrence using proportion of forest and wetland cover within 3000m. Habitat connectivity metrics related to road crossing survival, juvenile dispersal, and overwintering habitat performed best for the spring peeper and gray treefrog, explaining as much as 26% of variance in occupancy for spring peepers using the overwintering habitat connectivity metric. Various areas for improvement and discussions of the implications of these results are included. The performance of landscape composition and connectivity metrics at different maximum movement distances varied, indicating species-specific differences in the effects of habitat composition, distribution, and permeability across difference spatial scales. In multi-variable GAMs, the top performing models were again for the spring peeper and gray treefrog, with up to 48% of variance in gray treefrog occupancy explained. Habitat connectivity metrics were often included in the top-performing models, suggesting that they contribute additional finer-detail significant explanatory strength to anuran population distributions and with further refinement can be valuable tools for landscape planning. Critical thresholds in landscape composition and habitat connectivity were identified across all six species and spatial scales using a segmented regression approach. Significant thresholds were most commonly identified in the landscape composition metrics and strongest with the natural cover composition. For the spring peeper and gray treefrog which had the strongest threshold-type relationships, thresholds at ~40-60% natural cover, ~5-35% of forest and wetland cover, and ~12-55% of urban cover were identified, varying depending on radial distance. Visual breakpoint estimation differed from statistical breakpoint estimation occasionally, emphasizing the importance of critical interpretations of statistical results. Threshold presence was also moderately consistent with non-linear relationships identified in the GAMs, suggesting that species-landscape relationships require critical examination when determining biological recommendations. The identification of thresholds amongst the various habitat and connectivity metrics refines our understanding of minimum biological requirements for anurans and provides additional evidence for science-based conservation efforts. In the concluding of this thesis, I discuss the financial efficiencies related to infrastructure, health, and planning, as well as societal improvements to quality of life for implementing biologically informed minimum habitat protections for anurans and other species reliant on landscape permeability. Identifying and planning around existing wildlife movement corridors and broader habitat thresholds associated with landscape composition and permeability can encourage planning bodies to produce a denser, more efficient, and more equitable landscape for both humans and the wildlife populations living alongside them.
Rapid Understorey Restoration of a Red Pine Plantation in Algonquin Provincial Park
(University of Waterloo, 2025-09-19) Crosby, Estella
The understorey of a forest provides essential habitat for wildlife, increases habitat heterogeneity, and enhances soil nutrients through the nutrient-rich litterfall of understorey vegetation. In red pine plantations (a common plantation type in southern Ontario and Algonquin Park), the understorey is sparse to non-existent. This is due to the dense overstorey reducing light, and the thick layer of fallen pine needles, which suppresses vegetation growth and acidifies the soil. This thesis documents the results of a four-year (2021-2024) collaboration between the University of Waterloo and Algonquin Provincial Park to restore the understorey of a 50-year-old red pine plantation. The treatments tested were tree thinning and herbicide application to invasive species (applied to the entire site), applied nucleation and windthrow guards. Applied nucleation is the planting of trees and/or shrubs scattered throughout an area, to mimic natural succession. Beaked hazel shrubs and yellow birch trees were used as the applied nuclei in this experiment. Windthrow guards are when an herbaceous species is planted around a woody species to reduce wind damage. The term windthrow guard was coined for this project, as this method has not been tested in scientific literature before. Canada goldenrod was used as the windthrow guard in this experiment. The five treatment types used were: (1) control: received no additional treatments other than the tree thinning and herbicide application, (2) applied nucleation, (3) windthrow guard, (4) applied nucleation with windthrow guard, (5) unthinned: received to restoration treatments and acts as a reference state for statistical analysis. To determine the effectiveness of the windthrow guards and overall restoration success, mortality surveys of the transplanted trees and shrubs were performed. To determine the short-term outcomes of this experiment and establish monitoring best practices, vegetation surveys, insect trapping and identification and soil sampling and testing for pH, NO3, P and K occurred. A Cochran’s Q test with a post-hoc pairwise McNemar test with a Bonferroni correction was run on the mortality data. Differences in native and non-native vegetation community metrics (species richness, Simpson diversity and Hill-Shannon diversity) between the different treatment types were assessed with generalized linear mixed models with a post-hoc Tukey-adjusted estimated marginal means. Two-way mixed ANOVA’s were used to assess the impact of treatment type and sampling time on insect community metrics (species richness, Simpson diversity and Shannon diversity). Kruskal-Wallis tests with a post-hoc Dunn test were run on each year of soil data, due to changes in sampling strategy, to determine the impacts of treatment type on each of the soil parameters (pH, NO3, P, K). There was a high transplant survival rate (over 80% in 2024). There were differences in the mortality of transplants between 2022 and 2024 in the applied nucleation treatment type (p = 0.04), but not the applied nucleation with windthrow guard plot type (p > 0.05) indicating that windthrow guards may reduce the mortality of transplanted trees and shrubs. The only statistically significant results of vegetation metrics between the reference and restored treatment types were in nonnative species richness and Hill-Shannon diversity in 2024 (p > 0.05), however, post-hoc tests did not show statistically significant differences of either of the metrics between the different treatment types. There were no statistically significant two-way interactions or main effects of treatment type or sampling time on any of the arthropod metrics (p > 0.05). These results suggest that the understorey restoration had an acceptable outcome, and the area is recovering as expected, without many short-term changes in most monitoring metrics. The thesis ends with recommending further monitoring to assess the impacts of restoration impacts on the long-term site trajectory.
Influences of Source Waters on Alpine River Systems in Tongait KakKasuangita SilakKijapvinga (Torngat Mountains National Park), Nunatsiavut, Labrador
(University of Waterloo, 2025-09-17) Barone, Katryna
Tongait KakKasuangita SilakKijapvinga (Torngat Mountains National Park) encompasses the northern tip of Labrador and is situated at the southernmost limit of the Arctic Cordillera. This region is an integral part of the homeland for Inuit from Nunatsiavut and Nunavik and hosts the only remaining glaciers in continental northeastern North America. Like other high-latitude regions, glacial melt is currently a key source of streamflow in the summer months and provides refugia for cold-water species. Continued climate warming is expected to make streamflow warmer, slower, and less turbid, putting stream function and culturally significant species such as ikKaluk (Arctic char) at risk. Future glacial loss is also expected to transition downstream habitats to resemble those of more barren non-glacial fed watersheds, further affecting ecosystem services, connected habitats, and community resources. This research aims to examine the impacts of cryospheric (ice) and hydrological (water) systems on ecohydrology by exploring glacial and late-lying snow influences on stream composition and riverine habitats. Stream composition and ecological function is examined through a stable isotopic analysis of oxygen and hydrogen and measurements of aqueous dissolved organic and inorganic carbon from stream water samples collected from three watersheds with different dominant water sources: glacial meltwater, snowmelt, and rain and groundwater. As this area has not undergone water sampling in the past this work also established a baseline for future research. With continued climate warming projected to shift the contribution of water sources it is important to know the unique influence each of these have to better predict how upstream and downstream systems will respond to continued change. This will further our understanding of how changes in the cryosphere and hydrosphere impact northern ecosystems and human livelihoods in support of future environmental monitoring, adaptation, and conservation.
Role of Information Systems in supporting Small-scale Fisheries in Island and Coastal Communities towards Sustainability – The Case of the Sundarbans
(University of Waterloo, 2025-08-26) Chakraborty, Pallabi
In the context of the Anthropocene and escalating environmental pressures like sea-level rise, small-scale fisheries, like those dependent on mangrove ecosystems, are facing growing vulnerabilities. These fisheries are critical to food security, employment, and coastal resilience but are increasingly threatened by environmental degradation, governance deficits, and social inequalities. The transition from vulnerability to viability in small-scale fisheries requires integrated approaches that address social, ecological, and governance challenges while empowering local communities. Access to diverse capital assets (natural, financial, educational, social) and inclusive participatory governance are vital. Information systems, especially digital tools co-designed with stakeholders, can bridge data gaps, support collaborative management, and enhance resilience if they are context-sensitive and participatory. The research investigates how an information System can empower small-scale fisheries communities by improving data access, promoting inclusive governance, and addressing systemic inequalities. In doing so, it asks: What is the role of an information system in supporting the transition from vulnerability to viability in island and coastal small-scale fisheries? And how can insights into the society-technology interface better inform the design and implementation of inclusive digital systems that truly empower stakeholders? The research adopted a mixed-methods case study approach to evaluate the test version of the Vulnerability to Viability-Information System for small-scale fisheries in two Sundarbans villages, marked by ecological vulnerability and socio-economic marginalization. Quantitative data from structured surveys and interviews captured usage patterns and perceptions of the test version of information system, while qualitative data from in-depth interviews and participant observations provided insights into the cultural and institutional factors shaping technology adoption. Snowball sampling ensured access to diverse participants, and data collection involved video demonstrations, real-time feedback, and use of digital tools. Rigorous methodological steps, including piloting, triangulation, reflexivity, and ethical safeguards, were employed. Fieldwork reflected local complexities, and data were analyzed integrating both inductive and deductive techniques. The findings highlight the multifaceted role of information systems in supporting the transition from vulnerability to viability in small-scale fisheries in the Sundarbans. While digital tools, such as mobile applications, offer potential to improve access to real-time data, their effectiveness is limited by structural barriers including low literacy, poor infrastructure, language mismatches, and social inequalities. The pilot information system tested during the study faced usability issues due to lack of contextual adaptation and vernacular integration. These challenges reveal that inclusivity, through features like voice-based interfaces, offline functionality, and local language content, is not optional, but foundational to effective design and adoption. Beyond usability, the research emphasizes the importance of embedding such technologies within a co-productive society-technology interface. Fishers expressed interest in platforms that integrate traditional ecological knowledge with scientific data, enabling them to navigate environmental risks and regulatory demands more effectively. This hybrid knowledge approach not only improves local decision-making under climate uncertainty but also preserves cultural practices and fosters epistemic justice. Moreover, the system’s effectiveness is deeply tied to its capacity to support equitable governance. Local institutions are crucial intermediaries, but are often weakened by elite control and inconsistent state support. Digital tools must, therefore, strengthen transparency and empower marginalized voices in resource access and governance. The study further foregrounds gender as a critical dimension in technology design. Women in the sector, already constrained by socio-cultural norms, are frequently excluded from digital innovations unless systems are explicitly tailored to their needs. Gender-sensitive features and leadership support are necessary to ensure that technology enhances, rather than reinforces, existing inequalities. Overall, the findings position information systems not as standalone solutions but as participatory, justice-oriented infrastructures that must be co-designed with stakeholders. When integrated into broader governance and knowledge systems, these tools can strengthen resilience, build collective agency, and enable inclusive, sustainable resource management.
A Cumulative Effects Assessment approach to improving decision-making for freshwater resource protection and restoration
(University of Waterloo, 2025-08-18) Kidd, Jessica
This thesis investigated ways to gather, archive, share and use the knowledge needed to inform effective Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) for freshwater ecosystem protection and restoration. Specifically, this thesis focuses on methods for collecting, managing, and applying long-term regional data needed to characterize baseline conditions and monitor cumulative effects by addressing the following four questions: 1) Can community-based monitoring (CBM) collect long-term regional biophysical data needed for effective CEA; 2) How can long-term regional freshwater data be managed and shared so that it is reusable for CEAs; 3) How can long-term regional surface water data be analyzed to estimate baseline conditions and identify areas impacted by cumulative effects; and 4) Can the restoration of water bodies impacted by cumulative effects be improved with knowledge that is foundational for effective CEAs? Results of a pan-Canadian analysis of CBM projects confirmed that CBMs can contribute robust, valuable long-term regional biophysical data to CEA. As part of this analysis, project characteristics that should be considered when designing CBM projects for integration/use in CEA were identified. Insights gained from interviews with technology sector experts guided the development of recommendations that will make freshwater data open and reusable within the freshwater science sector. Natural Range of Variation (NRV) calculations (Tukey Inner Fence or median ±2 median absolute deviation methods) were used to estimate surface water quality baselines which, when paired with Mann-Kendall trend analysis and spatial assessment of regional concentrations, provided a robust approach for assessing cumulative effects in freshwater ecosystems. Finally, known deficiencies in conventional approaches to urban water body restoration were addressed through application of the foundational elements of effective CEA to a case study of a degraded lake (Frame Lake) located in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. This thesis defines the types of information that should inform freshwater ecosystem decision-making and articulates how that information can be obtained, managed and used.
Bending the curve of biodiversity loss: Identifying barriers and opportunities to accelerate endangered species recovery in Canada
(University of Waterloo, 2025-07-09) Kraus, Daniel
The decline of wild species represents one of the most urgent crises of our time, with significant ecological, cultural, and economic implications. Understanding the barriers and opportunities to accelerate wildlife recovery is essential to inform effective conservation planning, policymaking, and action, and ultimately to halt and reverse the loss of nature. Research for this thesis was guided by three interconnected objectives: 1) identify the patterns and processes of wildlife extinction and recovery in Canada, with a detailed examination of nationally endemic species, 2) compare and examine the effectiveness of national approaches to endangered species assessment, listing and recovery, thereby identifying bridges and barriers to recovery, and 3) develop and advance new approaches to planning and implementation that will accelerate endangered species recovery in Canada. These objectives are intended to provide novel contributions that fill key knowledge gaps to support the practice of endangered species conservation. This research describes over 200 species ‘missing’ from Canada since European settlement, revealing significantly more extinctions and extirpations than reported under the Species at Risk Act. These losses are concentrated in Ontario, BC, and Quebec, with unsustainable harvesting historically driving extinctions, and habitat degradation emerging as the dominant contemporary threat. In contrast, the research also identifies 49 species with genuine improvements in conservation status, as well as over 50 species that began to recover before formal national assessments began. Key drivers of recovery include harvest management, pollution abatement, with more contemporary recoveries resulting from translocations, stewardship, and protected areas. The research also highlights that most improvements in the conservation status of species at risk are the result of discovering new populations and cautions against misclassifying these as conservation successes. This research also provides the first comprehensive inventory of Canada’s 308 nationally endemic species, approximately 90% of which are of global conservation concern. The analysis identifies 27 spatial concentrations of endemic species, many of which are associated with glacial refugia, islands, coasts, and unique habitats. Despite their significance, nationally endemic species have not been prioritized in national conservation efforts, but their conservation will play an essential role in Canada’s contribution to preventing global extinctions. Drawing on comparisons with the US and Australia, the thesis identifies systemic barriers to endangered species recovery and offers ten strategic "bridges" to overcome them. These include ecosystem-based recovery, community co-governance, linking wildlife recovery to ecosystem services, and improving public narratives around wildlife loss and recovery. Insights from a survey of 136 Canadian recovery planning practitioners further highlighted that effective implementation of SARA remains illusive, with respondents emphasizing the need for improved consultations, co-production with Indigenous communities, streamlined processes, and knowledge sharing. The thesis concludes by proposing pathways to reduce extinction risks and accelerate recoveries that are based on the relationships between processes, places and peoples. These include approaches to increase proactive conservation, supporting community-based recovery planning and action, and improving knowledge mobilization. These recommendations aim to strengthen Canada’s capacity to meet its national and global biodiversity commitments and bending the curve of biodiversity loss.
Protecting Environmental and Cultural Water Through Collaborative Governance and Impact Assessment: International, Canadian, and Saskatchewan Examples
(University of Waterloo, 2025-06-20) Bergbusch, Nathanael
Human activities and climate change threaten freshwater resources and Indigenous rights. Developments (e.g., irrigation, dams, mines) cumulatively pollute and alter the hydrology of fresh water, affecting ecosystems (environmental flow/water) and Treaty and Inherent Rights (cultural flow/water). However, development assessment and management may not guarantee the protection or connectivity of water downstream. Regional sustainability-based guidance is needed through collaboration between Crown and Indigenous governments. Through interviews, workshops, ecohydrology, and policy analysis, this dissertation investigates strategies for collaborative governance and impact assessment to protect water for the environment, human uses, and Indigenous rights at three scales: globally, nationally (Canada), and regionally (Saskatchewan’s Treaty Four). Treaty Four studies were co-created with File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council’s Lands, Resources, Environment, and Stewardship Department (Ch. 2) and informed the design of global and Canadian studies. I systematically reviewed international English-language papers on the collaborative governance of environmental and cultural water to inform practice in Canada (Ch. 3). In Chapter 4, I investigated the uptake of environmental and cultural flows in Canadian legislation and assessment and suggested steps for their protection. Moving to Treaty Four, I examined barriers to water regulation (Ch. 5), developed flow-based sustainability criteria for the Qu’Appelle and South Saskatchewan sub-basins (Ch. 6), tested these criteria (Ch. 7), and proposed regional response options (Ch. 8) for the Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Expansion and Agricultural Water Stewardship Policy (that promotes continued wetland drainage). Overall, dissertation findings established that, worldwide, communities need to have a greater role in environmental and cultural water policy, planning, and impact assessment (Ch. 3). In Canada, experts detailed a need for water councils to set needs-based rules for environmental and cultural flows maintenance ahead of development (Ch. 4). In Saskatchewan, water protection is challenged because of abstraction and drainage not triggering assessments, impact and project splitting, a lack of regulation, weak effort to meet the duty to consult, and the absence of regional approaches for identifying and managing cumulative effects of abstraction and drainage initiatives (Ch. 5). Collaborative regional governance (Ch. 8) was identified as needed to support progress towards sustainability through restoration of water and land, equity, respect for Treaties, transparency, climate uncertainty, and procedural justice (Ch. 6, Ch. 7). Together, these studies demonstrate the opportunity for more collaborative regional governance and impact assessment of environmental and cultural water in Canada and inform recommendations for future management and study, provided in Chapter 9.
Between the Covers and Beyond the Page: Gauging Climate Fiction's Impact through Ecocriticism and Virtual Book Club Observations
(University of Waterloo, 2025-05-26) Matthews-Roper, Misty
Despite increasing global concern about climate change, a gap persists between climate worry and action. Researchers across various disciplines and popular media suggest that narratives can motivate pro-environmental behaviour. Cli-fi novels, in particular, are believed to influence readers’ behaviours and perceptions of climate change. However, most evidence supporting these claims comes from classroom observations and traditional humanistic inquiry. In 2018, a new research methodology emerged, empirical ecocriticism, which set out to determine how general readers engage with these novels. This dissertation follows the principles of this method, namely, the combination of ecocritical analyses with empirical methods. To that end, the first part of this dissertation (Chapters 2 and 3) is an ecocritical examination of four diverse cli-fi novels published in the last decade to determine how they conveyed climate change information to their readers and how this portrayal may affect readers’ understanding of this issue. The second part of this dissertation (Chapter 4) is a report on empirical findings from a book club observation study of readers reading these same cli-fi novels. The two interdisciplinary objectives of this dissertation were to firstly examine how cli-fi novels relate information about climate change and what aspects of climate change are emphasized to readers in these novels, and secondly to contribute to the emerging field of empirical ecocriticism by reporting on how groups of readers discussed cli-fi novels and the climate change information therein. To achieve these objectives, I: (1) interpreted of four diverse cli-fi novels using ecocritical methods and (2) designed and implemented a book club observation study of general readers reading these same novels. Drawing on ecocriticism, climate change communication, and social sciences research, Chapter 2 introduces a new subcategory of cli-fi – ambivalent cli-fi. This subcategory is defined through an analysis of two realistic cli-fi novels Weather by Jenny Offill and Blaze Island by Catherine Bush to determine how climate change is portrayed in these novels and how their narratives might help readers explore their emotional responses to climate change. The novels were chosen due to their connections to the 2020s and the ecocritical analysis of these novels demonstrates that they can help readers sit in the uncomfortable space where the world is not yet irreversibly ruing, yet there is also no easy solution. Chapter 3 examines Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller and The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, two speculative cli-fi novels, whose authors claimed they wanted their readers to feel hope despite narratives that portray radically altered environments and nightmarish societies. This chapter reviews climate change communication research that points towards more inclusive messaging favouring neither hope nor despair. The ecocritical analysis of the two novels utilizes Albert Camus’ notion of the absurd to address the feelings of existential crisis evoked by the novels’ depictions of climate change. It concludes by advocating for the creation of narratives that help audiences find ways to embrace futures that are neither apocalyptic nor utopic. Chapter 4 reports on virtual cli-fi book club sessions conducted from January to June 2022, involving 40 participants from across Canada. Participants read the same cli-fi novels discussed above in order to ascertain how ecocritical readings of these novels might differ from general readers’ interpretations. Pre- and post-survey data indicated that participants were younger than the average Canadian population (65% less than 44 years old compared to 42%), liberal, and concerned about climate change. The study identified three main themes from participant discussions: (1) the relatability of the cli-fi novels enhanced the believability of the story and climate change; (2) the presence or absence of hope was linked to whether novels included individual actions to mitigate climate change; and (3) participants experienced anxiety when they empathized with characters and scenarios. These findings suggest that readers use cli-fi novels to understand current climate issues. Results from the book club observation study also suggested that general readers in groups find solace and reach new conclusions through discussion. This discovery underscores the importance of considering reading as both an individual and social practice for empirical ecocriticism. The conclusions drawn from the ecocritical chapters highlight how cli-fi narratives have the potential to influence reader emotions. The arguments in Chapters 2 and 3 demonstrate that the negative emotions present in each cli-fi novel are necessary for readers to engage with and learn from. Chapter 5 concludes with a comparison of these arguments with the results from the book club study (Chapter 4). This discussion reinforces research from climate change communication and the social sciences that argues audiences (and readers) do not need to be frightened with catastrophic images of climate change dystopias. Instead, what readers (and non-scholarly audiences) might need now are stories that help them learn how to live-with climate uncertainty, and spaces to do this together.
From Fisher Economicus to Fisher Socialis: Investigating the Role of Fisher Behaviour for Effective and Equitable Governance
(University of Waterloo, 2024-12-20) Battaglia, Maria Bernadette; Armitage, Derek
The purpose of this dissertation is to advance the emerging field of fisher behaviour. The applied aim is to enhance fisheries and oceans policy, and primarily within the context of small-scale fisheries sustainability. In this dissertation, fisher behaviour is defined as the actions (or inactions) taken by fishers in response to internal and external stimuli and it describes the multitude of ways in which fishers interact with their social and ecological environment. Further, fisher behaviour can manifest through physical action, verbal expression, emotional responses, and cognitive processes. Fisheries and oceans policy shapes and is simultaneously shaped by fisher behaviour because regulations and enforcement mechanisms that emerge from policy interventions signal what behaviours are allowed and which ones are not. Fishers, in turn, interpret these signals based on their values, needs, and perceptions of legitimacy over resource use. For this reason, when policy does not adequately reflect the diverse range of factors that shape fisher behaviour, regulations can become inefficient or inequitable and may result in poor social and ecological outcomes. Despite the importance of behaviour and its central role in the pursuit of fisheries and oceans sustainability, fisher behaviour is complex and hence still not well understood. Historically, predominant paradigms of behaviour have been based in neoclassical economics’ Homo Economicus. These models of behaviour predict that rational and self-interested individuals will always prioritize personal gain over the collective interest and, without external interventions, they will inevitably deplete shared resources. Yet, in the last few decades, empirical evidence has challenged these assumptions, and has shown that resource users, including fishers, are able and willing to engage in collective action to solve social dilemmas. The scope of this dissertation is to use the emerging field of fisher behaviour as a critical lens to strengthen fisheries and oceans policy. To achieve this overarching aim, this dissertation is guided by three interrelated research objectives: 1) To advance and understand fisher behaviour as an emergent and critical, yet understudied, field through the development of a comprehensive conceptual typology based on selected literatures; 2) To map and synthesize the complex interactions between social norms (as a particular manifestation of fisher behaviour), collective action problems, and fisheries policy and to further unpack the role of social norms as a catalyst of collective action in natural resource systems, including in fisheries systems; and 3) To empirically examine the role of social norms and social networks as two fisher behavioural approaches and further assess their implications for policy. The first objective provides the foundation of this dissertation and frames the context and significance of this research by presenting an overview of alternative behavioural approaches to understand fisher behaviour. The second and third objectives delve deeper into two behavioural approaches, and in doing so, they challenge one of the core assumptions of Homo Economicus: that humans are self-interested, hence incapable of solving collective action problems. The research methodology used in this dissertation is informed by deductive and inductive approaches and the integration of qualitative and quantitative methods, alongside a theoretical exploration. To further understand fisher behaviour in real world settings, a case study was conducted in Sardinia, Italy, in the context of three small-scale fishing communities adjacent to the Asinara MPA. Fieldwork was conducted both in-person and coordinated remotely in response to COVID-19 pandemic requirements. Research instruments were co-developed in collaboration with BMF, a not-for-profit organization working in the area, and further reviewed by key community informants to ensure coherence with the local context. Further, informal conversations with research partners and members of the local communities added additional depth and confirmed the direction of the research findings. In Chapter 2, a theoretical exploration of existing literature on fisher behaviour was adopted to provide a typology of key selected approaches that offer an interdisciplinary suite of entry points and complementary opportunities to advance the understanding of fisher behaviour. These approaches include theories, concepts, and perspectives from Critical Social Theory, Systems Approaches, Development Scholarship, and Institutional Scholarship. Two vignettes, one based in Italy, and one based in Canada, were included in this chapter to add further empirical weight to the chapter by delving deeper into two of the lenses presented in the typology. In Chapter 3, a systematic scoping review was used to map and synthesize existing literature on social norms in fisheries. However, given the limited availability on empirical articles that focused solely on fisheries, the scope of the evidence synthesis was broadened to include other environmental contexts. As such, the systematic scoping review was conducted on peer-reviewed articles (n=69) to map and synthesize ways in which social norms are conceptualized, elicited, and measured in the empirical literature at the intersection of social norms and collective action problems in environmental settings. This evidence synthesis followed the PRISMA-ScR. Findings revealed that social norms can be conceptualized as collective or individual constructs, and they can be elicited or measured using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods. Further, social norm definitions do not necessarily correspond to a unique elicitation method. These results suggest that what may initially appear as lack of coherence is instead an opportunity to study social norms from various angles and perspectives. In Chapter 4, structured surveys (n=81) were used to empirically examine the role of social norms and social networks in the Asinara MPA communities. Findings indicated that the existence of subgroups within networks does not necessarily hinder capacity for collective action, as analyses on the strength and distribution of social norms showed that cooperative behaviours within the Asinara MPA communities were still strong. Importantly, network analyses also elicited the presence of well-connected, central actors within each subgroup. This finding holds promising potential for collective action because central figures can leverage their positions to synthesize subgroup heterogeneity and generate innovative solutions to shared challenges. Findings and insights of this dissertation contribute to advancing the emerging field of fisher behaviour, while offering alternative approaches to the paradigm of behaviour based in Homo Economicus. Context-relevant knowledge on fisher behaviour can be operationalized in policy settings to catalyze change using insights on who fishers are and the reasons behind their actions. For instance, Challenge 10 of the United Nations 2021-2030 Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development aims to identify barriers to behaviour change to achieve ocean health. However, this aim cannot be achieved using models of human behaviour that underserve and oversimplify the complexity of empirical reality. Findings from this dissertation translate into theoretical and empirical contributions by helping identify lenses and approaches to enhance fisheries and oceans policy, through a more comprehensive understanding of fisher behaviour. These insights can support policy in three complementary ways. First, knowledge on fisher behaviour can enhance coherence between policy and the social context within which policy instruments are embedded, which includes the behavioural elements of social systems, such as fishers’ values, needs, and beliefs. Second, aligning policy with contextual knowledge about fisher behaviour can improve policy equity by bringing recognition to pre-existing forms of organization (e.g., social networks) and informal rules of behaviour (e.g., social norms) that fishers have developed over long periods of time and persistence. Finally, this research reveals that there are currently untapped opportunities to generate new evidence about fisher behaviour. However, these efforts will require challenging the assumptions that have long underpinned fisheries and oceans policy, and cultivating collaborations across academia, policy practitioners, and fishing communities to inform the development of new methodologies and contextually-relevant understandings.
Social-Ecological Resilience in Agriculture: Producer Experiences in Central and Northern Costa Rica
(University of Waterloo, 2024-12-10) MacIsaac, Alexandra; Oelbermann, Maren
The agriculture sector, while essential for human well-being, faces substantial challenges related to climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequality. The purpose of this research was to determine how agricultural producers strengthened the social-ecological resilience of their production systems in response to these key challenges. Resilient agricultural systems provide a myriad of social and ecological benefits to communities through essential ecosystem services. Therefore, deepening our understanding on how best to support and enhance resilience among agricultural producers is imperative, while also recognizing that beneficial management strategies are often highly location-specific. Focused on producers in Costa Rica’s Central Valley and Northern Zone, the objectives of this study were to identify the local strategies and practices producers employed to build their social-ecological resilience and examine the barriers that limited their resilience. The final research objective was to contribute to the literature on social-ecological resilience indicators in the context of agriculture using insights from this study. To address these objectives, I conducted semi-structured interviews with crop and livestock producers in Alajuela, San José, and Cartago. Participants were asked questions aimed at uncovering information related to eight resilience indicators. These indicators were: species and varietal diversity, landscape diversity, sustainable resource use, availability and exchange of seeds and livestock, innovation in management practices, local networks and institutions, gender, and autonomy. Findings from this study revealed how producers experienced and perceived aspects of their production systems which have been identified in the literature to influence resilience. These insights can guide future agricultural management practices both in and outside the study area, promoting viable, sustainable, robust, and resilient food systems.
Exploring the Effects of Threat-Based Climate Change Content in Canadian Post-Secondary Environmental Education
(University of Waterloo, 2024-09-26) Collette, Emma; Wolfe, Sarah; Barbeau, Christine
When college students are asked how they feel about climate change, instead of motivation or empowerment, the most common response is fear (Hiser & Lynch, 2021; Galway & Field, 2023). Although this is deeply concerning, it comes as no surprise when you consider the material they are exposed to. Climate change is a growing threat to human life (Santamouris, 2020; Shindell et al., 2020; Silva et al., 2017; Lloyd et al., 2016), and this reality is reflected in the news, on social media, and in the classroom (e.g., CBC, 2023; Canada’s NDP, 2023; Canadian Climate Institute, 2022; Vieyra-Balboa et al., 2024). As of now, researchers don’t know exactly how this threat-based content is affecting students in environmental education programs. However, there is strong evidence that this type of messaging can affect peoples’ behaviours (Burke et al., 2010), including their environmental behaviour (Fritsche & Hafner, 2012; Fritsche et al. 2012). The purpose of my study was to examine the ways that threat-based climate change content affects post-secondary students in environmental studies programs. Two of my primary research objectives were to compare outcomes in 1) students’ environmental identities and 2) students’ actual short-term pro-environmental behaviour. My third objective was to produce findings that could be used to inform approaches to climate change education and contribute to the growing literature on climate change and mortality threats. I did this by presenting student participants with one of three randomly assigned news articles on an online survey platform: a Threat-Based climate change article, an Informational climate change article, or a Control article unrelated to climate change. After students had read their article, I measured their environmental identity and short-term pro-environmental behaviour so that I could compare the outcomes of students from the three conditions. I found that the news articles did not have a significant effect on identity, but that there was a decrease in pro-environmental behaviour for students who read the climate change articles (significant effect for the Informational and marginally significant for the Threat-Based). My study produced several academic contributions, including the application of valuable methodological approaches, as well as guidance for future climate change education research. Based on my findings, I would not recommend Threat-based climate change content as a productive avenue for inspiring pro-environmental behaviour in post-secondary environmental education students. However, I recognize the importance of dispelling the reality of the climate crisis, including the threatening components, and make several recommendations for ways to mitigate the risk of behavioural inhibition when presenting this content. These findings can be used to inform educational climate change content so that educators can be empowered to select approaches that foster wellness and action.
Learning with the Head and the Heart: Exploring Emotional Experiences in Post-Secondary Environmental Education
(University of Waterloo, 2024-09-25) Grant, Beth; Wolfe, Sarah
In a time of widespread climate change and environmental degradation, ensuring the efficacy of environmental education to inform and empower the next generation to make meaningful change is more important than ever. However, existing approaches to environmental education largely fail to acknowledge or consider the impact of emotions on student learning, well-being and pro-environmental behaviour. The purpose of this master’s thesis was to explore students’ emotional experiences of post-secondary environmental education with the goal of gathering information that could inform curricular and pedagogical recommendations for educators and institutions. My research was guided by three objectives: (1) to capture and articulate a broad range of students’ emotions in association with the post-secondary environmental curriculum and/or pedagogical experience; (2) to determine if and how the emotional experience varies within the environment student population based on educational stage (early undergraduate, late undergraduate, master’s); and (3) to make student-led recommendations to environmental curriculum and pedagogy to address and support students’ emotional experiences. I took a pragmatic, mixed-methods approach to achieve these objectives using online surveys, a participant-driven photo-elicitation activity, and subsequent individual semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from post-secondary students at two Canadian universities and analyzed in R and NVivo. Survey data showed that students experience a broad range of positive and negative emotions in response to the curricular and pedagogical aspects of their environmental degrees. These emotional experiences varied in frequency, intensity, and persistence with anxiety, sadness, happiness, and inspiration being more frequently, intensely, and persistently experienced. Extensive data from photo-elicitation and subsequent interviews revealed a rich tapestry of emotional responses related to specific curricular and pedagogical sources with anxiety, anger, dread, hopefulness, curiosity, and connection being the most frequently discussed by participants. Negative emotions resulted from learning about climate change and environmental issues, a perceived lack of action from parties in power, and environmental inequities, and from a lack of opportunities to meaningfully engage with the material and each other. Positive emotions resulted from learning about environmental success stories and solutions, and the wonder of the natural world, and from creative teaching approaches, engagement opportunities, and a positive focus. To improve the emotional experience of environmental education, students recommended the following measures: welcoming emotions in the learning environment; increasing opportunities for real-world action and application; embracing experiential learning and creative pedagogy; building community; and expanding solutions-oriented content. These student-led recommendations were well supported by existing peer-reviewed literature. My research fills an existing gap in the available literature on student climate emotions and post-secondary EE. While several studies exist at this intersection, my study makes novel contributions in the form of a multi-dimensional measure of emotions in this context, and specific curricular and pedagogical sources of the emotions discussed. My research has the potential to inform curricular and pedagogical recommendations for environmental educators to improve students’ emotional experiences in post-secondary environmental education.
Below the Plains: Navigating Groundwater Depletion in Kansas through Collective Action
(University of Waterloo, 2024-09-20) Michaud, Melanie; Garrick, Dustin
In the context of increasing groundwater depletion and the critical need for sustainable water management, my research examines Kansas's transition toward enhanced groundwater conservation through the lens of the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) framework. This study focuses on the roles of state actors, policy entrepreneurs, local experiments like real-world labs, and the influence of landscape factors (external pressures) and cultural values in driving sustainability transitions. Kansas, facing significant groundwater depletion, provides a compelling case to explore how conservation initiatives, such as LEMAs (Local Enhanced Management Areas), emerged and gained acceptance in a traditionally depletion-oriented agricultural regime. Guided by the research objectives to understand how policy diffusion occurred, how actors changed roles, and the state's involvement in shaping transitions, I employed a qualitative approach. My research uses document analysis, interviews, and case studies of Kansas's Groundwater Management Districts (GMDs) and LEMA policies to investigate the factors driving the adoption of conservation measures. The case of the Sheridan 6 LEMA serves as a pivotal example of a "real-world lab" that influenced the broader adoption of conservation practices across Kansas and the subsequent passage of state legislation mandating groundwater management plans for all GMDs. The findings reveal that real-world labs like Sheridan 6 provided empirical evidence demonstrating that conservation could be achieved without economic harm, which built trust among local stakeholders and influenced the shift from depletion to conservation practices. Landscape factors like groundwater depletion and regulatory threats interacted with cultural values like preserving family legacies and local control, pushing incumbent regime actors to adopt conservation measures. Policy entrepreneurs, including state officials and GMD staff, played a central role in framing conservation in ways that aligned with these cultural values, leveraging political opportunities, and building coalitions that supported policy change. The research also challenges traditional views of the state's passive role in transitions, illustrating how state actors actively created and nurtured niche innovations, such as LEMAs. This research contributes to the MLP literature by addressing gaps related to the role of the state and the uneven impacts of landscape pressures and cultural values on influencing conservation behaviors across the GMDs. By integrating insights from the Kansas case, this study offers broader implications for water management in other regions. It highlights the importance of empowering policy entrepreneurs, leveraging local experiments, and understanding the interaction between landscape pressures and cultural values to drive sustainability transition.
Assessment of soil carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions in perennial bioenergy crops on low productive agricultural land in southwestern Ontario, Canada
(University of Waterloo, 2024-07-22) Osei, Augustine; Oelbermann, Maren
Low productive agricultural lands with less suitability for annual row crop production have been recommended globally for growing perennial bioenergy crops. This is due to the low input requirement of perennial bioenergy crops and their ability to produce large biomass on low productive agricultural lands as well as rejuvenating these lands for possible future annual row crop production. In addition to eliminating competition with food crops for land occupation, growing perennial bioenergy cops on low productive agricultural lands provides climate change mitigation benefits through soil carbon (C) sequestration and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this dissertation, four studies were conducted to evaluate soil C pools and GHG (N2O and CO2) emissions in unfertilized perennial bioenergy crops of miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus L.), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), and willow (Salix miyabeana L.) on low productive agricultural land in southern Canada to understand the climate benefit of growing perennial bioenergy crops on low productive agricultural land relative to a natural regrowth vegetation (successional) site. The first study in Chapter 2 quantified the nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in miscanthus, switchgrass, willow, and a successional site over two growing seasons to understand the GHG mitigation benefits of the bioenergy crops compared to the successional site. The static chamber method which consisted of installing two polyvinyl chloride (PVC) chambers (25 cm height, 10 cm radius) to a 10 cm depth in each bioenergy crop replicate and three chambers in the successional site was used to quantify N2O and CO2 emissions in the perennial bioenergy crops and successional site. Gas from each chamber headspace was sampled at time t = 0, 15 and 30 minutes once every two weeks for the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons (May to October). The sampled gas was brought to the laboratory and analyzed on a gas chromatograph for N2O and CO2 in each bioenergy crop and successional site. A repeated measure and univariate ANOVA was used to quantify differences between N2O and CO2 fluxes and cumulative emissions from the bioenergy crops and successional site over the two growing seasons. Mean N2O and CO2 fluxes during the two growing seasons ranged from –0.022 to 0.087 µg N2O-N m–2 hr–1 and 0.010 to 0.266 mg CO2-C m–2 hr–1, respectively. Whereas mean N2O fluxes did not differ (p>0.05) among land use type and between years, mean CO2 fluxes significantly differed (p<0.05) among land use types and between years. The 2-year total cumulative N2O emissions ranged from 93.75 µg N2O-N m–2 to 174.50 µg N2O-N m–2 and was significantly higher (p<0.05) in switchgrass than the successional site. Of the 2-year total cumulative N2O emissions, 51% in the successional site and switchgrass occurred in 2020, while 63% and 69% in willow and miscanthus, respectively, occurred in the same year. The 2-year cumulative CO2 emissions on the other hand ranged from 760.68 mg CO2-C m–2 to 1009.04 mg CO2-C m–2 and was not significantly different (p>0.05) among land use type. Although soil parameters such as temperature and available nitrogen (N), which can provide favorable conditions for CO2 emissions from soil microbial respiration, were significantly higher (p<0.05) in 2020 compared to 2021, the absence of any statistically significant (p>0.05) differences in CO2 emissions between both years suggests that the majority of the emitted CO2 may have been contributed by root respiration rather than soil microbial respiration. This is because root respiration can constitute the majority of CO2 emissions from the soil. Moreover, the overall combined average emissions which ranged from 4.96 Mg CO2-eq ha–1 6-month–1 to 8.18 Mg CO2-eq ha–1 6-month–1 were significantly higher (p<0.05) in switchgrass compared to the successional site. The implication of this is that, unlike miscanthus and willow, converting low productive agricultural land to switchgrass may result in an overall higher emission. This means that the intended benefits of reduced GHG may actually worsen emissions – if what occurs at this experimental scale is true at a global scale with switchgrass cultivation. The objective of the second study (Chapter 3) was to evaluate the impact of repeated soil freeze-thaw on soil C and N cycling and resultant N2O and CO2 emissions in low productive agricultural land under different perennial bioenergy crops and a successional site to understand their GHG mitigation benefits under a changing climate. In this study, a 49-day laboratory incubation experiment was conducted to compare the impact of freeze-thaw cycles on N2O and CO2 emissions in miscanthus, switchgrass, and willow to a successional site and to understand the processes controlling the N2O and CO2 emissions in these crops. The results showed that freeze-thaw cycles caused a decline in dissolved organic C (DOC) and dissolved inorganic N (DIN) concentrations but enhanced the dissolved organic N (DON) and nitrate (NO3–). Although freeze-thaw decreased water stable soil aggregates in all the bioenergy crops and successional site, this did not have any statistically significant (p>0.05) impact on N2O and CO2 emissions, suggesting that the N2O and CO2 emitted during the freeze-thaw cycles may have originated mostly from cellular materials released from lysis and death of microbial biomass rather than from soil aggregate disruption. Cumulative N2O emissions measured over the 49-day incubation period ranged from 148 mg N2O-N m–2 to 17 mg N2O-N m–2 and were highest (p<0.05) in miscanthus followed by willow, switchgrass, and successional site. Cumulative CO2 on the other hand was highest (p<0.05) in the successional site than any of the bioenergy crops and ranged from 25,262 mg CO2-C m–2 to 15,403 mg CO2-C m–2 after the 49 days. Higher N2O emissions in the miscanthus and willow than switchgrass and successional site were attributed to accelerated N losses as N2O due to possible changes in soil microbial biomass and structure as influenced by the different crop species. Results from this study point to a potential influence of soil microbial biomass and microbial diversity in regulating C and N cycling in the different bioenergy crop species resulting in the varied responses of these crops to N2O and CO2 emissions during soil freeze-thaw. Hence, reducing soil freezing intensities in perennial bioenergy crops on low-productive agricultural lands may be important for decreasing freeze-thaw-related N2O and CO2 emissions in miscanthus, switchgrass, and willow. This reduction can lead to climate change mitigation benefits under a changing climate scenario, characterized by more frequent soil freeze-thaw events in cold temperate regions where these crops are cultivated. To understand how miscanthus, switchgrass, and willow influence long-term soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and stabilization compared to a successional site, the third study (Chapter 4) evaluated and compared C storage in whole soil and different soil-size fractions in the perennial bioenergy crops to a successional site. The proportion of C contributions from the different perennial bioenergy crops to different soil-sized fractions were also determined. Soil sampled to 30 cm depth from the different bioenergy crops were physically fractionated into macro-sized (250-2000 µm), micro-sized (53-250 µm), and silt + clay (<53 µm) fractions using the dry-sieving method. SOC concentrations and stocks were determined in whole and fractionated soil using an elemental analyzer while the proportion of C contributions from the different perennial bioenergy crops to different soil-sized fractions were determined using the 13C natural abundance technique. Due to the absence of fertilization and potential decreased organic residue input to the soil from lower biomass yield, after 12 years of cultivation, the miscanthus and willow only posted marginal gains in SOC concentrations that were 2.5% higher compared to the baseline SOC concentrations in 2009, with the switchgrass recording 3.7% lower SOC concentrations. Soil organic C stocks ranged from 5686 to 7002 g C m–2 and were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the successional site than switchgrass and willow but not in miscanthus. Of the three bioenergy crops, only the miscanthus maintained SOC stocks comparable to the successional site owing to the ability of unfertilized miscanthus to produce higher biomass on low productive agricultural lands compared to switchgrass and willow. The distribution of soil-sized fractions and SOC in the soil-sized fractions under the perennial bioenergy crops were consistent with the aggregate hierarchy model proposed by Tisdall and Oades (1982) and followed an increasing order of silt + clay < micro- < and macro-sized fractions. Significantly higher (p<0.05) SOC in miscanthus in micro-sized and silt + clay fractions were contained in 20–30 cm depth compared to surface soil layers. These higher micro-sized and silt + clay-associated SOC in miscanthus in deeper soil depths compared to the switchgrass and willow indicates the vital contribution miscanthus could play in long-term C stabilization in deeper soil layers. The ẟ13C signatures of the different soil-sized fractions under the perennial bioenergy crops to 30 cm revealed a higher proportion of C contribution by the crops were contained in the micro-sized fractions compared to macro-sized fractions, indicating their significant contribution to more stabilized C pools with long-term positive impact on climate change mitigation. The objective of the fourth study (Chapter 5) was to use the Century model to predict and compare long-term SOC dynamics in miscanthus, switchgrass, and willow to a successional site and a row crop system to understand the soil C storage potential of the different bioenergy crops over the long-term. The Century model was calibrated using the site-specific soil biophysical characteristics, climate, and land management practices of the study site to predict SOC stocks for 162 years. Average SOC stocks over the 162-year simulation period were highest in miscanthus (8521 g C m–2), followed by the successional site (6877 g C m–2), switchgrass (6480 g C m–2), willow (5448 g C m–2) and lowest in the row crop system (3995 g C m–2). Higher SOC stocks in the miscanthus than the successional site indicates that, despite frequent biomass harvest, perennial bioenergy crops can accumulate higher C in soil over the long-term than when a low productive agricultural land is left to undergo secondary regrowth. This may, however, depend on the crop species, since the miscanthus was the only bioenergy crop that reached pre-cultivation (1911) SOC levels of 8288 g C m–2. Moreover, the perennial bioenergy crops enhanced SOC in the slow fraction, whereas row crops depleted organic C in this fraction. This indicates the vital contribution of perennial bioenergy crops in long-term SOC sequestration and their role in climate change mitigation, especially when grown on low productive agricultural lands.
Multi-scale Patterns of Breeding Habitat Selection in Sandhill Cranes Across Canada’s Eastern Boreal Forest
(University of Waterloo, 2024-06-18) Lee, Kiaunna; Fedy, Bradley
The boreal forest of Canada serves as a critical breeding ground for numerous waterbird species, including sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis). As sandhill cranes continue to expand their range in the boreal forest, it becomes increasingly important to identify habitat characteristics essential for breeding sandhill cranes for effective conservation and management. Limited research exists regarding the habitat dynamics of breeding sandhill cranes across this vast and remote landscape, necessitating research to understand spatial drivers of territory selection and habitat use in the boreal forest. Using high-resolution satellite telemetry data, we quantified the effects of land cover and land use on breeding habitat selection of sandhill cranes in the boreal forest of Ontario and Quebec, Canada across different scales: the landscape level (i.e., second order selection, which considers the overall landscape within which territories are established) and within the breeding range (i.e., third order selection, which focuses on specific habitat features selected within these territories). At the second order, or landscape level, sandhill cranes established breeding territories containing greater proportions of cropland, recently disturbed areas (e.g., forest cutblocks and burned areas), and wetlands. Sandhill cranes also selected territories with lower proportions of forest, open habitat, and water. At third order, or within their breeding ranges, sandhill cranes selected cropland, wetlands, recently disturbed areas, open habitat, and water, while avoiding forests and urban areas. Our findings suggest that current levels of anthropogenic disturbance do not negatively affect sandhill crane habitat selection, and that wetlands continue to play a crucial role in breeding habitat selection in the boreal forest. However, further research is required to explore the detailed impacts of forestry operations and the selection of recently disturbed areas on breeding behaviour and nest success in sandhill cranes. Our findings highlight the importance of using multi-scale approaches in habitat selection analyses that consider both broad ecological scales and the specific habitat requirements of individuals at the local scale. By comparing habitat use across both landscape and local scales, we demonstrate how sandhill cranes adapt their breeding habitat selection based on the availability and quality of different habitat types, allowing for robust inferences on the mechanisms that drive patterns of habitat selection both within their breeding territories and across the broader landscape. Collectively, this research contributes to the growing body of literature on breeding habitat selection of sandhill cranes, addressing important questions concerning patterns of habitat selection in response to a gradient of land cover and land uses classes in the boreal forest. Findings from this research can be applied to land management practices and assist managers when making inferences about sandhill crane habitat use in the boreal forest. Overall, this empirical approach can also be applied to a variety of species across diverse landscapes to assess how ecological processes differentiate across spatial scales and can support large-scale conservation efforts that ultimately benefits sandhill crane populations and biodiversity conservation in the boreal forest and beyond.
Indigenous Guardian programs as a model for evaluating traditional land use in post-reclaimed sites
(University of Waterloo, 2024-04-08) Post, Alexandra; McCarthy, Dan
This thesis explores Indigenous Guardian programs as a model for monitoring post-reclaimed mine sites in Treaty 8 Territory, Alberta, Canada. As a joint research project between Fort McKay First Nation (FMFN), University of Calgary and University of Waterloo co-researchers, the research goal was to further develop inclusive planning approaches that supported FMFN’s vision for reclamation in their Traditional Territory. Rooted in the Two-Roads Reconciliation & Reclamation Framework, which emphasizes bridging Indigenous Knowledge and Western science, this study investigates the potential of Indigenous Guardian programs to evaluate the ability of reclaimed lands to meet the traditional land use activities of FMFN. The research was guided by principles of participatory action research and wise practices described in the body of knowledge referred to in the literature as Indigenous research methodologies. Co-researchers from FMFN determined the scope, methods, analysis, and framing of this research. This thesis reviews the literature and compares and contrasts the differences between community-based monitoring, Indigenous-led community-based monitoring, and Indigenous Guardian programs as models for monitoring in post-reclaimed sites. This assessment suggests that Indigenous Guardian programs offer a modern model of an Indigenous stewardship ethic that has existed since time immemorial and is a component of the modern expression of inherent rights and cultural revitalization within the communities that establish these programs. Drawing on existing literature on Indigenous-led monitoring and 26 semi-structured interviews conducted with participants across Canada, this study highlights the alignment between Indigenous Guardian programs and the Two-Roads Reconciliation & Reclamation Framework. The findings 1) underscore the significance of recognizing Indigenous rights and knowledge systems in monitoring practices and moving beyond participatory approaches to ecological monitoring; 2) describe the Indigenous Guardian program model approach to setting monitoring and program objectives in their territories; 3) documents some of the benefits of Indigenous Guardian programs, including their role in strengthening capacity in their communities, generating data for decision-makers and supporting cultural resurgence among generations of community members as well as benefiting the broader Canadian public; 4) documents challenges that Indigenous Guardian programs face which are rooted in the legacy and ongoing impact of colonialism. Overall, this thesis contributes to the discourse on Indigenous-led monitoring and offers considerations for FMFN and the oil sands industry regarding Indigenous Guardian programs as a tool to evaluate the ability of reclaimed lands to meet traditional land use needs in Treaty 8 Territory.
Growing Sustainability: Hydroponic Cultivation of Food Sovereignty in Canada
(University of Waterloo, 2024-04-02) Mitchell, Madeline; Leonard, Kelsey
This research aims to understand attitudes held by communities towards controlled environment agriculture (CEA) as a pathway to building resilient local food systems across Canada, particularly in northern and Indigenous communities. Local controlled environment agriculture projects such as hydroponics and aquaponics are gaining appreciation across Canada as new agriculture techniques for vegetable production, as they offer potential benefits such as reduced emissions from the transport of foods, lower food prices, creation of local jobs, and reduced vulnerabilities to changes in global food markets. Despite early research showing the validity of CEA in reducing food insecurity, there is minimal research showing the sustainability and sociocultural impacts of CEA. Many CEA units in Canada lack community support and are facing challenges in the continuity of programs, despite their potential effectiveness in building capacity and resiliency in the wake of climate change. Through a partnership with Growcer Hydroponics Inc., interviews were conducted with CEA community actors to understand patterns, behaviours, and sentiments related to the governance and culture of CEA and local food systems. A mixed methods approach was used to understand the current perceptions and values held by community members and how these correlate to the success of the farms in addressing communities’ sustainability, food security, and food sovereignty needs. Responses were analyzed through sustainability, food justice, and respectful research frameworks. This research found that the desire for more accessible fresh and healthy foods is the primary motivation for the implementation of CEA in remote communities in Canada. CEA units are well supported if the community members' values include food, nature, relationships, education, equality, culture, and self-reliance. A considerable finding of this study is that although it was previously believed that CEA may have minimal benefits as the foods grown are not socially nor culturally relevant, community members have found ways to connect CEA to cultural and traditional practices and teachings.

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