ALBERTA BIOLOGISTS' BIWEEKLY

MARCH 1, 2024

ANNOUNCING THE 2024 ASPB CONFERENCE:


The annual ASPB conference continues building

professional competence and capacity.

The theme this year is


RESILIENCE!


at the Red Deer Resort & Casino

on November 6, 7, 8, 2024

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

The Call for Abstracts for the ASPB 2024 Conference opened on March 1st. The ASPB is looking for abstracts focused on wetlands, wildlife, aquatics, rec/rem, sustainability, renewables, and professional practice and advancements in the field of biology. 250 - 500 word abstracts should be sent to Jessica Koehli.


The deadline to receive abstracts is May 31, 2024.

Submitted abstracts will be reviewed within one to two weeks after the deadline, following which the authors or presenters of potential abstracts will be contacted for a short online interview. 

University of Alberta to host 15th annual

Richard E. Peter Biology Conference

The Dr. Richard E. Peter Biology Conference is an annual event hosted by the University of Alberta to showcase the diverse biological research conducted at the university and other institutions across Alberta.

The fifteenth edition of the conference will take place from March 19-21 and will be an excellent opportunity for students, supervisors, and research staff to come together as a community. Students will have the opportunity to present their original research, polish their presentation skills and build connections within academia and industry.

Event organizers are reaching out to the corporate to consider being part of a “Careers in Research” networking event on the evening of March 20 from 6:00 to 7:30 pm, where they can engage with students, researchers, and professionals. (Jessica Koehli, the ASPB’s Regulatory Manager, will be attending to represent the province’s professional biologists at the event.)

ASPB members interested in attending the networking event should contact Sofia Panzetta by email.

BUILDING YOUR

CAREER?

See what's new on the

BIOLOGISTS'

JOB BOARD


Manager Wetlands Ecology

 

Senior Terrestrial Ecologist

 

Intermediate Botanist

 

Regulatory Assistant

 

Environmental planner

 

Senior Range Ecologist

 

Junior Wildlife Biologist

 

Senior Fisheries Biologist

 

Water Monitoring Technologist

 

Senior Aquatic Biologist

 

Senior Wildlife Biologist

 

Terrestrial Biologist

 

Impact Assessment &Permitting Specialist

 

Avian Biologists for Waterfowl Monitoring

 

Bander-in-Charge (MAPS)

 

Assistant Bander (MAPS)

 

Conservation Coordinator

 

  FIND INFORMATION

ON THESE AND

MANY OTHER POSITIONS

HERE

SEMINARS, WEBINARS & CONFERENCES

MARCH


Cochrane Ecological Institute Symposium:

Wilderness, Wildlife and Human Interaction

The Cochrane Ecological Institute is hosting its Annual Symposium on March 2, 2024. This year's focus is on Wilderness, Wildlife and Human Interaction and features a lineup of speakers including author and bison expert Wes Olson, founder of the Foothills Bison Restoration Society Mike Judd, and Joe Duff from the WildLife Canada Society. The event will be held at the Bragg Creek Community Centre, opens at 9:30 am and runs until 5:00 pm. It features information booths, concessions, an art exhibit and a silent auction. Tickets are $30.00 per person and all proceeds support the Cochrane Ecological Institute. You can register HERE.

Alberta Chapter of the CLRA

2024 Annual Conference

The Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Land Reclamation Association (CLRA) will host its annual conference at the Edmonton Convention Centre on March 6-8, 2024. There will be over 45 presentations and workshops, networking opportunities and a banquet and awards presentation. Organizers expect to welcome more than 600 delegates across different industry sectors including oil & gas, forestry, mining, municipalities, renewable resources, consulting companies, industry service providers, government and regulatory bodies, research institutes, academics, and post-secondary students. You can register HERE

GRF Workshop

How to Use the Range Plant Community Guides and Recovery Strategies Manuals for Project and Reclamation Planning in Grasslands

Wednesday March 6th, 2024, 10:00 – 17:00 at the Edmonton Convention Centre. This Grassland Restoration Forum pre-conference workshop is hosted by the Canadian Land Reclamation Association. Register on the CLRA website HERE (Full conference registration is not required.)

Under Pressure:

Threats to Alberta’s Native Plant Communities

The ANPC webinar mini-series continues on Zoom on March 12, 2024 at 12 PM MST as Phillip Meintzer reports on The McClelland Lake Wetland Complex, a unique ecologically significant wetland area in northeastern Alberta, currently at significant risk of irreversible damage from the expansion of Suncor’s Fort Hills oil sands mine. Register HERE or on the ANPC website.

GRF Winter Webinar:

Reclaiming High Elevation Grasslands in Post Coal Mining Landscapes in the Elk Valley

This GRF Winter Webinar will take place on March 12, 2024 at 12pm – 1pm MST, looks at early insights and future research directions and is presented by Natalie Shelby-James, Sr. Lead Land Research & Kate Walsh Vegetation Lead, Teck Coal Limited. To register, please go HERE.

Paragon Soil Science Courses:

Soil Classification (SOIL410 Wi24)

March 27 and 28, 2024 (online)

Instructor: Konstantin Dlusskiy, PhD, PAg, Senior Soil Scientist

Registration: https://SOIL410-Wi24.eventbrite.ca

Alberta Wetlands:

From Classification to Policy

AQUALITY has announced the dates and registration for the following wetlands course, as follows:

March 27-28, 2024

This 2-day course will be taking place both in person (Edmonton) and online via Zoom on March 27-28, 2024, from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm each day.

This comprehensive course is designed to help consultants, industry professionals, resource managers, not-for-profit organizations, and government regulators understand the theoretical component used in wetland assessments. If you or any of your colleagues are interested in registering, you can visit our website at http://www.wetlandpolicy.ca/alberta-wetlands-from-classification-to-policy to register and obtain further information.

SEMINARS, WEBINARS & CONFERENCES

APRIL

Paragon Soil Science Courses:

Soil Mapping (SOIL420 Wi24)

April 3 and 4, 2024 (online). Instructor: Konstantin Dlusskiy, PhD, PAg

Registration: https://SOIL420-Wi24.eventbrite.ca

GRF Winter Webinar:

Rangeland Biological Soil crusts: Their Ecological Functions in the Northern Great Plains and Industrial Disturbance Response

This GRF Winter Webinar will take place April 9, 2024 at 12pm – 1pm MST and will be presented by Lysandra Pyle, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, and Edward Bork, University of Alberta. To register, please go HERE

SEMINARS, WEBINARS & CONFERENCES

MAY

School of Fish Workshop:

Fishes of Alberta - Field Identification

This fish ID course will be instructed by Shona Derlukewich, B.Sc., P. Biol., at Mount Royal University in Calgary May 5, 2024 (Sunday), from 1300h to 1630h (please arrive a few minutes early to start on time). The workshop will focus on majority of Fishes of Alberta with emphasis on small body fishes. The cost per student is $150; pre-payment by etransfer/credit card to hold seat. Field guides are included in the workshop cost and will be provided to participants upon arrival. Additional details (map for parking and room number) will be supplied to registered participants. To register, email Shona Derlukewich and for more fishy details check out the WEBSITE. 

Paragon Soil Science Courses:

Soil Classification and Mapping (EXCPE 4297)

May 7 to 13, 2024 (online with in-person field trip, 3-credit course)

School of Fish Workshop:

Fishes of Alberta - Field Identification

This fish ID course will be instructed by Shona Derlukewich, B.Sc., P. Biol., at MacEwan University in Edmonton May 26, 2024 (Sunday), from 1300h to 1630h (please arrive a few minutes early to start on time). The workshop will focus on majority of Fishes of Alberta with emphasis on small body fishes. The cost per student is $150; pre-payment by etransfer/credit card to hold seat. Field guides are included in the workshop cost and will be provided to participants upon arrival. Additional details (map for parking and room number) will be supplied to registered participants. To register, email Shona Derlukewich and for more fishy details check out the WEBSITE.

Paragon Soil Science Courses:

Pedology Field School (SOIL230 Sp23)

May 29 to 31, 2023 (in-person in the Edmonton area).

Instructor: Konstantin Dlusskiy, PhD, PAg

Registration: https://SOIL230-Sp23.eventbrite.ca

SEMINARS, WEBINARS & CONFERENCES

JUNE

NATURAL RESOURCES

TRAINING GROUP

  

For the full calendar of upcoming courses, and course details, follow this link:

https://nrtraininggroup.com/schedule/

COLUMBIA MOUNTAINS INSTITUTE

of Applied Ecology

Revelstoke BC


Full course information available at each course link.

 

CREDtalks (Columbia Region Ecological Discussions)

In progress until March 21, 2024. Online; recordings available


Wildlife Bioacoustics: A Hands-on Introduction

April 10-12, 2024. Revelstoke BC.


Data Manipulation and Visualization in R

April 22-25, 2024. Online


Introduction to `R` software

May 6-9, 2024. Online


Field Ornithology – Improving Bird ID and survey skills through sound

May 27-30, 2024. Online


Understanding Statistics and Decision-Making for Natural Resource Managers

May 8 - June 26, 2024. Online


Field Soil Description & Classification Course

June 26-28, 2024. Revelstoke BC.


Wetland Classification: An introduction

July 3-5, 2024. Revelstoke BC.


Data Manipulation and Visualization in R

October 1-4, 2024. Online


Introduction to `R` software

October 15-18, 2024. Online


QGIS Level I & II – Online

Dates scheduled according to student schedules.

SALMTEC

 COURSES AND TRAINING PROGRAMS

 

******


SALMTEC Grassland Vegetation Inventory

This User’s Guide Interactive Class will be held April 12, 2024, 12:00pm – 2:30pm

Planning on conducting Grassland Conservation Assessments in Alberta? Then you will need a thorough understanding of the Grassland Vegetation Inventory (GVI). This course provides participants with both a contextual and practical understanding of GVI using various real world management scenarios. For more information and to register click HERE.


SALMTEC ABWRET-A

Interactive Class, online, April 26, 2024, 12:00pm – 2:30pm

SALMTEC has designed this course to provide participants with a strong understanding of the Alberta Wetland Rapid Evaluation Tool Actual (ABWRET-A). For more information and to register click HERE.

 

Biophysical Bootcamp

This Biophysical Bootcamp Field Training Course will be held May 30, 2024 at Bragg Creek, AB., to prepare environmental field staff at all levels with the crucial field skills they will need in the upcoming field season. For more information and to register click HERE.

 

Biophysical Foundations – Blended Course

The Interactive Class is on  April 12, 2024 and the Field Training date is May 30, 2024

This course provides students with a solid foundation for the understanding of the biophysical environment.  For more information and to register click HERE

 

SALMTEC’s Seminar Series:

Landscape Analysis

This online seminar on March 19, 2024 at 12pm MST is the third instalment of the Desktop Investigations: Landscape Analysis Seminar and focuses on how to access and review regional processes including climate, geology, hydrology, terrain and soil formation. Interpretation tools and tips and tricks on analyzing them will be provided through case studies. For more information and to register click HERE.

 

SALMTEC’s Seminar Series:

Hydrology & Wetland Design

This online seminar on April 23, 2024 at 12pm MST is the fourth instalment of the Desktop Investigation Series: Hydrology & Wetland Design Seminar, and explores the water cycle of a single ecosystem: wetlands when considering wetland components and designing wetlands. Water inputs, throughputs and outputs, as well as indicators of wetland function and wetland design are discussed and examples provided. For more information and to register click HERE.

 

SALMTEC’s Seminar Series:

Preliminary Wetland Delineation

This online seminar on May 22, 2024 at 12pm MST is the final instalment of the  Desktop Investigations series: Preliminary Wetland Boundary Delineation Seminar. Wetland identification and preliminary boundary delineation tools and approaches will be discussed, and applied to case studies. For more information and to register click HERE.


VISIT THE SALMTEC CONNECTOR 

THE CONNECTOR is a compilation of applied science and land management event listings, across a variety of sectors and disciplines, published monthly.

You can find the SALMTEC CONNECTOR HERE.


We regularly receive notifications from Google Scholar Alerts and other sources which we select and share below in the BIWEEKLY. Here is the latest batch (the links are HOT):

 

Advancements in monitoring: a comparison of traditional and application-based tools for measuring outdoor recreation

 

Common Buckthorn, European Buckthorn, nerprun catharticue, nerprun pergatif.

 

The Dragonflies and Damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) of Canada: species list, geographical distribution, status, and conservation ranks

 

Not all bat houses are up to chiroptera code, report says; As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of heat waves, some structures can get too hot for …

 

Declining pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) population productivity caused by woody encroachment and oil and gas development

 

How to balance farming and solar power

 

Millions of birds lose precious energy due to fireworks on New Year's Eve

 

Chronic wasting disease has been detected in British Columbia deer

 

Testing for synergistic effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbance on ecological communities at a landscape scale

 

A follow‐up assessment of wildlife‐permeable fences used in the reintroduction of bison

 

Avian Species Response to Wetland Restoration: An Example in Southwest Manitoba Parkland

 

Crops that could thrive in a dry future

 

The Influence of Sugar Beet Cultivation Technologies on the Intensity and Species Biodiversity of Weeds

 

Range expansion risk for a newly established invasive duckweed species in Europe and Canada

 

Alien invasion: Non-native earthworms threaten ecosystems

 

Apex predators not a quick fix for restoring ecosystems

 

All oil and natural gas permits in B.C. waters relinquished

 

We shouldn’t put our smartphones in a bag of rice if we need to dry them out

 

Alberta regulator accepts coal mine application in Rocky ...

 

Google to help map methane

 

The case for agrivoltaics

 

Cone allometry and seed protection from fire are similar in serotinous and nonserotinous conifers

 

Seeding and transplanting native forbs on reclamation sites in Alberta

 

Regional variation in the distribution of patterned fens in the montane-boreal regions of Alberta

 

The differences between remote sensing and in situ air pollutants measurements over the Canadian Oil Sands

 

Banner Image:

Sucker, courtesy of The School of Fish


PROFESSIONAL BIOLOGISTS PROTECT THE PUBLIC INTEREST


In Alberta, Professional Biologists are registrants of the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists (ASPB), and are subject to a code of ethics, continuing competency requirements, and a disciplinary process. The ASPB is a self-regulated organization under legislation in the Province of Alberta, meaning its purpose is to protect the public of Alberta by ensuring biologists are qualified to practice biology in accordance with that legislation. The society is governed by a Board of Directors elected by its registrants.


You are probably receiving this newsletter because you are an ASPB Registrant. This newsletter provides relevant information and professional development opportunities for our members, as well as essential member-related society business; if you are registered with the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists, please DO NOT unsubscribe.


For more information about the Society or to contact the administration, please visit the website: https://www.aspb.ab.ca


Opinions and general news published in this e-newsletter

do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the Society or its Board of Directors.