Volume 15 Issue 1 Spring 2008
DEPARTMENT OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES
Landmark News ENCS Students Shine on Range Team
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Back—Mae Elsinger (Assistant Coach), Darin Sherritt, Tennille Kupsch, Barry Irving (Coach), Sally Ells, Helene Marcoux, Tisa Bevan, Travis Lundberg, Jennifer Caudron
Academic News
2
Publications
4
Landmark Laurels
7
Graduate Student News
8
Undergraduate News
9
Contact Us
12
Front—Ian Levitt, Alicia Entem, Edward Bork (Range Management Professor)
Once again the U of A Range Team continued their stellar performance in the Society for Range Management (SRM) competitions in Louisville, Kentucky. This years Range Team was the most successful ever, winning 9 awards out of a possible 17. Out of the two SRM hosted academic competitions, the U of A was first high team in the URME (Undergraduate Range Management Exam), winning by about 7% over the second place team from the University of Wyoming. They came in second on the Plant Identification Exam, behind Anntonio Narro, the perennial powerhouse from Mexico. There were 144 competitors on the URME and 88 on the Plant Identification Exam, representing 20 Universities. The range plant identification exam consists of 100 twigs, seeds, buds and few typical plant mounts drawn from a master list of 200 western North American range plant species. The second competition, the URME, is a comprehensive written exam that covers material typical of the final 2 years of an undergraduate degree. Our own Mae Elsinger (REN R Grad student), won 2nd in the poster competition.
Individual awards from the U of A were garnered by: High Combined Individual Score 1st 2nd 3rd
Alicia Entem (ENCS Student) Darin Sherritt (ENCS Grad) Tisa Bevan (ENCS Student)
4th
Travis Lundberg (ENCS Student)
URME 1st Alisia Entem (ENCS Student) 4th Ian Levitt (ENCS Student) Plant Identification Exam 5th Darin Sherritt (BSc ENCS ‘07) Other team members were: Helene Marcoux (ENCS Student) Tennille Kupsch (AG Student) Jennifer Caudron (ENCS Student) Sally Ells (ENCS Student) Alicia Entem won the 100th award for the U of A Range Team. The first was won by Dr. Edward Bork in 1989. Both Edward (1989) and Alicia (2008) won the High Combined Individual Score. Please take the time to congratulate this students on a job well done. Barry Irving
U of A Range Team Coach
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Long service awards— Paul Woodard 30 years Mike Abley 25 years Peter Blenis 25 years Congratulations to Paul, Mike and Peter who were honored for their dedicated years with the U of A at a special ceremony on November 19, 2007.
Michael Smith Award—John Acorn
Academic News
NSERC president Suzanne Fortier visited Campus Monday February 25 to present a very special award to our own John Acorn of the Department of Renewable Resources. The prestigious Michael Smith Award for Science Promotion was presented to John during a special ceremony at Alumni House. This national award honours people that are inspirational in the way they promote science to the general public.
Honors & Awards Phil Comeau— It is a pleasure to name Phil Comeau as the recipient of this years Faculty Research Award. Although the adjudication was completed some time ago, all assessors were very impressed with Phil’s achievements and strongly endorsed him as the recipient of the award. An official presentation will be made at a faculty-wide awards event later in the year. At that time Phil will be presented with his plaque and prize. Submitted by Vic Adamowicz
Renewable Resources Linked to Nobel Peace Prize The 2007 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly to former U. S. Vice president Al Gore and the organization named Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Members of the IPCC acknowledged that many individuals had contributed to the various climate change reports, which had a direct effect on raising public awareness. Although they cannot be named as Nobel Prize Laureates, the contributions of Reynald Lemke (Saskatoon) and Carlos Monreal, are congratulated. Both gentlemen are former students of Bill McGill, REN R Soil Science Professor Emeritus. Henry Janzen, named as one of the report contributors by Ag and Agri-Food Canada, has worked with grad student Shirley Ross for the last few years.
John has been a sessional lecturer with us since 2003. Passionate about insects and nature, he has been and continues to be a tireless promoter of science. John has used his tremendous creativity in sharing his passion with young and old alike throughout the years. He hosted the popular Acorn the Nature Nut television program in the 90s (it still airs regularly on the Discovery Channel), he has written several field guides and also hosted a radio show entitled Deep Alberta which can be heard on CKUA. Please join me in congratulating John on this wonderful acknowledgement of his work.
Submitted by Jim Robertson
Submitted by John Kennelly
Notes from Assistant Chair—Administration The Changing Face(s) of Renewable Resources Just look around you and you’ll see it! In mid-2000, our lead Landmark story announced that there would be at least 10 new academic members in our Department in this decade. We have already surpassed that mark. Like many units on campus and around the continent, we are undergoing major renewal in our staffing. While it is definitely an emotional era as we continue to congratulate many long-term staff on their retirements and their major contributions to our Department, we simultaneously appreciate the boost of all the new colleagues who have joined us along the way. Starting in 2000 when that Landmark article appeared, new academic staff include Lee Foote, Phil Comeau, Rick Pelletier, Scott Chang, John Spence, Sylvie Quideau, Fangliang He, Sarah Gooding, Andreas Hamann, Mel Tyree, Uwe Hacke, Gary Kachanoski, and Nadir Erbilgin. Beyond this, more new staff are on stream to start this year, more positions are in the queue, and more retirements are percolating. During this same time, there have been many new central Departmental support staff faces, as a similar renewal of support staffing occurs. Among our new recruits since 2006 are Allan Farrell (Natural Resources Analytical Lab support), Stacey Bergheim (in association with the Mixedwood Management Association), Donna Friesen (our Senior Departmental Laboratory Technologist), Amanda Brown (Financial and Graduate Program Assistant), and most recently Nash Goonewardena as our Junior System Analyst. While clearly it is a challenging adjustment as many of our valuable long-term and experienced staff move on, this is also an inspiring time of new recruitment, growth, and energy flowing into our Department. Specific thank-yous this edition go to all of our new colleagues, and to all in the Department who have played - and continue to play - crucial roles in supporting the recruitment, selection, orientation, training, and mentoring of our newcomers. These are exciting times of lasting significance! Submitted by Bob Longworth Landmark News, Volume 15 Issue 1—Page 2
Renewable Resources Forest Hydrology lab crew
Festival of Teaching
Road Trip to U Saskatchewan
Our teaching staff and grad students received rave reviews for the work they did and fun they put into the Festival of Teaching event, held at the Telus Centre on January 24.
Grab your waders & current meters, we’re head’n for Saskatchewan!
The Festival’s inaugural event was launched at the beginning of the U of A’s centenary year and showcases inspiration, innovation and integration in teaching, past and present. Poster and multimedia presentations were displayed through the atrium and classrooms, and live main stage presentations ran most of the afternoon.. The new approach to celebrating the talent and diversity of teaching at the U of A transformed graduate students into some of the great historical scholars. Wandering historical scholars delivered classes in the mode of their time to small groups of graduate students. Anayansi Cohen (PhD REN R) as Hypatia (above), described her character as beautiful as well as intelligent and brave. Along with Hypatia, there was Alexander Rutherford, Socrates, and Dr. Seuss, to name a few. Many of the historical figures were really our talented graduate students.
The forest hydrology lab group attended the 7th annual Canadian Geophysical Union Prairie Student Hydrology meeting at University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon) on Jan 25-27, 2008 along with students/faculty from the National Water Research Institute, U of Sask., U of Alberta, U of Calgary, and U of Lethbridge. Members of our crew presented three talks including: • “Cumulative watershed effects assessment of three rivers in the Oldman River basin” presented by Jocelyn Howery (M.Sc. student) • “Ecohydrological effects of Mountain Pine Beetle infested Lodgepole pine forests” presented by Pablo Pina (Ph.D. student) • “Research framework for the hydrological classification of Alberta’s forested regions” presented by Mike Wagner (M.Sc. student). Miles Dyck, Renewable Resources Ph.D. student, was also at the meeting where he presented “Effects of soil horizons on vertical continuity of preferred flow domains”. Braving prairie winter storm conditions, the hydrology crew descended on Saskatoon and the nearby town of Radisson, where they even attended a “lively” postfuneral wake for a recently departed member of the Radisson community at the local watering hole. Submitted by Uldis Silins
Our Faculty is extremely proud of the effort that Anne Naeth and her troop put into the endeavor and can’t wait to see how the organizing committee will top this year’s presentation in the future. (excerpts from Express News http://www.expressnews.ualberta.ca/article.cfm?id=9022 )
Robert Grant—Robert continues his work with the Canada Carbon Project (CCP), Funded by the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences (CFCAS), and the Climate Impacts on Canadian Arctic Tundra Ecosystems (CiCAT), a project funded by the IPY. He reports that ECOSYS was downloaded by 10 research groups in North America, Europe and Asia during 2007 Dr. Grant was invited by the Servizio Universita e Ricerca Scientifica, via Romanagnosi Trento, to review 4 preliminary proposals for research networks studying climate change and its impacts on agriculture and forestry in Italy. Each proposal was for ~$6 million (4 million euros) and included staff at 5—6 different research institutes in Italy and elsewhere. In the course of these reviews, he attended a meeting of the grant selection committee in Trento. He was subsequently invited by the Servizio Universita a Ricerca Scientifica to review full proposals from 2of the networks that were selected to proceed to the final round of the selection process. He was also an invited participant in a workshop sponsored by the European Science Foundation (ESF) Interdisciplinary New Initiatives Fund (INIF) to plan research on the response of ecosystems to global changes in Rome in December.
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Publications—Renewable Resources Academic Staff—2007 (Alphabetical as relates to academic staff author order) Blenis, P. V. 2007. Impact of simulated aspen shoot blight on aspen. Can J. For. Res. 37: 719-725.
opment of tended mixtures of aspen and spruce in western Canadian boreal forests. For. Ecol. Manage. 242:175-184.
LeBoldus, J. M., Blenis, P. V., and Thomas, B. R. 2007 Evalu- Filipescu, C.N. and P.G. Comeau. 2007. Aspen competition affects light and white spruce growth across several boreal ating the interaction between genotype and water stress in sites in western Canada. Can. J. For. Res. 37: 1701-1713. the hybrid poplar-Septoria musiva pathosystem. Can. J. Bot. 85: 1098-1102. Filipescu, C.N and P.G. Comeau. 2007. Competitive interactions between aspen and white spruce vary with stand age Volf, C.A., G.R. Ontkean, D. R. Bennett, D.S. Chanasyk, and in boreal mixedwoods. For. Ecol. Manage. 247: 175-184 J.J. Miller. 2007. Phosphorus losses in simulated rainfall runoff from manured soils of Alberta. J. Environ. Qual. Freudenburg, William R., Robert Gramling, and Debra J. 36:730-741. Davidson. 2008. “Scientific certainty argumentation methBradshaw, D.L., D.S. Chanasyk, V.S. Baron, and M.A. Naeth. 2007. Soil water regimes of annual and perennial forages during drought years in the Aspen Parkland ecoregion of Alberta. Can. J. Soil Sci. 87: 523–533. Thibodeau, J., L.J. Fuller, and D.S. Chanasyk. 2007. Determination of solute leaching potential within a hummocky agricultural landscape. Can. J. Soil Sci. 87: 541–549. Choi, W.J., Chang, S.X. and Bhatti, J. 2007. Drainage affects tree growth and C and N dynamics in a minerotrophic peatland. Ecology. 88:443-453. Matsushima, M. and Chang, S.X. 2007. Nitrogen and water availabilities and competitiveness of bluejoint: spruce growth and foliar carbon-13 and nitrogen-15 abundance. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 71: 1547-1554.
ods (SCAMs): Science and the politics of doubt.” Sociological Inquiry, 78(1):2-38. MacKendrick, Norah and Debra J. Davidson. 2007. "StateCapital Relations in Voluntary Environmental Improvement." Current Sociology, 55(5): 674-695. Davidson, Debra J. 2007. “Private Property Wrongs: Uncovering the Contradictory Articulations of an Hegemonic Ideology.” Sociological Inquiry, 77(1):104-125. Freudenburg, William R. and Debra J. Davidson. 2007. “Nuclear families and nuclear risks: The effects of gender, geography, and progeny on attitudes toward a nuclear waste facility.” Rural Sociology, 72(2): 215-243. Gismondi, Michael, Debra Davidson, Satoshi Ikeda, Ineke Locke, and Jeji Varghese. 2007. “Power and the politics of sustainability.” Pp. 357 -379 in Les Samuelson and Wayne Antony (eds.), Power and Resistance: Critical Thinking about Canadian Social Issues, 4th Ed. Halifax: Fernwood Books.
Matsushima, M. and Chang, S.X. 2007. Effects of understory removal, N fertilization, and litter layer removal on soil N Davidson, Debra. 2007. Section 4.4 in Sauchyn, D., and Kulcycling in a 13-year-old white spruce plantation infested shreshtha, S. (2007): The Prairies; in From Impacts to Adapwith Canada bluejoint grass. Plant and Soil. 292: 243-258. tation: Canada in a Changing Climate 2007, edited by D.S. Choi, W.J., Chang, S.X., Kwak, J.H., Jung, J.W., Lim, S.S., Lemmen, F.J. Warren, J., Lacroix and E. Bush; GovernYoon, K.S. and Choi, S.M. 2007. Nitrogen transformations ment of Canada, Ottawa, ON. and ammonia volatilization losses from 15N-urea as afErbilgin, N, N.E. Gillette, J.D. Stein, D.R. Owen & D.L. fected by the co-application of composted pig manure. Wood. 2007. Acetophenone as an anti-attractant for the Can. J. Soil Science. 87: 485–493 western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis, LeConte Ok, Y.S., Chang, S.X. and Feng, Y.S. 2007. Sensitivity to acidi(Coleoptera: Curculionidae). J Chem Ecol, 33: 817-823. fication of forest soils in two watersheds with contrasting Erbilgin, N, E. Christiansen & P. Krokene. 2007. A host hydrological regimes in the oil sands region of Alberta. monoterpene influences Ips typographus responses Pedosphere. 17: 747-757. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) to its aggregation Lim, S.S., Choi, W.J., Gwak, J.H., Jung, J.W., Chang, S.X., pheromone: Implications for host colonization of bark Kim, H.Y., Yoon, K.S. and Choi, S.M. 2007. Nitrogen and beetles. Agr & For Ent, 9: 135-140. carbon isotope responses of Chinese cabbage and chrysanthemum to the application of liquid pig manure. Plant and O’Brien, M.L., K.L. O’Hara, N. Erbilgin & D.L. Wood. 2007. Overstory and shrub effects on natural regeneration procSoil. 295: 67-77. esses in native Pinus radiata stands. For Ecol & Man, 240: Tan, X. and Chang, S.X. 2007. Soil compaction and forest 178-185. litter amendment affect carbon and net nitrogen mineralization in a boreal forest soil. Soil & Tillage Research. 93: Erbilgin, N, N. Gillette, D. Owen, L. Merrill, R. Campos, T.M. Montiel, J. Sun, J. Stein, K. F. Raffa & D.L. Wood. 2007. 77-86. Attraction of Dendroctonus valens to a common host volatile Bokalo, M., Comeau, P.G., and Titus, S.J. 2007. Early develLandmark News, Volume 15 Issue 1—Page 4
across a broad range of its native North American and in its McGill, B.J., Etienne, R.S., Gray, J.S., Alonso, D., Anderson, M.J., Benecha, H.K., Dornelas, M., Enquist, B.J., Green, introduced Asian regions. J Chem Ecol, 33: 131-146. J., He, F., Hurlbert, A., Magurran, A.E., Marquet, P.A., Walker, JR, AL Foote, and MG Sullivan. 2007. Effectiveness of enMaurer, B.A., Ostling, A., Soykan, C.U., Ugland, K., forcement to deter illegal angling harvest of northern pike in Alberta. White, E. 2007. Species abundance distributions: moving North American Journal of Fisheries Management 27:1369beyond single prediction theories to integration within an 1377. ecological framework. Ecology Letters 10:995–1015 Hornung, JP and AL Foote .2007. Comparing dietary preferences of Donkor NT, RJ Hudson & EW Bork. 2007. Simulation and Bufflehead ducklings in Western Canada through gut content and quantification of pasture condition and animal performstable isotope analysis. Aquatic Ecology (on line first – 10 pg; in ance on boreal grasslands in Alberta. Agricultural Systems print later). 93:229-251 Cameron Stevens, Cynthia A Paszkowski, A. Lee Foote. 2007 Kuzyk, GW & RJ Hudson. 2007. Animal-unit equivalence of Beaver (Castor canadensis) as a surrogate species for conserving anubison, wapiti and mule deer in the aspen parkland of ran amphibians on boreal streams in Alberta, Canada. Biological Alberta . Can. J. Zool. 85:767-773 Conservation 134. 1-13. Si, B.C., R.G. Kachanoski and W.D. Reynolds. 2007. AnalyFoote, L and G Wenzel. 2007. Conservation hunting concepts, Cansis of Soil Variability. In Soil Sampling and Methods of ada’s Inuit, and polar bear hunting. In: Brent Lovelock (editor), Analysis (2nd edition). M.R. Carter and E.G. Gregorich Tourism and the Consumption of Wildlife: Hunting, Shoot(Eds). Canadian Society of Soil Science publication ing and Sport Fishing. London: Routledge. Pp. 115 – 128. through CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl, USA. Pages 1163Grant R.F., Arkebauer T.J., Dobermann A., Hubbard K.G., 1191 (28 pgs). Schimelfenig T.T., Suyker A.E., Meng, S.X., Lieffers, V.J. and Huang, S. Verma S.B. and Walters, D.T. 2007. 2007. Modeling crown volume of lodgeNet biome productivity of irrigated pole pine based upon the uniform stress and rainfed maize – soybean rotatheory. For. Ecol Manage. 251: 174tions: modelling vs. measurements. 181. Agronomy Journal 99:1404-1423. Landhausser, S.M., Lieffers, V.J. and Grant, R.F., Barr, A.G., Black, T.A. IwaChow, P. 2007. Impact of chipping shita, H. Kidson, J., McCaughey, H., residues and its leachate on the initiaMorgenstern, K., Murayama, S., Netion and growth of aspen root suckers. sic, Z., Saigusa, N., Shashkov, A., and Can. J. Soil Sci. 87: 361-367 Zha, T. 2007. Net ecosystem productivity of boreal jack pine stands regenerating from clearcutting under current and future climates Global Change Biol. 13:1423-1440. Grant, R. F., and L. B. Flanagan. 2007. Modeling stomatal and nonstomatal effects of water deficits on CO2 fixation in a semiarid grassland, J. Geophys. Res. 112:G03011, doi:10.1029/2006JG000302.
Stadt, K.J, Huston, C, Coates, K. D., Dale, M.R.T. and Lieffers, V.J. 2007. Evaluation of competition and light estimation indices for predicting diameter growth in mature boreal mixed forests. Ann. For. Sci. 64: 477-490.
Landhäusser, S.M., Mulak, T., and Lieffers, V.J. 2007. The effect of roots and litter of Calamagrostis canadensis on root sucker regeneration of Populus tremuloides Forestry 80: 481U.G. Hacke, J.S. Sperry, T. Feild, Y. Sano, E.H. Sikkema, J. Pitter488. mann (2007) Water transport in vesselless angiosperms: conducting efficiency and cavitation safety. International Journal of Mundell, T.L., Landhäusser, S.M., and Lieffers, V.J. 2007. Effects of Corylus cornuta on root suckering of Populus Plant Science 168: 1113–1126. tremuloides. Canadian Journal of Botany 85: 1041-1045. J.S. Sperry, U.G. Hacke, T. Feild, Y. Sano, E.H. Sikkema (2007) Hydraulic consequences of vessel evolution in angiosperms. Bladon, K. D., Silins, U., Landhäusser S., Messier, C. and International Journal of Plant Science 168: 1127–1139. Lieffers, V.J. 2007. Carbon isotope discrimination and water stress in trembling aspen following variable retenHu, X.-S., He, F. and Hubbell, S.P. 2007. Species diversity in tion harvesting. Tree Physiol. 27:1065-1071. local neutral communities. American Naturalist 170:844-853. Pueyo, S., He, F. and Zillio, T. 2007. The maximum entropy formalism and the idiosyncratic theory of biodiversity. Ecology Letters 10:1017–1028. He, F. and Gaston, K. 2007. Estimating abundance from occurrence: an underdetermined problem. American Naturalist 170:655–659.
Martens, L.A., Landhäusser, S.M. and Lieffers, V.J. 2007. First-year growth response of cold-stored nursery-grown aspen planting stock. New Forests 33: 281-285. Startsev, N.A., Lieffers, V.J. and McNabb, D.H. 2007. Effects of feathermoss removal, thinning and fertilization on lodgepole pine growth, soil microclimate and
Landmark News, Volume 15 Issue 1—Page 5
stand nitrogen dynamics. For Ecol Manage 240: 79-86
evapotranspiration from a riparian pond complex in the western boreal forest, Alberta, Canada. Hydrological Processes 21:1391-1401
Fraser, E.C., Lieffers, V.J. and Landhäusser, S.M. 2007. The persistence and function of living roots on lodgepole pine snags and stumps grafted to living trees. Ann. For Sci. 64: Cobb, TP, DW Langor & JR Spence. 2007. Biodiversity and multiple disturbances: boreal forest ground beetle (Coleoptera: 31-36 Carabidae) responses to harvesting, silviculture and wildfire. Startsev, N.A. and Lieffers, V.J. 2007. Emission of N2, N2O Canadian Journal of Forest Research 37: 1310-1323. and CO2 upon rehydration of dry feathermosses. Soil Gandhi, KJK, DW Gilmore, SA Katovich, WJ Mattson, JR Spence Science Society of America Journal. 71: 214-218. & SJ Seybold. 2007. Physical Effects of Weather Events on Macdonald S. E. 2007. Effects of partial post-fire salvage harthe Abundance and Diversity of Forest Insects in North vesting on vegetation communities in the boreal mixedAmerican Forests (including the Caribbean but excluding wood forest region of northeastern Alberta, Canada. Forest Mexico). Environmental Reviews 15: 113-152. Ecology and Management 239: 21-31. (Impact factor: 1.84) Hartley, DJ, M Koivula, JR Spence, GE Ball & R Pelletier. 2007. Macdonald, S.E. and T.E. Fenniak. 2007. Understory plant Effects of urbanization on ground beetle assemblages communities of boreal mixedwood forests in western Can(Coleoptera, Carabidae) of grassland habitats in Western Canada: natural patterns and response to variable-retention ada. Ecography 30, 12 printed pages (gallies), Accepted, 2 harvesting. Forest Ecology and Management 242: 34-48. (I.F. August 2007; published on-line Oct 2007. 1.84) Jacobs, JM, JR Spence & DW Langor. 2007. Variable retention Kurulok, S.E. and S.E. Macdonald. 2007. Impacts of postharvest of white spruce stands and saproxylic beetle assemfire salvage logging on understory plant communities of blages. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 37 (in press), 11 the boreal mixedwood forest 2 and 34 years after disturprinted pages (gallies), Accepted 29 Jan 07; published on-line bance. Canadian Journal of Forest Research Sept 2007. 37: 2637 – 2651. (I.F. 1.55) Jacobs, JM, JR Spence & DW Langor. 2007. Influence of boreal forest succession and dead Greene, D.F., S.E. Macdonald, S. Haeussler, wood qualities on saproxylic beetles. AgriculS. Domenicano, J. Noël, K. Jayen, I. Charron, S. Gauthier, S. Hunt, E.T. Gietural & Forest Entomology 9: 2-15. lau, Y. Bergeron, and L. Swift. 2007. The Montes de Oca, E, JR Spence & GE Ball. 2007. reduction of organic-layer depth by wildAssociations between Carabidae and epiphytic fire in the North American boreal forest Bromeliaceae on the SE slope of the Cofre de and its effect on tree recruitment by seed. Perote, Veracruz, Mexico. Environmental EntoCanadian Journal of Forest Research 37: mology 36: 560-568. 1012-1023. (I.F. 1.55) Pohl, GR, DW Langor & JR Spence. 2007. Harper, K.A., L. Mascarúa-López, S.E. MacHarvesting and regeneration of western Canadonald, and P. Drapeau. 2007. Interacdian montane forests: implications for rove beetion of edge influence from multiple tle conservation (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). edges: examples from narrow corridors. Plant Ecology 192: Biological Conservation 137: 294-307. 71-84. (I.F. 1.38) Yang RC, Yeh FC and Ye TZ (2007). Multilocus structure in the Neupane, A., Boxall, P. C., McFarlane, B. L., and Pelletier, Pinus contorta – Pinus banksiana complex. Can J Bot 85:774R. T. 2007. Using expert judgments to understand spatial 784. patterns of forest-based camping: A values-at-risk applicaHu Xin-Sheng, Yeh FC and He Fangliang. 2007. Sex-ratio distortion - Journal of Environmental Management 85 471tion driven by migration loads. Theoretical Population Biol482. ogy 72: 547-559. Hannam, K.D., S.A. Quideau, and B. Kishchuk. 2007. The Mahmood T, Rahman MH, Stringam GR, Yeh FC and Good AG. microbial communities of aspen and spruce forest floors 2007. Quantitative trait loci for early maturity and their poare resistant to changes in litter inputs and microclimate. tential in breeding for earliness in Brassica juncea. Euphytica Applied Soil Ecology 35 (3): 635-647. 154: 101-111. McMillan, R., S.A. Quideau, M.D. MacKenzie, and O.V. Yang RC and Yeh FC (2007). Differential growth and rooting of Birjukova. 2007. Nitrogen mineralization and microbial upland and peatland black spruce, Picea mariana, in drained biomass in reclaimed boreal forest soils. Journal of Environand flooded soils. Silvae Genetica 56:73-80. mental Quality 36: 1470-1478. Birjukova, O.V., P.M. Fedorak, and S.A. Quideau. 2007. Biodegradation of naphthenic acids by rhizosphere microorganisms. Chemosphere 67(10): 2058-2064.
Petrone, RM, Silins, U, & Devito, KD. 2007, Dynamics of Landmark News, Volume 15 Issue 1—Page 6
Landmark Laurels
Andrea McGregor
Looking back at the list of deserving individuals who have won our laurels since this tradition started, I note that it’s been largely oriented towards staff. With this in mind, I’d like to recognize a recipient for this issue who is a wonderful example of the great contributions so frequently made to our department by our graduate students. Hats off to Andrea McGregor! As a REN R PhD student in wildlife ecology since 2005, Andrea’s work has focussed on fisheries dynamics in the Lac La Biche ecosystem. No slouch in the academics department, Andrea has received NSERC support and a variety of other competitive awards along the way. Last term, she also stepped up to the plate for us in teaching our Utilization of Wildlife Resources course, with Lee Foote away on sabbatical. This she did with some flair, complete with teaching aids including the crazy animal hats she wore to her lectures. Through and beyond her academic contributions, Andrea injects positive and creative energy into our community in numerous ways. Whether through creative teaching methods, in discourse with colleagues in the hall, socializing at department events, or in her visits to the Main Office, Andrea’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Andrea’s spirit was clear at the Department’s Family Christmas Party, with Andrea repeatedly chasing back and forth across Dinwoodie lounge with children shrieking in delight beside her. We have benefited from Andrea’s talents in many ways, just one of which is her skilful documentation of various departmental events through her professional-level photography. Andrea’s ever-present smile and positive nature are welcome, colourful, and strengthening threads running through the academic and social fabric of our department. Thank you Andrea! - Bob Longworth
New U of A Field Research Office
The University of Alberta has established a "Field Research" office and committee. Brian Jones from Earth & Atmospheric Sciences is heading up the office and chairing the committee. Ellen Macdonald from Renewable Resources is a committee member. The objective of the office is to support and facilitate field research and to liaise between field researchers and University administrators to this end. Please feel free to bring issues related to the conduction of field research to the attention of Ellen or Brian. We also welcome any ideas on how this office could function to support our field researchers. We have already identified the following as priorities: transportation (vehicles and driving requirements), communications (cell and sat phones - where do we get them? who pays?), training (where do we find it? Who pays?), permits (centralized portal), safety (clarifying requirements and how we cope with them), UofA centralized emergency response phone number, travel medical insurance. Submitted by Ellen Macdonald Landmark News, Volume 15 Issue 1—Page 7
A New Face in our I T Group
We would like to welcome Nash Goonewardena to the Renewable Resources IT Team. Avinash, more commonly known as Nash, originally came to Canada from Colombo, Sri Lanka. Nash completed a Diploma in Business Administration from NAIT with a major in Finance. In addition to working in the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry & Home Economics for 4 years, Nash had the opportunity to work in the corporate world where he gained a great amount of technical knowledge, along with some valuable interpersonal skills. Seeking an outlet for his creative side, Nash went on to attain a Diploma in Multi-media Technology at NAIT. In addition to this creative side, Nash has a way with people. For ten years, Nash conducted interviews for market research, honing valuable people skills. Nash, approachable and easygoing, is responsible for providing REN R students & staff with IT support. He also spends a great deal of time maintaining and fixing computers. Nash values time with his friends and family. He enjoys playing hockey, and is currently polishing up his skills as a goaltender just in case he’s needed for the next major professional league expansion. Welcome to the Team Nash!
Graduate Student News Welcome!
Congratulations on successful defenses Sophan Chhin. PhD—Lieffers / Hogg
New Students who started in January 2008: Tim Antill, MSc, Naeth Sarah Cartier, MSc, Naeth Haitao Li, PhD, Hamann Anne McIntosh, PhD, Macdonald
Sophie Czetwertynski, PhD — Schmiegelow Gerald Kuzyk, PhD—Hudson Juha Metsaranta, PhD—Lieffers / Wein Shane Patterson, PhD—Chanasyk Aurea Siemens, PhD—Zwiazek
New students starting in May 2008:
Sarabpreet Singh, MSc, Supervisor—Quideau
Varina Crisfield, MSc, Macdonald Jessica Snedden, MSc, Silins
Shannon Stotyn, MSc—Schmiegelow / Hudson Leslie Yasul, MSc - Chang / Arshad
New Students starting in September 2008: Lenka Bulickova, PhD, Hacke Weini Huang, PhD, He Kimberley Ives, MSc, Foote Seung-Il Lee, PhD, Spence Ashley Thomson, PhD, Hamann Lindsay Colgan, MSc, Erbilgin
Upcoming Defenses Jane Wolken, PhD, Supervisor—Blenis Charles Priestly, MSc—Supervisors Blenis / Holroyd Chris MacQuarrie, PhD—Supervisor, Spence /Langor
Graduate Awards Congratulations to all students who received the following awards and scholarships.:
2007-2008 Alberta Learning Graduate Student Scholarship: Ashley Craig
Lynnette Dagenais
Mae Elsinger
Laura Gray
Ingrid Hallin
Kerri Lappin
Alison Lennie
Jaime Lypowy
Jonathan Martin-DeMoor
Sarah Pattison
Matthew Pyper
Isabelle Turcotte
Ian Curran
2008 NSERC Awards NSERC CGSM—Allicia Kelly, Greg Piorkowski, Jodie Pongracz (MSc students)
Other Awards Ashley Thomson, - President’s Doctoral Prize of Distinction (FGSR) Peggy Desserud—3rd Place, 2008 Alberta Soil Science Workshop student presentations, Lethbridge Kerri Lappin ESRI Merit Grant for her GIS project Varina Crisfield—Canadian Circumpolar/Boreal Alberta Research Grant—CBAR Mae Elsinger—GSA Professional Development Scholarship— Anayansi Cohen-Fernandez— • 2008 Canadian Land Reclamation Association (CLRA) Academic Merit Award • 2008 Graduate Student Association (GSA) International Student Award. This year was the first time to include the category "International Student Award" among the GSA awards.
NSERC PGSM—Helene Marcoux, Cory Olson, Shari Clare, Christina Eiry Spence, Gerald Singh (MSc students) NSERC CGSD—Andrea McGregor, Amanda Schoonmaker, Ashley Thomson, Anne McIntosh, (PhD Students)
Landmark News, Volume 15 Issue 1—Page 8
Kangho Jung, PhD, Henry Kroeger Memorial Graduate Scholarship Tim Antil has received Partial funding from Alberta Conservation Association Conservation Grant to assist with his Master’s project.
Grad Student Publications (not included in Academic Publications—Pg.4) •
•
You are invited
MacQuarrie CJK, Langor DW, Sperling FAH. (2007) Mitochondrial DNA variation in two invasive birch leafmining sawflies in North America. The Canadian Entomologist, 139: 545-553 Snyder C, MacQuarrie CJK, Hard J, Kruse J, Zogas K. (2007) Invasive species in the Last Frontier - Distribution and phenology of Birch Leaf Mining sawflies in Alaska. Journal of Forestry, 105: 113-119
New Faces in Renewable Resources Francois Teste—Research Assistant with Vic Lieffers Feb—August 08
Annual Reclamation Poster Presentation Thursday
April 3
12:30—4:30
Main Floor—Ag For Centre (2-14) 4th year students of Land Reclamation and Revegetation Course (REN R 495), the capstone course for the for Land Reclamation major in the ENCS BSc Program present posters based on six (6) projects. These projects encompass all aspects of reclamation, focusing on realistic scenarios including pipeline, well site and battery, coal mine, pulp mill and brownfield reclamation. There will also be a poster on a proposed new classification for anthropogenic soils (soils that have been developed or created for reclamation). Creativity is encouraged in the presentations, but solutions must be technologically realistic and budget focused.
Dr. Karen Christensen-Dalsgaard—Post Doctoral Fellow with Mel Tyree to October 31, 2010.
Forest Society Logger Sports April 4 12 noon—3 p.m. Quad On Friday, April 4, the Logger Sports Day, an annual tradition of the Forest Society, continues on Campus. This year’s event runs in conjunction with a forestry education campaign designed to increase campus awareness of forestry and its important in Alberta. Through a visual and engaging demonstration of traditional lumberjack sporting events, the Forest Society raises the awareness of the forestry program among the student body. The high traffic area of Quad and lunchtime BBQ and activities always draws a large crowd of spectators as the saw-dust flies. The aim is to encourage interdisciplinary student transfers into this program and we always have lots of students taking advantage of the information booths. Forestry students have a hands-on opportunity to answer questions from interested individuals. The educational framework of the event also gives forestry students an opportunity to experience traditional forestry field practices and experience how harvesting was done in the past. As an added benefit to the physical nature of the tasks, forestry and forest business management students have an opportunity to work together, fostering a sense of community in this unique context. Spectators can see demonstrations on the use of the swede saw, cross cut saw, pulp log throwing, axe work, dry land log birling, chain saw work, axe throwing, and possibly even pole climbing, log rolling and water boiling (we can cut the wood, now can we light a fire?). See you in Quad on Friday, April 4! Submitted by Forest Society
Photos courtesy Judy Huck Landmark News, Volume 15 Issue 1—Page 9
Renewable Resources Students Attend Society of American Foresters Convention—Portland Oregon, October 2007 This year’s SAF convention was held in Portland, Oregon and was the 3rd annual trip made by Renewable Resources students and staff. The group of twelve Forestry and Forest Business Management students, two students from the Environmental and Conservational Sciences program. and three faculty staff (Alex Drummond, John Spence and Glen Armstrong) participated in four tours, followed by three days of conference attendance. Tours included the HJ Andrews forest, Dorena Genetic Resource Center, Hull Oaks steam powered sawmill, and Mount St. Helens. Preparations for the trip began in the winter semester of 2007 with a commitment from staff and students to organize and fundraise for the trip. Once school began in September, the pressure was on to get registered for the convention and put together a quiz-bowl team. With the help of all our sponsors and the efschools and companies showcasing their products. A poster forts of the organizers they were off to Portland on October 21. session was available to review current studies in the field of After a hectic 4 days of touring various areas of Oregon, the forestry. There was a job fair featuring American forest industry group headed to the 2007 Society of American Foresters conand environmental companies. The city of Portland also had vention, held from October 23-27, 2007. Events started off many forestry related attractions such as the World Forestry with registration and the quiz bowl. The convention began Center in Portland with an inspiring speech from the keynote speaker Richard which many of the stuLouv, author of “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Childents had visited. They dren from Nature Deficit Disorder” and chairman of the Chil- were able to enjoy socialdren and Nature Network. He spoke of the challenge society izing over dinner and a faces in dealing with the diminishing presence of children in football game at the end nature. The general sessions began after the keynote address of the conference. and the group split up to listen to various topics concerning healthy forests and watersheds, forest management, silviculture, The student group would like to thank sponsers— bio-energy, and forest ecology and conservation. Sustainable Resource In between sessions they visited the trade show, which featured Development, Alberta Pacific, Silvacom, Miller U of A Quiz Bowl Team 2007 Western, CAPF and Alberta Newsprint. Without their support this trip would not be possible. Thanks also to John Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Seedlings Spence and Alex DrumDorena Genetic Resource Center mond for the hard work 2007 they put into arranging the tours and the trip as a whole. Submitted by SAF Student Group
Landmark News, Volume 15 Issue 1—Page 10
2008 Forestry & Forest Business Management Graduation On Saturday, March 29, 2008, 21 graduates from the Forestry and Forest Business Management Programs celebrated their academic accomplishments with family friends, and staff at the Faculty Club. Tracy Zurborg did a commendable job of organizing the event. Alex Drummond, Tracy Zurborg, Bev Wilson, Mark Kube
Spring Convocation
Glen Frank and Jerrad Schroeder acted as Masters of Ceremonies for the evening. Students Christine Crowe, Colin Germsheid, Bruce McClintock and Dan Lafleur gave various toasts for the evening.
Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research Ceremonies
Recipient of the CIF Gold Medal, Kyle Lochhead, gave the valedictorian address. Kyle will be working towards a Master’s Degree next year. Dr. Jim Beck, Professor Emeritus and former Chair, gave the keynote address to the Grads and guests. Mark Kube, incoming President of CIF, Rocky Mountain Section and Bev Wilson from Sustainable Resource Development presented the students with their CIF silver rings.
PhD—Thursday June 5, 10 a.m. MSc Thursday, June 5 3 p.m.
Kyle Lochhead and Dr. John Spence
Congratulations to all graduates!
Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Ceremonies— Tuesday, June 10, 3 p.m.
Environmental and Conservation Sciences Graduation Celebrations This year the ENCS program will have 71 graduates from the 4 majors take to the Jubilee Auditorium stage during convocation ceremonies. Instead of a grad committee this year, two ENCS students, grad Sheryl Ramnarine and 3rd year student, Jen Harder, organized the celebration activities, held at the Palace Banquet Hall on Saturday, March 15, 2008. Teacher of the year, as voted by the students, was Dr. Sean Cash. Dr. Cash is a rural economy professor who teaches AREC 313, AREC 365, AREC 473. Guest speakers were Dean Kennelly and Dr. Spence. Toasts were given by staff members Dr. Alastair Franke and Alex Drummond. Students Dustin Theberge (Land Reclamation), Lori Thorsen (Conservation Biology), Travis Lundberg (Wildlife and Range Management) gave the various toasts throughout the evening. Sten Lundberg (Travis' father) also gave a toast to the Graduates. Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Sally Ells. Congratulations to all. Submitted by Sheryl Ramnarine Landmark News, Volume 15 Issue 1—Page 11
Baby Booties A Son for Peter and Gosia Weclaw Dominika Weclaw was born on December 3, 2007 at 10:45pm in Edmonton (3.32 kg and 50.5 cm). Mom and daughter came through the delivery with flying colors. Dad, however, was completely exhausted and needed some time to recover. Congratulations to all! Peter is a grad student with Bob Hudson. He currently works with Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture as a Senior Policy Planner.
Congratulations to the Puurveen family, Dick, wife Georgina, along with daughters Eden and Farell, as they welcomed Layne into the family, just a little too late for the last edition of Landmark. Dick is overjoyed with the addition of another male in the household.
Special Occasions On March 14, 2008 Fred Bentley, Professor Emeritus, celebrated his recent birthday with his friends and colleagues at Renewable Resources. Fred journeyed over to our satellite office in ESB to share a birthday cake with a full house of well wishers.
Excellence in the discovery, dissemination and application of knowledge about natural and managed ecosystems
Jacobs—Huck Wedding— December 31, 2007 Congratulations to Judy Jacobs and Keith Huck, who tied the knot in a retro 70’s wedding celebration on New Year’s Eve in Leduc. Best wishes and many years of happiness!
We’re on the Web! www.ales.ualberta.ca/rr/
Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta 751 General Services Building Edmonton, AB T6G 2H1
Phone: 780-492-3554 Fax: 780-492- 4323 Email: rochelle.jackson@ualberta.ca
This newsletter is published bi-yearly, is distributed to staff and students within the Department of Renewable Resources and posted to our departmental web page. For copies and/or contributions, please contact the Editor, Rochelle Jackson at rochelle.jackson@ualberta.ca; phone 492--3554. Submissions for the next issue of Landmark should be sent in by September 25, 2008
Landmark News, Volume 15 Issue 1—Page 12