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must consider their Statements of Environmental Values (SEVs) when making decisions on all instruments (e.g., permits, approvals, licences) that are prescribed under the EBR, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of the Environment still are not fully complying with this important requirement under the EBR. www.eco.on.ca
WƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐ ĞŶŐŝŶĞĞƌŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ƐĐŝĞŶĐĞͲďĂƐĞĚ ƐŽůƵƟ ŽŶƐ DĞĞƟ ŶŐ ƚŚĞ ŶĞĞĚƐ ŽĨ ŽƵƌ ĐůŝĞŶƚƐ ϭͲϴϬϬͲϮϲϱͲϵϲϲϮ ǁǁǁ͘ƌũďƵƌŶƐŝĚĞ͘ĐŽŵ
Water chemistry changes affecting lake organisms Changes in Canadian lake water chemistry have left small water organisms vulnerable to their predators, which may pose a serious environmental threat, according to a new study. “At low calcium levels, the organisms grow more slowly and cannot build their armour,” says study lead author Howard Riessen, professor of biology, SUNY College at Buffalo. Riessen and colleagues, including York University biology professor Norman Yan, studied the effect of changes in water chemistry on plankton prey defenses. Specifically, they examined how lower calcium concentrations affect Daphnia (water flea) exoskeleton development. These low calcium levels are caused by loss of calcium from forest soils, a consequence of decades of acid rain and multiple cycles of logging and forest growth. The results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “Calcium is a critical element for Daphnia and many other crustaceans,” Riessen says. “Daphnia build their exoskeletons, which include some defensive spines, with calcium to protect themselves from predators. Where calcium levels are low, the Daphnia have softer, smaller, exoskeletons with fewer defensive spines, making them an easy snack.” This phenomenon of reduced calcium is also playing out on a much larger scale in the world’s oceans. Increases in ocean acidity are complicating calcium acquisition by marine life, which is an underreported effect of global carbon dioxide emissions. Thus marine plankton may also find themselves more vulnerable to predators. continued overleaf... www.esemag.com
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