Theme 1: Climate Variability and Climate Change Impacts GAPS
Hydro Climatic Extremes
• Remote-sensing technology to track Canada’s water budget • Better modelling of frequency, intensity, duration and extent of floods and droughts
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• Nation-wide data on vulnerable organisms and regions related to freshwater ecosystem impacts
Academia
Decision-makers
Collaboration is key for tackling climate change impacts on Canadian waters
Aquatic Biodiversity
Government
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Climate change models that include water quality and aquatic biodiversity data
Water Balance, Availability, and Sustainability
Indigenous
Partnerships
! Water Quality Impacts
In the Arctic Permafrost thawing is changing the tundra landscape by creating pits and valleys, known as thermokarst. This allows metals, nutrients, and organics to flow into freshwater bodies, impacting water quality.
Theme 2: Nutrients and Agricultural Land Use AGRICULTURAL-SOURCED STRESSORS
Freshwater Contamination Nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients seep from agricultural lands into nearby freshwater bodies.
High water demand
Healthy
Toxic
Excess nutrients
Harmful algal blooms Soil moisture monitoring Increased precipitation and lengthier droughts make agricultural lands more susceptible to erosion.
• HABs can produce toxins and other chemical compounds that can make waters unsafe and unusable for drinking. • HABs make freshwater habitats unsuitable for native species.
GAPS
Metabolomics & eDNA To help illustrate how nutrients are absorbed, retained, and stored in freshwater ecosystems
Data collection To better understand nutrient discharge from wastewater treatment on aquatic ecosystems
Mapping of irrigation fields To track erosion and pinpoint GHG emissions for: • Improved nutrient management • Better understanding of agriculture and water interactions
HAB Research To better understand how HABs impact: • Food webs • Bioactive metabolites (like antibiotics) • Microbial communities
Earth Observation Technologies To fine tune and update irrigation maps across Canada on a yearly basis
Theme 3: Other Land Use Change and Anthropogenic Activities
GAPS
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New technologies to resolve stressors caused by hydro dams
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Better prevention, early response, and control practices for AIS
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More research on aquaculture and its impacts on freshwater environments
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Forest management decisions based on drinking water and freshwater habitat impacts
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Improved water recycling in mining operations
Forest changes The forest and freshwater relationship is changing, causing: • Increased flood risks • Threats to drinking water supply • Altered critical aquatic habitats
Hydropower-sourced stressors
Metals and mining
Hydro dams can cause: • Changes in water flow • Impacts on fluvial habitats and species who rely on them • Toxic build up in aquatic organisms (like mercury)
The mining industry relies heavily on the use of water and contaminates surrounding freshwater ecosystems through mine effluents and acid mine drainage.
Aquatic Invasive Species
Aquaculture Aquaculture feed increases phosphorus levels and reduces oxygen levels. Land-based aquaculture facilities also release effluents into nearby waters.
Aquatic Invastive Species (AIS) spread quickly, altering or destroying habitats, impacting economically valuable species, and introducing disease and pathogens. Managing AIS can cost millions $ annually.
Fish habitat Fish are threatened by habitat degradation and modification, AIS, and poor water quality due to pollution and climate change.
Theme 4: Contaminants and Pollution
Increased precipitation
Urban runoff
Wastewater effluents
GAPS •
Detection, research, and regulation of contaminants and pollution
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Research on the distribution and fate of plastics in the environment
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Better understanding of the impacts of untreated wastewater and its cumulative effects
Legacy and emerging contaminants: remain in the
aquatic environment for a long time and can cause ecological and human health issues.
Endocrine-disrupting substances: are used in
agriculture, manufacturing, and consumer products and interfere with endocrine function.
Pesticides: degrade
Pathogens and viruses:
microorganisms from wastewaters that can generate ecological and human health problems.
Plastics: also remain in the environment for a long time and pose problems for ecosystem function, biodiversity, and habitat integrity.
environments, contaminate ground and surface waters, bioaccumulate in food webs, and often impact non-target species.
Theme 5: Multiple Stressors A good science strategy Decision-making must consider all interactions between humans and their environment by
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integrating field monitoring, modelling, and other ways of understanding these changes.
Cumulative effects
needs to be holistic.
Stressors are not only additive but can also be synergistic. A combination of stressors can have a much greater impact when felt together, rather than when they’re isolated.
GAPS • Foster collaboration between academia and Indigenous communities for watershed management. • Increase knowledge on multiple stressors and cumulative effects in under studied regions, like the North. • Research complex mixtures of effluents, pollutants, and nutrients for surface and groundwater as they related to drinking water.
Theme 6: Chemical Mixtures
Industrial activities, municipal wastewater, and agricultural practices are major sources of complex chemicals found in freshwater ecosystems.
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Chemical monitoring is taking place across Canada.
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Canada and the US collaborate on long-term datasets on the effects of urbanization and agriculture.
Sources of Chemical Mixtures • Municipal Wastewater • Agriculture • Landfills • Mining Industry • Seafood Processing Plants
Fish Feminization: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals from wastewater effluents can cause male fish to express female characteristics.
Theme 7: Stressor Impacts on Ecosystem Services of Canadian Freshwaters
Forests filter freshwater and increase water quality
Precipitation
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Evaporation
Changes to environmental flows
Freshwater Ecosystem Services Natural flood protection
Cultural
Drinking water
Provisioning
Fisheries depend on sustainable freshwater ecosystems
Regulating Supporting
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Harmful algal blooms Recreation
Nutrient cycling
• Monitor and protect freshwater ecosystems
Aquatic species habitat
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A whole-of-government approach is needed for freshwater ecosystem services in Canada
Contaminants and pathogens
• Co-develop with Indigenous communities
Theme 8: Environmental Flows Impacts on environmental flows Monitoring environmental flow shifts, like clay and silt finding their way to the bottom of aquatic habitats or eroding banks, can help us understand what is happening within a freshwater ecosystem. Increased rainfall leads to increased water levels.
Snowmelt and glaciers melting increases the volume of water.
Human-made structures, like dams, alter water flow.
Environmental flows sustain freshwater ecosystems, people and their communities.
Drought is caused by a lack of freshwater in the environment.
Theme 9: Groundwater
Models:
consider atmosphere, land surface, hydrology and groundwater
Precipitation
More than 30% of Canadians rely on groundwater for drinking water.
Evaporation
Municipal well
Groundwater is the main water supply for ~80% of the rural population in Canada.
Frameworks:
identify and protect groundwater flows for freshwater ecosystems Surface Water Groundwater
Population Growth
Water Availability
Knowledge:
mobilize knowledge and technology that consider the needs of policy makers and the public
The amount of water in Canadian aquifers is unknown
Theme 10: Indigenous Co-Development
Water is the giver of life, Nibi onje biimaadiiziiwin, in Anishinaabe water law.
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Freshwater science in Canada is strengthened by First Nations Principles and Indigenous Knowledge.
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Freshwater Science
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Capacity Building Meaningful Engagement Envisioned Protection
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