Investigating the potential of thecamoebians (testate amoebae) as bio-indicators of impact of oil sands mining operations on freshwater environments in Northeastern Alberta, Canada

Thecamoebian (testate amoeba) species diversity and assemblages in reclamation wetlands and lakes in northeastern Alberta respond to chemical and physical parameters associated with oil sands extraction. Ecosystems more impacted by OSPM (oil sands process-affected material) contain sparse, low-diversity populations dominated by centropyxid taxa and Arcella vulgaris. More abundant and diverse thecamoebian populations rich in difflugiid species characterize environments with lower OSPM concentrations. These shelled protists respond quickly to environmental change, allowing year-to-year variations in OSPM impact to be recorded. Their fossil record thus provides corporations with interests in the Athabasca Oil Sands with a potential means of measuring the progression of highlyimpacted aquatic environments to more natural wetlands. Development of this metric required investigation of controls on their fossil assemblage (e.g. seasonal variability, fossilization potential) and their biogeographic distribution, not only in the constructed lakes and wetlands on the oil sands leases, but also in natural environments across Alberta.

Bee Communities in Restored Landfill Sites of Niagara Region

This study examined the impact of habitat restoration on bee communities (Hymenoptera: Apidae) of the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. Bee abundance and diversity was studied in three restored landfill sites: the Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site (GQNS) in St. Catharines, Elm Street Naturalization Site in Port Colborne, and Station Road Naturalization Site in Wainfleet during 2011 and 2012. GQNS represented older sites restored from 2001-2003. Elm and Station sites represented newly restored landfills as of 2011. These sites were compared to control sites at Brock University where bee communities are well established and again to other landfills where no stable habitat was available before restoration. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of restoration level on bee abundance and diversity in restored landfill sites of the Niagara Region. Based on the increased disturbance hypothesis (InDH) and the intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH), I hypothesized that bee abundance and diversity will follow two patterns. First pattern according to InDH suggest that as the disturbance decrease the bee abundance and diversity will increased. Second pattern according to the IDH bee abundance and diversity will be the highest at the intermediate level of disturbance. A total of 7 173 bees were collected using pan traps and flower collections, from May to October 2011 and 2012. Bees were classified to five families, 21 genera and sub-genera, containing at least 78 species. In 2011 bee abundance was not significantly different among restoration levels while in 2012 bee abundance was significant difference among restoration level. According to family there were no significant difference in Halictidae and Apidae abundance among restoration level while Colletidae and Megachilidae abundance were varied among restoration levels. The bee species richness was highest in the newly restored sites followed by restored control sites, and then the control site. The current study demonstrates that habitat restoration results in rapid increases in bee abundance and diversity for newly restored sites, and, further, that it takes only 2-3 years for bee assemblages in newly restored sites to arrive at the same levels of abundance and diversity as in nearby control sites where bee communities are well established.

Glacial stratigraphy and micromorphology of the Pine Point Pb-­‐Zn mining district, Northwest Territories

This investigation aims to gain a better understanding of the glacial history of the Pine Point Mining district, Northwest Territories, by examining the sedimentological properties of the glacial sediments including, geochemical analysis, heavy mineral concentrate analysis, clast macro-­‐fabrics, pebble lithologies, and micromorphological investigation. Four till units were identified, and three were associated with identified erosional bedrock features and streamlined landforms in the area, indicating a minimum of three ice flow directions. Sedimentological properties suggest that these units were all Type-­B tectomict/mélange till, emplaced as part of a soft subglacial deformable bed. The lack of ice-­‐marginal advance and retreat sequences within the studied till, suggests the Middle Wisconsinan Laurentide Ice margin was likely north and west of the Pine Point area, as opposed to along the margin of the Canadian Shield and Western Sedimentary Basin where it has been suggested to have existed.

Union Pacific Railway from Kansas City , Omaha, St. Joseph to Denver, San Francisco, Portland, Helena, Butte, Boise, Leadville, Durango, Deadwood and all cities and mining camps in the west schedule

Union Pacific Railway from Kansas City , Omaha, St. Joseph to Denver, San Francisco, Portland, Helena, Butte, Boise, Leadville, Durango, Deadwood and all cities and mining camps in the west schedule, Jan. 15, 1882.