Undergraduatehttp://hdl.handle.net/10012/119872024-03-28T09:53:46Z2024-03-28T09:53:46ZFlying on the Edge: Adaptive Coastal Governance and Shorebird Conservation in the Fraser River EstuaryKirke, Emmahttp://hdl.handle.net/10012/200132023-10-03T15:56:20Z2023-10-03T00:00:00ZFlying on the Edge: Adaptive Coastal Governance and Shorebird Conservation in the Fraser River Estuary
Kirke, Emma
In the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, the Fraser River estuary is a critical site for international biodiversity conservation, particularly that of migratory shorebirds; is also plays a vital role in the coastal resilience of urban communities where millions of people live. Significant research is taking place on the Fraser River estuary addressing biodiversity conservation and coastal resilience planning. This research is only as effective as its ability to inform decision-making governing the estuary. As such, this study sought to answer the question: in examining planning for coastal resilience and migratory shorebird conservation, are current governance arrangement adequate to meet significant threats to the Fraser River estuary and surrounding communities The analysis in this study of the Fraser River's estuary's management is rooted in an evaluation of its governance system informed by an evaluative framework based on the principles established by the adaptive governance theory. Qualitative data on the Fraser River estuary governance system and the application of the adaptive governance evaluative framework was gathered through a series of semi-structured interviews with experts.
By grounding the bounded system with an evaluative framework, the case study offers a broader contribution to the body of literature in advancing the understanding of similar governance situations. Creating, testing, and assessing this framework informed by interviews, the study contributes to a better understanding of best practices in applying the adaptive governance theory to assess coastal governance case studies effectively. It also identifies opportunities and gaps in the existing Fraser River estuary governance system, particularly around social learning within institutions and between institutions. Finally, it clarifies the role of biodiversity conservation in coastal resilience planning through the focus on migratory shorebird conservation, including outlining where there is synergy between the two goals and opportunities for collaboration.
This study presents a robust assessment of the need for an independent entity to facilitate meaningful, effective, and inclusive collaboration among the many actors involved in the governance of the Fraser River estuary. Where limited coordination currently occurs on specific files, broad and meaningful collaboration across sectors is necessary to allow the governance system to prepare effectively for changing context proactively. This study presents a robust assessment of the need for an independent entity to facilitate meaningful, effective, and inclusive collaboration among the many actors involved in the governance of the Fraser River estuary. While limited coordination currently takes place on specific files, broad and meaningful collaboration across sectors is necessary to allow the governance system to be proactive in preparing effectively for a changing context.
2023-10-03T00:00:00ZRecommendations for Bank and Bluff Erosion Monitoring Using Citizen Science in Walkerton, OntarioVan Caulart, Joycelin Adelehttp://hdl.handle.net/10012/199572023-09-27T02:32:33Z2023-09-26T00:00:00ZRecommendations for Bank and Bluff Erosion Monitoring Using Citizen Science in Walkerton, Ontario
Van Caulart, Joycelin Adele
The Saugeen River flows directly through downtown Walkerton, Ontario and it is cutting into its valley across from Riverbend Park. The river has encroached into the valley walls, resulting in consistent and considerable bank and bluff erosion over the last few decades. This study explores the ways in which the erosion across from Riverbend Park could be better understood and monitored using citizen science – a suite of tools and methods that rely on non-scientists and local citizens to produce scientific data. Because bank and bluff erosion in general is complex and variable in time and space, citizen science methods could be critical for provide observation and reports for qualitative assessment of erosion. In addition, image based methods such as 3D photogrammetry have been used to produce high-resolution quantitative information that could allow for better understanding of the specific process, rates, patterns, and locations of erosion in Walkerton. The success of citizen science is often dependent on the presence of motivated citizens, which may be more likely to exist in Walkerton due to its infamous history of a water-related E. coli outbreak. The Walkerton bluff is also the location of protected bird species, with further complicates efforts to abate erosion yet could be another focus of citizen science. The results of this study are a series of discussions and recommendations for possible monitoring and erosional assessment programs using citizen science methods.
2023-09-26T00:00:00ZEvaluating Speech Intelligibility with Processed SoundFaulkner, Samhttp://hdl.handle.net/10012/198682023-09-19T02:30:57Z2023-09-18T00:00:00ZEvaluating Speech Intelligibility with Processed Sound
Faulkner, Sam
This paper was created with the goal of researching the different impacts that background noise can have on listeners' ability to interpret speech. The brain is responsible for separating speech and noise, but this can be difficult if this organ is damaged or the noise is too overwhelming to separate out. I partnered with Augmented Heating.io to see whether their noise reduction software can do some of this processing on behalf of the brain. This would reduce cognitive effort and help make conversations more accessible in noisy environments. To research this topic, I created a study that evaluated participants' ability to understand words that have often confused sounds in them. These words were presented with different types of voices, with different kinds of background noise, and both with and without processing from AugmentedHearing's algorithms.
Preliminary results indicate that intelligibility scores were not higher for the denoised speech compared to the noisy speech. This was not the expected result, however, there is still much to consider within the data. These preliminary findings are grounds for further studies and will hopefully lead to an improvement in future iterations of the speech processing software.
2023-09-18T00:00:00ZModelling streamflow depletion under different groundwater pumping scenarios involving the Dalmeny aquifer in SaskatchewanChatham, Wesleyhttp://hdl.handle.net/10012/194272023-05-08T15:32:12Z2023-05-08T00:00:00ZModelling streamflow depletion under different groundwater pumping scenarios involving the Dalmeny aquifer in Saskatchewan
Chatham, Wesley
In the Dalmeny Basin both ecosystems and people rely on local watercourses so it is important to determine how groundwater pumping could affect streamflow. As such, simulation of how streamflow would deplete under different scenarios was done using parameters within realistic ranges present in the area. From there the upper limit to the pumping rate before significant ecological damage would occur in the North Saskatchewan River, the region's notable watercourse, was determined. The main method was the use of the R package called streamDepletr and its built in Glower, Hunt, and Hantush functions. One notable result is that a streamed with a weighted average composition resulted in the threshold before ecological damage being lower than if it were solely composed of the Upper floral unit. Additionally, the system is most sensitive to variations in storativity. In comparing the Glover, Hunt, and Hantush methods, it was also discovered that for identical scenarios, the Glover method predicts the most stream depletion white the Hantush method predicts the least. It was determined that to surpass the significant ecological damage threshold, the pumping rate from the Dalmeny Aquifer would have to surpass its recharge rate. Practically, reaching this point is unnecessary given the area's current and historical groundwater usage, as well as unsustainable for the aquifer itself.
2023-05-08T00:00:00Z