Waterfowl and mammals harvested and trapped at various locations in the oil sands region and in reference locations are assessed for contaminant burdens and toxicology. Wildlife samples are obtained from local hunters and trappers. Tissue samples are analysed for concentrations of oil sands-related contaminants (heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and naphthenic acids). Dead and moribund birds collected from tailing ponds are also evaluated for levels and effects of contaminants.

Communities in east Hudson Bay and James Bay are concerned about ecosystem changes observed in recent decades, particularly related to sea-ice conditions, and also about potential impacts of contaminants from long-range atmospheric transport and regional human activities. The Arctic Eider Society’s Community-Driven Research Network (CDRN) was established to measure and better understand large-scale cumulative environmental impacts in east Hudson Bay and James Bay. Building on CDRN collaborations and activities in five communities (Sanikiluaq, Kuujjuaraapik, Inukjuak, Umiujaq, Chisasibi), this Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) community-based project generated new information on metal bioaccumulation that provide a regionally integrated perspective on metal exposure in the marine environment of east Hudson Bay and James Bay.

There is increased exploration for and extraction of lanthanides or Rare Earth Elements (REEs) due to their increasing use and importance, especially in new technologies. In Canada, several exploration projects are underway and some projects could seek approval to begin operation in the next few years. In addition, REEs are associated with phosphate fertilizers used in Canada. There is little information on the toxicity of REEs and their presence in the environment and wildlife. We are conducting REE analyses to determine the exposure of wildlife to REEs in different regions.

Pesticide use is a pervasive element of conventional farming that poses risks to non-target organisms in fields and field margins. A critical component of plant and pollinator habitat in agroecosystems is adequate pollen supplies (quality and quantity) both for plant reproduction and animals dependent on pollen for food. Honey bees have shown preference for pollen with certain amounts of amino acids. Glyphosate is a systemic herbicide not readily metabolized by plants. It acts by inhibiting three amino acids, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan. We hypothesized that sublethal doses of glyphosate (simulating drift) will affect flower, pollen and seed production and quality.

Unlike their “first-generation” counterparts, second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs; for instance, bromodiolone) are more persistent, bioaccumulative and inherently toxic. An issue with this greater toxicity and persistence is that it increases their potential to impact non-target wildlife. With increasing natural resource extraction activities in northern Alberta, facilities capable of housing thousands of workers are needed, and each of these produce waste and attract rodent pests. Many companies now regularly deploy SGAR baits in a prophylactic manner. With this increased use, there is a resulting increased probability of exposure to rodenticide baits in non-target wildlife inhabiting areas of higher industrial development.

Impacts of NCP-priority chemicals on endocrine function, energetics, and behavior, in conjunction with changing ice conditions, will be examined in thick-billed murres (Coats Island) where climate change is impacting their health. When ice breaks up earlier, energetics of adult murres is increased, they obtain less food, and nestling growth is slowed. Endocrine changes from e.g., chemical exposure, may decouple relationships between corticosterone, thyroid hormones, energy expenditure, and behavior. Specifically, because high energy expenditure is necessary to access food when ice is far away versus when ice is near, chemical disruption of these relationships may explain the inappropriate foraging behavior responses of some birds to changing ice conditions.

In this study we will conduct laboratory and mesocosm exposures with wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) and, possibly, surrogate amphibian species to assess potential environmental impacts stemming from industrial development in the Oil Sands. Toxicogenomics and other exposure and effects endpoint data generated will be added to other data being collected on wood frogs in the Oil Sands region and incorporated into the Adverse Outcome Pathway model to provide a consolidated assessment of potential Oil Sands environmental impacts based on the health and disease status of wood frogs and wood frog populations.

This study is identifying risks, impacts, origins, and movement patterns of migratory bird pathogens in the Western Hemisphere. We are identifying determinants of disease to multiple pathogens in relation to demographic, spatiotemporal, and environmental factors using blue-winged teal sampled in North and South America. We are combining use of disease surveillance data, modeling of band recovery data, analysis of feather stable isotopes, use of satellite telemetry, and genotyping techniques to investigate origins and spread of diseases. This study will ultimately enable development of models predicting emergence and spread of diseases in migratory bird populations, and where they may enter into Canada.

Environmental contaminants – including trace elements that are transported to Canada’s Arctic ecosystems can biomagnify, potentially leading to adverse outcomes for wildlife and northern communities. In particular, some evidence suggests that mercury in northern wildlife is elevated relative to areas farther south. It is not clear if this pattern is consistent, and the processes that explain spatial variation in mercury in wildlife remain unknown. A clearer understanding of where and how Arctic wildlife are exposed to this contaminant will help inform policies and conservation initiatives to protect ecosystem and human health in Canada’s North.

In a 5-year study, we have shown that feather corticosterone (CORTf) in arctic-nesting common eiders is correlated with temperature during moulting period. Birds with higher CORTf arrive at the colony later and in poorer body condition, and have reduced reproductive success and survival. We are using archived feathers from multiple museums to further examine this relationship over 100 years and across the circumpolar arctic. Feathers are being measured for CORTf, stable isotopes (C,N), and mercury to evaluate patterns over time, and relationships among stress, diet, contaminant exposure, and climatic change over the last century. This work will help us understand mechanisms linking climate and other environmental changes to impacts on host survival and reproduction.