#envs 3000

[jmenvs3000f23]

Madagascar, Lemurs, OneHealth.......a Masters? 🏝️🐒🔭🎓(U9)

Hey friends, its been a while and I’m glad you’re here!

This weeks’ prompt encourages us to share something about nature that gets us excited and ooooooooooooooooh am I excited! Like I’ve mentioned before, I’m a 4th year zoology student which 1) means I know a lot of cool animal stuff (ask me questions!), and 2) it’s almost time for me to graduate!

So today I’d like to talk about my current Masters application and the really cool OneHealth conservation research I have done (and hope to do again) in Madagascar!

Over the summer I got the opportunity to take the One Health Approach to Conservation Field school where we were taught zoological, ecological, and anthropological approaches to conservation issues in Madagascar’s rainforest and unique dry deciduous forest within Ankarafantsika National Park (Picture a rainforest but take away the rain, the biggest animal is the same kind of lemur as Zoboomafoo, and also the soil is like sand!!). While I won’t go into too much detail about most of the field work we practiced, like tree identification, phrenology, and size measurements, participant-observation sessions in tree-planting, rice harvesting, and a local village classroom, and of course-tent living and consistent rice and beans eating, I willllllllllll go into detail about the lemurs, cause oh so much do I love those little guys.

(1. Male with eye tumor/injury, 2. me with two mothers (if you look close you can see 2 baby heads!), 3. me taking leaf samples to make a dry-season Tree ID sketch, 4. my luxurious living quarters for the month.)

Our instructions were to do both focal and scan sampling, but my absolute favourite part of the trip was following the lemur groups and trying to identify the specific individuals while they were either chilling in our camp or being extremely chaotic in the forest.

During these observations, not once but twice did I witness 2 separate groups have lemurs literally try to kill an individual from the other group... and so when asking about this to my professor, the general conclusion we came to after he told me he’s never seen such violence despite coming to the park for years, was that the increased forest fragmentation (deforestation making the forest into sections rather than one continuous space) might be forcing groups that should be far apart into sharing the same spaces, causing fights for space, food, etc.

This species of lemur (Coquerel’s sifaka) is critically endangered and is  a huge sense of pride for the indigenous people of Madagascar. Many of the parks residents follow taboos that forbid lemur hunting and consumption to protect these creatures. Unfortunately, its possible that either the  past or current farming practices of some of them are negatively affecting lemurs, potentially without realizing. Not only does this become an anthropological issue, but if true, is a logistical problem best answered with knowledge of the lemurs behaviour, spatial and abundance knowledge on the plants used for food and shelter by both lemurs and people, and of course interviewing, participating in, and  potentially educating and being educated by  the residents to get a proper understanding of how to tackle this problem.

And so that’s the general gist of what I’ll be diving deeper into for my Masters, wish me luck!

[My friends video of one of the violent interactions (I know it looks like they are hugging but they have giant teeth with a strong bite force, are the size of toddlers, and it didn't give up until it thought the other was practically dead), the lemur that didn't run away was left with a bleeding head and injured arm but we think she survived!]

[ksneatureblog-blog]

Tree tattoos

Picture a forest. What does it look like? How big is it? What types of trees are in it? What animals live there? How long has it been growing?

When you think of the forest, think of all the power that would be needed to take it down. The energy and force required to dominate more than just a few square kilometres is hard to imagine. But one thing in particular can do it in a more dramatic and sensational way than anything else. Wildfire.

Wildfires vary in their characteristics just as much as forests do. Their size, intensity, temperature, whether they reach the canopy or stay on the ground, the amount of smoke, the amount of damage. But before wildfire begins, the stage must be set. The recipe:

Forest fuels: dead and decaying plant matter and low lying trees.

Dry conditions: the longer since it has rained, the better.

Some wind: too much wind will blow out a flame before it even begins. Once a fire starts, high winds aggressively spread the fire.

Now with all those ingredients, a forest is in prime condition for an ignition. The ignition typically comes from one of two things: human causes (campfires, cigarette butts, intentional lighting) or lightning. After an ignition, how long it lasts and how far it goes depends on many different factors: the type of forest fuels, the density of the forest, the boundaries the fire encounters (forest breaks, water sources), the weather, the temperature, etc.

Why do we care about recreating an accurate record of fire? Wildfires are a significant part of our earth’s story. Fire has major impacts on our society and our ecosystems. For example, British Columbia this summer had the worst fire season on record. There were days that the sun wasn’t visible through the smoke, even in cities kilometers away from the nearest fires.

This map shows the hundreds of fires that were reported over the 2018 season.

Having information on historical wildfires will guide us in knowing how to best manage (or not manage) them in the future, and give us an understanding of our changing climate. Wildfires are monitored and tracked quite thoroughly these days, but they weren’t as well recorded in the past when humans had less technology and resources to do so.

Luckily, trees have a wonderful method of growth, that creates a ring each year, visible when you look at a cross section of it’s trunk.

Like humans, when trees are wounded, they react through biological strategies. Humans develop scabs to cover the injury while new skin develops, protecting it from infections. Eventually, we grow new skin and sometimes are left with a scar. This process happens with trees, and creates a history- or a chronology -of  when that tree was damaged. Scientists can decode this history, finding the approximate year and intensity of fires, by looking at tree rings and recording where there is younger wood and scars from fire. It’s like if each scar on your body was labelled with when you got it and why it’s there; the scar above my left eyebrow from a cycling wipeout in 2016, the mark below my knee from an aggressive shrub this summer.

Quick facts about fire scars:

It’s not always clear what is a scar and what isn’t, sometimes scars are confused with weird growth.

Hardwoods and conifers have different reactions to injury: hardwoods use chemical defenses, while conifers use both physical and chemical resistance. Some conifers will even grow extra cells after they are injured to produce this resistance (which is usually in the form of resin).

What season the fire was in can be determined from the tissue that is scarred; the position of the scar in the ring of that year can tell us an approximation of when the fire occurred. Trees also grow different types of tissues at different times of the year, early wood in the spring and latewood in the fall.

Scars aren’t always visible from the outside; the smaller the injury, the more likely you can’t see it from the exterior of the tree.

The power of abiotic things on forests are awe-inspiring. Massive, powerful, resilient forests clash with incredible forces of nature, and these battles are documented by the survivors. It’s our job to piece together the clues of damage and learn the story of what happened.

[jmenvs3000f23]

Learning, growing, and sharing the passion🐛🦋(U10)

Reflecting on my journey of developing my personal stance as a nature interpreter, I realize my ethos is deeply rooted in storytelling. While I would absolutely consider myself smart and capable of any challenge thrown my way, I wouldn't claim to be the one to ask for a perfectly articulated summary of a concept, or a history (or stats oh gosh...)) But! I am your girl if you want to talk about animals or nature with the same excitement and perception shifts you had as a kid; when learning about something like dinosaurs or other planets for the very first time and feeling like your mind was blown, or maybe even that the person was just making stuff up because of how wild it seemed.

At it’s core, my passion sings when having the chance to discuss niche topics with open-minds that delve into things like evolution, coming from the perspective that there are so many mysteries out there that could be unraveled if you only cared to look.

Just this week, some of these topics for me and some peers have included trying to understand bird tetrachromacy (how and why they can see in UV), mammals returning to the water like whales and dolphins, or how?? Literally how??? lemurs got to Madagascar.

To me, it's not just about sharing information, but having fun in the process and getting to share what you learn about the animals and their exploits in ways that would rival the wildest fantasy stories.

[Saw-whet owl wing under UV💡 ]

[OG whale💪🏻 ]

I've been playfully dubbed the "zookeeper of knowledge" by a friend in this context, after spending far too many hours working on a project because we kept getting side-tracked and discussing things not necessarily needed, but so incredibly interesting. (And it’s probably a title I'd gladly claim if it weren't so corny to be honest.) Regardless, it summarizes my commitment to becoming a curator of the captivating craziness that the animal kingdom has to offer. With a bias but passionate zoological perspective, I strive to share my spark of curiosity. ✨

Beyond my zoology lens, I strive for a focus on eco-consciousness in the work that I do, hoping to bridge the gap between science and the public and to foster stronger connection with Mother Nature.

As for translating these passions to children, I’m a firm believer in both transparency and honesty. While it’s almost guaranteed they won’t enjoy their first climate change lesson, I think forming traits of environmental stewardship and the understanding that actions have environmental consequences in children is critical if we want our passion for nature to be held by future generations. I remember my first lonely polar bear on a drifting ice berg video, and yes I was sad….but it left a vivid mark on my consciousness, shaping my understanding of the environmental challenges we face and it very likely brought me to where I am today.

Speaking of inspiring children, I cannot hold myself back as I have to show you guys what I found last week!

[Zoologist Barbie!!!!!!!!💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗]

I'm not even that much of a Barbie fan but I think now I have to be! I would have exploded with joy if I had this as I kid! I mean, if Barbie is doing it, I can't even imagine how many little girls will now be exposed to the possibility of studying zoology or similar topics and I won't lie...I could cry 🥹 (not to mention how close the koala is to a lemur and my personal goals regarding that....interesting......verrry interesting 🔮)

Though I still think going outside with curiosity in mind is the number one way to develop a relationship with nature, I’d consider things and representations like this even more important in places like cities, where natural spaces are becoming less and less accessible due to never-ending infrastructure and the digital domination of screens and virtual experiences.

The allure of video games and online platforms often out-win outdoor activities at least in my own anecdotal experience, raising concerns about the disconnect between the younger generation and the natural world. I think environmental educators are becoming more and more important in schools, and I believe they play a pivotal role in counteracting this trend, as they offer opportunities for a child to focus on wonders within the natural world. I had a hard time myself trying to sound reasonable to many of my friends and family as a kid when saying I wanted to study animals and nature since technology was progressing so quickly and I was viewed as looking backwards.

and so I think this doll (or things similar) can reinspire or hold that flame when kids aren't yet to sure if they'll find a nice outdoor spot to explore, an educator excited to answer questions, or a community like Guelph that embraces natural sciences so much.

In my opinion, harsh climate crisis truths can surely be sugar-coated for young minds to an extent, but to completely wait until their old enough to ‘actually understand’ is just providing the perfect opportunity for a child to become a distracted or oblivious teenager or adult. Again, this is my opinion but at this point in time, in a current climate crisis with almost no signs of slowing down, being an adult in a country like Canada and purposely ignoring it is NOT cool!!

Now, we don’t have to live every moment with the weight of the world on our shoulders, and I don’t wish that on anyone! But I believe the absolute bare minimum is to consider our actions in relation to nature and provide the next generation the building blocks and exposure they'll need to make environmentally conscious choices. Concepts like reusable water bottles over disposable plastic ones, not littering, and realizing our planet belongs to others too aren’t scary things and if anything, promote cultures of care and community. These seemingly simple ideas start to lay the foundation for responsible and conscious individuals to gladly carry the torch of environmental awareness into the future!

Anyways, that's what's up with me, and so I hope you've found at least one thing on my blog that made you think about, reconsider, or learn something, and maybe even want to go hug a tree 💝🐛

Works cited

Johnson, N. A., Lahti, D. C., & Blumstein, D. T. (2012). Combating the Assumption of Evolutionary Progress: Lessons from the Decay and Loss of Traits. Evolution Education & Outreach, 5(1), 128–138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12052-011-0381-y

Northern saw-whet owl outstretched wing under blacklight, by Seabrook Leckie, Attribution-NonCommercal-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license, https://www.flickr.com/photos/rustyblackbird/

[ksneatureblog-blog]

Films that teach us something about science

Movies have an undeniable impact on our view of the world. Some movies apply this lens to nature, and teach the general public concepts in new and interesting ways. Fictional movies certainly are able to do this, but in terms of relaying real stories, documentaries do it best.  Let’s talk about 3 in particular that I believe do this in a more provoking way.

Blackfish

Possibly one of the most obvious selections, the impact of Blackfish was one of the most significant societal reactions to a documentary in modern history. The movie struck a chord so deep, it accelerated the movement to boycott Seaworld, and by extension other marine zoos like MarineLand. Currently in Canada, people are celebrating the passing of the senate passing a bill which would ban whale and dolphin captivity. The bill, which mainly would hit primarily the Vancouver Aquarium and Marineland, received a wide amount of public support much accredited to the widely released film. This movie didn’t just uncover the horrific conditions that marine animals face in captivity, it also educated people on the majesty of orca whales; their intelligence, psychology and habitat requirements. If you watched and were captivated by Blackfish, the Cove will fascinate you even more (but it is not for the faint of heart).

Chasing Ice

One of my go-to answers to the intimidating question “what’s your favourite movie?”, this one had me tied in from the get. Not only combining the interpretive magic of photography and storytelling, this film also justifies the result. The trials and tribulations of the Extreme Ice Survey are brought to a wider audience, along with the incredible talent of James Balog. Footage of the largest calving event ever caught on tape and the explanation of black soot melting holes and accelerating the diminishment of glaciers are not things I will soon forget.

An Inconvenient Truth

Undeniably the movie that put me on the path to studying environmental science, Al Gore broke down concepts of climate change in a way that my seventh grade brain can understand - and then get super stressed out about. The original even included a Simpsons-esque animation to explain global warming. For me, this movie was an introduction to concepts like acid rain, greenhouse gases, and meteorology. And Al Gore presented all the ideas in a soft but urgent tone that inspired learning. Sigh, if only the popular vote decided the president. I didn’t find An Inconvenient Sequel as necessarily captivating, likely because my optimism was more easily induced back then. I’d be interested to know if any of you watched each a few years apart and felt the same way.

In all three films, the crossover of storytelling and conveying scientific information blends perfectly to captivate an audience. Though the ideas presented aren’t always the most accurate, and often come with criticism, they are presented in thought provoking and simple ways that much of the general public would be able to understand. What are your favourite documentaries? And what do you think makes them so great?

More faves: The Cove, Before the Flood, any episode of Planet Earth, and literally anything with Bill Nye in it.

[ksneatureblog-blog]

A bit of a rant, interpretation and citizen action

*Note that all underlined text is hyperlinked to supporting articles and content!

You may have noticed a bit of a spike in environmental news recently. More articles being shared on Facebook, between the plastic straw debate posts, about the last call to save our planet. If you chanced a click on one of those links you may have read about how the UN IPCC (United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has recently released a special report how we are currently absolutely hooped. Instead of keeping on track to limit warming to 1.5°C, we’re going full steam ahead to 3°C.

The other day I was in my GEOG 3210 lecture, Management of the Biophysical Environment, listening to the instructor (Dr. Faisal Moola, an interesting prof who used to work with the David Suzuki Foundation - DSF) discuss the failures of British Columbia on following it’s commitments to protecting species at risk. One of my classmates, understandably a bit frustrated put up their hand and said (roughly) “what can you even do when your government blatantly doesn’t follow through on their commitments or do what they’re supposed to?” to which Dr. Moola simply replied, “oh well you can sue them”. We all had bit of a chuckle at how nonchalantly he had suggested suing the government, but he was serious. He talked about how he had done just that before with the DSF, and how we have the ability to hold our government responsible if we so choose.

The IPCC report and the news surrounding it gave me flashbacks of a post I read last year, and needed to search the internet in order to include in this post. It was circulated around the time of the solar eclipse last summer, in which millions of North Americans got to witness an incredible scientific event, feeling connected to nature whether they knew it or not.

So this leaves me with questions. Where is the disconnect?

Is this a failure on the part of interpretation? Is it just all political, about who’s cutting the biggest paycheck? The eclipse was a miracle of nature that was accessible to a huge portion of the population. What about other miracles of nature, every landscape you can find across our world, from the deserts to the mountains to the trees that expel oxygen to fill our lungs and keep our hearts beating? Are they not all worth the changing of our routines?

What do we need to do to get people to ask our policy makers to make decisions for the environment, and hold them accountable when they don’t?

If you feel overwhelmed, you can (as I have) spend endless time scrolling the internet, finding listicles of the top 10 ways you can reduce your ecological footprint. From that, I’ll share the two things that I am focussed on doing:

Changing my diet. As much as people do not want to hear it, animal agriculture has an absolutely insane impact on our environment. From limiting the amount you consume meat and eating local to becoming a full-on vegan, it is the direction we need to head in (I’m also *attempting* to eat less food with palm oil in it (because this), but that stuff is in freaking everything).

Voting and participating in the democratic process. This summer Ontario elected a majority government that has worked to remove policy that was moving us in the right direction, from the cancelling of rebates on electric vehicles (for which Tesla sued, and won), to removing Ontario’s carbon tax. It is a big commitment to stay on top of political news, write in to policy makers, and make sure that your voice is heard, but for myself as a privileged Canadian, it’s an obligation I need to keep.

Let’s chat! I’d love to hear your thoughts with the IPCC report, interpretation and climate change, plant-based diets, and voting/environmental policy.

Here are some more sources that support what I’ve included in this post/helpful links!

Palm oil’s affect on biodiversity

Animal husbandry and GHGs

Environmental Impacts of Plant Based Diets

The Case for Plant Based 

Videos by Vox on climate change (can’t recommend these enough, an interesting form of interpretation)

[tkaur09envs3000]

Disclaimer

This blog was created for ENVS 3000 Tara Kaur, University of Guelph. 

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of the University of Guelph. 

The University of Guelph is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by this blog.

[jmenvs3000f23]

Science is like a bestie that fills you in on all the gossip; You don't neeeed the drama, but it sure is hard to stop once you've started 🌱🌳(U5)

With this week’s topic being nature interpretation through science, I couuuuuuld talk about the pros and cons and try to discuss this from an unbiased perspective, but that would be doing an extreme disservice to my passion which has made me the person I am today. (me 💏 science)

But! I will start off by saying it’s obvious we don’t need science to describe or navigate the wonders found throughout the natural world and any inconsideration or disapproval of traditional knowledge is arrogant and silly. For example, the first people to travel to islands like Samoa, Tonga, or Hawaii doing so with only the stars and patterns of the wind and sea. Many years later we now know that the ocean floors’ topography influences wave patterns, but one can assume with them living and breathing that ocean they knew that long before science did; feeling the ocean and eventually coming to know it, using their lived experiences in ways we likely can’t even fathom. While of course this is an extreme case, one didn’t need to take part in one of the most triumphant feats in human history to recognize the patterns in the nature around them and make them useful. Another example of this would be the many years spent by various indigenous people around the world, observing the diets of sick animals, taking part in it, healing, and discovering what science would now describe as “medicinal plants.”

Now here’s where I think a lot of science-in-natures importance comes from: in Canada, like in many developed countries, we aren't living as immersed in the natural world as people once did. We’re spending more time surrounded by 4 walls than green, and we’re distanced from the land and animals that were once the teachers shaping our knowledge. As a result, I think we’re missing out on a lot of the intricate details, the interconnectedness, and the hidden stories we would have been exposed to and would have understood. While human advancement is jolly good and swell and all that I will be honest with you…..I have wanted to live in the jungle or something of the sort since I was like 5. I think there is immense importance in growing up alongside the natural world (not necessarily the jungle, I just have a dream ok ) with many lessons to be learned through experience but when that’s not possible, science can be a close replacement.

Having a home for shelter and knowing grocery stores were a thing, before science I would’ve just appreciated a tree for its aesthetics, its fragrance, the shade it provides or the good-tasting fruit it bears but with science? I see it as a mother, nurturing animals in its branches, and countless more microogranisms in its roots. It’s a producer of oxygen and a vital carbon storer mitigating climate change. It heals the soil and holds it in place, and it can even make energy with just the suns light. Sure I’d see the squirrels and birds making nests in the trees throughout my life and make that shelter connection on my own, but the rest of those things would probably remain a mystery to me if someone didn’t make it a point of adding natural history to school education (and that is crazy!!!!!!!)

[jmenvs3000f23]

One day in the future.... 🐛⏳🦋 (U2)

Somewhere in my future I see myself presenting to a group of people interested in the animals my dream sanctuary homes. Even more ideal would be a facility within these animals’ natural habitat so that way, I could lead guided tours throughout forests or savannahs connecting the importance or simple interest of a critter visitors just saw, with their ecological places or purposes.  

While I don’t have a particular country in mind just yet, I see myself sharing natures beauty in a place I’m extremely familiar with- like the type of kooky lady who’s spent years in and around the forest, and can distinguish and has nicknames for all of the exactly-alike looking birds or monkeys or whatever may be inhabited there. Though of course, this plan requires years of exploration, patience, curiosity, and a decision on the type of climate I’m most interested in.  I’d hope that this way, I could inspire people to understand that friends are in nature everywhere, and that they too have a place in nature- giving them firsthand experiences in areas that should be protected in order for the animals and consequently themselves to thrive. I’m also a very tactile learner, being much better at remembering things and making connections both intellectually and emotionally when there’s some sort of physicality involved, which could easily be incorporated into hikes, safe and correct animal feeding, or even getting involved with citizen science projects such as tagging migrating species, tree-planting initiatives, or garbage cleanup if I could get other professionals or teachers involved.

Someone in particular I aspire to be like when interpreting or even just speaking about nature is Chris Earley, the Arboretums Interpretive Biologist here at UofG. Just last week he led a walk for an ornithology lab I'm taking this semester and his shear excitement when seeing and ID-ing birds was so effortlessly translated. You’d hear a symphony of bird songs, subsongs, calls, and notes and in a heartbeat, he’d tell you which one was made by what bird and then somehow know exactly where said birds were. I saw this same passion and identification ease with a few Malagasy master’s students I worked alongside this summer too; witnessing them find, point, and identify nocturnal lemur and chameleon species in the pitch-black forest I could barely see my own feet in. Beyond the years of practice I’ll need for this incredible level of plant/animal ID skill I picture myself having in these moments, I also hope to have that classic nature guide charisma I’m sure we’re all familiar with.