Master of Science in Ecological Restoration Applied Research Projects | BCIT Institutional Repository

Master of Science in Ecological Restoration Applied Research Projects

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This is Canada’s first master’s program specializing in Ecological Restoration and is offered as a joint program between British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and Simon Fraser University (SFU). The MSc in Ecological Restoration combines the strong technical and applied (experiential) knowledge at BCIT with SFU’s fundamental (contextual) basic science and community engagement expertise.

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Abiotic and native vegetation species associations of an invasive tree species in the Central Kootenays BC
I studied an invasive tree species black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), in BC’s Lower Columba Valley (LCV). Black locust has invaded forests and open lands since its introduction to revegetate disturbed slopes in the 1940’s. I conducted research to help my partners Teck Metals Ltd. achieve three goals: (1) assess the ability of aerial imagery to support visual identification of black locust stands and recommend strategies for improving black locust identification, (2) identify abiotic conditions and native vegetation species associated with risks of black locust invasion, and (3) develop strategies to contain new black locust invasions in the LCV and remediate sites invaded by black locust. Aerial imagery successfully helped identify flowering black locust trees but did not help identify non-flowering trees and black locust shrubs and recruits. Black locust cover increased in association with increasing temperature, light availability, moisture availability, and soil disturbance, but black locust did not occur on sites with permanently saturated soils. Black locust was associated with early-seral deciduous tree species including black cottonwood and trembling aspen and the native conifer species western white pine and Douglas-fir. Black locust was not associated with later-seral coniferous species associated with either hot and dry conditions (including ponderosa pine) or cool conditions (including western hemlock). Black locust invasions may be able to be contained and restored by physically remediating disturbed sites, removing black locust on disturbed sites, and planting native tree and shrub species to stabilize soils and reduce black locust seedbank and rootstock establishment and maturation success by outcompeting black locust for light, space, and moisture. Native forests may be able to be re-established on sites invaded by mature black locust stands by protecting sites from further disturbances, restoring native tree species throughout the region to increase propagule availability and re-colonization success, and planting native tree and shrub species to replace maturing black locust stands with native mid- and later-seral forest species., black locust, forest ecology, invasive species, ecosystem succession, image validation, ecological restoration
Alaksen National Wildlife Area: Reservoir suitability for the introduction of the endangered Western Painted Turtle
Alaksen National Wildlife Area located in Delta, BC is home to freshwater species in the former tidal marsh. The current agricultural landscape has left a legacy of high concentrations of heavy metals, trace amounts of organochlorine pesticides, and excess nutrients within the sediments and water of the brackish Fuller and Ewen Reservoirs. Arsenic and phosphorous exceeded Canadian water quality guidelines, while arsenic, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, and phosphorus exceeded sediment quality guidelines. There were trace pesticides known to be endocrine disrupters detected in the water and sediment, and combined low level toxicity effects are a concern. A preliminary ecological risk assessment on the metals was completed and the results indicate that there is a possibility of adverse effects for benthic invertebrates, but negligible risk for endangered Western Painted Turtles. However, compounding all the ecosystem stressors along with rising sea levels leads ANWA not an ideal place to introduce this species., © Darian Weber, 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright heron may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means – graphics, electronic, or mechanical including photocopying, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems – without written permission of the author., Western Painted turtles, ecotoxicology, risk assessment, agricultural reservoir, heavy metal, endocrine disruptors
Assessing juvenile salmon use of restored habitat in the K’ómoks estuary
The mouth of the Courtenay River on the K’ómoks Estuary has been exposed to a range of anthropogenic stressors and influences over the past one hundred years. Since 1998 organizations such as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Comox Valley Project Watershed Society have conducted restoration projects in hopes of restoring juvenile salmon habitat throughout the K’ómoks Estuary. This study was an overview of the juvenile salmon use of restored salmon habitat in the K’ómoks Estuary. Sampling of juvenile salmon was conducted at three study sites by Comox Valley Project Watershed Society’s Sampling Team between April and July 2023. Measurements such as Water Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen Concentration, and Salinity were also sampled and recorded along with Percent Shade Cover at the study sites. These data will be used to assess the success of historic restoration projects, as well as provide baseline data for the upcoming Kus-kus-sum restoration project., juvenile salmon, Courtenay river, K’ómoks estuary, Kus-kus-sum, restoration success, Project Watershed
Assessing the allelopathic effect of invasive phragmites australis on sida hermaphrodita and ammannia robusta; two species at risk in Southern Ontario
In Ontario, invasive Phragmites australis threatens to displace many species including the endangered species Sida hermaphrodita and Ammannia robusta. Germination and growth assays measured the effect of P. australis aqueous extracts from the leaves, rhizomes, and roots on S. hermaphrodita and A. robusta. Germination was inhibited by some of the treatments, but growth was not. The tissues inhibited germination differently for S. hermaphrodita (leaf> rhizome> root) compared to A. robusta (root> rhizome> leaf) indicating that the allelopathic effect was species-specific. However, the laboratory results show that allelopathic effects are weak. This result is consistent to the field study results showing an increase in S. hermaphrodita area and density over time. Results from this project inform management options by indicating which part of the plant needs to be targeted. In this case, all the tissues had some phytotoxic effects, indicating that biomass may need to be removed or long-term management implemented., Invasive Species, Species at Risk, Seed Germination, Seedling Growth, Allelopathy
Assessing the effects of manual tree removal as a grassland restoration treatment in the Churn Creek protected area
High-elevation grasslands in the Churn Creek Protected Area of the British Columbia Interior are being lost to the expansion of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) forests. In 2015, trees were manually removed in four of six treatments of varying tree density, height and maturity. The two extreme vegetation treatments, open grassland and mature closed forest, did not undergo tree removal. Three plots were randomly assigned per treatment to assess grassland community recovery. Vegetation percent cover, stem density and height of new tree seedlings were recorded in fixed-radius plots pre- (2015) and post-treatment (2018 and 2023). In 2023, soil characteristics were also measured. There were declines in herbaceous cover in 2023, due to either observer differences or low total annual precipitation since 2021. Soils in the mature closed forest had lower soil water content, temperature and electrical conductivity. In 2023, stem density of Douglas-fir seedlings was greater than previous years, yet shorter in height., woody encroachment, grassland recovery, seedling recruitment, manual tree removal, cultural burning, soil dynamics
Assessing the potential impact of English ivy (Hedera helix) on the arthropod community of Stanley Park
English ivy (Hedera helix) is a vine species that had been introduced to North America in colonial times. Extensive monocultures of English ivy and the attachment to other plants have been shown to impact native flora of North America. Its impact on native fauna has been overlooked. I sampled arthropods in six native plant plots and six English ivy plots in Stanley Park, British Columbia. A weekly collection of arthropods through pitfall traps was conducted from May to August 2019. There was no significant difference in arthropod diversity and total abundance of groups between native and ivy plots. Non-metric multidimensional scaling was used to show distances between beetle community compositions. There was a large overlap of beetle compositions despite three families found exclusively in native plots. Implications for managing and restoring English ivy of the park were discussed., NMDS, Hedera helix, Invasive species, Arthropods, Ecological restoration, Beetles as indicators, © Tianbi Wu, 2020. All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright heron may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means – graphics, electronic, or mechanical including photocopying, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems – without written permission of the author.
Biological soil crusts for reclamation of mine tailings
Research was conducted examining biocrust development on reclaimed mine tailings and testing amendments to enhance biocrust establishment. Three reclaimed Canadian mine sites were samples for biocrusts: Endako mine (BC), Brenda mines (BC) and Gaspe mines (QC). Sampling showed Cladonia sp. lichen dominating the lichen samples. Microbial biomass was seen to be lower in older biocrusts, correlated to carbon content and, higher in microbial or moss dominated biocrusts. Carbon fraction was higher than mineral soils while nitrogen fraction was closer to organic soils. The biocrust samples also showed higher Al, P, K, S and Mg concentrations but lower Fe concentrations, than the sub-surface tailings sand. Experiments with amendments on the exposed tailings of Gibraltar mines (BC), showed an enhanced chlorophyll response to inoculation, fertilization and partial shading. Use of an organic media significantly enhanced moss productivity. This research project demonstrates the potential to use biocrusts for reclamation on mine tailings facilities., © Shantanu Dutt, 2020. All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright heron may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means – graphics, electronic, or mechanical including photocopying, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems – without written permission of the author.
The dynamics of wetland water loss in Churn Creek protected area
Twelve Churn Creek Protected Area wetlands were characterized to gain an understanding of the potential factors affecting their water loss. Monitoring consisted of pond area, depth, and temperature measurements at twelve wetlands, and additional comprehensive monitoring at five wetlands, encompassing (1) randomized quadrat emergent vegetation sampling with canopy climate monitoring and beneath-canopy water property monitoring; (2) permanent radial soil transect sampling through compaction, electrical conductivity, moisture, and temperature measurements. Findings revealed that the rate of water loss at each wetland is dependent on its specific biological, chemical, and physical characteristics. A wetland’s elevational position in the landscape, as well as its basin shape and size, and vegetative cover and density, all played a prominent role in determining the rate of water loss. These findings underscored the importance of prioritizing vegetated wetlands in future monitoring efforts and serve as a foundation for comprehensive studies in CCPA and British Columbia grassland ecosystems., closed-basin wetland, wetland hydrology, wetland water loss, pond evapotranspiration, semi-arid grasslands, wetland water balance
Eco-cultural restoration of wetlands at Tl’chés (Chatham Islands), British Columbia, Canada
My research project examined the restoration possibilities for two culturally important wetland ecosystems at Tl’chés (Chatham Islands, British Columbia, Canada). The first wetland is a sacred bathing pool and holds cultural significance, the second is a remnant silverweed and springbank clover (Potentilla anserine ssp. pacifica and Trifollium wormskjoldii) root garden. These wetlands are necessary ecosystems for the wildlife on Tl’chés as wetlands are rare, but also an integral part of Songhees’ cultural practices. My work was done at the invitation from elder Súlhlima (Joan Morris) who was one of the last resident of the islands and retains hereditary rights there, and Songhees Chief Ron Sam and band council. The goal of my project was to develop a restoration plan to restore the wetlands to pre-abandonment conditions, so cultural practices can continue, and to benefit the islands native plant and animal species. The project highlights the value of combining traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and traditional resource and environmental management (TREM) practices with ecological restoration., Eco-cultural restoration, wetland ecosystems, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), traditional resource and environmental management (TREM), estuarine root gardens, Songhees First Nation
Ecocultural restoration of a Coastal Root Garden on Tl’chés (Chatham Island), B.C.
Tl’chés is the Lekwungen name for the Chatham Islands — an archipelago located southeast of Victoria, British Columbia. Tl’chés is a central place in the traditional territory of the Lekwungen peoples, and today it is reserve land of the Songhees First Nation. This landscape was traditionally managed by prescribed burning and the cultivation of native plants. However, in the early 1950's, Lekwungen peoples left the archipelago, due to a lack of potable water and since then, the landscape has degraded drastically. The introduction of non-native plants has resulted in threats to the ecological, cultural resilience, and diversity of the landscape. My research focuses on developing a restoration plan for springbank clover in the coastal root garden. My restoration approach focuses on incorporating a Songhees-informed approach to restoration by integrating past practices and knowledge with the aim of answering: how to best restore the springbank clover population on Tl’chés?, Eco-cultural restoration, coastal root gardens, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), Songhees First Nation, cultural keystone place (CPK)
The effects of canopy closure on precipitation throughfall
Since the 1860s the watershed of Spanish Bank Creek has experienced many ecological disturbances due to extensive old-growth logging and urban development. Most notably, these disturbances have altered the vegetative composition and hydrology throughout the watershed. The historic old-growth forest has been replaced by species typical of earlier seral stages, as well as invasive species such as English ivy (Hedera helix). This disturbed vegetation mosaic is characterized by an arrested ecological trajectory that perpetuates degraded conditions. Urban development has eliminated over a third of the historic length of Spanish Bank Creek and storm drains were installed to direct residential drainage into the stream. The combination of a disturbed forest and degraded hydrology intensifies runoff and associated sediment transport, and decreases the hydraulic retention time of the watershed. This has led to a significant decline in abundance of chum, coho, and cutthroat salmonids in Spanish Bank Creek. Previous research has established how trees partition precipitation into throughfall, stemflow, and interception, however there are few studies examining the effects of canopy closure on throughfall within the context of ecological restoration. Thus, the objective of this paper is to determine if increasing canopy closure can be used as a restoration model to decrease throughfall, and consequently increase the hydraulic retention time of the watershed. Results indicated that greater canopy closure was associated with decreased precipitation throughfall. From these results I formulated a restoration goal and several treatments that would increase canopy closure, and also ameliorate the degraded vegetative composition and hydrology of the watershed. The restoration treatments prescribed in this paper constitute five years of physical enhancements from which self-sustaining biological processes will continue to restore ecosystem function and structure. Successful implementation of these restoration treatments will positively affect regional biota, as well as users of the Pacific Spirit Regional Park who come to recreate, learn, and connect.
The effects of tree thinning and broadcast burning on the quality of ungulate winter range: a case study within a Southern Interior Forest in British Columbia
Food limitation on ungulate winter range (UWR) has been a suspected factor in the regional declines of Odocoileus hemionus (mule deer) in the Pacific Northwest. Accordingly, enhancing browse resources in this critical habitat is increasingly recommended. At a dry forest site in Southeast B.C. called Fiva Creek (IDF dm1), I investigated the effects of two commonly prescribed methods for enhancing browse production: tree thinning and prescribed burning. Treatments were implemented between 2005–2008 and included three levels of thinning (all burned) and control areas (uncut and unburned). The response variables I measured included browse cover, canopy closure, security cover, visibility, and pellet abundance. I also evaluated browsing pressure on the indicator plant, Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia). Using linear mixed-effects ANOVA tests, I assessed how thinning (with follow-up burning) influenced forest and vegetation properties. There was no evidence of a treatment effect on browse production; however, browsing pressure was very high across the site (i.e., > 80% of A. alnifolia twigs showed evidence of browsing). Additionally, canopy cover was below recommended levels in all thinned treatments. My results suggested that restoration treatments actually diminished the quality of UWR at Fiva Creek. Further investigations are needed to develop effective UWR restoration methods., Mule deer, ungulate winter range, thinning, prescribed fire, restoration ecology
Environmental preferences of the Oregon Forestsnail
Snails play crucial roles in forest ecosystems, aiding in soil creation, seed dispersal, and fungal spore distribution. The Oregon Forestsnail, imperiled in Canada, exhibits habitat preferences, notably favoring Stinging Nettle-rich environments. This study investigated environmental factors influencing snail presence in Colony Farm Regional Park, British Columbia. This study preformed searches and studies of a number of plots to find the number of snails and the environmental factors in those plots. Results showed a strong correlation between snail abundance and Stinging Nettle coverage, suggesting its importance as habitat. Relative humidity significantly impacts snail activity, with higher humidity correlated with increased snail presence. Soil moisture may influence snail behavior, with the difference in soil moisture during a drought potentially showing impacts on the number of snails found. Thatch thickness, while showing a positive trend, lacked significance in determining snail presence. These findings seek to inform conservation efforts, highlighting the significance of preserving moist habitats with abundant Stinging Nettle for the survival and expansion of Oregon Forestsnail populations., Oregon Forestsnail, stinging nettle, humidity, thatch thickness
Evaluating stream degradation in Villa De Allende, Mexico
I examined the anthropogenic effects on the water quality of headwater streams in the western mountains of the state of Mexico. Rural development has negative effects on the ecology of local streams by diverting and pumping surface and groundwater, removing riparian forests for the construction of buildings, roads, and agricultural fields, and dumping refuse in stream channels. Local development, construction, roads, and agriculture also are sources of pollution that enter the streams during rain events. These negative ecological effects are common to many streams in the watershed of the Chilesdo dam. The combined effects of human development negatively affect the quality of surface water and groundwater aquifers. The issue of anthropogenic effects on the water quality of headwater streams is relevant ecologically because of likely effects on flora and fauna that depend on these streams and because of the role of headwater streams in the context of the larger watershed. Effects on upstream areas directly affect people, animals, and plants downstream. This issue is relevant economically because rural communities depend on the availability of water of suitable quality for agriculture and livestock. In addition, local water quality directly affects the cost of water purification downstream at dams that feed the Cutzamala system, a major source of Mexico City’s drinking water. This issue is relevant socially because the local community depends on this water for domestic consumption. Compromising water quality and abundance could destabilize the lives of local people because poor water quality and water contamination are a public health concern. Additionally, climate change is likely to make this resource scarcer. Projections for all major scenarios used by the International Panel on Climate Change indicate elevated year-round temperatures and decreased overall precipitation in the region (IPCC 2013). I addressed concerns over water quality by testing differences among streams with anthropogenic alterations and a stream that had few anthropogenic alterations. I sampled benthic macro-invertebrate communities as indicators of water quality within the streams. Benthic invertebrates are a useful bio-indicator for water quality and environmental disturbances in river systems because different taxonomic groups of invertebrates have different tolerances to water pollution. I measured the abundance and taxonomic richness of invertebrates that exhibit different sensitivities to water quality. My results revealed that taxonomic richness was lower in streams that had anthropogenic alterations. My results also revealed that the abundance of “sensitive” and “somewhat sensitive species” were lower and that the abundance of “pollution-tolerant species” was higher in streams with anthropogenic alterations. The stream with few anthropogenic alterations had the highest taxonomic richness and largest number of sensitive and somewhat sensitive species. These results indicate that human activities are having negative effects on water quality. Given my results, I suggest that restoration of degraded streams should reduce water diversion, riparian encroachment, and refuse disposal. I propose solutions to guide these restoration efforts. My data suggests that a coordinated local and regional effort is required to reduce the negative effects of human development and to restore local streams to an ecological condition that will sustain water quality and quantity to enable local communities and the local environment to thrive.
Evaluating whale and vessel detection methods in and around the Saturna Island Interim Sanctuary Zone (ISZ)
This research compares whale and marine vessel detection methods through performance metrics adapted from machine-learning models. Monitoring whale habitat use and vessel infractions in exclusion zones can inform adaptive management for whale recovery efforts. Land-based cetacean observation (LBCO) surveys and dedicated vessel surveys (DVS) were conducted during the summer of 2023 and are considered the gold standard methods for this study. Data collected for comparison from alternative detection methods include a citizen science network, thermal imaging, acoustic, radar, and automatic identification systems (AIS). The citizen science network was the most reliable method for whale detection of all species observed. Vessel detection methods demonstrated similar overall detection reliability, as radar consistently had higher recall values while AIS consistently had higher precision values. Differing scenarios where human observation is unlikely to be the gold standard are discussed and are recommended as a topic for continued research., killer whales, humpback whales, marine vessels, detection methods, performance metrics, Salish Sea
Field trials on a Living Dike in British Columbia
Flooding poses a significant challenge for coastal cities worldwide, and recent interest has focused on implementing nature-based infrastructure projects for coastal flood risk management. However, a lack of monitoring data and technical guidance hampers their adoption. This study addresses this gap by providing wave transmission coefficients (Kt) for four edge treatment features at the Living Dike pilot project in Boundary Bay, British Columbia. Near-shore wave data from RBR pressure sensors deployed in cross-shore transects at the project site are supplemented by biweekly field observations assessing treatment stability and weathering. The four edge treatment features provided statistically significant reductions in wave height, with the brushwood dam exhibiting the lowest wave transmission coefficients at values of relative freeboard to significant wave height below -2 (0.25 < Kt < 0.75). These findings offer valuable insights into the use of nature-based infrastructure projects for coastal flood risk management strategies., Living Dike, coastal flooding, wave attenuation, tidal marsh, nature-based solutions, ecological restoration

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