Articles tagged with: Kevin Turner

Data shows eclipse’s weather impact

Thursday, April 18, 2024 | By Samantha Morris

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024 | by Amanda Bishop and Samantha Morris | Reposted from The Brock News

Brock University Associate Professor Kevin Turner and Microcomputer Support Analyst/Technician Dimitre Iankoulov from the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies collected temperature, humidity, wind speed and shortwave radiation data using a scientific weather station during the April 8 eclipse. Turner compared the data with other local stations and confirmed that the temperature dropped by about three degrees Celsius and the wind speed climbed several kilometres per hour as the eclipse went into totality. Turner says that although the numbers do not seem dramatic, the fast pace at which it happens is captivating and triggers our human response. “The experience and observations are reminders of stellar processes and interactions that are much bigger than us or anything we can control,” he says.

Tags: Climate, community, Dimitre Iankoulov, event, geography, GIS, Kevin Turner, research, Samantha Morris, Solar eclipse
Categories: News
Brock’s community eclipse event set to educate and engage

Friday, April 05, 2024 | By Samantha Morris

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 03, 2024 | by Jocelyn Titone | Reposted from The Brock News

Second-year Concurrent Teacher Education students Justus McRae and Sophie Della Manna hold a Sun Spotter and a pinhole camera, which are devices that can be used to safely view the solar eclipse. Brock’s Eclipse on the Escarpment event on Monday, April 8 will feature several educational exhibits, including a live demonstration on how to make a pinhole camera.

As Niagara prepares to witness the rare total solar eclipse, Brock University is welcoming the community to campus Monday, April 8 for a learning experience like no other.

Eclipse on the Escarpment will feature more than a dozen free educational exhibits that will engage adults and children alike in science, history and culture through interactive experiments, hands-on projects, informative posters and interesting simulations, followed by a community viewing of the total solar eclipse.

Among the experiences, which begin at noon in Ian Beddis Gymnasium, will be a live experiment that will see Biology researchers use an infrared thermal imaging camera to monitor the reaction of Oxalis plants during the darkness of the total solar eclipse.

“Oxalis are known to display rapid plant movement by retracting their leaves towards the shoot when kept in darkness. This phenomenon seems to be mediated by a protein called phototropin,” says Alonso Zavafer, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences and Engineering. “Phototropin acts as a light switch by detecting blue light and controlling the internal water level of the leaves. During the day, there is blue light and the leaves open, while at night when only far-red and near infrared light is present, the leaves close.”

Zavafer says the reaction is believed to be an evolutionary response to promote photosynthetic growth during the day and prevent dehydration of the leaves at night. He expects the plants will close their leaves during the total solar eclipse when the sun is blocked by the moon.

Kevin Turner (left), Associate Professor of Earth Sciences and Geography and Tourism Studies, and Dimitre Iankoulov, Micro Support Analyst/Technician with the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies, have been testing the scientific weather station they will use to measure and record shortwave radiation, temperature, humidity and wind speed and direction during the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8.

“Plants can move and sense the day and night cycles,” he says. “Our experiment will show plants can be fooled by the eclipse into thinking they are experiencing a night cycle.”

Other exhibits will explore animal behaviour during an eclipse, the role of the 1919 eclipse in confirming the theory of general relativity, the 17th-century poem titled “The Eclipse,” ancient tools used to calculate and display celestial information. the history of the moon, and a NASA initiative involving a computer simulation of a lunar rover that follows the physics of the moon.

A chemistry-focused exhibit will highlight the celestial origins of the elements in the periodic table with physical examples participants can touch, while an exhibit led by Earth Sciences faculty and students will feature a display of meteorite and rock samples, a moon photo selfie station and a hands-on demonstration on creating an impact crater.

Physics students will demonstrate how to create a pinhole camera, which can be used to safely view the eclipse as a projection on paper. Visitors can bring a cereal box or similarly sized cardboard container to make their own.

Guests from Niagara College solar spectroscopy, Niagara Geopark, SETI Institute and Space Place Canada will also be on site, many using specialized equipment to view, monitor or livestream the eclipse.

Among the scientific observations expected to take place on campus will be the use of a digital smart telescope to observe physical, meteorological and biological phenomena, while also livestreaming the eclipse to the Brock University YouTube channel with the assistance of BrockTV.

Brock’s Department of Geography and Tourism Studies will be using a scientific weather station during the eclipse to measure and record changes in temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, as well as shortwave radiation, which is the sun’s energy reaching the Earth each second.

The community viewing will take place on Alumni Field from 2 to 4:30 p.m., with the eclipse reaching maximum totality at 3:19 p.m.

Solar eclipses can be safely viewed with the use of ISO-certified eclipse glasses. Looking directly at the sun with the naked eye can cause permanent eye damage. Complimentary viewing glasses will be available on Monday, April 8 in Ian Beddis Gymnasium from noon to 3 p.m. or at several locations across campus beginning at 11 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, while quantities last.

People coming to campus for the event are reminded that paid parking is available through the Honk mobile app. Parking may also be paid in person at a kiosk inside the Walker Sports Complex near the Hungry Badger from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visitors travelling to campus are encouraged to arrive early to avoid traffic delays and to consider taking public transportation.

Those looking to enhance their eclipse experience are invited to attend one of two free public lectures this week about the celestial spectacle and the significance of lunar and solar cycles.

Brock representatives will also be out in the community this weekend. Physics students and professors will be at the Niagara Parks Power Station from Friday, April 5 to Sunday, April 7 showcasing eclipse-viewing tools such as a telescope and Sun Spotter, and leading children in a sun colour-changing activity.

Brock’s Let’s Talk Science team will be leading eclipse-related hands-on activities Monday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Vale Health and Wellness Centre in Port Colborne as part of the City of Port Colborne’s eclipse programming. Activities include creating a pinhole camera and eclipse art.

For more information about Eclipse on the Escarpment, please visit brocku.ca/eclipse

Story reposted from The Brock News

Tags: BSc, Dimitre Iankoulov, eclipse, event, geography, Kevin Turner, meterology, monitoring, Physical Geography, Solar eclipse, weather, weather station
Categories: News
Geomatics minor helps students tackle environmental problems using tech

Tuesday, November 14, 2023 | By Samantha Morris

By Amanda Bishop | From The Brock News

Associate Professor Kevin Turner in the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies (front left) demonstrated the use of several digital tools, including this differential global positioning system (DGPS), held by student Dallas MacArthur (front right), for his third-year Geographic Information Systems class on campus earlier this fall.

With increasing demand for data-driven decision-making, including identifying the impacts of climate and environmental change, effective use of monitoring technologies such as remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) is a valuable skillset.

As Geography Awareness Week continues, and Brock joins institutions from around the world in marking GIS Days, Professor Michael Pisaric hopes that students will explore the many opportunities to engage with GIS at Brock, from the resources in the Map, Data and GIS Library to the Geomatics minor offered in the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies.

Pisaric says that demand for expertise in geomatics has increased in part due to technological advances, such as incorporating artificial intelligence to support analysis and modelling.

He believes that the Geomatics minor offered by the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies supports students who want to “deploy their knowledge and skills in using geospatial technologies to address urgent problems related to climate and environmental change.”

“The United Nations estimates that 1.2 billion jobs globally depend on a stable and healthy environment in sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, forestry and tourism,” says Pisaric. “Geomatics plays a key role in each of these sectors by providing a toolset to gather, process and analyze vast amounts of spatial data to model and predict how ecosystems will respond to pressing environmental issues.”

Associate Professor of Earth Sciences Kevin Turner says that tracking spatial patterns using geomatics helps support decision-makers both locally and globally, whether the data collected pertains to environmental phenomena like deglaciation and sea level rise or to human systems like transportation networks.

He notes that students in Brock’s geomatics courses have an opportunity to apply their learning to issues and regions that matter most to them.

“Students can learn to utilize leading-edge software and geospatial data acquisition tools, including differential GPS, LiDAR and drones, to support their own research interests,” says Turner. “Students with this kind of training are highly sought after for employment in public and private sectors as well as academic institutions.”

Anyone interested in learning more about the Geomatics minor can learn more on the web and contact the department for more details.

Story reposted from The Brock News.

Tags: geography, Geomatics, GIS, Kevin Turner, Minor, Minor in Geomatics
Categories: News
Opportunities for study, work in growing field of geomatics

Thursday, January 12, 2023 | By Samantha Morris

From The Brock News | THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2023 | by Amanda Bishop

Brock students have various opportunities to study in the growing field of geomatics, and next week they also have a chance to hear about employment potential from the Canadian Hydrographic Services, which produces maps of Canada’s waterways.

The demand for skilled employees in geospatial technologies is growing — and so is Brock’s reputation for preparing students for employment in the field.

With many students at the University training in geomatics, the outside world — including the Canadian Hydrographic Services (CHS) — is taking notice.

Part of the Government of Canada, the CHS is responsible for ensuring the safe navigation of Canada’s waterways by surveying and making mapping products for use by commercial navigators and recreational boaters.

Representatives from the organization will visit campus next week to speak with Geomatics students about potential employment opportunities.

Haley Lang was recently attracted to Brock’s minor in Geomatics because of her interest in the relationship between environmental restoration and geomatics.

Geomatics involves geospatial technologies and the collection and study of data about the surface of Earth and other planets. The science and technology studied in geomatics relates to cartography, remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS) and has a wide range of applications in the real world, according to Associate Professor Kevin Turner in the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies.

“Innovative use of geospatial data enhances our ability to make more informed decisions across many fields, including natural resource management, ecology and conservation, Earth and atmospheric science, hazard and emergency response, urban planning, transportation, business and policy development,” he says. “Geomatics is useful for students across many departments and programs who are interested in incorporating spatial context and practical analytical tools into their skill sets.”

Turner says graduates equipped with skills in geomatics are sought after by employers in government and private sectors and within academic research programs.

“This is demonstrated by the effort the CHS is placing into their recruitment campaign, which we look forward to learning more about next week,” he says.

Brock students in any program can minor in Geomatics through the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies or integrate courses in geomatics with their major to develop skills for future employment.

Geography and Tourism Studies major Haley Lang says she is declaring a minor in Geomatics because she has long been taken by the old adage about a tree falling in the woods and making a sound — in other words, how the world changes whether or not it is being observed.

“We can really only see what is happening in front of us, but with geomatics, we can understand landforms, surfaces and the Earth as a whole on a greater scale,” she says. “I am fascinated with how the broad discipline of geomatics helps to bridge gaps within research and provide a greater understanding of the world we’re in.”

All students are welcome to attend the CHS information session, which takes place Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 9 a.m. in MCC-405 of the Mackenzie Chown Complex, but they are asked to RSVP via ExperienceBU in advance.

REPOSTED FROM THE BROCK NEWS

Tags: Canadian Hydrographic Service, event, geography, Geomatics, GIS, Haley Lang, Hiring Event, Kevin Turner, Minor, Minor in Geomatics, student
Categories: News
Students to explore space, climate change in new science communication program

Tuesday, July 26, 2022 | By Samantha Morris

TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2022 | by Justin Steepe | REPOSTED FROM THE BROCK NEWS

Brock University is launching a new Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Earth and Planetary Science Communication.

A new Brock University program will see students combine their interest in topics such as space exploration, earthquakes, floods and climate change with a passion for storytelling and global communication.

Welcoming its first cohort in fall 2023, Brock’s Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Earth and Planetary Science Communication is a cross-disciplinary program forged through a partnership with the Departments of Earth Sciences; Geography and Tourism Studies; and Communication, Popular Culture and Film.

“Students are welcome from diverse backgrounds, voices and academic pursuits, making it ideal for those with interests in science, arts or both,” said Frank Fueten, Chair of Earth Sciences. “It will appeal to those who value Greta Thunberg’s activism just as much as those who enjoy the science broadcasting of David Suzuki.”

The program’s graduates will understand the science behind important modern issues, such as Earth’s resource distribution and the exploration of other planets.

“Students will have the skills to participate effectively and successfully in discussions and debates surrounding science in a variety of fields and industries,” Fueten said.

The program is the only one in Canada that combines knowledge of Earth Sciences with communication skills in a single four-year undergraduate degree.

“On the communication side, students will learn cutting-edge theory and practical skills to help understand the needs and concerns of the public, gather science data and employ social media effectively,” said Duncan Koerber, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film.

The program presents innovative courses such as Citizen Science, where students crowdsource the public to create new knowledge and data sets.

“Citizen Science will empower citizens and communities to tackle environmental and social injustices and has the potential to inform innovation as well as policy changes in Niagara and beyond,” said Ebru Ustundag, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies. “Data empowerment of citizens via participatory practices will honour and preserve local traditions and knowledge and provide mitigation strategies for future residents and policy-makers.”

Upper-year projects may adopt novel approaches to communicating science to the masses. While one student may promote volcanology through TikTok, another may craft a miniseries on microplastics.

“The variety and customizability of project options will appeal to students who enjoy blazing a new trail,” Fueten said.

The program will enable graduates to pursue careers in communication roles for government agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities and private companies, as well as in journalism.

“We see our graduates landing roles in well-known organizations like the Discovery Network and the World Wildlife Fund,” said Kevin Turner, Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Tourism. “There is also great opportunity to join firms in the resource industry and other companies in environmental fields or geologically sensitive areas.”

More information is available on the program website or by contacting earth@brocku.ca

Tags: BASc, Citizen Science, Earth and Planetary Science Communication, Ebru Ustundag, geography, Kevin Turner, new program, Program news, Science
Categories: News
Brock geographer makes global connections during Fulbright Canada residency

Friday, July 15, 2022 | By Samantha Morris

FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2022 | by Amanda Bishop | REPOSTED FROM THE BROCK NEWS

Associate Professor Kevin Turner (right) stands outside a helicopter with Earth Sciences undergraduate student Marley Tessier (centre) and master’s student Michelle Pearce (left) during a fieldwork excursion to collect data samples in the northern Yukon earlier this summer.

Almost two years after his Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Arctic Studies at the University of Washington was first announced, Kevin Turner is winding down his duties.

The award normally involves a six-month residency, but the global pandemic prevented the Associate Professor in Brock University’s Departments of Geography and Tourism Studies and Earth Sciences from travelling to Seattle as expected.

Instead, he virtually taught a fourth-year course in Arctic Landscape Change and Detection, conducted workshops for teachers and engaged in events hosted by the World Affairs Council, including a fireside chat with Chief Tizya-Tramm of the Vuntut Gwitchin Government through winter 2021.

Earlier this spring, he was finally able to load his truck with his bikes and some field equipment and head west for his required in-person residency at the University of Washington.

In spite of a hectic three-month schedule, Turner says the trip has created opportunities to meet up and collaborate with colleagues, sometimes in unexpected ways.

In May, he travelled to Fairbanks, Alaska, for a meeting of NASA’s Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) Science Team. As a research affiliate of that program, he advises on airborne data acquisition and suggests key flyover locations from his main research site in Old Crow.

“Being an affiliate of NASA ABoVE, I can help guide where they fly in northern Yukon and then utilize the data they collect within my research program, as can many others,” says Turner. “We also learn the latest on some of the cool things that colleagues are doing with the data to assess landscape conditions across the north, as well as share our own findings.”

He attended a meeting of the International Circumpolar Remote Sensing Symposium in Fairbanks, which attracted top scholars from around the world, and was also involved in fieldwork being done by colleagues from University of Alaska, Fairbanks and the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab.

“I was able to use some equipment I brought with me because I didn’t want it sitting in the truck at the airport while I travelled,” Turner says. “When I took it out for a little bit of show and tell, they invited me to visit one of their research sites to try it out.”

Upon his return to Seattle, the University of Washington hosted Turner, Tram Nguyen, the 2021-22 Fulbright Canada Chair in Arctic Studies, and others for a roundtable discussion in late May on “Holistic Approaches to Health and Wellbeing in Arctic Communities and Beyond.”

In June, Turner flew north again for fieldwork in Old Crow, Yukon. The strict parameters of his VISA required him to travel on specific dates — which can be hard to commit to when research excursions are delayed by Arctic weather.

Turner counted on Brock Earth Sciences graduate student Michelle Pearce (BSc ’20) and undergraduate student Marley Tessier to help him meet the logistical challenges of the research trip and collaborated with colleagues from Polar Knowledge Canada and Parks Canada, along with local Indigenous community members, including photographer and drone pilot, Caleb Charlie, to collect data. Turner also credits helicopter pilot Ruth Hardy with being able to work wonders in small time frames.

In addition to gathering water samples and aerial survey photography, Turner also used a LiDAR sensor — “a Ghostbuster-looking sensor that shoots out 300,000 pulses of light per second” — to collect data for fine-grained 3D imaging of the landscape.

His use of the LiDAR device was of particular interest to a documentary film crew from France and Germany working on a four-part series on climate change, who accompanied the researchers and interviewed Turner in the midst of the data collection.

Turner has now returned to Seattle for the rest of July to crunch some data and collaborate with colleagues at the University of Washington.

Though it hasn’t been without its challenges, he says that he has enjoyed the “shake-up” of the Seattle residency and the Fulbright Chair overall. And he looks forward to soon welcoming his family for a quick holiday in a nearby mountain cabin.

“If I didn’t have the support of my family, this would be impossible,” he says. “My wife, Jen, is amazing, and my two boys have really stepped up to fill in the gaps of getting things done around the house in my absence. Their ability to carry on with me somewhere else for an extended period has made this smooth, but I really miss them.”

Tags: alumni, fieldwork, geography, Geomatics, GIS, Kevin Turner, Marley Tessier, Michelle Pearce, Physical Geography, research, student, Student Research, Yukon
Categories: News
Indigenous Research Grant projects to explore critical issues

Tuesday, June 21, 2022 | By Samantha Morris
TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2022 | by Cathy Majtenyi | REPOSTED FROM THE BROCK NEWS
Brock University’s main campus.
Affordable housing, impacts of climate change, decolonizing experiential education and boosting health-care delivery will be the focus of projects supported by this year’s Brock University Indigenous Research Grants.

The Office of the Vice-President, Research and the Office of the Acting Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement have announced the 2022 recipients of the grants, which support research or creative activities in any discipline and on any topic that relates to Indigenous Peoples.

“What is exciting about these research projects is, not only do they engage with Indigenous Peoples in a meaningful way, but they’re also directed at improving the lives of Indigenous people,” says Acting Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement Robyn Bourgeois.

The recipients are:

Maureen Connolly, Professor of Kinesiology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, “Decolonizing experiential learning on the Brock University campus: A case study”

Liam Midzain-Gobin, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, “Indigenous Affordable Housing in Niagara”

Constance Schumacher, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, “Defining a Good Life: Community Partnerships and interRAI Data”

Kevin Turner, Associate Professor of Geography and Tourism Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, “The sky is the limit for community monitoring of climate change impacts in Old Crow, Yukon”

The areas of study are dealing with critical issues, says Bourgeois. Accessing affordable housing, documenting the impacts of climate change, decolonizing experiential education and boosting the delivery of health care are areas of concern expressed by various communities, she says.

“What an honour to be able to support these research projects,” says Bourgeois.

By facilitating Indigenous-centred research, the Indigenous Research Grants program is a tangible way Brock University is advancing principles articulated in the Brock Institutional Strategic Plan, says Vice-President, Research Tim Kenyon.

“These projects will contribute knowledge, understanding and partnerships that advance scholarship and have meaningful impact, in keeping with values of reconciliation and decolonization,” he says.

Launched last year, the Indigenous Research Grants program aims to achieve several goals:

Supporting Indigenous researchers and Indigenous-focused research at Brock University.

Enabling researchers to hire students at any level to participate in their project (with preference toward students who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and/or another Indigenous group.

Supporting and advancing interest and expertise in Indigenous research areas.

The grant of up to $7,500 aims to help researchers develop their research programs and creative activities so they can apply to external granting agencies such as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for funding, among others.

Research and creative activities led by, or in partnership with, First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples are given priority, although research proposals involving Indigenous Peoples located around the world are also welcome.

Four faculty also received Indigenous Research Grants last year, with the projects in various stages of research:

Stanley Henry, Assistant Professor of Educational Studies, Faculty of Education, “Decolonization and Brock University: A Qualitative Analysis of First Nations Caring Society ‘Spirit Bear’ Program”

Sheila O’Keefe-McCarthy, Associate Professor of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, “Early Warning Signs of Heart Disease: An Indigenous Research Creation”

Liette Vasseur, Professor of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, “Indigenous Flora Along the Laura Secord Legacy Trail”

Teena Willoughby, Professor of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, “Authentic and Equitable Youth Engagement”

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis. Brock faculty wishing to apply should visit the Indigenous Research Grant page of the Research Services site (login required). For more information, contact Karen Espiritu, Acting Manager, Sponsored Research and Internal Programs.
Tags: awards, climate change, First Nations, Indigenous Research Grant, Kevin Turner, research
Categories: News
New research finds evidence of climate-driven changes to northern lakes

Tuesday, December 07, 2021 | By Samantha Morris

FROM THE BROCK NEWS | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2021 | by Amanda Bishop

Old Crow Flats, Yukon is showing signs of increased rainfall, according to new research from Kevin Turner in Brock’s Department of Geography and Tourism Studies. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Turner)

Across the Old Crow Flats in the northern Yukon, lakes are telling a story of climate-driven change.

The traditional territory of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN), the Old Crow Flats is recognized as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance thanks to its more than 8,000 thermokarst lakes (up to 15 square kilometres) and ponds. Thermokarst lakes are formed by thawed permafrost and can be prone to drainage if they expand into low-lying areas.

Kevin Turner, an Associate Professor in Brock’s Department of Geography and Tourism Studies and Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Arctic Studies at the University of Washington, has studied the area since 2007, and he says that warmer temperatures, longer summers and more rain are “priming this important landscape for continued climate-driven landscape change.”

In a new paper with Lauren A. MacDonald, who was a post-doctoral research fellow at Brock in fall 2020, as well as researchers from Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Waterloo and Parks Canada, Turner and his team share an analysis of water samples suggesting significant trends toward increased rainfall in the area, which could affect drainage in the shallow lakes and cause changes to soil stability along shorelines.

The research, conducted under the direction of the Vuntut Gwitchin Government and the North Yukon Renewable Resources Council, saw sampling take place from 14 lakes in the Old Crow Flats two to three times per year from 2007 to 2019.

Kevin Turner collects water samples for analysis from a thermokarst lake in Old Crow Flats. (Photo courtesy of Luke Gray)

The samples produced a 13-year record that the research team has analyzed using water isotope tracers to distinguish between input sources, such as rainfall and snow melt, and also to track water losses due to evaporation.

“There is more than meets the eye with these results, as they represent a status indicator of the increasing vulnerability of this area to drastic change,” says Turner. “For example, permafrost, which holds the landscape intact, degrades more during warmer and wetter conditions, which can lead to more shoreline slumping and rapid drainage of lakes into the river network.”

These changes to the landscape can disrupt ecosystems, affecting plants and wildlife and interfering with traditional ways of life — a trend already recognized by the VGFN.

“Findings complement the traditional knowledge of the VGFN, who have observed changes in climate and landscape characteristics during recent decades and have recently declared a climate emergency,” says Turner.

“Isotopic evidence of increasing water abundance and lake hydrological change in Old Crow Flats, Yukon, Canada” was published in Environmental Research Letters in late November. Turner says that its findings demonstrate why collaboration and co-operation in research is so important.

“This research showcases the value of innovative and collaborative long-term monitoring programs in these important and remote areas of the North where the impacts of climate change are heightened,” he says.

STORY REPOSTED FROM THE BROCK NEWS

Tags: climate change, environment, Kevin Turner, Lauren A. MacDonald, northern Canada, postdoc, postdoctoral research fellow, research
Categories: News
New paper by Kevin Turner “Isotopic evidence of increasing water abundance and lake hydrological change in Old Crow Flats, Yukon, Canada”

Monday, November 22, 2021 | By Samantha Morris

A new paper titled, “Isotopic evidence of increasing water abundance and lake hydrological change in Old Crow Flats, Yukon, Canada” co-authored by GeoTour Associate Professor, Dr. Kevin Turner, was recently published in Environmental Research Letters.

Abstract:
Lake-rich northern permafrost landscapes are sensitive to changing climate conditions, but ability to track real-time and potentially multiple hydrological responses (e.g. lake expansion, drawdown, drainage) is challenging due to absence of long-term, sustainable monitoring programs in these remote locations. Old Crow Flats (OCF), Yukon, is a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance where concerns about low water levels and their consequences for wildlife habitat and traditional ways of life prompted multidisciplinary studies during the International Polar Year (2007–2008) and led to the establishment of an aquatic ecosystem monitoring program. Here, we report water isotope data from 14 representative thermokarst lakes in OCF, the foundation of the monitoring program, and time-series of derived metrics including the isotope composition of input waters and evaporation-to-inflow ratios for a 13 year period (2007–2019). Although the lakes spanned multiple hydrological categories (i.e. rainfall-, snowmelt- and evaporation-dominated) based on initial surveys, well-defined trends from application of generalized additive models and meteorological records reveal that lakes have become increasingly influenced by rainfall, and potentially waters from thawing permafrost. These sources of input have led to more positive lake water balances. Given the documented role of rainfall in causing thermokarst lake drainage events in OCF and elsewhere, we anticipate increased vulnerability of lateral water export from OCF. This study demonstrates the value of long-term isotope-based monitoring programs for identifying hydrological consequences of climate change in lake-rich permafrost landscapes.

Reference:
MacDonald, L.A., Turner, K.W., McDonald, I., Kay, M.L., Hall, R.I., and Wolfe, B.B. (2021). Isotopic evidence of increasing water abundance and lake hydrological change in Old Crow Flats, Yukon, Canada. Environmental Research Letters, 16(12): online.

Tags: climate change, geography, Kevin Turner, northern Canada, research, Yukon
Categories: News
Brock prof to talk climate change with Chief of Vuntut Gwitchin Government

Thursday, February 04, 2021 | By Samantha Morris

FROM THE BROCK NEWS | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 04, 2021 | by Cathy Majtenyi

Kevin Turner, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies. (Photo courtesy of Daniel Hughes)

Residents of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in Old Crow, Yukon are living on the frontline of climate change, witnessing dramatic landscape changes in the Arctic due to rising temperatures.

Under the leadership of Dana Tizya-Tramm, Chief of the Vuntut Gwitchin Government, Yukon was the first Indigenous community to draft a climate change emergency declaration, Yeendoo Diinehdoo Ji’heezrit Nits’oo Ts’o’ Nan He’aa (or After Our Time, How Will the World Be?) in 2019.

Brock University Associate Professor in Geography and Tourism Studies Kevin Turner is very familiar with the dramatic response of the landscape to climate change on the traditional territory of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.

Researching the area of Old Crow, Yukon, for over a decade, he continues to monitor landscape changes including landslides, vegetation change, lake drainage and fire. His research integrates chemical analyses of water and sediment to evaluate impacts of changing landscape features on lakes and rivers.

Turner, who is Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Arctic Studies at the University of Washington, will be sitting down with Chief Tizya-Tramm for a “fireside chat” hosted by the World Affairs Council at a virtual public lecture Tuesday, Feb. 9 from 7 to 8 p.m.

Turner and Tizya-Tramm will discuss emerging issues and priorities identified by the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in the face of global challenges.

Diverse topics will include efforts to conserve the Porcupine Caribou Herd, adjustments during a pandemic, and pathways for unifying traditional insight of changing climate and landscapes with ongoing science-based monitoring approaches.

“I’m looking forward to it, and in particular discussions of bringing together science-based research and traditional knowledge for the benefits of those most influenced by climate change,” says Turner.

For more information and to register, click here.

FROM THE BROCK NEWS

Tags: event, First Nations, geography, Kevin Turner, northern Canada, Physical Geography
Categories: News