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In Case You Missed It
 Greater emissions-reduction commitments needed to meet Paris targets
United in Science Report on Global Climate in 2015–2019
World Meteorological Organization and the Science Advisory Group of the UN Climate Action Summit 2019
Published September 22, 2019
This landmark synthesis report of the latest climate science identifies a growing gap between global warming targets and reality, with global temperatures since 2015 on track to be the hottest on record for any five-year period. To limit warming to 1.5°C by 2100, countries will need to commit to emissions reductions that are five times their current commitments. But it’s still not too late…. Read more here and here>
Canadian lead co-authors: Chris Derksen, Environment and Climate Change Canada - Chris.Derksen@canada.ca; Stephen Howell, Environment and Climate Change Canada - Stephen.Howell@canada.ca; Doug Worthy, Environment and Climate Change Canada - doug.worthy@canada.ca
Evidence of humans on B.C. coast 2,200 years earlier than previously thought
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany
Published August 2019
Sediments in an ancient buried pond on British Columbia’s Ellen Island, in the Haida Gwaii archipelago, reveals high concentrations of charcoal from man-made fires dating to 13,000 years ago – 2,200 years earlier than previous estimates of human occupation in the area. Read more>
Lead author: Rolf Mathewes, Simon Fraser University - mathewes@sfu.ca
Maple syrup season may start earlier as climate warms
Forest Ecology and Management
Published September 15, 2019
Daily temperatures are increasing affecting sap flow and sugar content in trees. According to this study, by 2100, the maple syrup season in eastern Canada and U.S. may be one month earlier than it was during 1950 to 2017. Read more>
Canadian co-author: Boris Dufour, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi - boris_dufour@uqac.ca
National guideline sets out best practices for injectable opioid treatment
CMAJ
Published September 23, 2019
A new guideline lays out the optimal strategies for providing treatment with prescription heroin and hydromorphone for people in severe opioid distress. The clinical guideline will support health care providers to deliver life-saving prescription treatments for opioid addiction, which may prevent overdoses. Read more>
Lead author: Nadia Fairbairn, University of British Columbia - nadia.fairbairn@bccsu.ubc.ca
Wilderness areas halve extinction risk
Nature
Published September 18, 2019
New biodiversity-modelling tools and a wilderness map developed in part at the University of Northern British Columbia enabled precise estimates of species-loss probability around the globe. The study shows how important wilderness areas are to protecting unique biological communities, often serving as the only remaining natural habitats for species that have suffered losses elsewhere. Among the vital at-risk wilderness areas identified are southern British Columbia’s forests. Read more>
Lead author: Moreno Di Marco, CSIRO Land and Water, Brisbane, Australia - moreno.dimarco@csiro.au
Increasing crop diversity enhances biodiversity
PNAS
Published August 13, 2019
Researchers from 30 laboratories in eight countries examined agricultural practices in eight regions of Canada and Europe, showing for the first time at large geographical scale that increasing the diversity of crops and reducing field sizes conserves and restores biodiversity is as important as maintaining semi-natural habitats on farms. Read more>
Canadian co-authors: Lenore Fahrig, Carleton University - Lenore.Fahrig@carleton.ca; Scott Mitchell, Carleton University - scott.mitchell@carleton.ca; Kathryn Lindsay, Carleton University - kathryn.lindsay@glel.carleton.ca
Geography, not genetics, drives pikas’ response to climate
Nature Climate Change
Published September 23, 2019
Analysis of an expansive compilation of data from museums, wildlife agencies, individual researchers, and scientific literature reveals that geography may play a more important role than genetics in predicting how the response of the American pika to climate differs across space and time. Read more>
Canadian co-authors: Mark Edwards, Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton - mark.edwards@gov.ab.ca; Michael Russello, University of British Columbia, Kelowna - michael.russello@ubc.ca; and more…
Fish DNA in lake sediment can help determine native species
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
Published July 2, 2019
A new technique determines whether certain fish populations are native to lakes. The technique uses environmental-DNA analysis of lake sediments to provide important historical information necessary for determining a lake’s conservation status. Read more>
Lead author: Hedin Nelson‐Chorney, University of Alberta - nelsonch@ualberta.ca
Social norms influence decision making and children’s social development
Nature Human Behaviour
Published September 23, 2019
Differences in helpful, social, friendly behaviour are linked to differences in a society's social norms, not to variations in children’s development. Researchers found that, at about age eight, children from multiple cultures begin sharing rewards and also respond more strongly to social norms. They share more when told that being generous is "right," and less when told being selfish is "right." Read more>
Canadian co-author: Tanya Broesch, Simon Fraser University - tmacgill@sfu.ca
Emphasizing social play in kindergarten improves academic outcomes and self-control
PLOS One
Published September 17, 2019
Emphasizing more play, hands-on learning, and students helping one another in kindergarten improves academic outcomes, self-control and attention regulation. Read more>
Lead author: Adele Diamond, University of British Columbia - adiamond@mail.ubc.ca
Researchers suggest new strategies for the fight against forest fires
PLOS One
Published September 16, 2019
An international research team has tracked 200 years of human influence on forest fires as forest harvesting became organized. The increased number of fires in the study region in Poland made it necessary to manage and maintain the forests differently. The researchers suggest new strategies to fight forest fires will be needed as climate changes. Read more>
Canadian co-author: Olivier Blarquez, Université de Montréal - olivier.blarquez@umontreal.ca
Do the costs of cancer drugs receive enough attention?
CANCER
Published September 23, 2019
A recent analysis found that information on health-related quality of life is often not collected for cancer drugs or used to calculate the balance of costs and benefits of these drugs when they are submitted for reimbursement. Both the effectiveness and the expense of a medication are important in determining its value and whether the cost will be reimbursed. Read more>
Corresponding authors: Pamela Gole, BC Cancer Society - Pamela.Gole@bccancer.bc.ca; Clement Woo, Simon Fraser University - fhscomm@sfu.ca
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Of Interest
Avoiding poll pitfalls
With the federal election underway, these backgrounders on how to interpret and report on polls may be useful:
Lane Anderson Award for best Canadian science book of 2018 shortlist announced
These three titles made the shortlist:
- 18 Miles, by Christopher Dewdney
- The Spinning Magnet, by Alanna Mitchell
- Conspiracy of Hope, by Renée Pellerin
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