Tracing the roots of invasive species

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Wendy Ho, Nature Conservancy of Canada, guest contributor In the media world of conservation, there seems to be no shortage of news on invasive species – plants, animals and organisms that were introduced (accidentally or deliberately) to an area outside of their native range and where their natural predator is absent, and cause harm (environementally, […]

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After the fire: What forest recovery looks like in 2020

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Jenna Finley, Biology and Life Sciences editor The bushfires in Australia have dominated the news cycle since they started in September 2019. As of January 20th, 2020, over 10 million hectares have burned, killing an estimated one billion animals and about thirty people. Although it may seem bleak at the moment, we have to assume […]

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Don’t forget to brake for snakes

photo by Stephanie Winton, used by permission

Lené Gary, General Science editor The Okanagan Valley, a hot spot for many at-risk species, is located in the south-central Southern Interior region of British Columbia. It is home to 185 wineries, many golf courses and fruit orchards, and an incredibly diverse landscape that attracts tourists from around the world. The Southern Interior also happens […]

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The importance of wetlands

Photo by Ethan Meleg

Nicholas Armstrong, guest contributor – Nature Conservancy of Canada In the summer of 2019, I had the pleasure of working as a conservation technician for the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). While I was working out of the Norfolk office in southwestern Ontario, I spent a lot of time in restored fields and wetlands. I […]

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Are we what we eat? The link between gut microbiota, antibiotic use and health

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Overuse of antibiotics might be making us more vulnerable to disease Sunitha Chari, Biology and Life Sciences co-editor Our gastro-intestinal tract is home to about 100 trillion (1014)) micro-organisms – bacteria, viruses and fungi – that together are called the gut microbiota. If that seems like a mind boggling number consider this: the human body […]

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