RESEARCH IN ACTION:
CONSERVING BIODIVERSITY: Canada is the second largest country, with over 15 million square kilometres of land and water. It has around 24% of the world’s wetlands, 20% of its freshwater and 8% of its forests. Canadians reside in diverse natural landscapes, ranging from coastal regions to Arctic tundra, prairie grasslands to mountainous terrain, and even deserts. Given the richness and variety of these natural treasures, conserving biodiversity, and halting and reversing biodiversity loss, is a key priority of the Government of Canada. Genomics has an important role to play in the protection of our living species and ecosystems.
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: An example of such work is the caribou genomics project. It focuses on caribou, an iconic species in Canada, identified by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) as a priority species for recovery. A team co-led by Dr. Paul Wilson, Professor of Biology in Conservation Genomics & DNA Technology at Trent University and former Canada Research Chair in DNA Profiling, Forensics and Functional Genomics and Dr. Micheline Manseau, Research Scientist in the Science and Technology Division at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), is building a caribou genomics platform for long-term, non-invasive genomic monitoring of caribou using an open access platform that enables data compatibility and analytical toolkit compatibility across other research teams. Over space and time, such a monitoring platform will identify the best approach to conservation of the species and provide a template for other wildlife species nationally and internationally.
A PARTNERSHIP APPROACH: A broad spectrum of partners is required in ecosystem initiatives to achieve environmental results and sustainable development. This project is co-funded by Genome Canada and Ontario Genomics in collaboration with Trent University, ECCC, Alberta Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas, and Saskatchewan Environment, and is working in partnership with other government agencies, industry and Indigenous communities.
Click here to read the full report. Specifically, check Page 16 of the report highlighting the caribou genomics work by our EcoGenomics researchers.