VIURRSpace
The Libraries of Royal Roads University and Vancouver Island University collaboratively offer VIURRSpace to digitally preserve and showcase selected scholarly and creative works of the universities, together with special collections that represent the unique character of the region.
Recent Submissions
Item Grazing and Range Management - Alberta(2024)Livestock grazing and range management have had major impacts on grassland vegetation in Alberta. Grazing animals have had impacts on plant communities in Alberta since before fur traders occupied the land. Over the years both livestock and wildlife have been studied and managed to try and ensure range health, or optimal conditions for native vegetation and species diversity. Several differences in range health and vegetation species have been observed between cattle grazed and non-grazed land. For this case study, these two types of land management will be compared, and observations will be made to provide direction to best management practices for species diversity and range health on native grasslands. The study will focus on plant species/vegetation identification and diversification on the two separate types of land. The study will also focus on these two separate types of land being on reclaimed wellsites. This data will then be compared against each other to evaluate which style of management will best achieve the desired goals. This study will also focus strictly on the different impacts of cattle grazing. A mixed methods approach will be used to analyse these comparisons, with quantitative data being the primary focus and qualitative data being supplementary. Observations will also be completed to help determine the optimal land management for cattle grazing and range health in southern Alberta.Item The Effect of Seasonal Vegetation Changes on Habitat Suitability and Predation Risk of the Vancouver Island Marmot(2024)Vancouver Island marmots (Marmota vancouverensis) are a critically endangered species with a small and fragmented population. They live in subalpine meadows, exclusively on Vancouver Island, Canada, but will also colonize logged habitats at lower elevations, which become population sinks for the species. Tree encroachment and vegetation shifts in these habitats are likely affecting seasonal vegetation cover and reducing the ability of marmots to visually detect predators, thereby increasing their risk of predation. Most marmot mortalities occur during the late summer, which may be related to peak vegetation growth during that period. This study assessed how these seasonal changes to vegetation in Vancouver Island marmot habitat is affecting habitat suitability and predation risk and involved the quantitative analysis of field data collected at the Mt. Washington marmot colony. Seasonal growth of herbaceous plant species significantly decreased line of sight visibility throughout active periods, likely decreasing marmots’ ability to detect predators. Climate change and shifts in alpine ecosystems are expected to reduce suitable habitat and increase predation risk for this threatened species.Item Agricultural Land Regulations as They Affect Farmers’ Business Opportunities in British Columbia(2024)This thesis examines the impact of Agricultural Land Reserve regulations on farmers' business opportunities in British Columbia, focusing on how these regulations affect farmers' ability to diversify their income streams and business opportunities. Utilizing document reviews, case study analysis, and interviews with stakeholders, the research explores the challenges farmers encounter when engaging with the process of the Agricultural Land Commission's decision-making and the local government’s reviews.The findings reveal that a gap between the Agricultural Land Commission Act and its superordinate statutes, and a lack of enforcement have been a significant weakness since the ALR's inception, along with procedural issues in the ALC’s decision-making. Approximately 40% of BC Supreme Court lawsuits involving the ALC resulted in overturned decisions due to procedural unreasonableness. Farmers' dissatisfaction arises from the minimal consideration of their economic viability within the regulatory framework, compounded by the unpredictability of ALC rulings and the perceived lack of support for non-traditional agricultural ventures, such as food services. The study underscores the need for regulatory reforms that better balance the preservation of agricultural land with farmers' pursuit of economic opportunities. Key recommendations include clearer guidelines for business diversification, stronger enforcement of existing regulations, more consistent and transparent decision-making processes, and more public engagement to rebuild trust between farmers and the ALC.Item Nurses' experiences of their ethical reponsibilities during coronovirus outbreaks: A scoping review(Sage, 2022)Globally, nurses have experienced changes to the moral conditions of their work during coronavirus outbreaks. To identify the challenges and sources of support in nurses’ efforts to meet their ethical responsibilities during SARS, MERS, and COVID- 19 outbreaks a scoping review design was chosen. A search was conducted for eligible studies in Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase and Embase Classic, EBSCO CINAHL Plus, OVID APA PsycInfo, ProQuest ASSIA, and ProQuest Sociological Abstracts on August 19, 2020 and November 9, 2020. The PRISMA-ScR checklist was used to ensure rigor. A total of 5204 records were identified of which 41 studies were included. Three themes were identified related challenges in meeting ethical responsibilities: 1) substandard care, 2) impeded relationships, 3) organizational and system responses and six themes relating to sources of support: 1) team and supervisor relationships, 2) organizational change leading to improved patient care, 3) speaking out, 4) finding meaning, 5) responses by patients and the public, 6) self-care strategies. Our review revealed how substandard care and public health measures resulted in nurses not being fully able to meet their ethical responsibilities of care. These included the visitation policies that impeded the support of patients by nurses and families, particularly with respect to face-to-face relationships. Organizational and system responses to the evolving outbreaks, such as inadequate staffing, also contributed to these challenges. Supportive relationships with colleagues and supervisors, however, were very beneficial, along with positive responses from patients and the public.Item Population dynamics of enteric parasites in the endangered Vancouver Island marmot (Marmota vancouverensis)(American Society of Parasitologists, 2024-07-22)Enteric parasites can have wide-ranging effects throughout an ecosystem, often driving coevolutionary and ecological processes. Parasites have long been overlooked in conservation efforts because of the negative impact inflicted on their hosts; however, parasites make up a significant component of Earth’s biodiversity and host conservation efforts need to be parasite inclusive. The Vancouver Island marmot (VIM), Marmota vancouverensis, is an endangered alpine rodent endemic to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Captive-bred VIMs are released to augment the wild population, but their susceptibility to parasites is unknown. The objectives of this study were to describe the diversity, prevalence, severity, and temporal variation of VIM enteric parasites. Noninvasive fecal samples were collected from wild and captive marmots and analyzed using a modified McMaster fecal egg floatation technique to indicate parasite prevalence and relative mean abundance. We identified oocysts and ova from 3 parasite taxa including a protozoan coccidium not previously described in the VIM (prevalence 68%), an ascarid nematode Baylisascaris laevis (prevalence 82%), and an anoplocephalid cestode Diandrya vancouverensis (prevalence 8%). Depending on the species, comparisons revealed variation in parasite infection by sex, by colony, and between wild and captive VIMs, but not among age classes or by female reproductive status. Finally, captive VIMs displayed significant monthly variation in parasite prevalence and mean egg abundance, suggesting a seasonal influence on parasite egg shedding. This information is critically important for future research investigating the influences of these trends on the health, ecology, and conservation of VIMs and their parasites.
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