Assessing Cumulative Ecological Effects of Development in Saugeen Ojibway Traditional Territory

评估累积压力对生态系统结构和功能的影响是环境管理中最重要但又最棘手的问题之一。 第一民族特别强调了这一问题，他们对在其传统领土上进行的多种开发感到关切，这些传统领土是加拿大的重要土地基础。量化累积效应的测量必须反映这种累积压力源的长期和广泛影响。 食物网生态学的最新进展已经确定了生态系统结构，这些结构对于我们所依赖的生态系统的维持和稳定运作至关重要。 特别是，顶级捕食者和不同的能量通道在维持生态系统功能方面的作用得到了强调，面对人类的压力，必须维持这些结构。 这项研究方案的目标是测试在评估索金奥吉布韦民族传统领土（特别是布鲁斯半岛和休伦湖）的累积效应时采用这种测量方法的情况。 该区域的累积压力因素已经确定。 这项工作将建立在知识的基础上，以测试的假设，基本的食物网结构的变化可预测的累积压力。 因此，这项研究计划的承诺，既制定有意义的指标，量化与第一民族，在其传统领土的环境管理的既定记录合作的累积效应。

Assessing the effects of cumulative stressors on ecosystem structure and function presents one of the most important yet vexing problems for environmental management. This issue has particularly been highlighted by First Nations who are concerned about multiple developments being undertaken in their Traditional Territories which represent a significant land base in Canada. Measurements to quantify cumulative effects must reflect the long lived and widespread effects of such cumulative stressors. Recent advances in food web ecology have identified ecosystem structures that are essential for the maintained and stable functioning of the ecosystems upon which we rely. Specifically, the role of top predators and distinct energy channels in the maintenance of ecosystem function have been highlighted, and it is these very structures that must be maintained in the face of human pressures. The goal of this research program is to test the implementation of such measurements in assessing cumulative effects in the Traditional Territories of the Saugeen Ojibway Nations (specifically the Bruce Peninsula and Lake Huron). Gradients in cumulative stressors have already been established for the region. This work will build on that knowledge to test the hypothesis that fundemental food web structures vary predictably with cumulative stress. Thus, this research program promises to both develop meaningful metrics for quantifying cumulative effects in cooperation with First Nations that have an established record of environmental management in their Traditional Territories.