Assessing Cumulative Ecological Effects of Development in Saugeen Ojibway Traditional Territory

评估累积压力源对生态系统结构和功能的影响是环境管理中最重要也是最棘手的问题之一。第一民族特别强调了这个问题，他们对在其传统领土上进行的多种发展感到关切，这些领土是加拿大的一个重要陆地基地。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的影响。食物网生态学的最新进展已经确定了对维持和稳定我们所依赖的生态系统功能至关重要的生态系统结构。具体来说，我们强调了顶级捕食者和不同能量通道在维持生态系统功能中的作用，而面对人类的压力，这些结构必须得到维护。本研究计划的目标是测试这些测量方法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）累积效应中的实施情况。该地区已经建立了累积应力源的梯度。这项工作将建立在这些知识的基础上，以测试基本食物网结构随累积压力可预测地变化的假设。因此，该研究项目承诺与在其传统领土上建立环境管理记录的第一民族合作，制定有意义的量化累积效应的指标。

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.