ERSC-3260H: Applied Biomonitoring

Dr. Kaitlyn Fleming

Leaves changing colour. Water freezing over. Birds migrating south. While the naked eye can perceive many signs of a seasonal change in the environment, it’s the unseen that is critical to understanding the ecosystems that surround us. Monitoring these changes can help save entire ecosystems – you just have to know what to look for.

The Trent School of the Environment is equipping students with the training to monitor such changes.

In Applied Biomonitoring, a third-year environmental course, students are taught the scientific basis and practical need for biomonitoring and the field application for community clients.

Biomonitoring in the field

According to the Journal of Sustainable Mining, “Biomonitoring is the act of observing and assessing the state and ongoing changes in ecosystems, components of biodiversity and landscape, including the types of natural habitats, populations and species.”

One of the draws for many students to the program at Trent University are the practical experience opportunities. Dr. Kaitlyn Fleming, an assistant professor with Trent teaching the Applied Biomonitoring course, sees this as an opportunity for students to gain real life, hands-on experience working with partners in the field.

“The most exciting parts of this course have been the field trips,” said Professor Fleming. “Being able to watch students gain more experience in the field is incredibly rewarding!”

Students taking Applied Biomonitoring see the value of the field experience and how it will equip them for work after Trent.

“I enjoy applied biomonitoring because it is teaching me a new way to assess environmental contamination,” said fourth-year ecological restoration student, Gwenyth Bourgeois (Champlain College). “I value the importance of biomonitoring and I am excited to continue to study and use the skills I am learning now to help protect and conserve the environment for as long as I live.”

Class trips into Haliburton & Dahl Forests

The class has had two field trips this semester. The first trip took students to four different lakes in Haliburton where students sampled benthic invertebrates. The second trip had students exploring the Dahl Forests to set up permanent sampling plots.

“The best thing about the applied biomonitoring course is for sure the hands-on component,” said fourth year ecological restoration student, Jacob Karreman (Catharine Parr Traill College). “The most unique experiences I've had in this class so far took place on both of our field trips to Dahl forest and the Haliburton lakes.”

Working with community partners

The course is also unique in the way that “students are working with community partners and are completing reports that will be used to make decisions and inform the surrounding community and community members,” says Prof. Fleming.

“In the class, we are working with community partners such as U-Links, Halls and Hawks Lake Association, and the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust, the students are learning how to conduct biomonitoring surveys in aquatic and terrestrial environments.”

Students taking the course enjoy the trust and opportunity that comes with working directly with community partners. “The fact that we were sent out and trusted to collect the data on our own for the most part, was very rewarding and encouraging, said Jacob. “It is also awesome that we get to help out Ulinks and their various projects with the data we have collected this year!”

Learn more about the Trent School of the Environment.