A Red Deer Polytechnic biology instructor has been awarded a grant worth more than $400,000 to amplify black bear research in Alberta.
On Monday, RDP announced the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has provided $426,000 to Sandra MacDougall's research over three years.
This is the largest grant provided by NSERC that a RDP instructor has ever received In addition, MacDougall has received nearly $50,000 over two years from the Alberta Conservation Association.
The grant will provide MacDougall with the opportunity to examine the characteristics of a recolonizing population of American black bears within the Beaver Hills Biosphere region located 40 kilometres east of Edmonton. The study will explore how fast the bear population is growing and what bears are eating seasonally, with a lens to predict the impact of black bear predation on Elk Island National Park’s ungulate populations, such as elk and moose.
In collaboration with Parks Canada (Elk Island National Park) and Bueddefeld Research and Consulting, MacDougall’s research creates opportunities for RDP students.
“The NSERC grant provides RDP students with immersive applied research experiences to enhance their education and training,” said MacDougall.
“This summer, we have been able to employ two student research technicians, Meggie Mackenzie, a fourth-year learner and Kyle Rix, a recent graduate of RDP’s Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences program. This research is one example of how we provide industry-relevant experiences to help our students prepare for rewarding careers.”
This summer, Mackenzie and Rix have performed several tasks, including conducting kill site investigations, locating bear dens, collecting scat samples and managing data.
The applied research project will also provide opportunities for dozens of RDP learners beyond Mackenzie and Rix. Each year, approximately 15 students enrolled in RDP’s Biology 4401 Field Methods in Ecology course will contribute to the research by helping to track bears using telemetry gear and collect scat samples of black bears. Through these activities they will learn about bear movement and feeding ecology. Students will also conduct lab analyses to examine bear diets co-supervised by RDP Chemistry Instructor Warren Elgersma in RDP’s Biology 2399 Biology Research Opportunity Program.
Tonya Wolfe, associate vice-president of applied research at RDP, said the applied research grant will "create a vast impact on Alberta" and contribute to academia and wildlife education.
"Sandra’s innovative research is one example of the diverse applied research that occurs across the Polytechnic. At RDP, we are committed to advancing our applied research capacity, helping to address a variety of societal and industrial challenges," said Wolfe.
With human activity and residential development in the Edmonton region expected to grow as the local black bear population increases in nearby Beaver Hills, this study will help inform land-use planning, wildlife management and educational outreach. The outcomes gained from this study will have the potential to be implemented across sites nationally at Parks Canada and their neighbouring communities.