AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Effects of pollution and parasites on biomarkers of fish health in spottail shiners (Notropis hudsonius Clinton)

In this study, seven non‐specific biomarkers were compared in Spottail Shiners (Notropis hudsonius Clinton) from localities receiving urban and industrial effluents and relatively clean localities in the St Lawrence River, Canada. Pigmented macrophages are involved in a variety of functions including the detoxification and recycling of exogenous and endogenous material, responses to foreign material or infectious agents, and antigen recognition. Pigmented macrophage aggregates are focal accumulations of pigmented macrophages found in the spleen, kidney, liver and other organs of fishes. They may respond to toxicants or exposure to infectious agents such as viruses or bacteria either by increasing in number and size or by changing the shape of the aggregation. It was hypothesized that differences would be seen in these biomarkers in fish from polluted localities compared to fish from relatively cleaner ones and these changes would be more pronounced in heavily infected fish.

Supplemental Information

The St. Lawrence Action Plan (SLAP) 2011 to 2026 (see http://planstlaurent.qc.ca/en/home.html) is the latest Canada-Quebec Agreement on the St. Lawrence and builds on the four previous agreements implemented since 1988.

The agreement aims to conserve and enhance the St. Lawrence. It is based on strong collaboration and the pooling of resources and expertise between the governments of Canada and Quebec. As part of their respective responsibilities for the management of the St. Lawrence basin, these two governments recognize the need for close cooperation to tackle the environmental challenges facing this important ecosystem. Other partners are also joining in this initiative, including local organizations, environmental groups, research centres, and universities.

For more information on SLAP, please visit https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-funding/ecosystem-initiatives/st-lawrence-action-plan.html 

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Cumulative effects of municipal effluent and parasite infection in yellow perch

Multiple metabolic, immune and reproductive effects have been reported in fish residing in effluent-impacted sites. Natural stressors such as parasites also have been shown to impact the responses of organisms to chronic exposure to municipal effluent in the St. Lawrence River (Quebec, Canada). In order to comprehensively evaluate the cumulative impacts of anthropogenic and natural stressors on the health of yellow perch, differential mRNA transcription profiles were examined in juvenile females collected from effluent-impacted and upstream sites with low or high infection levels of the larval trematode Apophallus brevis. Transcriptomics was used to identify biological pathways associated with environmental exposure. Overall, results indicated that juvenile yellow perch responded strongly to combined parasite and effluent exposure, suggesting cumulative effects on immune responses, inflammation and lipid metabolism mediated by retinoid receptors. The present study highlight the importance of using a comprehensive approach combining transcriptomics and endpoints measured at higher levels of biological organization to better understand cumulative risks of contaminants and pathogens in aquatic ecosystems.

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Fish Toxicology, Oil Sands Region

Oil Sands Sediment Exposures of Embryo-larval Fathead Minnows

Dataset contains laboratory-studied fathead minnow egg and larval survival rates when exposed to sediments collected from 18 sites in the Athabasca watershed (2010-2014).

A controlled laboratory study examined the impacts on fathead minnow eggs and larval development when exposed to collected sediments at concentrations of 1, 5 and/or 25 g/L. Sediments and water were renewed daily, and eggs were assessed as they hatched (in about 5 days), and as the larval fish grew to 8-9 days post hatch (dph), and 15-16 dph. The data in the file present the mean survival (and standard deviation). Two sediment sites caused decreased survival of fathead minnow fry: The Ells River lower site, and the Steepbank River Lower site. These data show that sediment from these sites can affect larval fish survival in the lab. The next steps are to compare these findings to the health data from wild fish collected from these same tributary sites.

Toxicity Testing of Groundwater near the Oil Sands Development

Dataset contains toxicity studies of groundwaters collected near the Athabasca and Ells rivers. Groundwaters were collected in the summer of 2013 from 4 sites below the riverbeds at depths of 0.5 to 1 metre. Sites were chosen to represent groundwaters close to oil sands tailings ponds and further from tailings ponds and mining activities.

Under controlled laboratory conditions, fathead minnow eggs were exposed for 5 days (until hatch) to the groundwaters at standard dilution concentrations of 6, 12, 25, 50, and 100% of the groundwater sample to compare egg and larval fish survival. The data presents the average survival until hatch of 3 repeated exposures (and standard deviation) and 9 repeated exposures for controls.

Some groundwater is toxic to minnows and some is not. No correlations were found between toxicity and proximity to a tailings pond.

Assessing Toxicity of Oil Sands Related Substances

Laboratory fish were exposed to melted snow from sites located close to oil sands mining and upgrading facilities and from sites far away from mining activities to assess the toxicity of substances found in the snow. In addition, river waters, bed sediments, suspended sediments, groundwater and atmospheric depositional samples (pre-melt snow collections) were also tested for toxicity.

Fish exposed to undiluted snowmelt showed biological effects. Fish exposed to river water from the region collected during snowmelt conditions showed no effects.

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Riverine In-Situ Bioassays, Oil Sands Region

Fish Status and Ecosystem Health - Caged Invertebrates

In situ exposures of Hyalella azteca in Athabasca River tributaries - Summary of activities (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014)

In situ exposures with Hyalella azteca were conducted within the oil sands region to assess differences in survival and growth of invertebrates caged at natural sites (i.e., exposed to naturally occurring sources of bitumen) compared to sites influenced by oil sands mining activity (i.e., exposed to both naturally occurring and anthropogenic sources of bitumen).Hyalella were collected from a wetland within the Athabasca River watershed but outside the area of oil sands development and activity. They were then placed in cages submerged at 3 sites on the Ells River, 3 sites on the Firebag River, and 4 sites on the Steepbank River. Five cages were deployed per site, each cage containing 20 Hyalella. Cages were removed two weeks after deployment, and Hyalella were counted and weighed as a group to determine growth. The data show no differences in survival or growth of Hyalella caged in situ at any of the 10 sites, when comparing natural sites to sites influenced by oil sands mining activity within each river (i.e., upstream to downstream sites) or between rivers.

Caged Mussels

Mature mussels (Pyganodon grandis) were collected from a site outside the oil development area (Clearwater River and Long Lake, Alberta) and placed into cages at various sites in the Athabasca River and tributaries for 4 to 6 weeks during the months of August, September and October 2012, 2013 and 2014. The data revealed that mussel growth and survival rates were not affected. Mussels exposed to river water for 4 to 6 weeks were less likely to survive when kept outside of the water for long periods of time (days). Further investigations are warranted to confirm these observations.

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
St. Marys River Area of Concern

The St. Marys River was designated as one of the 43 Areas of Concern in accordance with Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). Remedial Action Plan (RAP) is an ongoing collaborative effort implemented by federal, provincial, and local governments as well as industry and public partners. There are 3 key stages of the RAP: Stage 1 is a detailed description of the environmental problem; Stage 2 identifies remedial actions and options; Stage 3 is the final document providing evidence that the beneficial uses have been restored and the AOC can be “delisted”.

The St. Marys River is a 112-km international channel that flows from Lake Superior into the North Channel of Lake Huron. The Area of Concern extends approximately two thirds of the river, from its head at Whitefish Bay downstream to St. Joseph Island.

For more information visit  https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/great-lakes-protection/areas-concern/st-marys-river.html

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Sediment Quality Mainstem and Tributaries, Oil Sands Region

Sediment Transport

This data set demonstrates some variation in the data parameters, both in time and with distance along the mainstem Athabasca and two tributaries (Ells and Steepbank Rivers). For the mainstem Athabasca (bulk suspended sediment samples collected via continuous flow centrifugation), these variations are not considered unusual for a dynamic mobile bed river. For the Ells and Steepbank Rivers (bulk suspended sediment samples collected via long-term time-integrated Phillips Tube samplers), however, some spatial and temporal trends were evident. Eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon parameters for the Ells River and thirteen for the Steepbank River showed increasing trends as you move downstream (for periods where samples were collected at multiple sites). This is consistent with cumulative exposure time and erosion of surficial channel bitumen as the water/sediment travels down river.  Temporally, one sample collection event (August 13 to September 29, 2013) showed a marked increase in numerous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations relative to other sample periods for both the Steepbank River and Ells River sites. The exact reason for this is unclear but may be due to varying flow conditions (different duration of Phillips Tube sampler deployments needs to be considered). 

There are no suspended sediment guidelines for the parameters within this data set (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metals and physicals [% total carbon, % total inorganic carbon, % total organic carbon, % clay, % silt, % sand, % gravel and total suspended solids]). There is very little suspended sediment quality data in the literature for the Athabasca River and its tributaries for comparison. Data from other rivers may prove misleading due to geological and land use differences.

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Halogenated Phenolic Compounds in the plasma of Detroit River AOC Brown bullhead

This dataset contains the concentrations of halogenated phenolic compounds in plasma  for the fish species Brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), from 3 site locations (Peche Island, Grosse Ile, Turkey Creek) within the Detroit River Area of Concern.

Halogenated Phenolic Compounds have emerged as an important class of environmental contaminants in aquatic vertebrates, wildlife, and humans. They represent 4 of the 7 classes of substances listed as chemicals of mutual concern in the Great Lakes.

Supplemental Information

Funding for this study was provided in part by the Government of Canada’s Great Lakes Action Plan (GLAP) and in support to Detroit River Area of Concern.

In 1987 under the revised Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, 43 areas of concern (AOC), 12 of which are located in Canada, were identified as having severely impaired beneficial uses and water quality. As funded by the Great Lakes Action Plan, a Remedial Action Plan was formed for each area of concern bringing together experts from government, industry, municipalities and environmental non-government organizations to address these impacts. Today over 900 restoration projects have been successfully completed by Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners including Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades, fish and wildlife habitat restoration, and water quality improvements.

For more information on the Detroit River Area of Concern visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/great-lakes-protection/areas-concern/detroit-river.html 

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Spatial distribution and seasonal variation of epiphytic cyanobacteria, filamentous algae and macrophytes in the St. Lawrence River 

The epiphytic cyanobacterium Gloeotrichia pisum forms spherical colonies embedded in a gelatinous matrix that is attached to submerged aquatic vegetation. In surveys of two fluvial lakes of the St. Lawrence River conducted in 2006–2007, growth conditions and diazotrophic ability in conjunction with the biomass and condition of its supporting macrophyte, Vallisneria americana, were examined. G. pisum integrates complex, temporally variable water-quality characteristics that are dependent upon hydrology and water residence time, thus acting as an early warning indicator of incipient habitat degradation that may lead to cyanobacterial proliferation and low biomass of vascular macrophytes.

Supplemental Information

The St. Lawrence Action Plan (SLAP) 2011 to 2026 (see http://planstlaurent.qc.ca/en/home.html) is the latest Canada-Quebec Agreement on the St. Lawrence and builds on the four previous agreements implemented since 1988.

For more information on SLAP, please visit https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-funding/ecosystem-initiatives/st-lawrence-action-plan.html 

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Wheatley Harbour Area of Concern

Wheatley Harbour was designated as one of the 43 Areas of Concern in accordance with Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). Remedial Action Plan (RAP) is an ongoing collaborative effort implemented by federal, provincial, and local governments as well as industry and public partners. There are 3 key stages of the RAP: Stage 1 is a detailed description of the environmental problem; Stage 2 identifies remedial actions and options; Stage 3 is the final document providing evidence that the beneficial uses have been restored and the AOC can be “delisted”.

Wheatley Harbour was the third Canadian Area of Concern (AOC) to be delisted In 2010.

Wheatley Harbour is a small harbour on the north shore of Lake Erie, just east of Point Pelee, Ontario. The Area of Concern, the only one on the Canadian shore of Lake Erie, encompasses the harbour and the Muddy Creek wetland, a provincially significant wetland about 13 ha in size. 

For more information visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/great-lakes-protection/areas-concern/wheatley-harbour.html

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Guidance on amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations for drugs for use in relation to COVID-19: Pre-positioning of COVID-19 drugs

A promising COVID-19 drug may be imported into Canada before it receives a Canadian market authorization. This early importation and placement in Canadian facilities is referred to as “pre-positioning.” It facilitates the immediate distribution of the drug upon authorization, making it available to Canadians as early as possible.

Organization: Health Canada | Santé Canada
Impact of municipal effluents and hydrological regime on myxozoan parasite communities of fish

Increased productivity from sewage effluents can enhance species richness locally. Results from a study of Spottail shiners (Notropis hudsonius) in 1999 showed that prevalence and the mean number of myxozoan parasite species per host were higher downstream of the wastewater outflow from the Island of Montreal than upstream in the St. Lawrence River, Quebec, Canada. This was attributed to organic enrichment of the sediments which presumably lead to increased densities of oligochaetes, the alternate hosts, downstream of Montreal. Spottail shiners subsequently were collected every August/early September in 2001–2004 to examine the stability and repeatability of these patterns. Results suggest that on a local scale, variations in prevalence and diversity among localities are influenced by municipal effluents, but that at a landscape scale annual variations across sites are affected by the hydrological regime and climate. In effect, water level fluctuation had a landscape-wide impact that was superimposed over pollution-induced local variations.

Supplemental Information

The St. Lawrence Action Plan (SLAP) 2011 to 2026 (see http://planstlaurent.qc.ca/en/home.html) is the latest Canada-Quebec Agreement on the St. Lawrence and builds on the four previous agreements implemented since 1988.

The agreement aims to conserve and enhance the St. Lawrence. It is based on strong collaboration and the pooling of resources and expertise between the governments of Canada and Quebec. As part of their respective responsibilities for the management of the St. Lawrence basin, these two governments recognize the need for close cooperation to tackle the environmental challenges facing this important ecosystem. Other partners are also joining in this initiative, including local organizations, environmental groups, research centres, and universities.

For more information on SLAP, please visit https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-funding/ecosystem-initiatives/st-lawrence-action-plan.html 

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Oil Sands bitumen sediment exposure of Fathead minnows

Dataset contains laboratory-studied Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) survival when exposed to bitumen sediments from the oil sands region of northern Alberta, cut through the McMurray Formation (MF). These are the results of the toxicological exposures, when Fathead minnow embryos were exposed to water from simulated rainfall on the river sediments.

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Reporting facilities – pollutant release and transfer data

The National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) is Canada's public inventory of pollutant releases (to air, water and land), disposals and transfers for recycling.

Data from the NPRI are available in a number of format, including datasets and mapping products: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/national-pollutant-release-inventory/tools-resources-data/exploredata.html

Please consult the following resources to enhance your analysis:
- Guide on using and Interpreting NPRI Data: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/national-pollutant-release-inventory/using-interpreting-data.html

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Database of Environmental Quality Guidelines

The Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan  (FCSAP)  program was developed to work with Federal custodians to assess and remediate federal contaminated sites under their jurisdiction. Environmental Quality Benchmarks including guidelines, standards and criteria are used under the FCSAP program as screening benchmarks for site assessments and as remediation targets. Currently, Federal and Provincial jurisdictions apply Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment  (CCME)  guidelines and Provincial standards for this purpose; however when CCME guidelines are unavailable benchmarks from other jurisdictions must be applied. A Database of Guidelines  (DoG)  including benchmark values for chemicals in various media from multiple national and international jurisdictions has been developed to facilitate screening and remediation processes for federal contaminated sites. Moving forward, Environment Canada's objective will be to maintain this database as a current, up-to-date, and comprehensive resource, available to federal custodians, contaminated sites managers, regulators from various jurisdictions, and the general public. The DoG is a compilation of environmental quality guidelines from different jurisdictions, and should be used as reference only. The primary documentation should always be consulted before the application of a guideline, to ensure that its use is appropriate and scientifically defensible. Custodians using the DoG for screening or remediation purposes should be aware that the DoG is considered up to date as of December 31st, 2012 and is not guaranteed to have the most recent guidelines.  

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Great Lakes Mesoscale Boundary Database

Mesoscale boundaries have an important influence on mesoscale weather. They can trigger, enhance or inhibit convections and severe weather. They are also indicators of shifts in wind speed and direction, temperature and relative humidity, and can affect air quality and heat indices. Around the Great Lakes, it has been observed that mesoscale boundaries are prevalent and can have complex interactions between each other.

A mesoscale boundary is the interface between two air masses for weather phenomenon on a scale of 5km to 100km. Mesoscale boundaries are generally associated with wind and differences in temperature, pressure and relative humidity.

A database was created containing analysis of mesoscale boundaries provided by Environment and Climate Change Canada research meteorologists. The data were collected between 2001 to 2015 around the Great Lakes and surrounding regions during four different field campaigns: ELBOW (2001), BAQS-MET (2007), RSD (2008-2014) and PANAM (2015). The types of boundaries that were collected were lake and land breeze fronts, outflow boundaries, as well as merged and other boundaries.

The data are stored annually in GeoJSON format and shapefiles. A geodatabase containing all the boundaries coordinates and properties is also included. A CSV file summarizes all the properties of the boundaries, but does not include any geometric information.

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada
Indices based on daily temperature and precipitation

The data consists of temperature indices based on homogenized daily maximum and minimum temperatures at 338 locations across Canada, and of precipitation indices based on adjusted daily rainfall, daily snowfall and daily precipitation amounts at 463 locations across the country. These indices were selected for their relevance to social and economic impact assessment in Canada and for the insights they could provide regarding changes in extreme climate conditions. Please refer to the papers below for detailed information regarding the adjustment procedures and the trends in the indices.

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada