Brief

Briefs are plain language summaries on new and noteworthy research published in our journal family.

Reflecting on our collective journey in 2023

Brief|Scholarly Publishing

Fisheries of the forest

Brief|Animal Science

Community-first publishing: 2022 Year in Review

Brief|Scholarly Publishing
A boat with people standing and sitting on it while it floats in water. One person is bent over a rectangular container which is one part of a platform that will also have an acoustic receiver attached to it and be lowered into the water to float.
A boat with people standing and sitting on it while it floats in water. One person is bent over a rectangular container which is one part of a platform that will also have an acoustic receiver attached to it and be lowered into the water to float.

Building partnerships with local communities in study of Mekong fish movement

Brief|Community-Engaged Research

International research network tracks 30 years of ecosystem changes in the Arctic

Brief|Arctic Science

Announcing the winners of the ArcticNet Student Association x CSP Student Feature Contest

Brief|Arctic Science
Open Access
Open Access

Open Access Week 2021 “It Matters How We Open Knowledge: Building Structural Equity”

Brief|Open Access
Chemistry model set on desk
Chemistry model set on desk

Honouring Dr. Margaret-Ann Armour’s 40 years of contributions to STEM inclusivity

Brief|Chemistry
Seal in water with mouth open
Seal in water with mouth open

Drones, poop, DNA, and isotopes uncover surprising animal eating habits

Brief|Zoology

Environmental laws in Canada fall short of addressing the ongoing biodiversity crisis

Brief|FACETS
Satellite imagery of Yukon Delta, Alaska, USA
Satellite imagery of Yukon Delta, Alaska, USA

Guiding our decisions with geospatial glimpses from the past, present, and future

Brief|Earth Science

Artificial intelligence takes to the sky above Canada’s forests

Brief|Drone Systems
Image of crowberry
Image of crowberry

Think you know berries? This fruit-filled science might surprise you

Brief|Arctic Science

Using DNA libraries to track mysterious, microscopic, and endangered animals

Brief|Genome

Curious cases from the diatom detectives

Brief|Botany

Saws on drones: the latest tools in forest research

Brief|Drone Systems

Could volatile organic compounds save bats from white-nose syndrome?

Brief|Microbiology

Hudson Bay Lowlands and western NWT at highest risk of permafrost thaw

Brief|Arctic Science
photograph of salt marsh vegetation with mist in background
photograph of salt marsh vegetation with mist in background

Extracted peatlands contaminated by seawater may be better restored as salt marshes

Brief|Botany
Tseax lava bed
Tseax lava bed

Oral history and geology date Canada’s deadliest volcanic eruption

Brief|Earth Science
Aerial view of a coal mine
Aerial view of a coal mine

Rooting out the risks of plant recolonization on mine waste

Brief|Geotechnical

The secret to good Chinese liquor is in the mud

Brief|Microbiology

Mathematics, mining, and mobile manipulators

Brief|Mechanical Engineering

How does “motivation to eat” contribute to postpartum weight retention?

Brief|Applied Health

Sequencing of a 140-year-old butterfly leg establishes new subfamily

Brief|Genome
Gloved hand holding black oil rich sand from oil sands in Alberta Canada
Gloved hand holding black oil rich sand from oil sands in Alberta Canada

What happens when Albertan oil seeps into a lake?

Brief|Fisheries and Aquatic Science
Wood bison sitting on sandy ground surrounded by trees
Wood bison sitting on sandy ground surrounded by trees

Wood bison dodge biting flies and soggy soil

Brief|Zoology
Photo of Red River cart
Photo of Red River cart

Community-based research finds more active First Nations people are more connected to culture

Brief|Applied Health
beach and ocean
beach and ocean

A sparkle of sunshine helps shark-seeking spotters

Brief|Drone Systems
A tree covered in spruce budworm moths.
A tree covered in spruce budworm moths.

Community science combats spruce budworm in eastern Canada

Brief|FACETS

Before and after 17 years of deforestation in Myanmar

Brief|Forest
Bobcat standing on tree branch
Bobcat standing on tree branch

A first step in understanding the epigenetics of bobcats

Brief|Genome
Endangered woodland caribou walking in forest in Northern Alberta
Endangered woodland caribou walking in forest in Northern Alberta

Striking a balance between forest harvest and wildlife habitat protection

Brief|Forest
one larger and one smaller crayfish on sand
one larger and one smaller crayfish on sand

Predator parfum makes for unexpectedly bold crayfish

Brief|Zoology
3D illustration of molecules structures; spherical globes connected
3D illustration of molecules structures; spherical globes connected

Photocatalysts bent out of shape to improve green energy

Brief|Physics
White microwave on shelf. Cup with forks and knives beside microwave.
White microwave on shelf. Cup with forks and knives beside microwave.

Not just for TV dinners, microwaves cook up nanostructures too

Brief|Chemistry

The latest dirt on climate change emissions

Brief|Soil Science
Bird nests made of sticks with pieces of garbage embedded in the nest
Bird nests made of sticks with pieces of garbage embedded in the nest

Are microfibres filling the stomachs of Great Lakes cormorants?

Brief|Fisheries and Aquatic Science
Six horses of varying shades of brown standing in meadow
Six horses of varying shades of brown standing in meadow

The origin of horses

Brief|Animal Science
Dried plants in snow against sunset clouds.To see more of my winter images click the link below:
Dried plants in snow against sunset clouds.To see more of my winter images click the link below:

Increased shrub growth means deeper permafrost melt in Arctic landscapes

Brief|Arctic Science
Olive on olive branch with olive oil in background
Olive on olive branch with olive oil in background

Under pressure: The potential benefits of olive oil in battling bedsores

Brief|Applied Health
Illustration of Smilodon fatalis Credit: by palaeoartist Henry Sharpe
Illustration of Smilodon fatalis Credit: by palaeoartist Henry Sharpe

Big cats of southern Alberta

Brief|Earth Science

How are rising temperatures affecting historic buildings?

Brief|Civil Engineering
Blue water drops in macro view on textile fabric fibers
Blue water drops in macro view on textile fabric fibers

Spray-on solar power: How protective polymers could lower the cost of photovoltaics

Brief|Chemistry
Elephant seal mother and pup
Elephant seal mother and pup

Elephant seal “supermoms” give birth to majority of population

Brief|Zoology

Goats hate bugs on their food too

Brief|Zoology

Supplementing goat feed with seaweed extract reduces E. Coli

Brief|Animal Science

French fries for breakfast? New study challenges the parental war on white potatoes

Brief|Applied Health

New study uncovers how berberine combats diabetes and obesity

Brief|Physiology & Pharmacology

Neck coils worn by Karen women in Thailand impose heavy health burden

Brief|Applied Health

Flower power: Cannabis can now be grown from floral tissue

Brief|Plant Science

Deepwater Horizon: Improved technique for predicting pathways of oil spills

Brief|Anthropocene

The bovine bolete: A rich resource beneath the trees

Brief|Forest

New study uses social media to track spread of dengue fever

Brief|Geomatics

Orangutans successfully detected using thermal-equipped drones

Brief|Drone Systems

Tossed tails: New study finds surprising twist in salamander tail regeneration

Brief|Zoology

Dandelion diversity overlooked in British Columbia

Brief|Botany

An integrated approach to bed bug biology

Brief|FACETS

Space arm designed to collect floating garbage

Brief|Mechanical Engineering

Ethnobotanical research honours Inuit plant knowledge

Brief|Botany

Juvenile lizards consume invasive fire ants

Brief|Zoology

A piece of paper can tell you how much iron is in your water

Brief|Chemistry

Guppies react to stress cues: the bigger the group, the bigger the response

Brief|Zoology

The magnetic history of Mars and the Moon

Brief|Earth Science

Describing space as oobleck solves decades-old physics mystery

Brief|Physics

Student group develops eco-friendly drone using 3-D printing

Brief|Drone Systems

Researchers develop drone-based wildfire early warning system

Brief|Drone Systems

New study finds bacterial enzymes could help prevent earthquake damage

Brief|Geotechnical

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria widespread in Ontario waterways

Brief|Microbiology

Take a break: Study finds sitting for long periods is bad for circulation, regardless of individual fitness

Brief|Applied Health

Early-career researchers need guidance in engaging Arctic Indigenous communities, survey finds

Brief|Arctic Science

Larger, longer, and more frequent: Changing fire regimes in Canada

Brief|Forest

Young rockfish survival unexpectedly high during “The Blob” years

Brief|Fisheries and Aquatic Science
Numerous dinosaur bones lying partially excavated.
Numerous dinosaur bones lying partially excavated.

Limb ratios used to distinguish species in rare dinosaur fossil

Brief|Earth Science

Small-scale tofu testing: A tiny test for a big crop

Brief|Plant Science

No pain, no gain: A single dose of Ibuprofen does not improve exercise performance

Brief|Applied Health

One manhole serving two systems

Brief|Civil Engineering

Renewable energy may pave the way for reconciliation and autonomy for Indigenous communities

Brief|Environment

Beat the heat: French fry potatoes in climate change trouble

Brief|Botany

School zones: Slower speeds yield safer environment for children

Brief|Civil Engineering

A review of environmentally safe, root microbes as an alternative to chemical fertilizers

Brief|Microbiology

How nutritious is fecal matter? It partly depends on genetics

Brief|Fisheries and Aquatic Science

26-year study reveals history of invasive zebra mussel colonization in Ottawa’s Rideau River

Brief|Zoology

Study lays out first-ever, holistic guide to teaching future-forward Canadian engineers

Brief|Civil Engineering

Rare whale harvest gives researchers unique opportunity to study beluga diet

Brief|Arctic Science
Arctic shipping traffic was found to have an effect on sculpin movement.
Arctic shipping traffic was found to have an effect on sculpin movement.

Do the sounds of ships scare Arctic sculpins?

Brief|Fisheries and Aquatic Science

Predicting coastal jellyfish outbreaks using email and Twitter

Brief|Anthropocene

Unravelling the mystery of where Common Nighthawks fly

Brief|Zoology
Upward facing perspective of glass windows on building
Upward facing perspective of glass windows on building

A high-tech window into the microbial world

Brief|Microbiology

Being Upbeat About Being Offbeat: Metronomes and Maximizing Muscle Strength

Brief|Applied Health

Keeping an Aerial Eye on an Endangered Crocodile

Brief|Drone Systems

Managing Healthy Lakes and Rivers for Healthy, Happy People

Brief|Environment

A taste of the wild—Deciphering the lobster mushroom

Brief|Genome

Shorter Sprints, More Reps Lead to Better Feelings and Calories Burned

Brief|Applied Health

The Experiences of Female Students in an Introductory Physics Course

Brief|Physics

Mind the (Detection) Gap: Tracking Fish Across Coral Reef Habitats

Brief|Fisheries and Aquatic Science

Understanding Interactions Between Anglers and Fish

Brief|Fisheries and Aquatic Science

Another System Troubled by Age—Even Healthy Older Adults Can’t Handle the Heat

Brief|

Fishways, Fragmentation, and Imperiled Great Plains Fishes

Brief|Fisheries and Aquatic Science

Fido, Fluffy, and Wildlife Conservation: The Impact of Pets on the Environment

Brief|Environment

What Are Canadian Children Eating at School (and How Can Eating Habits be Improved)?

Brief|

Profiling Peatlands to Safeguard Canada’s Wetlands

Brief|Botany

All About Cacti

Brief|Botany

If You’re Going to Take a Break From Sitting, Make it Count

Brief|Applied Health

Given Second Chance Rejected DNA Reveals a New Order of Microscopic Red Algae

Brief|Botany

Are Drones Affecting Canadian Airspace Safety?

Brief|Drone Systems

Forecasting the Impacts of Extremely Rapid Landslides

Brief|Geotechnical

Quantifying Plastics in Canada’s Aquatic Landscapes

Brief|Fisheries and Aquatic Science

Light Upon Wild Leek: Sustainable Harvesting and Optimal Light Environments for a Vulnerable Forest Herb

Brief|Botany

What Experimental Branch Cooling Tells Us About the Beautiful Reds of Fall

Brief|Forest

Women in Science: Dr. Caroline Fox

Brief|Women in Science

Tallying Up Fish Habitat Loss in Canada

Brief|Fisheries and Aquatic Science

A Primer on Sigma Factor Regulation of Gene Expression

Brief|Microbiology

Solving a 150-Year-Old Fossil Mystery From the Canadian Arctic

Brief|Earth Science

Describing New Dinosaurs: Background & Process

Brief|Earth Science

How Drones are Helping to Map Changes in Canada’s Arctic

Brief|Arctic Science

No Respect for the Spineless: A Dramatic Bias Against Invertebrate Species in Conservation Science

Brief|FACETS

Mysteries of the Bonebeds

Brief|Earth Science
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