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Author: R J Parker

Hi! I'm Rebecca Parker. I'm an ecologist and plant lover working in non-profit conservation in Nova Scotia Canada. I trained at Dalhousie and Ryerson University, where I completed a Masters in Environmental Science and Management. I like botany, wetlands, and wetland botany! On the sciencey side, I like to write about current topics in population and community ecology, but I'm also really interested in environmental outreach, how exposure to science and demographics affect environmental values and behaviours, and best practices for building community capacity in environmental stewardship. Check out my instagram for photos of the awesome nature I see through my work.
Mysterious Wintertime Travels of Black Guillemots Revealed in Canada
Behavior

Mysterious Wintertime Travels of Black Guillemots Revealed in Canada

The Black Guillemot is a plump little seabird that lives along the Atlantic coast from the Arctic to the Gulf…
April 27, 2021April 27, 2021 R J Parker
Science Reveals Sperm Whale Bro-Fest
Behavior

Science Reveals Sperm Whale Bro-Fest

  In the mammal world, males tend to not like each other very much. Male-only social groups are rare. The…
March 24, 2021March 25, 2021 R J Parker
“Bake and Shark” – Asking Trinidadians and Tobagonians How They Feel About This Traditional Beach-Side Snack
Fisheries

“Bake and Shark” – Asking Trinidadians and Tobagonians How They Feel About This Traditional Beach-Side Snack

Sharks are particularly vulnerable to overharvest, due to their slow maturity and reproductive cycles. Shark meat, cartilage, and other products…
October 3, 2020March 14, 2021 R J Parker
Climate Change

Rough, Rocky Shores Acting as Climate Refuges for Kelp Forests

On the coasts of British Columbia, habitat-forming kelp algae are on the decline. Sensitive to increasing temperatures, changing nutrient dynamics,…
August 4, 2020August 4, 2020 R J Parker
From Table to Tour Boat: How Our Perception of Large Marine Animals Has Changed Over Time
Conservation

From Table to Tour Boat: How Our Perception of Large Marine Animals Has Changed Over Time

Whether they elicit feelings of awe, admiration, or fear, there’s just something fascinating about large animals. In the Western world,…
July 2, 2020 R J Parker
Climate Change

Arctic Viruses Infecting sub-Arctic Seals: How Climate Change is Creating Marine Epidemics

With all the preparations being made to help human populations get through Covid-19, many are wondering about the effect the…
June 2, 2020 R J Parker
Size Matters in Kelp Forests – Big, Dense Populations Are Better Equipped to Recover from Disturbance
Climate Change Coastal Management

Size Matters in Kelp Forests – Big, Dense Populations Are Better Equipped to Recover from Disturbance

Kelp are habitat-forming species, the “ecosystem engineers” of our coasts. Standing metres tall and sheltering coastal habitats from the full…
May 7, 2020May 2, 2020 R J Parker
Sinking Alligator Carcasses into the Deep Ocean to See What Eats Them
Ecology

Sinking Alligator Carcasses into the Deep Ocean to See What Eats Them

  The Deep Unknown The deep ocean is an alien world. Life here must contend with crushing pressures, near-freezing temperatures,…
March 30, 2020March 31, 2020 R J Parker
Key fisheries move North to Canada, but is Canada ready to adapt to a warmer ocean?
Climate Change Fisheries

Key fisheries move North to Canada, but is Canada ready to adapt to a warmer ocean?

The American Lobster, Homarus americanus (by Bart Braun) Communities Shaped by the Ocean Climate change is expected to affect the…
February 28, 2020May 11, 2020 R J Parker
Adapting marine parks to survive climate change
Climate Change

Adapting marine parks to survive climate change

Protected areas are generally considered to be parcels of land or water where different kinds of human uses are limited…
January 8, 2020June 27, 2022 R J Parker
Turning Knowledge into Action: How the Town of Truro Adapted to Increasing Flood Risk Under Climate Change
Climate Change Ecology

Turning Knowledge into Action: How the Town of Truro Adapted to Increasing Flood Risk Under Climate Change

Global sea level is projected to rise at a rate of 3.7mm/year throughout the first half of the next century,…
December 27, 2019December 24, 2019 R J Parker
Do you have to understand marine science to care about marine conservation?  Wetland research says No.
Coastal Management

Do you have to understand marine science to care about marine conservation? Wetland research says No.

  Ware J, Callaway R (2019) Public perception of coastal habitat loss and habitat creation using artificial floating islands in…
November 7, 2019November 16, 2019 R J Parker
Caught in the Storm: Tropical Bird Sightings in Nova Scotia after Hurricane Dorian
Climate Change

Caught in the Storm: Tropical Bird Sightings in Nova Scotia after Hurricane Dorian

Dorian was one of the biggest storms to hit Nova Scotia in recorded history, bringing with it Category 2 force…
October 8, 2019October 21, 2019 R J Parker
Climate Change

Telling the complicated story of Atlantic Salmon with the help of genetic technology

  Plamu Salmo salar (or “Atlantic Salmon”, “Black Salmon”, or “Plamu” as it’s known in my neck of the woods)…
September 9, 2019October 10, 2019 R J Parker
What’s Killing Seabirds in the Bering Sea?
Climate Change

What’s Killing Seabirds in the Bering Sea?

Jones T, Divine LM, Renner H, Knowles S, Lefebvre KA, Burgess HK, et al. (2019) Unusual mortality of Tufted puffins…
July 10, 2019July 24, 2019 R J Parker
A boon to ocean conservation? Certain fungi can degrade marine plastics
Plastic Pollution

A boon to ocean conservation? Certain fungi can degrade marine plastics

Brunner I, Fischer M, Ru ̈thi J, Stierli B, Frey B (2018) Ability of fungi isolated from plastic debris floating…
November 26, 2018 R J Parker
Plastic Pollution

There’s plastic in your tap water, beer, and table salt

Kosuth M, Mason SA, Wattenberg EV (2018) Anthropogenic contamination of tap water, beer, and sea salt. PLoS ONE 13(4): e0194970.…
October 26, 2018November 2, 2018 R J Parker
Turtles of the North – Canadian Fishermen Help Scientists Study the Cryptic Leatherback
Book Review Sea Turtles

Turtles of the North – Canadian Fishermen Help Scientists Study the Cryptic Leatherback

  For most people, sea turtles evoke visions of white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, and boozy fruity drinks, the…
August 28, 2018August 29, 2018 R J Parker
Turtles unbothered by close drone monitoring, while birds and crocodiles flee
technology

Turtles unbothered by close drone monitoring, while birds and crocodiles flee

Bevan E, Whiting S, Tucker T, Guinea M, Raith A, Douglas R (2018) Measuring behavioral responses of sea turtles, saltwater…
July 6, 2018July 6, 2018 R J Parker
Important oyster-producing region of British Columbia swamped with microplastics
Plastic Pollution

Important oyster-producing region of British Columbia swamped with microplastics

  If you grew up in the developed world, chances are you have an intimate relationship with plastic. Your lunch…
June 7, 2018June 6, 2018 R J Parker

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