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Queen's University Biological Station Annual Report and Newsletter – 2004

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Queen's University Biological Station Annual Report and Newsletter – 2004 Queen’s University Biological Station Annual Report and Newsletter – 2004 The Biological Station Dinner Bell (Photo by Caleb Hasler) Director: Raleigh Robertson Manager: Frank Phelan Assistant Manager: Floyd Connor TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction....................................................................................................1 Team Staff Award for Frank Phelan and Floyd Connor...............2 Herzberg Gold Medal awarded to Dr. John Smol..........................5 Dr. Laurene Ratcliffe appointed Associate Dean............................6 Dr. Raleigh Robertson honoured by Queen’s Senate.....................6 Visiting Field Scientist Program.......................................................6 Thousand Islands – Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve ...............7 Major Gifts Baillie Family Chair in Conservation Biology.................................7 Boston Wildlands Property...............................................................7 (QUBS Properties Map) ....................................................................9 Queen’s Ecological Observatory ......................................................10 William C. Brown Research Endowment Fund..............................11 The Queen’s Land Trust ...................................................................11 Dr. Allen Keast...................................................................................12 Gift and Estate Planning and Annual Giving .................................12 NSERC and Other Support NSERC MFA Grant ..........................................................................12 CFI Grant to Smol and Cumming....................................................13 Special Initiative Funding from Arts and Science ..........................13 Scholarships and Bursaries Wes and Dorletta Curran Scholarship ............................................13 Alexander and Cora Munn Summer Research Award..................13 Pearl E. Williams and Llewellyn Hillis Fund ..................................14 QUBS Outreach Programs Seminars..............................................................................................14 Open House.........................................................................................15 QUBS Logistical Support GIS/GPS and SWEP..........................................................................15 Outreach Coordinator/Information Manager and SWEP.............16 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................16 QUBS Properties............................................................................................17 Animal Care, Safety and Training ...............................................................20 Renovations and Additions ...........................................................................21 The Weather Report 2004.............................................................................26 Transit of Venus.............................................................................................28 Table 1: Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology enrolments .......29 Table 2: Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology credits...............30 Research Conducted by Queen’s University Personnel in 2004................31 Research Conducted by Non-Queen’s Personnel in 2004 ..........................44 Summary of Conference, Field Trip and Meeting Use of QUBS ..............61 Summary of Seminars at QUBS in 2004......................................................64 Documentation of Research Use of QUBS in 2004 – User-Days................66 Documentation of Use of QUBS in 2004 – User-Days ................................67 Fee Schedule for 2005 ....................................................................................68 1 Introduction In 2004, use at QUBS topped the 10,000 user-day mark. After three years of flirting with this level of use , it has finally been surpassed. In 2004, user-days totaled 10,103 (user-day data are displayed in tabular form on pp. 66 and 67). Use was up by 3.5% over 2003. It was a very busy year. Indeed, the high level of use was noticed by everyone, but noted early on by QUBS staff and long-time regulars. On average, 47 researchers (professors, graduate students, honours students and assistants) were in residence through the summer. Abstracts of 2004 research projects and documentation of the personnel involved are to be found on pages 31 through 60. User-Days at QUBS 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 1947 1953 1959 1965 1971 1977 1983 1989 1995 2001 (gaps indicate data are unavailaBle) In teaching activities, QUBS hosted 9 modules (16 weeks worth of modules) in the Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology (OUPFB). 3.5 of these modules were presented by Queen's instructors and 6.5 by instructors from other institutions (one course was a collaborative effort between Queen's and Ottawa U.) Details of the OUPFB programme are found in Tables 1 and 2 (pp.29 - 30). In addition to the OUPFB modules, Dr. Ed Kott (Wilfrid Laurier University) brought his field course for senior undergraduates for two weeks in late summer. This is the 17th (and last) year that Dr. Kott has brought the WLU field course to QUBS. After this year, Ed will no longer co-ordinate the course, having handed this responsibility to Dr. Scott Ramsay. Jim Ludden (a QUBS alumnus) brought a midsummer field course to QUBS from College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn, Illinois). In 2004, field trip and conference use of QUBS increased substantially (up 16%) from the levels of 2003. A summary of conference, meeting and field trip use of QUBS in 2004 appears later in this report (pp. 61-63). Last year, Dr. Raleigh Robertson announced his plans to retire as Director of QUBS in July 2005. Raleigh has been Director since 1972. Under his direction, the field station has become a renowned, world-class facility. Congratulations, Raleigh, on a job well done. At present, discussions continue with Dr. Bruce Tufts, who has expressed interest in becoming the next Director of QUBS. Bruce is well-known for his work on fish physiology and has recently been in the news with innovative methodology for weigh-ins at fishing tournaments. Bruce was recently awarded the Canadian Society of Zoologists Public Awareness Award (2005). This award is given to a member of the Society who has made a significant contribution to public zoological education and awareness of science. Particular mention was made of Bruce's ability to reach people concerning application of best practices to conservation of fish used in sports fisheries and his outstanding commitment to public education and awareness of science. 2 Team Staff Award for Frank Phelan & Floyd Connor Principal Karen R. Hitchcock presented Frank and Floyd with a Team Staff Award during the Principal's Holiday Reception in Grant Hall on 2 December. This richly deserved award was presented to recognize the many contributions that Frank and Floyd make to Queen's through their hard work and commitment to QUBS. As testimony to the extent to which their efforts are appreciated, a large number and broad array of QUBS users and friends supported this award. Following are some of the nomination materials and excerpts from letters of support: As the team responsible for the management of QUBS, Frank Phelan and Floyd Connor, through both their joint efforts and the complementarities of their skills and personalities, excel in a broad array of tasks that contribute to the successful operation of QUBS. Their total commitment to their jobs, and above all their overriding concern with the well-being of QUBS, has contributed enormously to the growth and development of QUBS over the past 20 + years. Their contributions involve improved efficiency, ever improving 'customer' (researcher & student) service, continuous problem-solving, and most importantly, doing whatever it takes to ensure that QUBS users have a productive and enjoyable experience while working or studying at QUBS. Throughout their long involvement at QUBS, they have both undertaken an ever-growing list of responsibilities. Taking students or neighbours bird-watching or star-gazing, or helping to find a particular study site or study organism is not part of their job description, but it certainly contributes to the experience at QUBS, and hence to Queen's reputation for operating a world-class field station. Frank Phelan, Dr. Raleigh Robertson and Floyd Connor at Staff Award Ceremony at Grant Hall 3 The diversity and range of their involvement illustrates the complexity and enormity of the contributions that we teachers and researchers, both from Queen's and from a number of other institutions, have come to expect from Frank and Floyd when we conduct research, or teach courses at QUBS. Most of these tasks are well beyond what would be expected from manager positions. Yet Frank and Floyd make all of these work contributions, and more, too numerous to mention, with conscientious concern for students and researchers who use the Station. Both Frank and Floyd believe strongly in the "mission" of the field station, which is to provide a first-class facility for research and teaching in a broad array of disciplines under the umbrella of field biology. Because of their strong commitment, they work tirelessly at whatever it takes to make QUBS fulfill this mission. The numerous (16!) letters, most with multiple signatures, in support of this nomination speak volumes about the extent and breadth of contributions made by Frank and Floyd that
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