This session is about people, the environment, and respect for Nibi (Water). We recognize that humans and the land are deeply interconnected, bound together as relatives within a shared circle of life. We honour the teachings that remind us that what affects the Earth impacts us, and that by caring for the land and waters, we care for ourselves and future generations.
From long before the advent of modern scientific tools to today, Indigenous knowledge holders and community-based groups have led the way in monitoring aquatic systems, developing deep, place-based understandings of ecosystem change. Here we model a new paradigm as the scientific community shifts away from extractive research methods toward more collaborative, respectful, and cocreated approaches to data collection, analysis, and decision-making.
Concurrently, the field of molecular biology and environmental sensing is undergoing rapid progress. This includes environmental DNA (eDNA), high‑resolution remote sensing (such as satellite and UAV imagery), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), drones, passive acoustic monitoring, machine learning data processing, and in situ sensor networks. These advancements are revolutionizing the way we observe freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity by offering unprecedented sensitivity, spatial coverage, and non‑invasive monitoring capacity.
Often developed independently, Indigenous knowledge systems, community‑based monitoring, and emerging technologies possess complementary strengths that can advance freshwater science in the 21st century. Thoughtful alignment of these approaches—including attention to scale, interpretation, and data stewardship—can enhance their collective value and relevance across diverse monitoring contexts. To ensure continuity and comparability with the data that currently guide environmental decision‑making, it is essential to integrate emerging data streams with existing long‑term monitoring programs.
The session will be used as a platform to identify opportunities for collaboration and synergies among researchers, Indigenous communities, practitioners, stakeholders participating in monitoring, and the emerging technologies they are developing. As such, this session will provide an opportunity for exchange on research that applies and integrates emerging technologies with existing community‑, Indigenous‑, or NGO‑led monitoring practices, as well as long‑term scientific monitoring programs.
Specifically, we envision co‑developing discussions related to the following themes:
· Novel approaches towards quantifying and/or qualifying species distributions and/or abundances;
· The development of methodological techniques and best practices for emerging methods in freshwater ecology;
· The role of emerging technologies in detecting and monitoring aquatic biodiversity;
· Identifying potential synergies between emerging methods for surveying freshwaters for holistic, non‑invasive ecosystem monitoring;
· Bridging current and emerging monitoring techniques with long‑term, community‑based, and Indigenous monitoring initiatives to extend monitoring capacity across spatial, temporal, and institutional scales
Lead Organizer: Jack Greenhalgh, McGill University (jackhalgh95@gmail.com)
Co-organizers:
Valérie Langlois, McGill University (valerie.langlois3@mail.mcgill.ca)
Geneviève D’Avignon, McGill University (genevieve.davignon@usherbrooke.ca)
Presentations
11:00 AM
WATERSHED WATCH: COMBINING EDNA AND COMMUNITY SCIENCE TO MONITOR AQUATIC SPECIES OF CONCERN (10197)
Primary Presenter: Genevieve D'Avignon, Université de Sherbrooke (genevieve.davignon@usherbrooke.ca)
Climate change, habitat fragmentation, and human movement are increasing the spread of invasive species, harming biodiversity, ecosystem services, and public health. Traditional biodiversity monitoring is expensive, slow, and limited in coverage, leading to incomplete data. Here, we developed molecular tools- using environmental DNA (eDNA) technologies- to record the presence of invasive zoonotic mosquitoes in Ontario and Quebec regions of Canada and compare its diversity to traditional trapping methods. We tested six eDNA sampling methods at three locations across 30 freshwater waterbodies to identify protocols suitable for community scientists. All sampling methods recovered detectable mosquito eDNA, with passive eDNA samplers (PeDS) achieving the highest detection rate at 85%. Salt-preserved water samples (SALT) and traditional on-site filtration followed at 62% detection rate. SALT yielded the highest eDNA concentration per unit of water volume. The location of sampling (inlet, outlet, shoreline) within each water had no significant differences in detection rates. Community scientists successfully deployed PEDS and SALT, showing their high applicability. Our approach combines emerging eDNA technology and community science, enabling non-invasive, scalable monitoring of low-biomass organisms like mosquitoes. It can be used in volunteer lake monitoring programs to expand biodiversity knowledge and track species of concern, including invasive and rare taxa, offering a valuable tool for freshwater ecosystem surveillance.
11:00 AM
CAN WATERSHED BIO- AND GEODIVERSITY INFORM THE HABITAT SUITABILITY OF SALMONIDS? (10515)
Primary Presenter: Peyton Thomas, University of Colorado Boulder (peyton.thomas@colorado.edu)
Brook trout (uinipeku-matemetu, Salvelinus fontinalis) and Atlantic salmon (ushashameku, Salmo salar) are both emblematic species of the province of Quebec for their popularity with recreational, commercial, and Indigenous food, ceremonial, and social fisheries. Anticosti Island, a recently named UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural significance and rich geological record, is a well-known destination for brook trout and Atlantic salmon fishing with populations of various health statuses. We developed a project to assess the links between river diversity and the various mechanisms underlying the ecophysiology and habitat preferences of Anticosti Island salmonids using fish otolith and water trace metal signatures, river morphology, and environmental DNA. In July 2025, 37 rivers and lakes across Anticosti island were sampled for environmental DNA, water chemistry, and river morphological characteristics.This data collection and future model development will be useful for future ecosystem restoration plans and conservation goals for native Brook trout and Atlantic salmon populations throughout the province of Québec.
11:00 AM
EARLY DETECTION OF FRESHWATER EXOTIC INVASIVE MACROPHYTES THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DNA (10873)
Primary Presenter: Irene Gregory-Eaves, McGill University (irene.gregory-eaves@mcgill.ca)
Exotic invasive macrophytes are reshaping freshwater ecosystems, by changing community composition and altering key ecosystem functions and services. Early detection of exotic invasive macrophytes is essential for effective management, yet current monitoring approaches still rely heavily on traditional field surveys. These surveys are often costly and require specialized taxonomic expertise to identify species. As a result, sustainable solutions for detecting invasive macrophytes remain a major challenge for freshwater managers. Environmental DNA (eDNA) analyses are increasingly used for freshwater monitoring and provide a promising approach for tracking exotic invasive macrophytes. With this approach, water samples can be collected by non-scientists with minimal training and sent to a lab to detect the presence of selected species. We are developing an eDNA detection tool suitable for a large-scale exotic invasive macrophytes monitoring program. First, we used community metabarcoding sequencing to monitor both the presence of exotic invasive species and their potential impact on the local community. Then, we developed a targeted detection tool for Myriophyllum spicatum, a high-priority invasive macrophyte in Québec. Our preliminary results show positive detection of exotic invasive macrophytes through metabarcoding sequencing and successful discrimination of the invasive M. spicatum from other taxa through qPCR analysis. These tools can facilitate widespread, rapid, and cost-effective monitoring of exotic invasive macrophytes across Québec.
11:00 AM
MANITOBA'S MESOSALINE MICROBES' METAGENOMIC MAPPING (11257)
Primary Presenter: Ayush Sharma, University of Manitoba (sharm86@myumanitoba.ca)
Water has been described as the most precious resource in Manitoba, Canada, yet little is known about the microbial inhabitants of these waters. This is particularly true for the saline springs that are > 600 km from the closest marine ecosystem, where microbial communities are largely uncharacterized. No information on the composition, longevity or resilience after disruptions is available for these systems, which means that no framework exists for biodiversity conservation at the microbial level. With this work, we aim to use eDNA technologies to guide cultivation efforts to enrich for bacteria and archaea from these springs. To target anaerobic diversity, enrichment cultures were established in anoxic, moderately saline media (14.5 ppt) supplemented with several carbon sources for heterotrophs, and carbon dioxide for autotrophs, with a N2/CO2/H2 (88:7.5:4.25 vol/vol) headspace. Subsurface sediment from the springs was added as 10% v/v inoculum, and enrichments were incubated at room temperature, under circumneutral pH. After 13 days of incubation, metagenomic sequencing of cultures showed selection for new Desulfobacterota, Campylobacterota, Chloroflexota and Nanobdellota. This work established the first enrichment cultures for these organisms, with some described only at the order or family level, highlighting their unique genomic diversity. Future work entails characterizing these organisms to serve as anchor points for monitoring of the microbial communities in these springs, as the high degree of novelty may be indicative of endemic species in need of conservation.
11:00 AM
MONITORING, UNDERSTANDING AND PROTECTING FRESHWATER BIODIVERSITY IN NATURAL, ARTIFICIAL AND MODIFIED WATERWAYS IN BOREAL FORESTS USING DNA METABARCODING (10187)
Primary Presenter: Cedric Bagheri Åkermark, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (cedric.akermark@slu.se)
Man-made ditches, modified waterways, and small natural streams make up over 90 % of the total length of running waters in Sweden. Millions of kilometers of these small waterways are exposed to pressures from forestry, including insufficient riparian buffers along modified waterways and the cleaning of drainage ditches. Such practices pose major threats to aquatic biodiversity, yet we currently lack the capacity to predict biodiversity responses, as these systems are largely overlooked in monitoring programs. Using DNA metabarcoding targeting diatoms and bacteria sampled from multiple substrates at 56 sites across Sweden, we explored biodiversity patterns along a gradient from natural streams to man-made ditches, with and without recent forestry pressure. We can, for the first time, provide a snapshot of microbial biodiversity in these understudied systems. Our results suggest that recent forest harvesting surrounding waterways influences habitat conditions – especially light availability and temperature – more strongly than whether the system is natural or man-made. Interestingly, geographic region emerged as a stronger predictor of diatom community composition compared to both waterway type and recent forestry disturbance, suggesting that the biodiversity values of natural and man-made waterways may be more similar to each other than expected. Our ongoing work aims to develop a cost-efficient and scalable field and laboratory protocol and provide an eDNA-based diatom index tailored for small boreal forest waterways to assess their ecological status.
11:00 AM
REASSESSING OUR NAMING PRACTICES FOR ORGANISMS IDENTIFIED FROM GENOMIC DATA (11349)
Primary Presenter: Marike Palmer, University of Manitoba (marike.palmer@umanitoba.ca)
Nomenclature serves as the common language through which we communicate biodiversity. Using consistent and universal names allow unambiguous reference to organisms. This facilitates the critical connections between research in vastly different fields required for obtaining a holistic view of an organism. In the prokaryotes, a code of nomenclature that allows use of genomic data as types, SeqCode, has recently been developed. This means that prokaryotic genomes can now serve as anchor points for names ascribed to the biodiversity represented by them, including genomes derived from eDNA. However, with SeqCode development largely aiming for consistency with the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes that govern cultivated prokaryotes, many western practices in naming are inadvertently also being preserved. Thus, despite many microbial ecologists showing significant improvement in how we conduct research in collaboration with Indigenous communities, the naming of microorganisms does not yet reflect this progress. We are now at a pivotal point in the lifespan of the SeqCode to effect change in how we approach naming of prokaryotes, particularly organisms discovered from Indigenous lands. Here, we would like to extend a call to action to build a global network of Indigenous Peoples and researchers to develop guidelines for the naming of prokaryotes. Co-developed names will not only provide richness to the nomenclatural landscape but would show respect to the names and Indigenous knowledge gathered over generations by the guardians of this biodiversity.
11:00 AM
SPATIAL REPRESENTATIVENESS OF EDNA SAMPLES IN A LARGE AND SHALLOW LAKE: IMPLICATIONS FOR MONITORING FISH ASSEMBLAGES (11387)
Primary Presenter: Anna Szolnoki, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest (szolnoki.anna@blki.hu)
Representative sampling is a central goal in ecological research, biodiversity monitoring, and environmental management, yet accurately characterizing community structure in large, heterogeneous ecosystems remains challenging. We applied habitat-specific environmental DNA (eDNA) assays and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), to identify the optimal sampling effort and the spatial dependence of sampling representativeness for whole-lake level monitoring of fish assemblages in Lake Balaton, the largest shallow lake in Central Europe. Samples were collected in a spatially stratified systematic design to cover all habitat types and spatial and environmental gradients in the lake. Rarefaction and autosimilarity analyses showed that only a small proportion of samples was sufficient to capture taxonomic richness and to yield representative patterns of species composition and relative abundance. Detection of rare and traditionally underrepresented taxa, including benthic and large-bodied species, was consistently effective. Redundancy analysis identified the inshore–offshore gradient as the primary driver of community structure. Although latitude and mesohabitat type were statistically significant, their influence on assemblage structure at the whole-lake level was minimal. Overall, eDNA-based surveys offer a powerful and efficient tool for large-scale biomonitoring in Lake Balaton, requiring neither high sampling intensity nor fine spatial resolution to achieve representative assessments.
11:00 AM
ADVANCEMENT IN EDNA FRESHWATER PHYTOPLANKTON RESEARCH AND BIOMONITORING – REFBAR PROJECT (11483)
Primary Presenter: Milos Ciric, University of Belgrade, Institute of chemistry, technology and metallurgy (ciricmilosh@yahoo.com)
The quantity and quality of freshwater habitats in rivers, lakes, and wetlands are rapidly declining on a global scale. Almost half of all lakes in the European Union (EU) are below good ecological status. To improve the health of lakes, efficient biodiversity monitoring is essential. Phytoplankton, as a complex assemblage of different microalgal groups and cyanobacteria, responds to different pressures on lakes, and thus represents a key biological quality element required by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). The REFBAR project aims to improve the detection of freshwater plankton microalgae and cyanobacteria through a DNA-based method. The consortium includes three research institutions and three companies from Europe, as well as two academic institutions from South America. We will innovate a DNA extraction protocol for phytoplankton, design new 23S RNA primers suitable for long-read sequencing, develop a cost-effective portable genetic workflow, sequence DNA barcodes of phytoplankton specimens from culture collections (barcoding) and complex environmental samples (metabarcoding), and upgrade the Phytool reference library. Finally, an international expert team will be established to curate the Phytool barcode library. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101236590.
11:00 AM
Identifying and Exploring the Persistence, Resistome and Mobilome of Campylobacter and Salmonella spp. and in Agricultural-Influenced Waterways of First Nation Communities in Manitoba (11607)
Primary Presenter: Maurice Nyamekye, University of Manitoba (nmaurice366@gmail.com)
Campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis are the leading food and water-borne bacterial illnesses in Canada. The causative agents are Campylobacter especially Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, and Salmonella spp. According to the government of Canada, Campylobacter spp. account for about 8% domestically acquired foodborne illnesses and about 14% hospitalizations from foodborne bacterial illnesses. Non-typhoidal Salmonella spp. account for approximately 5% domestically acquired foodborne illnesses and about 24% hospitalizations from foodborne bacterial illnesses. Agriculturally influenced environments, surrounding waterways, facilitate the transport of enteric pathogens, making them a sentinel location. FoodNet Canada, a federal program, has conducted assessments of these pathogens in sentinel sites across major regions in Canada; however, monitoring and screening of these pathogens in aquatic waterways of Manitoba remains unavailable. Using a combination of culture-dependent approaches and Oxford Nanopore whole-genome sequencing (WGS), we assess these pathogens and the water quality golden standard, thermotolerant E. coli, within agriculturally impacted waterways across three First Nation communities of Manitoba. Surface watersamples from 7 different sampling locations influenced by agricultural activities were collected during four different months from August to December 2025, which is the primary harvest period for most major crops in Manitoba. Genomic DNA was extracted from the three bacterial isolates of interest per sample location and prepared for WGS. Longer and more informative reads were generated, assembled and aligned against a reference genome for the respective bacterial pathogens, followed by a full genome annotation to identify antimicrobial resistance genes. Within this context, the complete resistome and mobilome of the isolates were characterised. Metadata and genetic information of all the isolates from the sample sites will be [MU1] integrated into statistical and visualisation tools for comparative analysis regarding variation, antimicrobial resistance genes, and other environmental factors (metadata) driving the isolates in the waterways. By integrating these environmental WGS data with public health reports, genomic analysis will establish reliable data for understanding and unveiling the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles and transmission routes of these causative agents responsible for enteric illnesses in Manitoba and particularly First Nation communities.
11:00 AM
Sound:Wave – Passive Acoustic Monitoring of Recreational Boating in a Multi-Use Waterway (11779)
Primary Presenter: Steven Robinson, Carleton University (steverobinson@cmail.carleton.ca)
Recreational boating is increasingly recognized as a source of disturbance to freshwater ecosystems. Noise pollution and surface waves (wakes) are primary boat-induced stressors that can have immediate and cumulative impacts on waterways, biodiversity, and nearby users and residents. Navigation speed influences both underwater noise and wake height, highlighting the value of incorporating boat speed in monitoring programs. We present a practical, cost-effective, and fully autonomous method for estimating boat speed and traffic using open-source passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) devices in the Rideau River, eastern Ontario. Method validation was completed during experimental trials in September–October 2024 in the Eccolands Reach (Ottawa). A variety of recreational vessels were operated at known speeds (5-70 km/h), and passes were recorded at 48 kHz by two HydroMoths deployed parallel to the channel. Speed was automatically calculated from recorder spacing and the time interval between peak sound amplitudes (n = 67; RMSE = 10.2 km/h; MAE = 7.1 km/h). In August 2025, we surveyed the aquatic soundscapes at two sites in the Long Reach (Kars). Each HydroMoth recorded 20 minutes of 32-kHz audio per hour for one week (112 total hours). A machine-learning model was used to quantify boat traffic and estimates were compared with wake counts from do-it-yourself pressure gauges. This scalable approach demonstrates how PAM can simultaneously support boating management and ecological monitoring in recreational waterways.
11:00 AM
FACTORS AFFECTING MICROBIAL COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN SPLIT LAKE, MANITOBA (11796)
Primary Presenter: Thamali Vidanage, University of Manitoba (vidanagethamali96@gmail.com)
Split Lake is a large freshwater lake located on the lower Nelson River in northern Manitoba that was heavily negatively impacted by the 1976 Churchill River Diversion hydroelectric project, which diverted 75% of the water from the Churchill River into the Nelson. On the north shore of the Split Lake, lies Tatatskweyak Cree Nation, a community of the original Ininew people who have inhabited northern Manitoba for millennia and have been under boil water advisory since 2017. In partnership with the Tataskweyak Environmental Monitoring Agency, a group of tribal Members concerned for the health of the lake and people, we conducted a week-long sampling expedition to establish a baseline and understand the environmental factors influencing the lake’s microbial community. The study conducted in August 2024 encompassed 16 stations on Split Lake and Assean Lake, a nearby lake with minimal influence from hydroelectric development and the source of water for a new treatment plant. We used 16s SSU rRNA gene metabarcoding of aquatic eDNA to assess microbial community composition across the lake, which was strongly correlated with turbidity and dissolved oxygen level; six distinct microbial community clusters were identified. The dominant prokaryotic taxa were Actinobacteria hgcl clade and Cyanobium. Microcystin concentrations measured in lake waters were well below the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) set for Canadian federal drinking water standards. These results will inform community monitoring effects on the health of the lake.
11:00 AM
DIFFERENCES IN MICROBIAL COMMUNITY STRUCTURE BETWEEN THE RED RIVER AND WINNIPEG RIVER IN MANITOBA, CANADA (11871)
Primary Presenter: Maria Garcia, University of Manitoba (garcimds@myumanitoba.ca)
Microbes play a dynamic role in nutrient and carbon cycling within riverine ecosystems so it is vital to understand their ecology and distributions in light of anthropogenic influences, particularly in systems heavily impacted by eutrophication like the Lake Winnipeg watershed. The two main inputs to Lake Winnipeg are the Red River, dominated by agricultural land use, and the Winnipeg River, which is primarily forested. While 70% of the water entering Lake Winnipeg comes from the Winnipeg River, 70% of the excess phosphorous comes from the Red. In 2002 we initiated an ongoing microbial community monitoring program in collaboration with local First Nations to conduct repeat seasonal sampling at 20+ sites in the Lake Winnipeg watershed including the Red, Assiniboine, La Salle, Seine, Brokenhead, and Winnipeg Rivers. Using Oxford Nanopore shotgun metagenomic sequencing, we conducted metagenomic binning to reconstruct draft genomes for the most abundant taxa in these rivers. As in other large metagenomic surveys like the Genome Resolved Open Watersheds database, we found a core of common taxa across river systems, but distinct compositions in each river. Significant seasonal and interannual variability were evident as well, indicating that ongoing monitoring is needed. Going forward we aim to include additional environmental parameters to gain a more complete understanding of the factors leading to changes in microbial community structure in this watershed.
11:00 AM
Emerging methods for aquatic invasive species detection: Results of a global survey (10799)
Primary Presenter: Jack Greenhalgh, MCGill University (jackhalgh95@gmail.com)
Aquatic invasive species are among the most severe and rapidly intensifying threats to global freshwater biodiversity, driving more than half of documented freshwater species extinctions. Early detection of invasion fronts and effective monitoring of established populations are critical, yet freshwater environments present unique challenges: many invaders persist at low densities or remain cryptic, habitats are either highly fragmented (lakes and ponds) or extensively connected (rivers), and hydrological processes can redistribute organisms and their detectable signals. Recent technological innovations, including environmental DNA, drones, robotic samplers, passive acoustic sensors, underwater imaging, and machine-learning–based identification, offer transformative opportunities to improve surveillance. However, their effectiveness hinges on aligning method attributes with invasive species traits, behaviours, life-history strategies, and habitat use. In this talk, we present findings from a global survey of limnologists that explores how emerging detection methods are currently applied, perceived, and prioritized in the context of fundamental ecological characteristics of aquatic invaders. We highlight global patterns in perspectives, gaps between technological potential and real-world feasibility, and opportunities for strategically aligning species ecology with methodological innovation. Together, these insights help inform the synergistic deployment of emerging detection tools to enhance early-warning capacity and long-term monitoring of aquatic invasive species.
11:00 AM
PASSIVE ACOUSTIC MONITORING OF BIOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC SOUNDSCAPES IN THE RIDEAU RIVER SYSTEM. (11537)
Primary Presenter: Curtis Hunter, Carleton University (curtishunter@cmail.carleton.ca)
Passive acoustic monitoring, well established in marine and terrestrial research, remains underused in freshwater ecosystem assessment. To demonstrate its potential, we conducted soundscape surveys in the Rideau River (Ottawa, Ontario) using low-cost, open-source HydroMoth hydrophones. Recorders were deployed for 8 days (06–13 August 2025) at two contrasting sites: a lower-disturbance no-wake zone adjacent to James Island and a higher-disturbance reach near W.A. Taylor Conservation Area, characterized by frequent boat traffic. Each unit recorded 20 minutes of 32-kHz audio every hour, producing 6,760 minutes of data. Machine-learning models were used to autonomously detect and classify acoustic events from biological and anthropogenic sources. Across sites, we compared diel patterns of biophony and anthropophony, quantified the contribution of boat noise to the overall soundscape, and examined how elevated noise conditions influence the occurrence of biological activity based on frequency and duration of detected events. Biological detections were greater at the lower-disturbance site, while boat noise contributed more strongly to the soundscape at the higher-disturbance site, revealing clear spatial and temporal differences in freshwater acoustic activity. The results illustrate how Passive Acoustic Monitoring, paired with machine-learning detection, captures meaningful differences in freshwater soundscapes and supports emerging applications of acoustic monitoring in freshwater environments.
SS055P Integrative Approaches to Freshwater Monitoring: Emerging Technologies, Community Based Programs, and Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Description
Time: 11:00 AM
Date: 15/5/2026
Room: 517C