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Video - Predicting Cumulative Effects of Energy Developments: Presentation by Dr. Jim Schieck

Dr. Jim Schieck described how cumulative effects studies could be done for biodiversity assessments. The long term monitoring done by the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute provides both a baseline and data for more detailed mapping and modeling.

He presents some preliminary results from a 2 year study to illustrate some of the concepts. The list of species and habitats that people want monitored is long. Realistically, however, good data requires being selective (focus on a few plants and birds) and then interpretation of human footprint from satellite photos, followed up with on-site monitoring from a large number of representative sites. He describes how this process could be leveraged to predict cumulative effects.

Dr. Jim Schieck is co-director with the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute and an ecologist with Alberta Innovates, Technology Futures. He presented at the PTAC Forum on Resource Access and Ecological Issues, November 26, 2012.