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Ben Collison

@benrcollison.bsky.social
2.5K followers 2K following 46 posts

phd candidate @dalhousie.bsky.social || ecohydrology 🌳💧|| impact assessment ⛏️⚖️ || salmon watersheds 🐟 || benrcollison.com 📍 K’jipuktuk (halifax, ns 🇨🇦)

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Reposted by Ben Collison
Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) @dalees.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Congratulations to Ben Collison on being a 2026 recipient of Dal's university-wide Sessional and Part-time Instructor Award for Excellence in Teaching!
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
NEW: Land cover and natural riverscape heterogeneity shape in-stream thermal regimes: Implications for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) conservation doi.org/10.1016/j.sc...
Graphical abstract for Medeiros et al., 2026: Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations continue to experience significant declines across the North Atlantic due to a myriad of factors including acidification, invasive species, and warming waters related to climate change. Temperature is a key habitat metric for salmonids but the underlying factors that drive riverine thermal regimes, and the fine-scale thermal suitability of ecologically significant salmon watersheds in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada, remains largely unknown. Here, we combined field data with a machine learning approach to: (i) identify the main environmental factors driving riverine thermal variability in two large watersheds in the Nova Scotia Southern Uplands region; and (ii) examine thermal habitat suitability for Atlantic salmon in the ∼2313 km of river network that comprise the studied watersheds. We found that riparian forest cover, landscape forest cover, and elevation had a significant cooling influence on water temperature, whereas slope, wetlands and developed areas had a warming effect. Our predictions and thermal suitability maps suggest that 55% (∼ 666 km) of the LaHave River (1214 km) and 22% (∼235 km) of the St. Mary's River (1072 km) are predicted to have stressful average temperatures for adults during the summer. Daily maximum temperature exceeded 20 °C for more than 40% of the study period in 89% (∼ 1084 km) of LaHave River, and 84% (∼ 903 km) of St. Mary's River. Daily maximum temperature exceeded 23 °C over 40% of the study period in 26% (∼ 318 km) of LaHave River, and 10% (∼ 110 km) of St. Mary's River. Significant reaches of both river networks are approaching stressful conditions for adult Atlantic salmon in the warmer months, while thermal conditions are more tolerable to juveniles. Such scenarios underscore the importance of protecting high-quality habitats and thermal refugia, without which salmon populations in this region are unlikely to recover.
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Reposted by Ben Collison
Itai Yanai @itaiyanai.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
🔥 Published today, and just in time for summer conferences, here are your guidelines for presenting badly www.nature.com/articles/s41... rdcu.be/fqa92
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
It’s conference season!! ATTN: PRESENTERS — please please please practice giving your talk in the allotted time that you have. I see it so often… people blowing through their talk time limit in a session with multiple presenters. The effect of you deciding to ramble is…
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Reposted by Ben Collison
Jayme Lewthwaite, PhD @jaymelewthwaite.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Myself and a number of Liber Ero Postdoctoral Fellows recently wrote about how massive cuts and lay-offs in federal science in Canada are super concerning due to their lack of clear strategy or transparency. Thinking of the govt scientists who have lost their jobs www.hilltimes.com/2026/05/28/c...
hilltimes.com
Canada’s nature strategy needs science and transparency, not spending cuts - The Hill Times
Protecting biodiversity requires more than targets on paper. It depends on sustained investment in three pillars of scientific capacity: long-term monitoring, scientific expertise and recovery infrast...
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Reposted by Ben Collison
Halifax Examiner @halifaxexaminer.ca · 02/04/2026
‘Alarm bells’ ring over new ‘one project, one review’ agreement between Ottawa and NS for environmental assessments reported by Joan Baxter @joanbaxter.bsky.social
halifaxexaminer.ca
'Alarm bells’ ring over new ‘one project, one review’ agreement between Ottawa and NS for environmental assessments - Halifax Examiner
In the past year, Houston’s government has been openly hostile about those who care about environmental protection, dismissing them as “special interest” groups.
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Reposted by Ben Collison
Laura Keating @lorekeating.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
I keep seeing "all authors use AI, the real issue is they're being forced to be sneaky about it" headlines. Full stop No. This is a lie peddled for normalization. It's schoolyard-level pressure tactics "C'mon, all the cool kids are already doing it. We won't tell. It's fine. We're on your side."
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
🤦‍♂️
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
me, sorting a kick sample of riverine benthic invertebrates
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Reposted by Ben Collison
Dal Gazette @dalgazette.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Dear Dalhousie University, Not cool. Accepting $30 million from the provincial government to research onshore natural gas may have been your worst idea of the school year — and that’s saying something. dalgazette.com/opinions/dea...
dalgazette.com
Dear Dal, I don’t want this
Dear Dalhousie University, not cool. Accepting $30 million from the provincial government to research onshore natural gas may have been your worst idea of the school year — and that’s saying something...
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Reposted by Ben Collison
FACETS Journal @facetsjournal.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Our most read article of 2025 examines trends in environmental impact assessments for Canadian mines and quarries. Read it now ▶️ ow.ly/L1Us50XWnza 👥 Alexandre Legault, Ben Collison, et al. #BestofCSP Dalhousie University
Graphic highlighting the most read article in 2025 with a colorful FACETS journal cover celebrating 10 years.
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Reposted by Ben Collison
Henry Snow @henrys.now · 05/03/2025
If you can't be bothered to actually write the peer review yourself why should the reviewee have to listen to it? Why write anything at all, ever? If you don't have enough time, fight for better working conditions instead of faking your work
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
NEW STUDY: What 50 years of buried data tell us about Canada’s mining oversight ⛏️ Nearly three years of work from a very determined tem has culminated in the first ever database of mines and quarries that have undergone environmental impact assessment (IA) throughout Canada's history. Learn more:
facetsjournal.com
Unearthing trends in environmental impact assessments for mines and quarries across Canada
In Canada, at least 200 active mines and 6500 quarries produce 60 commodities. Many proposed mines and quarries undergo impact assessment (IA) to predict potential impacts and inform final decision-ma...
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
students in solidarity with the DFA! #keepdalstrong @dalfaculty.bsky.social @dalhousie.bsky.social
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
Fieldwork season = postponed! Side-by-side comparison of the same stretch of river one year apart (Aug 2025 vs Aug 2024) to further highlight how extreme this current drought is across Nova Scotia.
Aug 6, 2025. West River St. Mary’s, Nova Scotia. Extremely low water levels and exposed river shoreline that is normally submerged.Aug 12, 2024. West River St. Mary’s, Nova Scotia. Flowing river with water throughout, including full side pools and meanders.
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Reposted by Ben Collison
Green Party of Canada | Parti Vert du Canada @canadiangreens.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
Watch as Green Party Leader Elizabeth May calls out serious concerns about bill C-5 and points out that Minister Tim Hodgson seemingly doesn't know, or is contradicting its contents. When the Liberals can’t explain their own legislation, it’s Canadians who pay the price.
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Kathryn Harrison @profkharrison.bsky.social · 02/06/2025
Hard to think of a clear depiction of climate politics in Canada than provincial premiers calling for more pipelines and deregulation of oil and gas development as climate-amplified wildfires rage in their own provinces. #cdnpoli
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
Nova Scotia committed to reform its outdated environmental assessment (EA) process before the end of 2024. It did not happen. but yeah, let’s promote knowingly destructive industries without any solid mechanism to assess the impacts of new projects - sounds like we thought this one through 🙃
cbc.ca
Nova Scotia government bill would lift ban on fracking, uranium exploration
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Reposted by Ben Collison
The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 15/02/2025
Public Environmental Data Partners archives climate datasets, uploading copies to public repositories and cataloging where and how to find them if they go missing from government websites. Scholars explain: buff.ly/3EELhYh
theconversation.com
How to find climate data and science the Trump administration doesn’t want you to see
Several groups are working to preserve webpages, tools and data – some of which have already gone missing from government webpages since the start of the Trump administration.
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Gotta break up the dystopian timeline with some herpetofauna! this was quite the colourful friend i stumbled upon doing fieldwork this summer. anybody got other nature pics to share?
Wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) in Nova Scotia, Canada. They are an endangered species here that a rare occurrence in most watersheds. A fan favourite amongst naturalists nonetheless!
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Reposted by Ben Collison
Anna Gifty @itsafronomics.blacksky.app · 25/01/2025
If you are scientists, researcher, or scholar of any kind, it's time to invest HEAVILY in science communication. If the government won't let the people know the facts, we must. And I already got you covered. #academicsky #science #phd #research medium.com/educreation/... bsky.app/profile/roxa...
medium.com
Science Communication for the Willing
A helpful guide to sharing research (effectively) on Twitter
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Michelle Wille @duckswabber.bsky.social · 27/01/2025
Between 2019 and 2023, researchers paid $8.968 billion to make papers open access. Imagine what else could be done with this money if it wasnt paid to for profit publishing companies... 👉 arxiv.org/abs/2407.16551
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Carrie Tait @carrietait.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
When everyone was looking at the USA, Alberta quietly scrapped a series of ministerial orders that banned coal development in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains: www.theglobeandmail.com/business/art... #cndpoli #abpoli
theglobeandmail.com
Alberta rescinds coal development ban for foothills of the Rocky Mountains
Energy Minister Brian Jean said in a letter to the Alberta Energy Regulator that he was rescinding ministerial orders which directed the agency to suspend approvals and refuse new applications for coa...
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Michael Folkerson @mfolkerson.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
Has nobody mentioned the music? (random short list, no order, trying to cover different genres): Rush The Guess Who Bryan Adams Celine Dion Arcade Fire Drake K'Naan (we can claim him) K-OS Leonard Cohen Michael Bublé The Weeknd Metric Cowboys Fringants Shania Twain .... 1/2
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lukelukeluke @lukelukeluke.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
When you visit a new forest, go up to the biggest mushroom you can find and eat the log he’s growing on to establish dominance
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Reposted by Ben Collison
PEC Exeter @pec-exeter.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
Where are all the field studies? This ⬇️ important but rather depressing paper describes how conducting, & crucially initiating, field studies is becoming harder & rarer. A short 🧵 (and a call for more fieldwork) www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...
cell.com
Extinction of experience among ecologists
Fieldwork-based research and education in ecology are under multiple threats and are progressively declining. We call for greater attention to this ongoing loss of direct field experience within the ecology community, as it could have widespread consequences for science and education, ultimately hindering efforts to address the ongoing biodiversity crisis.
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Aerin Jacob, PhD @aerinj.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
Happy New Year! I updated my webpage of envirionment-related scholarships, grants, & awards: www.aerinjacob.ca/funding--awa... It includes: * science * action & policy * communication * travel awards * international tho' emphasis on N Am, Africa, & women Please share. #ConservationFunding
aerinjacob.ca
Funding & awards
A list of conservation-related scholarships, fellowships, funding, and awards.
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Reposted by Ben Collison
Salomé Viljoen @salome.bsky.social · 26/12/2024
my #1 duty to students is to teach them how to think. AI makes this job harder not easier. A closely related duty I owe is to not let students become accomplices in their own future irrelevance just because it’s easier short term to cheat thinking w AI
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 27/12/2024
Alberta’s rather puzzling decision to allow the possibility of coal mining in a significant (for many reasons) headwater supply reminds me to plug one of my fav papers: doi.org/10.1126/scia...
doi.org
Risks of mining to salmonid-bearing watersheds
The complexity and dynamics of salmonid-bearing watersheds challenge effective mining governance.
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Reposted by Ben Collison
Steven J Cooke @sjcfishy.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
We need to identify development thresholds to ensure that our actions in riparian areas and along shorelines to not push freshwater ecosystems over the edge. bioone.org/journals/aqu...
bioone.org
The urgent need to identify thresholds to use for decisions about shoreline and riparian development in freshwater systems
Freshwater shorelines, including adjacent riparian habitats, are dynamic intersections between land and water that contribute to the maintenance of biodiversity in both realms. These areas are also affected by multiple stressors at local and global scales, from development to climate impacts. Despite increasing alterations to these areas, often to the detriment of connected ecosystems, and despite many regulations for residential and commercial development, there are no established thresholds across countries and governance levels for how much shoreline or riparian development is too much to maintain freshwater ecosystem function. The urgent need to identify thresholds for shoreline and riparian development in freshwater systems is complicated by a number of challenges, yet there is evidence that threshold effects occur after only a small area of a watershed is developed. Here, we summarize current information on development thresholds for shoreline and riparian areas of freshwater systems. We then discuss the inherent challenges in assigning numeric values to such a diverse set of ecosystems (spanning wetlands, lakes, streams, and more), including considerations such as temporal lags, spatial scales, and cumulative effects. We conclude with a call for research needed to overcome knowledge gaps that will enable practitioners to apply scientifically-robust thresholds to decisions regarding shoreline and riparian development. Doing so will benefit all actors by providing evidence to support shoreline policies and development guidelines that are inclusive of the aesthetic, recreational, and functional aspects of freshwater systems.
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 22/12/2024
Interviewer: Can you explain this gap in your resume? Hydrologist: it was caused by an early spring freshet followed by a sustained period of low rainfall.
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Aerin Jacob, PhD @aerinj.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
Alberta’s lifting of restrictions on wolverine trapping could spell disaster for a declining population, writes Jason Fisher. theconversation.com/albertas-lif...
theconversation.com
Alberta’s lifting of restrictions on wolverine trapping could spell disaster for a declining population
Alberta’s move to lift restrictions on trapping activities is scientifically unsound and will hasten population decline across the province.
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Jeannie Wilkening @jvwilkening.bsky.social · 11/11/2024
Things seem to be picking up around here, so figured it's about time for a starter pack of ecohydrologists! 💧🍃 Please share and lmk below if you want to be added (I know there are lots of folks I missed so help me build out our ecohydro fam!) go.bsky.app/SPotVGi
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
couldn’t agree more with this take! decades ago… perhaps one assumes that good science would just appear in front of policy-makers, and it would be used to inform decisions about protecting the planet. nowadays, generally speaking, those in power have lost all benefit of the doubt on that front.
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Nova Scotia is trying some neat things to reduce forest degradation on public land; perhaps other parts of the country will follow? 🌳🌲🌳 My op ed published in Saltwire today explains: www.saltwire.com/atlantic-can...
saltwire.com
COMMENTARY: Ecological forestry brings hope to the Wabanaki forest | SaltWire
Ben Collison, a PhD candidate at the school for resource and environmental studies at Dalhousie University, provided the following opinion ...
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Post a picture you took (no description) to bring some zen to the timeline
A small waterfall and creek surrounded by forest. Valhalla Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.
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Ben Collison @benrcollison.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
hello! i’m Ben, a phd candidate and applied ecologist @DalhousieU examining effects of forestry activities on salmon watersheds. other research interests include impact assessment, cumulative effects, aquatic invasive species management, or anything that involves forests 🌳 and/or freshwater💧
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