Thursday, March 17 2016 News Release.  Experienced bumblebees prefer not to share their foraging knowledge with newbies, according to new research involving a University of Guelph professor Nigel Raine. http://news.uoguelph.ca/2016/03/experienced-bumblebees-wont-share-newbies-study/

I am very excited to announce the 2016 winner of the Distinguished IB Student Speaker Award, Danielle Ethier.  Tomorrow, Danielle, a senior PhD student working with Dr. Tom Nudds, will tell us about her multidisciplinary work on "Factors affecting the abundance of a declining migratory songbird".  As Danielle eloquently pointed out:

Low levels of pesticides can impact the foraging behaviour of bumblebees on wildflowers, changing their floral preferences and hindering their ability to learn the skills needed to extract nectar and pollen, according to a study co-authored by Nigel Raine a University of Guelph professor.

The Centre for Land & Water Stewardship is pleased to announce the availability of a graduate Research Assistantship, made possible by an endowment from the former Wellington County Stewardship Council.

Please see the attached PDF for additional informatlion.

Jon is the 2016 faculty recipient of the Dr. William Winegard Exemplary Volunteer Involvement Award.  He will be presented with his award on March 30^th at the McLaughlin Library.

Feature by UofG News Service  Prof. Nigel Raine, Rebanks Family Chair in Pollinator Conservation in the School of Environmental Sciences, worked with researchers at Imperial College and the Natural History Museum in London on the new method, which images the bees’ heads without mechanical trauma.http://news.uoguelph.ca/2016/03/bee-brains-as-never-seen-before/

Poor management practices and freeze-thaw cycles affect soil structure  — Feature by Andrew Vowles

That’s more than common dirt under your feet. Guelph loam underpins some of the best farming in the province — and it’s now the official soil of Ontario.

In late 2015 during the International Year of Soils, Jeff Leal, Ontario minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, visited the city to designate the Guelph soil series as the official soil of the province.

Wednesdays, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and April 6, 2016 - 7:00 - 9:30 p.m. - Gardening Fundamentals is a series of courses designed for both the beginner and experienced gardener. Course material covers basic information to provide a good grounding and then goes on to introduce advanced topics that are normally not found in gardening books.  The presenter has over 35 years of gardening experience, most of it in the Guelph area.

Accumulation and toxicology of microcystins in Great Lakes fish or Tracing the effects of oligotrophication on contaminant dynamics in Great Lakes benthic food webs  

Both Positions   PhD Institution:  University of Guelph Department:  School of Environmental Sciences Primary Advisor(s) Dr. Paul Sibley  Term: 3 years/9 semesters Start May 2016  Stipend: $21,000 /annum

See attached PDF's for additional information