York University’s President’s Sustainability Council, an advisory body to the president, responsible for providing input and recommendations on how to advance the University’s sustainability initiatives, projects and practices, launched the Sustainability Seminar Series last month.
The second seminar in the series, “On thin ice: Are lakes feeling the heat?,” will be given by Associate Professor Sapna Sharma from the Faculty of Science on Friday, Nov. 23 from noon to 1 p.m. in Room 125, Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence, Keele Campus.
In this seminar, Sharma will talk about how lakes are warming around the world in response to a changing climate, including warmer water temperatures and shorter ice duration. Lake ice, she says, is at risk of becoming extinct in thousands of lakes around the northern hemisphere, with widespread consequences for ice fishing, recreation and transportation. Historically, Canadian lakes have been highly significant bellwethers, as they represent a northern or southern limit to many freshwater fish species. This makes Canadian fishes particularly vulnerable to climate change. Of particular interest are walleye and smallmouth bass. Walleye, trout and smallmouth bass are all angler favourites, but as the feisty smallmouth bass continues its march northward in Canada, it will put populations of trout and walleye at long-term risk.
More seminars in this series will be announced in the coming months. For more information, visit sustainability.info.yorku.ca.