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In 1989, the first recorded outbreak of hemlock looper (Lambdina fiscellaria fiscellaria (Guen.)) occurred in New Brunswick, Canada. Datawere collected from ten plots established in an area infested from 1992-1994, to assess impacts of hemlock looper. Ocular and branch sample assessments of current defoliation and ocular assessments of totaldefoliation (all age classes of foliage) were conducted for balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.), white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss), and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.). Stand responsewas assessed and related to cumulative defoliation. Ocular assessments were found to accurately estimate defoliation, which was significantly related to tree mortality. Ninety-two percent of balsam fir trees that had cumulative defoliation >90% died. Mortality of balsam fir was significantly (p<0.05) related to tree size, in both lightly and severely defoliated plots; trees with DBH <11cm sustained 22-48% higher mortality than larger trees. Mortality of balsam fir, in terms of both percent stems/ha and m3/ha merchantable volume, increased exponentially in relation to three estimates of cumulative (summed) plot mean defoliation. The strongest relationships (r2=0.75-0.79) were between mortality and the ocular defoliation assessment for 1990-1993 foliage. Tree mortality caused by the looper outbreak ranged from 4-14% stems/ha in lightly defoliated and from 32-100% in severely defoliated plots; merchantable volume killed was 3-14m3/ha and 51-119m3/ha, respectively. Relationships between mortality and defoliation were similar when defoliation was assessed for 1987-1993 and 1990-1993 foliage age classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent state of public emergency have significantly affected older adults in Canada and worldwide. It is imperative that the gerontological response be efficient and effective. In this statement, the board members of the Canadian Association on Gerontology/L'Association canadienne de gérontologie (CAG/ACG) and the Canadian Journal on Aging/La revue canadienne du vieillissement (CJA/RCV) acknowledge the contributions of CAG/ACG members and CJA/RCV readers. We also profile the complex ways that COVID-19 is affecting older adults, from individual to population levels, and advocate for the adoption of multidisciplinary collaborative teams to bring together different perspectives, areas of expertise, and methods of evaluation in the COVID-19 response.

The relations between mild cognitive impairment without dementia (MCI/CIND) and everyday functional abilities were examined using data from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA). Individuals were identified with MCI/CIND if both caregiver report and clinician judgment agreed on the presence of cognitive impairment in the absence of dementia. Cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons indicated that individuals with MCI/CIND demonstrated a broad range of impairment in instrumental activites of daily living (IADL) compared to individuals with no cognitive impairment (NCI). In cross-sectional analyses, neuropsychological measures of memory and psychomotor speed were significantly related to impairment in eight areas of functioning. In addition, poorer memory performance was significantly predictive of future impairment in money management.