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The North and South Saskatchewan River sub-basins comprise the Saskatchewan River Basin (SRB), which originates in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains of Alberta (Canada) and Montana (USA), extending across the vast landscape of three Canadian Provinces. The SRB is the most populated region of the Northern Great Plains, where water demands from agriculture, industry, and municipalities can be a substantial proportion of supply during periods of low flow and hydrological drought. Changing climatic conditions and shifts between periods of extreme wet and dry weather emphasize the need for a better understanding of past and future seasonal variability of the surface water balance within and between the sub-basins. Climate extremes, such as hydrological drought and excessive moisture conditions occurring simultaneously can create detrimental effects. Using a multi-species network of over 80 tree-ring chronologies, warm (May through August) and cool (December through April) season streamflow (1400–2018) were independently reconstructed for the North and South Saskatchewan River sub-basins. Departures from seasonal flow and spectral and wavelet analyses of the reconstructions indicate significant variability at inter-annual and multi-decadal scales.

Chronic diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide (Deering et al., 2009), and many are preventable by addressing and mitigating risk factors, such as tobacco use, raised blood pressure, unhealthy diet, and physical activity (Government of Canada, 2015). However, less than 20% of adults in Canada meet the recommended amount of physical activity (Statistics Canada, 2019), suggesting a need for increased exercise programming in order to improve the health of adults. UBC has several initiatives and programs to address this prevalent issue, such as Bodyworks, an evidence-based organization that strives to enhance wellbeing and fitness (Faculty of Education School of Kinesiology, n.d.). However, this organization has largely focused on programming for older adults, with limited engagement from community members aged 40 to 60 (Bundon, 2021). Therefore, this study aimed to engage with UBC community members 40 to 60 years of age with at least one risk factor for chronic disease, to learn about their experiences, behaviours, and perceptions of physical activity, in order to develop recommendations for future programming to be offered by BodyWorks. This study employed a mixed-methods approach by conducting a survey comprised of Likert-type, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions pertaining to demographics, motivators and barriers to exercise participation, awareness and perception of BodyWorks, and preferred exercise type and delivery. Over the course of three weeks, researchers collected data from 44 participants between the ages of 41 and 60. The results indicate that the population’s most prevalent barriers to participation are: a lack of time and a range of health concerns, such as fear of injury and limited physical abilities. However, participants also reported positive associations with exercise, enjoying exercise as a means to manage stress, increase energy levels, and socialize. The results also suggest that BodyWorks has a mixed reputation among the sample. Some participants feel their programs and equipment are outdated and only worthwhile for seniors, while other participants had never heard of the organization, or attended any of their classes. Furthermore, participants were asked to provide examples of fitness programs they would enjoy or participate in. The most common suggestions included condition-specific programs (where participants have similar needs and goals), classes set to music (such as dance fitness, Zumba, or yoga programs), and tiered, beginner programs (where participants can gain confidence using gym equipment and are provided the opportunity to progress to more advanced classes). Based on these findings, 5 recommendations are suggested to BodyWorks in order to best engage with this population. 1) Partner with other UBC organizations. 2) Develop a website separate from the UBC School of Kinesiology. 3) Use social media to advertise programs and educate the public. 4) Update facility and equipment for enhanced functionality and enjoyment. 5) Develop new programming in line with participant suggestions. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Geography, University of Regina. xvi, 185 p. Natural climatic variability, changing climatic conditions, periodic droughts, and excessive moisture events impact agriculture, industry, municipalities, and surface water resource management throughout the Canadian Prairie Provinces. Persistent, large-area droughts are some of the most damaging natural disasters, and further understanding of both past and future climatic variability and change is imperative, as impacts to society, agriculture, and industry will likely be amplified and more severe under changing climatic conditions. Using high spatial and temporal resolution, and instrumental, regional climate model projections, and proxy (tree-ring) records, this research focussed on the frequency, intensity and magnitude of seasonal, decadal, and longer timescale hydroclimatic variability under both natural and anthropogenic forcings, to provide an understanding of the shifts in local and regional climatic variability and the implications for detecting climate change and its impacts, particularly in the agriculture sector. Statistical relationships between current controlling seasonal climatic variables and average annual wheat yield for Saskatchewan’s arable agricultural zone were constructed to predict wheat yield. Historical weather and climate model data were examined to put current climatic trends into longer-term perspective, and project possible future climatic impacts on wheat yield in Saskatchewan. Long-term hydroclimatic variability and extremes throughout the North (NSR) and South Saskatchewan River (SSR) sub-basins was assessed as hydrological drought conditions occurring simultaneously can have detrimental effects for the region. Independent reconstructions of warm and cool (December through April) season streamflow (1400-2018) for the NSR and SSR sub-basins were computed using a large network of tree-ring chronologies. Warm and cool season Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) from 1200-2018 was reconstructed on a 10-km grid spanning the Prairie Provinces. Seasonal SPEI maps, comprising the newly developed Canadian Prairies Paleo Drought Atlas (CPPDA), were created to visually represent the long-term hydroclimatic variability across the Canadian Prairies over past centuries, including the timing, intensity, and spatial extent of major multi-year droughts and excessive moisture events. Relationships between hydroclimatic variables and the influence of large-scale ocean-atmosphere oscillations were also examined, revealing the significant modes of variability at interannual and multi-decadal scales. Student yes

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geography, University of Regina. viii 148 p. Water resources of the southwestern Canadian Prairies are limited and sensitive to changes in climate and land cover. An increasing demand for water resources has increased vulnerability to hydrological drought. Because few instrumental records exceed 100 years, climate proxies are used to extend the historical record of natural variability. Understanding the frequency, magnitude, and duration of past climate extremes allows researchers to better forecast the probability of future extreme hydrological events. Through standard dendrochronological methods, fifteen moisture sensitive tree-ring chronologies (Pinus albicaulis, Pinus ponderosa, Pinus contorta, Picea glauca, and Pseudotsuga menziesii) were collected and updated from the Sweet Grass Hills and Bears Paw Mountains (Montana, USA), and the Cypress Hills (Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada). Correlation analysis was used to identify significant relationships between tree-ring chronologies (annual, earlywood, and latewood) and streamflow data, and multiple linear regression techniques were used to create robust multi-proxy reconstructions of mean summer (June – August) and average water-year (October – September) streamflow of the Frenchman River, Battle Creek, and Swift Current Creek in southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada, back to the late 1600s. Reconstructions developed for southwestern Saskatchewan explain approximately 40-55% of the instrumental variance for summer, and water-year streamflow. Hydrological extremes (droughts and floods) were quantified, classified and ranked on their severity (25th and 75th percentiles respectively; periods of critical hydrologic drought were defined by the lowest 10th percentile), and periods of extreme low flow were identified for the early 1700s, mid 1700s, early 1800s, mid to late 1800s, early 1900s, and late 1900s. Spectral analyses (Multi-taper and Wavelet) of the reconstructed streamflow revealed common cycles of variability at the inter-annual (~2-6 year) and multi-decadal (~20-30 year) scales of ocean-atmosphere oscillations, specifically the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). The level of uncertainty for each reconstruction was assessed, and results were compared to other dendroclimatological reconstructions for the western regions of Canada and the USA. Results show the large natural variability of prairie water levels, with cycles of decades with high flow followed by decades of low flow, and more extreme flows than in the instrumental records. Student yes

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geology, University of Regina. x, 93 p. Lake systems are essential for the environment and human populations. Nevertheless, human activities have strongly modified aquatic ecosystems, and many lakes have been affected by anthropogenic stressors, including eutrophication, acidification, increased sediment load, among others. In the last years, the study of the environmental history of lakes has increased, as well as the need for assessing the changes due to anthropogenic activities on aquatic systems. However, the information about how freshwater ecosystems in the neotropics have responded to natural forcings e.g., climate variations and or anthropogenic activities, is still scarce. Sediments accumulated in lakes provide a useful archive that can be used to reconstruct past responses to changes in climate and anthropogenic activities. In this study, the diatom assemblages of two lakes located in areas with histories of human influence, are used as proxies to reconstruct the limnological history of these neotropical ecosystems to track the magnitude of the impacts of climate variability and anthropogenic activities. The outcomes of this study shows that the diatom assemblages of both lakes respond to variations in the physical and chemical parameters of the lake, such as turbidity, pH, and nutrient content, likely from anthropogenic activities. Natural factors, possible precipitation, appear to have had influence on the variations in the diatom assemblages of both lakes, especially at the beginning of the record. Furthermore, in both lakes it was possible to identify changes related to the European arrival. It is hoped that this study supports the management and conservation policies of aquatic ecosystems and gives insights into the possible responses to climate change that are expected to occur in the future. Student yes