Dr. David Suzuki is hosting a livestreamed conversation sponsored by UBC’s Cluster of Research Excellence in Solar Energy for Net Zero.

What: A conversation with Dr. David Suzuki
Who: Renowned environmentalist, author, broadcaster and activist Dr. David Suzuki; members of the UBC Cluster of Research Excellence in Solar Energy for Net Zero
When: Thursday, April 4 at 3:45 pm
Venue: Livestreamed event

Is humanity at an ecological crossroad? How can each of us join the conversation and take steps toward a sustainable future?

Renowned environmentalist, author, broadcaster and activist Dr. David Suzuki will deliver a free talk on these topics at UBC Okanagan on Thursday, April 4.

Dr. Suzuki’s talk, titled Humanity at a Crossroad: Business as Usual or Transformation is presented by UBC’s Eminence Cluster of Research Excellence in Solar Energy for Net Zero, UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science and UBCO’s School of Engineering.

“Humanity has exceeded the capacity of the biosphere to sustain our species,” says Dr. Suzuki. “We have changed the chemistry of the atmosphere, the pH of the oceans and poisoned the soil. Already we are driving other species to extinction on such a scale that we, as the top predator on the planet, a voracious omnivore, are most vulnerable.”

Dr. Suzuki’s history with UBC spans more than 60 years. After earning his doctorate in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961, he served as a professor in the genetics department at UBC from 1963 until his retirement in 2001. He now holds the title of UBC Professor Emeritus and was bestowed an Honorary Doctor of Science by the university in 2011.

“Dr. David Suzuki is an icon and a respected voice, not only in Canada but globally in the conversation about education and action in sustainability—from advancing solar energy technology to countless other areas of thinking, building and living greener,” says Dr. Will Hughes, Director of the School of Engineering. “We are honoured and excited to welcome Dr. Suzuki to campus to share his perspectives and dialogue with our community on topics that are addressed every day in UBC research, learning and teaching.”

The Solar Energy for Net Zero research cluster is one of the many ways UBC is advancing cutting-edge research on sustainable energy technologies. The team of interdisciplinary researchers is working closely with industry to meet the solar energy needs of communities today and into the future, explains Dr. Hughes.

People wishing to hear Dr. Suzuki’s talk can register for the live stream via the link available here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-conversation-with-dr-david-suzuki-tickets-812430841517

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Researchers have determined people recovering from a stroke can better self-manage their rehabilitation using a virtual program.

A stroke often impacts a person’s ability to move their lower body from the hips down to the feet.

This leads to diminished quality of life and mental health in addition to increased susceptibility to falls. But now, UBC Okanagan researchers are exploring new treatment methods to help bridge the service delivery gap, and recovery outcomes, for patients after a stroke.

“Shortened length of inpatient stays and continued challenges in transitioning back to the community—including poor access to continued stroke rehabilitation services—have resulted in substantial unmet recovery needs,” says Sarah Park, master’s student with the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management (CCDPM) based at UBC Okanagan. “This is especially true for lower extremity recovery. People can struggle to regain balance, stability and gait coordination for daily life activities and even proper ambulation.”

Dr. Brodie Sakakibara, CCDPM Investigator, recently led a national team of researchers, clinicians and people with lived experiences to evaluate the feasibility of a telerehabilitation program with aims to improve lower extremity recovery poststroke.

“More people are surviving a stroke and the need for accessible rehabilitation regardless of geographic location is increasingly important,” says Dr. Sakakibara. “This program harnesses technology, the expertise of clinical therapists and the motivation of individuals to improve stroke recovery.”

For the study, more than 32 participants, all who had experienced a stroke within the past 18 months, received eight telerehabilitation sessions via videoconference with a trained physical therapist. The research team focused their efforts on improving lower body mobility through standardized exercises combined with self-management supports.

“Overall, participants saw improvements in their mobility and strength, and made noticeable progress towards their rehabilitation goals,” says co-investigator Dr. Ada Tang, an Associate Professor with the School of Rehabilitation Sciences at McMaster University. “They also gained self-management skills to empower themselves and maintain their achievements moving forward.”

While many virtual rehabilitation programs developed out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, programs like this have demonstrated feasibility and increased accessibility to patients. Especially those living in rural and remote areas.

However, researchers have noted therapeutic benefits are not maintained if additional therapy is not sustained after the end of a formal program, explains Park, who was also lead author of the study. It is important to incorporate self-management skills in post-stroke rehabilitation interventions, which empower participants to continue exercising and maintain those benefits after the program ends.

“Overall, self-management programs aim to improve health outcomes by helping people adapt to their circumstances through newfound skills, which could prevent or offset some of the difficulties individuals face when discharged from care,” Park explains. “Virtual rehabilitation programs, with a level of self-management, can ultimately enhance the continuum of care for patients transitioning back into the community and help improve their overall quality of life.”

The study was published recently by the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Journal.

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UBCO expert says Canada should call for an all-out ban on nicotine pouches, regardless of the age of the user.

“Pop it in your mouth, tuck it under your upper lip and it tingles,” reads an Instagram ad for flavoured nicotine pouches. The pouches—approved for sale in Canada in July 2023—are seemingly marketed as a nicotine replacement therapy to help adults quit smoking.

But that’s not what Canada’s Minister of Health Mark Holland thinks. Last week he told the tobacco companies to “stay away from our kids” just before Health Canada issued a public advisory and a notice of intent to explore legislative and regulatory options to protect youth from these products.

In February of this year, the BC government introduced its own regulations, limiting the sale of nicotine pouches to pharmacies.

Dr. Laura Struik, an Assistant Professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Nursing, researches the health behaviours of young people and has a particular focus on tobacco and nicotine use, including interventions to prevent youth uptake.

She goes a step further than the health minister, advocating for a total ban on these products—regardless of the age of the user—citing a lack of research on their health impacts and Canada’s treaty obligations.

“As a signatory to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, we’re obliged under this public health treaty to ensure any new nicotine products are less harmful than cigarettes, are efficacious smoking cessation aids and are only marketed towards adults.”

Other countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand and Norway have banned nicotine pouches for not sufficiently meeting these requirements.

“However, Canada is on its back foot as far as much needed research goes before these products should have been released to the market,” says Dr. Struik. “A ban is consistent with our commitment to this treaty, and for that matter, our commitment to the health of Canadians, especially our youth.”

Dr. Struik is available to provide expert commentary on the changing regulations on these new nicotine products and their potential health impacts.

Dr. Laura Struik (she/her)
Assistant Professor, UBC Okanagan School of Nursing
Tel: 250 864 7879
Email: laura.struik@ubc.ca
Language(s): English

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March is Embrace Aging Month and UBC Okanagan has a jampacked schedule of workshops and activities to help with a healthy transition along the journey of aging.

If anyone is looking for the secret to a long and healthy life, it might be found at one of UBC Okanagan’s upcoming Embrace Aging events.

An annual event for more than 10 years, each March, UBCO’s Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention (IHLCDP) organizes a variety of events that promote tips and activities to encourage healthy aging.

One such event, a Zoom webinar on March 20, is titled The 10 Secrets of Aging. Participants will learn several tips and ideas for a healthy transition that can help embrace the journey of aging.

Dr. Jennifer Jakobi, Director of the IHLCDP and co-lead of UBCO’s Aging in Place Research Cluster, notes individuals who are 65 years and older are part of the fastest-growing age group in Canada. Over the next 20 years, the population of older adults is expected to grow by greater than 65 per cent.

“One goal of our research team is to support older adults to remain in their homes—safely and comfortably—by developing evidence-based, in-home self-management supports to maintain independence,” says Dr. Jakobi, a Professor with the School of Health and Exercise Sciences

“When we think that this particular age group is part of the fastest-growing group in Canada today, we need to provide ample services and opportunity for older adults to have choices in where and how they want to age,” she explains. “Embrace Aging Month brings into focus the joy of aging and at the same time provides tips and ideas on how to navigate this phase of life.”

Throughout March there are a number of events for people to attend including webinars on a variety of subjects including estate planning, digital literacy, living with dementia, learning how electronic medical records and health portals work, as well as ending ageism and an introduction session on tarot cards.

Those looking for some physical activity can take part in a Bollywood-style dancing workshop, receive a 10-use punch card with local sponsor Global Fitness for functional aging fitness classes, try chair yoga, learn about electric bikes, attend mingle Mondays and even try out a bird watching session at Mission Creek.

“While Embrace Aging Month brings into focus the importance of supporting older adults in our communities, the sessions are for young and old alike,” adds Dr. Jakobi. “We have tried to think of something for just about everyone.”

Embrace Aging Month is organized by UBCO’s IHLCDP in partnership with Interior Savings and Interior Health. Events begin Friday, March 1 and all events are free and open to the public. For a full schedule and registration details, visit: okanaganembraceaging.com

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Hundreds of pieces of unique art will be the focus of attention during UBCO’s annual Art on the Line fundraising event in March.

What: Art on the Line Fundraiser and Gala
Who: Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies students, faculty and local artists,
When: Saturday, March 16 from 5:30 to 10 pm
Where: Engineering, Management and Education building, 1137 Alumni Avenue, UBC Okanagan, Kelowna
Cost: $200 per ticket, which admits two people and guarantees one piece of artwork. Day of entry admission, $10 at the door

It’s part auction, part fundraiser, part gala and part luck of the draw.

UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies (FCCS), in association with the Visual Arts Course Union, once again presents the annual Art on the Line Fundraiser and Gala.

Taking place on Saturday, March 16, the 22nd annual Art on the Line event brings together the local arts community to celebrate the work of UBCO’s students, faculty, alumni and several artists practicing in the community.

The evening is an entertaining gala, where approximately 135 works of art are collected from local students, faculty and creators. The artwork is then raffled off to guests as the night progresses. Every guest will go home with a vibrant piece of donated art, explains event host and emcee, FCCS Visual Arts Instructor David Doody.

“The artworks donated will be on display and promoted for hundreds of local art collectors to view with anticipation,” says Doody. “We encourage the community to join us for this exciting evening of local art, beer and wine, live entertainment and of course great conversation.”

Matthew Kenney, a fourth-year Bachelor of Media Studies student and one of the event organizers, explains the drama to the evening. Each guest selects a piece of donated work that they would like to take home. However, no one knows until their ticket is pulled which piece of art they will have the opportunity of actually claiming as their own.

“Connecting over art is one of my favourite things in life,” says Kenny. “Art on the Line is in the amazing position of being able to connect emerging and practicing artists with members of the community. It’s something we do not take for granted and work hard to create meaningful relationships between the artists and art enthusiasts of the Okanagan, thus in turn further developing its creative arts culture.”

Proceeds from the event support UBCO visual arts student exhibitions like the fourth-year show, the visiting artist program, opportunities for travel grants and exhibitions, as well as local charity Third Space, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing mental health services and counselling to young people in the Okanagan.

“We are proud to be including submissions from our Bachelor of Fine Arts and our Bachelor of Media Studies students, faculty, alumni and local artists,” adds Kenney. “This varied collection makes it the widest variety of works shown within any previous Art on the Line event.”

Art on the Line tickets are $200 for two people to enter and the ticket guarantees one piece of artwork. People who would like to attend and view the exhibition but not take home a piece of art can purchase a ticket at the door for $10.

Organizers are also accepting submissions of 2D and 3D artwork for the event. Submission forms, event tickets and more details can be found at: fccs.ok.ubc.ca/artontheline

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Wendy Wong, UBC Okanagan Professor of Political Science.

Every time a person opens an app, gives a thumbs up to a social media post or interacts digitally, data about them is collected and updated.

Digital data is everywhere and is constantly being modified and used to create algorithms that can impact what lands on our digital platforms. Do we have control over personal data? Should we be worried about who is collecting and using it?

And what role does artificial intelligence play in all of this?

UBC Okanagan’s Wendy H. Wong is a Professor and Principal’s Research Chair in Political Science and an expert on personal data. Her latest book, We the Data: Human Rights in the Digital Age has been shortlisted for the 2024 Lionel Gelber Prize—an international award for the best non-fiction book in international affairs written in English. The prize, issued by the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, was founded in 1989 by Canadian diplomat Lionel Gelber and seeks to deepen public debate on significant international issues.

Dr. Wong’s book, the lone Canadian selection and one of five contenders this year, explores how technology companies play a pivotal role in governing our lives by leveraging the countless amounts of personal data generated in our everyday interactions online.

While AI is now a common term and people have adapted and embraced tools like ChatGPT, changes seem to take place daily. But should people be concerned? Or accept that, even if we try to protect it, our data is being mined and AI is part now of our everyday lives?

Your book focuses on understanding how big tech companies are mining, storing and profiting from our data. Why is this so important?

We have to start understanding the role that private corporations play in the governance of our everyday lives. We interact daily with platforms that are not subject to the same responsibilities as governments. Yet, we are often more than happy to, or at least, more comfortable with, ceding access to data about us to corporations than to the state.

I think it is time we’re more skeptical about how these data are treated. This is not to say corporations are bad. But we don’t tend to think of them or hold them accountable in the same way we do governments, which must protect and enforce human rights.

Should we be concerned about how quickly AI has been integrated into education, health care and general society?

AI is a shiny new technology. And we’re trying to integrate it when we don’t understand that the human data that powers AI doesn’t go away easily—it’s sticky. Data’s stickiness affects us in our everyday activities—it’s time policymakers and technology creators reckon with how AI changes humanity through the human rights values of autonomy, dignity, equality and community. We’re all stakeholders in data, and we need to explicitly acknowledge not just how data affects us, but how we can influence data creation.

We the Data is the only Canadian book to make this list for a Canadian book prize. Is that significant?

It’s particularly nice to represent Canadian authors and Canadian scholarship. This prize is open to all English language books on international affairs, so the field is quite large. I think it’s important that views from Canada are present in debates on global politics because we have so much to offer policymakers and the public.

Were you surprised by this prestigious nomination?

You never write a book thinking it’s going to be recognized by an international jury as a contender for a major award! It took a day for me to let it sink in. It is truly a wonderful affirmation of how centrally we need to discuss human rights when we consider AI and data about human beings.

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UBC Okanagan researchers, along with a team from and Delft University of Technology, have been looking the placement of wind turbines and at how large wind farms can alter natural wind patterns.

While wind farms have become a widely popular method of generating energy, researchers are now looking at the impact of these large farms on wind patterns and the surrounding environment.

Using large-scale simulations to better understand the way air moves across and within wind farms, researchers from UBC Okanagan and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands have developed a modelling framework that will help improve wind energy forecasts and productivity.

The researchers also hope to learn how large wind farms can alter natural wind patterns.

“Wind farms are getting so large that they can actually alter the structure of the incoming wind,” explains Dr. Joshua Brinkerhoff, an Associate Professor in UBCO’s School of Engineering.

“The structure they are researching, which engineers call the atmospheric boundary layer, monitors how the wind’s speed, temperature and pressure varies with altitude.”

Not only is locating where to put a wind farm a science in itself, he explains, but fine-tuning the location of individual turbines within a grouping is paramount to power output. While software helps guide the placement of the turbines to ensure the highest yield, poorly designed wind farms will generate less power than expected, making the wind farm uneconomical.

“Our modelling framework is among the first to clearly describe how wind farms alter the atmospheric boundary layer, which makes it tremendously valuable in helping engineers design better wind farms,” says Dr. Brinkerhoff.

Working alongside colleagues from TU Delft, doctoral student Sebastiano Stipa travelled to the Netherlands as part of a Mitacs Globalink exchange to conduct the research. The research team has developed an open-source, finite-volume framework tailored for large-scale studies of how wind farms interact with the atmosphere.

The modelling framework, called the Toolbox for Stratified Convective Atmospheres (TOSCA), is designed to conduct extensive simulations of the turbulence created by big wind farms in realistic atmospheric conditions. The paper outlining TOSCA was published this week in Wind Energy Science.

TOSCA, explains Stipa, can address at least two of the significant challenges currently facing wind energy by simulating boundary layer turbulence over large areas and the simulation of an entire wind farm under realistic atmospheric flow conditions.

“The results of this research will lead to a better understanding of potential wind farm power estimates and an increase in their energy outputs,” says Stipa. “This new modelling framework can serve as a roadmap for the industry.”

Dr. Brinkerhoff notes that computer modelling can help when wind farms are being established, especially to forecast whether they can create energy efficiently.

“The most significant finding is that our model can capture the interaction between large wind farms and the oncoming wind,” he adds. “To date, this hasn’t been captured properly, leading to overestimation of how much power a wind farm will produce. This kind of overestimation is financially disastrous for the wind farm operators.”

This research was supported by Mitacs Globalink, UL Renewables and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Computational resources were provided by the Digital Research Alliance of Canada and Advanced Research Computing at the University of British Columbia.

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In a first of its kind study, UBCO researchers examine what happens to a child’s brain when they remain sedentary.

A new study by UBC Okanagan researchers explores for the first time how sitting affects blood flow in children’s brains.

The School of Health and Exercise Sciences researchers wanted to determine how prolonged sitting impacts the blood flow to children’s brains and how exercise breaks can make a difference. Previous studies have been done on adults, but not a group of children.

“The young brain demands more energy than the adult brain,” says Dr. Christine Tallon, who led the study for her doctoral research under the supervision of Dr. Ali McManus. “This higher demand means a correspondingly higher level of blood flow to the brain. We are therefore quite concerned that prolonged sitting may be worse for children than for adults.”

To assess the impact of extended sitting, a group of children, aged seven to 13, visited a UBCO lab twice. On one visit, they sat for three hours straight. On a separate visit, they again sat for three hours but with a 10-minute exercise break—riding a stationary bike—each hour. For each visit, the researchers performed tests and measured blood flow in the brain using ultrasound.

“One test, called a neurovascular coupling task, looks at how blood flow increases when an area of the brain is engaged in a specific job,” says Dr. Tallon. “In essence, the act of thinking requires a quick, targeted hit of oxygen and nutrients, delivered by the blood.”

For this first test, the children were asked to solve a visual puzzle: looking for a Where’s Waldo character in an illustration. Visual stimulation is known to activate the occipital cortex which leads to a 20 to 30 per cent surge in blood velocity through the artery supplying it. However, the researchers found that with or without exercise breaks, the blood velocity remained unchanged. Dr. Tallon offers an explanation:

“As you might imagine, for children to stay seated for three hours presents a challenge. We allowed them to play games on electronic devices to keep them occupied and this likely impacted the test as the visual cortex would have been steadily engaged.”

This raises the question: if the brain is busy with a thinking task, is prolonged sitting actually a problem?

And this is where the second test comes in. Called cerebrovascular reactivity, this test did show an impact from excessive sitting.

Cerebrovascular reactivity is the ability of the brain’s blood vessels to dilate in response to stimuli—such as an excess of carbon dioxide in the blood—in order to increase blood supply.

A decline in cerebrovascular reactivity has been linked to a cognitive decline in adults.

To test cerebrovascular reactivity, the children were asked before and after the sitting period to breathe in a controlled mixture of air that included a higher than normal—yet still safe—concentration of carbon dioxide. This extra dose of carbon dioxide triggers the dilation of their brains’ blood vessels.

“After sitting for three hours without exercise breaks, the children’s cerebrovascular reactivity had decreased,” says Dr. Tallon. “In other words, the blood vessels had become sluggish.”

However, when exercise breaks were added, the children showed no sign of reduced cerebrovascular reactivity. Their blood vessels dilated at the same rate as prior to the test.

So, what does this mean for parents, teachers and caregivers who may have concerns about children being inactive for prolonged periods?

“Exercise is clearly beneficial and this is exciting,” says Dr. Tallon. “We did 10 minutes of exercise on the hour, but more research can help us identify the optimal dose of exercise to offset any effects of excessive sitting. We can safely say that having kids get up and move at least for a few minutes each hour is going to be good for them.”

The research was published in a recent edition of Experimental Physiology.

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UBCO researchers have determined that flower gardens intentionally planted beside fruit crops can double crop yield if the timing and blossoms appeal to the targeted bumble bees.

The term “if you build it, they will come” has taken on a whole new meaning when it comes to creating flower gardens to attract specific pollinators like wild bumble bees.

UBC Okanagan researchers Drs. Rebecca Tyson and Bruno Carturan, both with the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, wanted to investigate whether flower gardens—specifically placed beside a crop to attract and support insect pollinators—actually benefit both the bees and crop production.

“Planting wildflower patches near crop fields is considered a potentially effective strategy to support both the abundance and diversity of pollinators and the services they provide,” says Dr. Carturan. “But these management strategies can be costly and not always effective in enhancing crop yield.”

Planting supplemental gardens can lead to larger and healthier wild bee populations, which should be good for crop pollination. However, field studies show contradictory results—while some indicate an increase in crop yield directly related to pollination services, others show no discernible effect.

“While the plan makes sense on paper, it can create a conundrum,” he says. “With more bees in the landscape, there is the potential for greater pollination of crop flowers. But bees can prefer different flowers, guided by nectar sugar content, flower shape and pollen nutrient composition. Consequently, the presence of wildflower patches beside a berry crop could divert bees from pollinating the crop.”

Curious about this distraction phenomenon, Dr. Carturan set out to understand the interplay between the relative timing of crop and wildflower bloom, as well as the quantity, quality and relative attractiveness of the flowers.

For this study, he focused specifically on blueberry crops, an emblematic agricultural product in BC, and bumble bees, which are known for their superior efficiency in pollinating blueberry flowers compared to honey bees. He wanted to vary the size of the crop area, the size of the planned garden relative to the crop and the relative nutritional quality and bloom time of both the crop and additional flowers.

“Creating a field study large enough to properly test how bumble bee pollination services respond to changes in all of these different parameters would be quite a challenge,” he explains. “So, we chose a mathematical modelling approach which required two steps that involved a lot of reading and thinking.”

The first is to design a model that aligns with the goals of the project and realistically captures the key ecological processes at play in the ecosystem. The second is to find proper values for the model parameters.

Dr. Tyson explains the model is fairly complex and they ran thousands of simulations—each characterized by a unique combination of wildflower patch size, nutritional quality of the blossoms and blooming period—before they were able to predict blueberry crop yield.

“Such an extensive sampling design, attainable only through simulation, offers a comprehensive picture of the interacting processes and trade-offs within the system,” she says.

The net result of those simulations determined that providing highly nutritious wildflower resources before the crop blooms can more than double the crop yield. Conversely, providing wildflower resources at the same time as crop bloom can reduce the yield by up to 50 per cent.

“The main result of our virtual experiment clearly shows that the most beneficial strategy is to generate a temporal spillover effect by providing a continuous supply of resources to the bees and avoiding too much competition between the wildflowers and the crop flowers,” she explains. “This keeps the bees well fed during the early foraging season when the colonies are growing, and it prevents a potential distraction effect during crop bloom.”

The researchers hope to refine the model to implement additional aspects of the ecosystem by, for instance, modelling several different bumble bee species rather than just one “average” species. The ultimate goal is to calibrate the model with locally relevant empirical data to help inform planting strategies on a real farm.

However, they advise caution while interpreting these results as they pertain to a virtual system, not actual bees and blueberry crops.

The research appears in Ecological Modelling.

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UBCO’s Dr. Adam Ford was part of a research team investigating how a tiny invasive ant is changing the eating habits of Kenya’s lions and improving the sustainability of zebras.

A newly published research paper demonstrates how a tiny, invasive insect has helped make savanna landscapes safer for zebras.

A joint project, including researchers from the University of Wyoming and UBC Okanagan, shows how invasive big-headed ants in a Kenyan savanna have caused lions to change their predatory habits— shifting their preferred prey from the iconic zebra to buffalo.

The paper, published today in the journal Science, determined the big-headed ants at Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy have made lions less effective when it comes to stalking and killing zebras, their primary prey.

It’s a clear example of how important interdependent relationships can be, says UBCO’s Dr. Adam Ford, a researcher with the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science and Principal Investigator of UBC’s Wildlife Restoration Ecology lab.

Whistling thorn trees, the dominant tree species in much of East Africa, provide nectar and shelter for native ants. In exchange, the ants defend the trees against grazers by biting them and emitting formic acid.

“The native ants defend these trees against elephants and other herbivores,” Dr. Ford says. “But the invasive ants kill these tiny defenders and eventually those invaded trees are killed by elephants. With fewer trees, lions aren’t able to stalk and ambush zebras.”

Along with Dr. Ford and UBCO’s Dr. Clayton Lamb, the research team included Wyoming doctoral student Douglas Kamaru along with researchers from the Nature Conservancy, the University of Florida, the University of Nairobi, Duke University, the University of Glasgow, Karatina University, the University of Nevada-Reno and the US Geological Survey.

“The good news is that the lion population hasn’t declined since the insect invasion,” says Kamaru, who’s part of Professor Jacob Goheen’s research group at the University of Wyoming’s Department of Zoology and Physiology. “This is likely because lions have switched their diets from zebras to African buffalo, which are equally at risk of lion predation in invaded areas.”

The researchers hypothesized that the loss of tree cover would affect the interactions of lions and their primary prey species, zebras. Using a number of study plots—some invaded by big-headed ants, some not—and studying zebra and lion activity, the scientists found that the big-headed ant invasion reduced the occurrence of zebra kills by lions by increasing openness across the landscape.

“We show that the spread of the big-headed ant, one of the globe’s most widespread and ecologically impactful invaders, has sparked an ecological chain reaction that reduces the success by which lions can hunt their primary prey,” the researchers wrote.

The study took place at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, a working ranch in the Laikipia region of central Kenya. The researchers say such properties are invaluable for understanding savanna ecology.

“The coexistence of lions, large wild herbivores and ranching in Kenya helped make this study possible. Such landscapes are under ever-increasing pressure to develop agriculture and housing, yet this property persists through sustainable land use management,” says Dr. Ford. “We were very fortunate to work with Kenyan students, researchers and government to study some of the most iconic species in the world today.”

Whistling thorn trees provide nectar and shelter for native ants. Invasive ants kill the native ants and eventually those invaded trees are killed by elephants.

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