Pollen records from southeastern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, show changes in vegetation and climate from the late Olympia Interstade through the Fraser Glaciation. This study provides important insights into phytogeographic patterns of Pacific Northwest flora, leads to an enhanced understanding of processes affecting present-day ranges of several plant taxa, and provides a historical perspective on the origin of coastal alpine ecosystems. Evidence for a previously unrecognized glacial advance in the region at ~21,000 14C yr BP, herein called the Saanich glacier, is provided. The results reveal widespread habitat and food sources suitable for the mega fauna that lived on southern Vancouver Island during the last glaciation. Vegetation during the Fraser Glaciation represented a mosaic of plant communities across a heterogeneous and productive landscape. Pollen spectra indicate that plant assemblages, dominated by Poaceae and Cyperaceae, were widespread. Similarities to tundra in northern Alaska and high elevation sites in British Columbia were detected. Vegetation varied geographically in the late Olympia (ca. 33,500-29,000 14C yr BP). Grassy uplands with scattered trees and local moist meadows occurred at Qualicum Beach under mesic and cool conditions, while cold and dry grass tundra prevailed at Skutz Falls. Increased non-arboreal pollen percentages at Qualicum Beach, 29,000 14C yr BP, reflect expansion of grassy meadows with diverse herbs under a cool and dry climate at the onset of the Fraser Glaciation. At Qualicum Beach between 25,160-24,190 14C yr BP, sedge wetlands were surrounded by open, dry uplands. Concurrently at Osborne Bay, Pinus-Picea-Abies-Poaceae parkland occurred. Dry and cold climate intensified as the Fraser Glaciation progressed after 24,000 14C yr BP and non-arboreal communities expanded. At Cordova Bay, cold and dry tundra or parkland in upland sites, and sedge wetlands on an aggrading floodplain are recorded. Sparse tree cover and grass-tundra surrounded a floodplain at Skutz Falls around 21,000 14C yr BP under cool and dry climate. Subalpine-like Picea-Abies-Pinus parkland and moist, species-rich grassland meadows occurred at McKenzie Bight at the same time. A sedge wetland occupied the site of deposition, and was periodically inundated as lake levels fluctuated. Upland grasslands at Cordova Bay are recorded between 21,600–19,400 14C yr BP, while local ponded areas developed on an aggrading floodplain at sea level. From 19,400-19,300 14C yr BP, parkland at Cordova Bay developed as climate moistened and warmed at the time of the Port Moody Interstade known from the Fraser Lowland. Abundant marine dinoflagellate cysts between 21,600–19,400 14C yr BP, reveal a high sea level stand and strong marine influence at Cordova Bay. Glacioisostatic depression of the crust on the east side of Vancouver Island is the most probable explanation. The presence of pollen-bearing glacio-lacustrine sediments at McKenzie Bight around 21,000 14C yr BP at ~93 m and contemporaneous isostatic crustal depression at Cordova Bay strongly suggest a major glacial body in the region at the same time as the Coquitlam advance in the Lower Mainland. Ice-free landscapes may have occurred on southern Vancouver Island through the Fraser glaciation beyond the Saanich glacier ice limits. / Graduate

Community-based museums in British Columbia are testaments to the importance of belonging and social identity. Three case studies, the Saanich Pioneer Museum, the Kamloops Museum Association and the Langley Centennial Museum in Fort Langley demonstrate how community identity was the focus of collective memory construction. Museum buildings were also iconographic sites. This research draws on museum society minutes, records, journals and displays, and personal interviews. It examines the role of earlier groups and events, from agricultural fairs to fraternal organizations in these museums' origins. The influence of provincial and federal government policies and funding, Centennial celebrations, and umbrella organizations such as the British Columbia Museums Association are also analysed. Socialization, interaction, memorabilia, commemorations and celebrations were all part of the creation of collective memory, and demonstrate how belonging was vital to these museums' creation and histories. / Graduate

A biological front at the mouth of Saanich Inlet results in higher rates of primary productivity at the inlet mouth relative to the head creating a gradient that could influence zooplankton distribution. A shallow sill (75m) at the inlet mouth restricts circulation below sill depth, isolating the deep basin for much of the year. Anoxia develops in the isolated basin and the depth of the anoxic layer changes during the year. During the day, pelagic zooplankton form a deep scattering layer. Between April 2005 and March 2006. I conducted monthly 200kHz acoustic surveys between the mouth and head of Saanich Inlet to test the hypothesis that zooplankton density was greater near the mouth relative to the head. I was also interested in how changing anoxic layer depth affected the distribution of the deep scattering layer. I found that zooplankton density followed a headward gradient in the spring and summer. with the highest densities near the mouth. Zooplankton density was higher near the mouth or the mid-inlet relative to the head in 75% of transects. I did not observe a zooplankton density gradient during the winter. Zooplankton distribution was affected by dissolved oxygen concentration. Deep scattering layer depth was significantly correlated with the depth of the anoxic layer and vertical compression of the deep scattering layer increased as the anoxic layer moved upwards. When the depth of the anoxic layer was less than 90 meters. zooplankton were nearly absent. Vertical migration of the deep scattering layer to surface waters at night has been well documented. but zooplankton migration patterns in the shallow waters of Saanich Inlet have not been described. I used 200kHz acoustic data collected by the VENUS observatory (96m) and an autonomous acoustic system deployed at a shallow site (62m) in Patricia Bay to study zooplankton migration patterns. Horizontal movement of the deep scattering layer over shallow depths following vertical migration was infrequent. Over 41 days of observation at the shallow site. I only observed deep scattering layer zooplankton on 12 days. At the shallow site. night-time volume backscatter was dominated by the emergence of benthic zooplankton. The movement of these scatterers into the water column at night resulted in a 14-fold increase in volume backscatter over daytime values. I observed this emergence pattern at both sites. which represents an important component of benthic-pelagic coupling in Saanich Inlet. In contrast to the deer scattering layer. which migrated to the surface each night, emergent zooplankton remained within 30-40 meters of the seafloor and did not ascend into surface waters.

Using a Foucault-inspired critical analysis of discourse within a Gramscian framework of hegemony, this thesis analyzes how patterns of international climate change policy relate to climate policy in British Columbia (BC), Canada, and explores the patterns of resistance to carbon neutrality in a single municipality. The BC Carbon Neutral Government Strategy and the Provincial Crown Corporation responsible for stimulating the growth of the BC carbon-offset market are characterized by neo-liberalism ideology and dispossession. The District of Saanich’s policy, which establishes a local and public form of carbon offset alternative, is characterized as a form of resistance. Saanich’s policy represents a passive revolution. This thesis suggests that the discourse of ecological modernization exists within both the hegemonic climate policy structure as well as the alternative found in Saanich. This thesis also suggests that municipalities represent a political space in which a Gramscian war of position may be waged. / Graduate

We investigated oceanic dissolved inorganic nitrogen (N) dynamics, focussing on processes removing bio-available N and ultimately affecting primary productivity, in sulfidic hydrothermal vent fluids discharging from the subsurface on the Juan de Fuca Ridge (northeast Pacific Ocean) and in anoxic bottom waters of Saanich Inlet, a British Columbia fjord, using a combination of geochemical and molecular microbial ecology techniques. During episodes of mixing with oxygenated sea-water, both systems can switch from anoxic to oxic conditions. Strong inter-site variations in the concentrations and δ15N of ammonium (NH4+) in high-T fluids suggested different N sources (deep-sea nitrate (NO3-) versus organic sediments) for hydrothermally discharged NH4+. Increase in the isotopic composition of NO3- (δ15N and δ18O), concomitant with decreased [NO3-], indicated NO3- assimilation or denitrification in the subsurface. NO3- isotope anomalies, i.e. deviations from the 15N:18O isotopic enrichment of 1:1 in marine environments, were observed and confirmed the occurrence of NO3- regeneration in vent fluids. Denitrification was the dominant N-loss pathway, suggesting that bacterial denitrification out-competes anaerobic NH4+ oxidation (anammox) in diffuse hydrothermal vent waters. The diversity of denitrifying bacteria encoding the nirS-form of nitrite reductase was low in vent fluids. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis revealed that denitrifiers accounted for up to 38% (nirk-encoding γ-proteobacteria of the SUP05 cluster) and 8% (nirS-encoding bacteria) of the total bacterial abundance. Furthermore, nirS gene operational taxonomic units from two vent fields clustered into different groups in the phylogenetic tree, suggesting a link between denitrifying bacterial community membership and small-scale geographic isolation and/or fluid physico-chemical properties. Significant correlations existed between fixed N-loss rates and in-situ dissolved inorganic N deficits in the fluids. Based on our rate measurements, and on published data on hydrothermal fluid fluxes and residence times, we estimated that up to ~10 Tg N yr−1 could be removed globally in the subsurface biosphere. In Saanich Inlet, a gradual increase in both the δ15N and δ18O of NO3- associated with a decrease in [NO3-] and an increase in biological excess N2, was observed after bottom water renewal events in fall 2008, following NO3- consumption by denitrifiers in an expanding suboxic zone. N-to-O negative NO3- isotope anomalies were observed in surface and bottom waters, confirming the occurrence of NO3- regeneration and/or external NO3- input. Closed and open-system-model derived NO3- isotope effects in anoxic bottom waters were lower (as low as ~11‰) than the ~25‰ for water column denitrification reported in other studies, suggesting that ~50% of the denitrification could occur, with a highly suppressed isotope effect, in the sediments of the Inlet. / Graduate

Crustaceans, the most abundant group of organisms that make up zooplankton, form a critical link in the food web between primary-producing phytoplankton and planktivorous fish. Examining this link is essential in order to effectively estimate the amount of energy available to higher trophic levels. The most appropriate currency for tracking energy flow through these food webs is to measure production, or the amount of new biomass generated over a given period of time. Although measurements of primary productivity are routinely made in oceanographic studies, estimates of secondary productivity are rare due to their historical reliance on time-consuming methods. The overall objective of this thesis was to determine the factors influencing temporal variations in community-level crustacean productivity. A simplified lab experiment was used to establish a relationship between diet and chitobiase-based estimates of copepod productivity in response to single versus mixed species phytoplankton diets. In addition, the relationships between primary productivity and chitobiase-based productivity for the entire crustacean zooplankton community were examined over two years in Saanich Inlet, British Columbia, Canada. Lastly, this work determined the abiotic and biotic factors most strongly influencing crustacean productivity in the tropical Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, dominated by the microbial loop. Results from this work show that: (i) copepod populations fed a poor food item take longer to develop through early stages, have lower daily growth rates, and exhibit lower productivity than those fed a good quality food item; (ii) important variations in crustacean productivity are missed when biomass estimates, alone, are used to represent food available to higher trophic levels; (iii) relationships between primary productivity and crustacean productivity can vary interannually and are not necessarily controlled by bottom-up processes; (iv) substantial interannual variations in trophic transfer efficiency (TTE) occur even if average TTE is the same across years; and (v) community-level crustacean productivity in tropical regions dominated by the microbial food loop can be as high as, if not higher than, productivity measured in temperate regions. Ultimately, this work provides insight into how accurate productivity estimates can improve our understanding of zooplankton dynamics in both laboratory and field settings in marine ecosystems worldwide. / Graduate

Five profiles of the silver concentration in the subArctic Northeast Pacific Ocean yield a broad correlation between the Ag content and dissolved Si. However, silver is depleted at intermediate depths where the 02 content is low, implying removal from oxygen-deplete waters. An eighteen-month series of measurements of dissolved and particulate Ag from Saanich Inlet, BC indicate that Ag concentrations in near-surface waters are influenced by processes occurring outside the inlet. Dissolved silver was not detected in sulphide-bearing deep waters in the fjord. Ag in sediment-trap particles was associated with both biogenic and mineral phases. The Ag/biogenic Si ratio of the particles is related to the concentration of dissolved Ag in the surface waters suggesting a direct link between availability of the metal and its sequestration by diatoms.

I used a specific inhibitor approach to systematically measure NH4+ oxidation rates through the euphotic zone of three distinct oceanographic regimes. Study sites included Saanich Inlet, a highly productive British Columbia fjord, the Line P oceanographic transect in the NE subarctic pacific, and the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) station in the oligotrophic, sub-tropical Sargasso Sea. Nitrate uptake rates were also measured at select stations on a number of research cruises. NH4+ oxidation rates were found to proceed throughout the euphotic zone in each of my study regions, and, overall, euphotic zone NH4+ oxidation rates ranged from undetectable to 203 nmol L-1 d-1. A general characterization of the rates observed in each of my study regions shows that euphotic zone NH4+ oxidation rates were typically highest in Saanich Inlet, intermediate along Line P, and lowest at BATS. The observation that NH4+ oxidation occurred throughout the euphotic zone in each of my study regions was in contrast to the traditional assumption of no euphotic zone nitrification, and it should now be considered a ubiquitous process in the euphotic regions of the ocean. Results found that euphotic zone nitrification could have potentially supported, on average, 15, 53 and 79% of the phytoplankton NO3- requirements in Saanich Inlet, and along Line P and at BATS, respectively, and this underscores the need for a major re-evaluation of the new production paradigm. Light, substrate concentrations, and potentially substrate supply rates were all found to play a role in regulating NH4+ oxidation, albeit to varying degrees, and I discuss the influence that each of these variables may have had on controlling NH4+ oxidation rates at regionally specific scales in Chapters 2 (Saanich Inlet), 3 (Line P) and 4 (BATS). Finally, a cross study-region comparison of results showed that the relative degree by which new production estimates were reduced, when euphotic zone nitrification was taken into consideration, decreased exponentially as total NO3- uptake rates increased; the relationship I describe between these two variables may potentially provide a simple and rapid means of estimating the extent to which new production may have been overestimated at regionally specific and global scales. My Line P sampling program also provided me with an opportunity to conduct the first investigation of intermediate depth N2O distributions along the Line P oceanographic transect. My results demonstrated that nitrification is the predominant production pathway for N2O in the NE subarctic Pacific. N2O distributions along Line P were variable, however, and I also consider the role of different transiting water masses and potential far-field denitrification in contributing to this variability. Finally, I estimated sea-to-air fluxes of N2O and based on these results I have demonstrated that the NE subarctic Pacific is a “hotspot” for N2O emissions to the atmosphere. / Graduate

In Saanich Inlet, a fjord located in southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, dense aggregations of euphausiids exhibit diel vertical migration behavior and their capability of generating turbulence has been suggested. Despite decades of research on diel vertical migration of zooplankton, its variability has not been well studied. In addition, the physical oceanographic environment in Saanich Inlet has not been thoroughly quantified, which raises the possibility of previously observed turbulent bursts of O(10^-5 – 10^-4 W kg^-1) having physical (rather than biological) origin. This work characterizes variability of diel vertical migration behavior using a moored 200-kHz echosounder, complemented by plankton sampling. Physical properties such as barotropic, baroclinic and turbulent signals are described, and the relationship between turbulence and internal waves/scattering layer examined. A two-year high-resolution biacoustic time-series provided by the Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea (VENUS) cabled observatory allowed quantification of the seasonal variability in migration timing of euphausiids. During spring – fall, early dusk ascent and late dawn descent relative to civil twilight occur. During winter, late dusk ascent and early dawn descent occur. Factors regulating the seasonal changes in migration timing are light availability at the daytime depth of the scattering layers, and size-dependent visual predation risk of euphausiids. Instead of the traditional view of diel vertical migration timing correlated solely with civil twilight, euphausiids also adapt their migration timing to accommodate changes in environmental cues as well as their growth. The pre-spawning period (February – April) is an exception to this seasonal pattern, likely due to the higher energy demands for reproduction. Turbulence and internal waves in Saanich Inlet are characterized based on a one-month mooring deployment. Average dissipation rates are nearly an order of magnitude larger than previously reported values and higher dissipation rates of O(10^-7 – 10^-6 W kg^-1) are occasionally observed. A weak correlation is observed between turbulent dissipation rates and baroclinic velocity/shear. To examine the possibility of biological generation of turbulence, an echosounder at the VENUS cabled observatory is used to simultaneously measure the intensity of the euphausiid scattering layer and its vertical position. Turbulent bursts of the sort previously reported are not observed, and no relation between diel vertical migration and turbulent dissipation rates is found. Physical forcing at the main channel remains as a possible cause of the turbulent bursts. / Graduate / 0416 / 0415

This thesis examines a fuel spill at Goldstream River, on Coast and Straights Salish People’s territory, on southern Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Goldstream is an important salmon spawning and fishing location for the WSÁNEĆ (Saanich) people. In this thesis I step beyond the confines of the common law and its associated narratives and examine the fuel spill through the lens of WSÁNEĆ culture and legal order. In doing so I seek to open nascent possibilities and understandings relating to the fuel spill, its associated harms, and the implications this has for a legal response. My approach is rooted in the field of Indigenous law. In contributing broadly to the revitalization and resurgence of Indigenous law, including its theoretical and methodological aspects, I strengthen my claim that WSÁNEĆ law offers an important legal response to the Goldstream spill. My approach, however, extends beyond the field of Indigenous law. It also draws insights from the fields of postcolonial theory and resurgence theory. Postcolonial theory aids in understanding the processes and power structures that silence and subordinate Indigenous systems of law. The effective revitalization of Indigenous law draws from these understandings. My emphasis, however, does not rest squarely on critique. I argue that colonial power structures are best mitigated and subverted by applying Indigenous narratives, including Indigenous systems of law. I draw on resurgence theory to highlight the empowering effects of strengthening Indigenous narratives and for transforming relationships between Indigenous peoples and the Canadian state. In applying this theoretical framework I argue that WSÁNEĆ law provides an alternative lens through which to address the Goldstream spill. Through attention to WSÁNEĆ stories and the SENĆOŦEN language (the language of the WSÁNEĆ people) I open a narrative of WSÁNEĆ law that provides a distinct normative framework regarding our responsibilities to one another and to the Earth. The benefits of such an approach are far reaching in scope. They reconceptualise foundational assumptions relating to the nature of the harm, as well as the notion jurisdiction. My narrative moves from thinking and acting with authority over the environment, to having mutual responsibilities in relation to ecology. The scope and contributions of Indigenous law should not be overlooked. To do so is to limit the potential for Indigenous/non-Indigenous reconciliation, as well as the healthy functioning of Indigenous legal orders. / Graduate