Media

OTTAWA, May 17, 2011  —  University of Ottawa professor Vance Trudeau is proud to be hosting a special public lecture by the Zoological Education Trust (ZET), Biodiversity in the face of global climate change, as part of the 50th annual meeting of the Canadian Association of Zoologists. The lecture will address the impact of climate change on biodiversity, as well as the implications for animal and plant health and, consequently, for human health.

What: ZET public lecture – Biodiversity in the face of global climate change

When: Wednesday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: Alumni Auditorium, 85 University Street

Two renowned speakers will not only illustrate how global climate change and other relevant factors are impacting local fauna, but also engage the audience in a discussion on this topic.

Professor Andrew Blaustein, Oregon State University, will talk about factors such as global climate change that are contributing to a decline in amphibian populations. In fact, more than 60% of Canadian amphibian species are extirpated, endangered, threatened or considered to be of special concern. Frogs, for example, are powerful indicators of the environmental degradation behind the dwindling numbers because of their pivotal role in the food chain.

Professor Brock Fenton, University of Western Ontario, will discuss how the threat to biodiversity posed by invasive species like pathogenic fungi extends to bats. Indeed, millions of bats across North America have been killed off as a result of disease, green-energy projects and several other factors. Though bats have often been labeled essentially as carriers of disease, they also help control and reduce insect-borne diseases. In addition they benefit humans by spreading seeds and pollinating plants, so they’re in fact a valuable part of our ecosystem.

For more information on the event and on the 50th annual meeting of the Canadian Association of Zoologists, please visit the CSZ Website.

Watch the video of Professor Trudeau’s interview with Allan Rock.