Notice Board

The Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA) presents a session with University of Lethbridge environmental science professor Dr. Dan Johnson as he discusses how insects fit into our ecosystem.

Why we need insects and spiders, which of them are declining, and which are moving in

March 11, 2021, 10 a.m. MST

YouTube Live link: https://youtu.be/z0SeZdFtbJU

Insects and spiders matter to us because of their enormous contributions to ecosystems, including in food webs, for pollination, enjoyment and pest control. Some set back agriculture and forestry, and can harm the health of humans, livestock and wildlife. Some species seem to be in decline, or are being replaced. We will see examples of the lives of insects and spiders in our area, including some that are worthy of conservation. Citizen science participation and personal interest expressed by the public and students is an important part. 

Speaker:  Dan Johnson (BSc, Sask; MSc, PhD, UBC, Institute of Animal Resource Ecology & Department of Plant Science)

Dan promotes public understanding of science, especially about ecosystems and biodiversity. He conducts research on weather and life, sustainable crop protection, entomology and environment. As a professor at the University of Lethbridge, he has taught environmental science, including in the First Nations Transition Program, data analysis, experimental design, biogeography and insect ecology. He organized and chaired the world conference on grasshoppers and locusts, and led the Canadian Zebra Chip and Potato Psyllid Monitoring and Research Network, 2013-2018. He served as a Canada Research Chair, and on the Alberta Environmental Appeals Board. He received the C. Gordon Hewitt medal from the Entomological Society of Canada, and served as ESC President in 2000. He is VP of the Entomol. Soc. Alberta.

YouTube Live link:  In order to ask questions of our speaker in the chat feature of YouTube, you must have a YouTube account and be signed in. Please do so well ahead of the scheduled start time, so you’ll be ready. Go the YouTube Live link provided in this session flyer and on the top right of your browser click the “sign in” button. If you have Google or Gmail accounts, they can be used to sign in. If you don’t, click “Create Account” and follow along. Once you are signed in, you can return to the live stream and use the chat feature to ask your questions of the speaker. Remember, you can only participate in the chat feature while we are livestreaming.

For further information on the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs, visit the SACPA website.