In a first-of-its-kind breakthrough, a team of UBC Okanagan researchers has developed an artificial adhesion system that closely mimics natural biological interactions.

Dr. Isaac Li and his team in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science study biophysics at the single-molecule and single-cell levels. Their research focuses on understanding how cells physically interact with each other and their environment, with the ultimate goal of developing innovative tools for disease diagnosis and therapy.

Two of Dr. Li’s doctoral students, Micah Yang and David Bakker, have engineered a new molecule that could transform how cells adhere to and communicate with one another.

Micah Yang, the study’s lead author, explains that all cells have a natural “stickiness” that enables them to communicate, join together and form tissues. Unlike everyday glues, which tend to release more easily under increasing force, many cellular adhesive interactions behave oppositely—the harder you pull, the stronger they hold. This counterintuitive self-strengthening stickiness, known as a catch bond, is crucial for facilitating essential biological functions and keeping you in one piece.

Yang’s innovation involves a pair of DNA molecules designed to replicate this catch bond behaviour.

Dubbed the “fish hook” for its distinctive structure, this DNA-based system consists of two components: the fish and the hook. Using complementary DNA base-pair interactions, the system functions like a fish biting a hook, forming a catch bond. The bond’s behaviour can be precisely fine-tuned by modifying the DNA sequences of the fish and the hook, enabling control over its strength under varying forces.

“Catch bonds play critical roles in systems like T-cell receptors and bacterial adhesions, which are key to immune responses, tissue integrity and mechano-sensing—a cell’s ability to detect and respond to physical forces,” says Yang. “Nature has perfected these interactions over millions of years, but replicating their dynamic properties synthetically has been a major challenge—until now.

The study, recently published in Nature Communications, highlights the advantages of this novel DNA-based system.

“The tunability of this system is a significant advancement over previous artificial catch bonds,” says Yang. “The ability to precisely control the bond’s force-dependent behaviour makes it an ideal tool for studying biological interactions and developing innovative materials.”

Potential applications of the fish-hook bond are vast, says Yang.

In materials science, the design could inspire the creation of responsive materials that become stronger under stress, making them ideal for wearable technologies or aerospace applications where durability is critical.

In medicine, this approach could improve drug delivery systems or tissue scaffolds by enabling them to interact with cells in a force-sensitive manner, mimicking natural biological processes.

While the development of artificial adhesion bonds is still in its early days, Yang sees it as an exciting step in biomimetic engineering—an approach that seeks to replicate the efficiency and adaptability of natural systems. This work opens up new possibilities for designing materials that mimic or enhance natural biological processes.

“By mimicking biological interactions like catch bond, scientists are not only learning more about how these systems work in nature, but they are paving the way for new technologies that are capable of enhancing human life.”

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Groundbreaking technology created by a UBC Okanagan biology professor is leading the development of new medicine that can help improve gut health.

Dr. Deanna Gibson, with UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, leads a research lab that investigates the intricate relationship between the gut microbiome and human health.

Dr. Gibson is a leading authority in gut microbiome research and is also a driving force behind Melius MicroBiomics, a biotech company focused on harnessing the power of the gut microbiome for improved health.

Now, her entrepreneurial spirit and deep expertise are propelling the company to the forefront of the field by developing innovative therapies for various health conditions, explains Rob Emlyn, CEO and Co-Founder of Melius MicroBiomics.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with UBC, a global leader in scientific innovation,” Emlyn says. “This agreement will significantly advance our Genetically Engineered Microbial Medicine (GEMM) platform, and bring us closer to developing transformative treatments for patients in need.”

Dr. Lael Parrott, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science Dean pro tem, says this partnership is a good example of how research conducted at UBCO can make a real-world impact. She credits Dr. Gibson’s innovation and enterprise to improve human health by leveraging the power of the human microbiome.

“Dr. Gibson’s work has contributed to the understanding of how these trillions of microbes influence digestion, immunity, brain function and chronic diseases,” adds Dr. Parrott. “Her passion for unravelling the mysteries of the gut microbiome and her commitment to improving human health demonstrate she is a forward-thinking innovator.”

GEMM is a novel class of therapeutics that harness the natural powers of beneficial bacteria to treat a range of diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and mood disorders. By incorporating the licensed platform technology into bacteria, Melius MicroBiomics aims to enhance the efficacy and competitiveness of these engineered bacteria within both the human and animal care industries.

“The technology provides an innovative opportunity to use our gut microbiome as a tool in helping to treat chronic inflammatory conditions,” says Dr. Gibson, who is also Chief Scientific Officer and a Co-Founder of Melius Microbiomics.

Melius MicroBiomics is a Vancouver-based biotechnology company with a research lab in Kelowna that is dedicated to discovering and developing innovative microbiome-based therapies.

The company is committed to translating cutting-edge microbiome research into impactful therapies, says J.P. Heale, Managing Director of Innovation UBC, adding the GEMM products represent a promising approach that can address complex diseases with unmet medical needs.

“At UBC, we are committed to building collaborations and spinoff companies that can advance groundbreaking research to generate meaningful impacts in areas such as global health,” says Heale. “Through this agreement, we are excited to see how this UBC research discovery could make a significant contribution to the development of therapies that have the potential to address complex diseases and improve patient and veterinary outcomes.”

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What: Climate Change, Forest Fires and Water: An Ecohydrological Perspective
Who: Dr. Keith Smettem, Emeritus Professor, University of Western Australia
When: Thursday, September 12, 7 to 8 pm
Where: Kelowna Innovation Centre, 460 Doyle Ave.

After the forest fires and then landslides of 2021, the connection between wildfires and destructive water events is a vivid reality for many people living in BC.

Now, UBC Okanagan is bringing in an Australian expert who can explain the science between climate change, wildfires, water management and how they can permanently change landscapes.

Dr. Keith Smettem, Emeritus Professor, University of Western Australia, is a world leader in ecohydrology—the study of how the movement of water impacts the land.

Hosted by UBCO’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, Dr. Smettem will detail the connections of climate change, forests and water with his knowledge in ecohydrology. He will also discuss potential mitigation strategies for the Okanagan Valley.

Dr. Smettem has extensive experience in catchment hydrology, plant water use, irrigation management, water resource assessment and soil physics. He is currently funded by the National Research Foundation of Luxembourg as a visiting international expert, working on issues relating to water quality and development of new environmental sensor systems.

The event takes place Thursday, September 12 at the Innovation Centre in downtown Kelowna. A Q&A will follow, with the evening concluding with a brief reception. This is a free community event, but pre-registration is required.

To register, visit: events.ok.ubc.ca/event/climate-change-forest-fires-and-water-an-ecohydrological-perspective

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Inspired by previous UBCO top students as he began his master’s degree a few years ago, Jordan Bird—this year’s winner of UBC Okanagan’s Governor General Gold medal—has now reached their heights.

While completing his master’s degree, Bird worked under the supervision of Dr. Glen Foster and was also exposed to the work of previous UBCO graduates Drs. Mike Tymko and Ryan Hoiland—both won the Governor General Gold medal in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

The Governor General Gold Medal is awarded annually to the student with the highest academic standing who is graduating from a UBCO master’s or doctoral program. This year, Bird, who received the university’s top award as he graduated from the School of Health and Exercise Sciences with a Master of Science degree, admits he had excellent role models and support throughout his studies.

“My undergrad mentor Dr. Trevor Day would always tell me that science is about people. You look at the School of Health and Exercise Sciences and realize it is a really special place because of both the quality of people you work with and the quality of research conducted. When you look at former students like Drs. Tymko and Hoiland—who are phenomenal people and academics—it’s no secret that you get to work and learn from really great people at UBCO,” says Bird. “If you work with genuine people who care about facilitating each other’s success while also working hard, good things happen.”

Bird didn’t plan on continuing his studies, but after meeting researchers such as Drs. Hoiland and Mypinder Sekhon—who were conducting research at UBCO—he decided to work on his doctorate and moved to UBC Vancouver to study under them.

“While it has been a transition to a new field of study, the most important thing to me is doing good work with good people,” he says. “The people at UBC and UBCO are ambitious, supportive, humble and enthusiastic. I’m just incredibly lucky to be able to work with such amazing groups throughout grad school.”

Bird, who plans to pursue either medicine or critical care research, was presented with his Governor General Gold medal when he graduated Friday morning.

Also graduating Friday, was Liam Krebbers, who is heading straight into his doctoral program. Along with receiving the School of Engineering Medal of Excellence, he was also presented with the Governor General’s Silver Medal for his high academic accomplishments.

The Governor General’s Silver Medal recognizes undergraduate students who have achieved the top academic record throughout their university careers, while the UBCO Engineering medal goes to the campus’ top graduating engineering student.

Krebbers also won an Ivy League entrance scholarship and will begin his doctoral studies in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton.

“I’m incredibly grateful for all the awards, encouragement and opportunities I received at UBC and am so excited to continue my journey at Princeton this fall,” says Krebbers.

Over the past two years, through his undergraduate research work with Dr. Sina Kheirkhah, an Associate Professor with the School of Engineering, Krebbers seized every opportunity to learn about combustion, laser-based diagnostics, fuel flexible technologies and published several research and conference papers along the way.

He has his sights set on becoming a researcher and professor.

Like many who graduated from UBCO last week, Oluwaseun Akinloye didn’t have a high school graduation ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic and her first year of studies at UBCO was virtual. When she did eventually arrive on campus from Calgary, she immediately got involved participating in ski outings, and joining organizations like the African Caribbean Student Club (ACSC).

However, even though she was working as a residence advisor and peer mentor, Akinloye felt isolated. While the ACSC helped her feel heard and understood, and validated her need for connection, she also saw a void and felt there was something she could offer in return.

In her third year, Akinloye spearheaded various Black History Month events, including one event that attracted more than 250 participants. This was a foundational step in the establishment of the Black Student Association (BSA).

“As co-founder and inaugural president of the BSA, I confronted the isolation that many black students felt in the Okanagan. We recognized a gap that needed bridging—the ACSC was thriving, yes, but its presence did not negate the need for the BSA, which addresses a broader spectrum of Black identity than the ACSC, recognizing that not all people of African or Caribbean descent identify as Black and not all Black individuals are African or Caribbean.”

She also established the first BSA student art exhibit on campus to feature works solely by Black students. But she didn’t stop with art and academics, introducing monthly “Let’s Agree to Disagree” forums which offered a platform for all students to voice their thoughts on a wide range of topics, from everyday pop culture to critical global issues.

As she graduated from the School of Health and Exercises Friday, Akinloye was presented with UBCO’s Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Inclusion, Democracy and Reconciliation. The medal is offered annually to a graduating student who demonstrates academic merit and contribution to the life of the university and their community.

Akinloye notes she is proud of her accomplishments, the BSA has bloomed with growing membership and she feels she has made a significant difference to life at UBCO. Later this year she will take her Medical College Admission Test and begin applying to different schools.

While medals and accolades were handed out during the two days of ceremonies last week, many students were also presented the scholarships and recognition for their work in and out of the classroom.

Jacob Sol, who crossed the stage to pick up his Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering Friday afternoon not only picked up his parchment, but also received the 2024 Gordon Springate Sr. Award.

The Dr. Gordon Springate Sr. Award in Engineering is presented annually to an engineering graduate who has demonstrated a material contribution to their community outside of their program. The $15,000 award—the single largest donor-funded award for an undergraduate student at UBC Okanagan—is named for Dr. Gordon Springate Sr., a mechanical engineering and educator committed to giving back to his field and his community.

True to the intentions of the award, Sol’s time at UBC has been spent making an impact.

During his first semester at UBCO in fall 2020—a time when the world was grappling with COVID-19—Sol was laser-focused on another threat to the globe.

“It dawned on me early in my studies that stormwater contamination is a hugely significant environmental issue, both in our local communities and worldwide. With our water systems being so precious in the Okanagan, and all over the world, I saw there was a need and a way for me to make a positive impact,” explains Sol, who credits his father for inspiring him to take an interest in the ocean and aquatic environments from a young age.

Sol developed the idea for a smart integrated stormwater decontamination and flood monitoring device which allows for real-time data collection and informed decision making. He and his classmates would go on to work with a number of community partners, including the Okanagan Basin Water Board and the City of Kelowna. In June 2020, Jacob’s team presented its idea in the final AquaHacking pitch competition and was awarded second place in Western Canada.

Along the way, Sol balanced keeping the research project afloat while maintaining outstanding grades and being a member of the UBCO Heat men’s soccer team.

“It’s not always easy juggling everything, but my time at UBCO has been rewarding because I’ve had these opportunities to get involved outside the classroom,” says Sol. “I’m very proud I’d been able to make difference through and I hope through my graduate studies I’ll be able to continue to build on the idea.”

Sol will be using the award as he enters graduate studies at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands.

“The opportunity to study at TU Delft is life changing. I’m incredibly grateful to the Springate family for this support, which is helping to make my dream possible.”

On Thursday, another student—one who is used to being a top winner—was also recognized for her academic achievements. Joanna Fear earned her Bachelor of Science degree and was also named winner of the Pushor Mitchell LLP Gold Medal Leadership Prize—one of the highest awards available for a student in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Sciences.

For more than 15 years, the $10,000 prize has recognized a top graduating student who has excelled academically and shown leadership while earning their degree. Fear has done that and a bit more—she is also one of Canada’s top female triathletes and competed for Canada at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 before retiring from the sport.

“I want to thank the people who helped to get me to UBCO after the Tokyo Olympics. Coach Malindi Elmore was an incredible mentor as I navigated retirement from a sport that I had done full-time for over a decade,” says Fear.

Fear, who has been accepted to the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University, was surprised when she heard she had won the award. The support provided by this award will allow her to move begin her medical training this September.

“I am truly honoured at having been selected, and I will continue to be a leader both on and off the field of play,” she adds. “I feel deeply privileged to have won this award and I hope to make the UBCO community.”

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When Liam Krebbers crossed the stage to receive his degree at UBC Okanagan’s final graduation ceremony today, it was a brand-new experience for him.

Like many of his classmates, Krebbers graduated high school in June 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a time of isolation, protective masks and cancelled or modified celebrations.

“I graduated high school during the time of online and physically distanced ceremonies,” says Krebbers.  “I walked across the stage in a nearly empty arena, 15 minutes apart from my friends. I’m very excited this year to be part of an actual graduation ceremony and I’m looking forward to graduating with all my friends.”

Krebbers was one of 2,400 graduates celebrated Thursday and Friday at UBCO—the largest number of graduating students since the university campus was established in 2005.

For many students, notes Dr. Lesley Cormack, UBCO’s Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, it was their first opportunity to cross that stage in front of a jam-packed audience.

“We are incredibly excited to celebrate graduation every year, but this year is particularly meaningful as many of the students graduating did not have a traditional high school graduation due to the pandemic,” says Dr. Cormack. “Ceremonies like graduation provide opportunities for connection, signify our collective values and allow us to come together to celebrate the hard work that has gone into obtaining a UBC degree.”

Along with conferring more than 2,400 doctoral, master’s and undergraduate degrees, UBCO celebrated a number of top academic awards, teaching excellence awards and the conferring of seven Bachelor of Nsyilxcn Language Fluency (BNFL) degrees. This is the second cohort of students to graduate from the BNLF program, the first being last year after the degree program was introduced in accordance with UBC’s commitment to truth and reconciliation.

During graduation, UBCO also celebrated three people who have been instrumental in the growth of the campus and the community with honorary degrees.

Dr. Deborah Buszard, who served as Interim UBC President from 2022 to 2023, and UBCO’s Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for eight years before that, was presented with a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa Thursday morning. Ian Cull, former UBCO Associate Vice-President, Students was also presented with a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa Thursday afternoon. Kelowna entrepreneur Ragwa Gopal, a leader in British Columbia’s tech and innovation community and founder of Accelerate Okanagan in 2012, was presented with a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa Friday morning.

Honorary degrees are awarded by universities to recognize people who have made substantial contributions to society at the provincial, national or international levels. Dr. Cormack noted all three honorary degree recipients have made a significant difference to the Okanagan region, the community and UBCO since it first opened 19 years ago.

In all, six ceremonies took place yesterday and today, and the students of 2024 were celebrated loudly and proudly by their families, fellow students as well as UBCO faculty and staff.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the UBC Okanagan Class of 2024 for their hard work, perseverance and determination,” adds Dr. Cormack. “They are going out into a world as change makers and it desperately needs them. We are proud of them and can’t wait to see what they achieve.”

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The very thing that makes BC’s pristine provincial parks so popular—nature, serenity, wildlife, the great outdoors—may be in danger of irreparable damage as park use continues to grow alongside the province’s population.

In fact, UBC Okanagan researchers say finding a balance between ecological integrity and public enjoyment of provincial parks is a pressing issue that is likely to escalate with population growth and climate change.

Dr. Michael Noonan is head of UBCO’s Quantitative Ecology Lab in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science. His team’s latest research examines the future of BC’s bustling provincial park system and suggests that as the climate continues to warm, parks will feel the brunt of increased use.

“The problem isn’t going to go away,” he adds. “Parks will suffer from overcrowding, and there will be more human-wildlife conflict in these parks. We’re calling for better education that needs to start now, not in a few years.”

Dr. Noonan cautions that finding a balance between providing recreational opportunities and preserving a safe environment for wildlife will be challenging.

“Our provincial parks have a dual mandate,” he says. “They are areas for people to use for recreational purposes, but they’re also meant as protected places for wildlife. People will often use parks based on the weather—it’s a nice day; let’s get out for a hike. The warmer the weather, the busier these parks are going to get.”

Their study, published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, analyzed the daily usage of more than 249 BC provincial parks. The study’s lead author, undergraduate student Dayna Weststrate, says that management plans have already been implemented to control overuse in highly populated areas.

Crowds bring other potential issues, such as noisy parking lots, damage to sensitive off-trail areas, increased littering and more frequent encounters between visitors and wildlife.

Some parks already require a day-use permit to regulate the number of people allowed to access trails, picnic areas and lakes.

“We tend to be typically reactive with our parks, but I’m suggesting that now is the time we start planning for the future,” Weststrate says. “Instead of reacting to overcrowding when it happens, let’s plan for the future now.”

Along with concerns about heavier park use due to population growth, the study also points to another ramification of overuse—climate change will have ecological consequences that can affect park attendance.

As the climate continues to change, it is expected that wildlife will adjust the timing of their migration or reproduction patterns. This, in turn, may lead to changes in the busiest months for park usage. Such changes could have an impact on mating habits and the reproduction of several species.

Weststrate says the study is an opportunity for the province to start planning for the future sustainability of BC parks. She notes that if proper plans are not in place, climate change-driven increases in attendance and human-wildlife interactions risk the sustainability of nature-based tourism within BC’s protected areas.

“Some of the projections do seem bleak, but they are not yet set in stone,” she adds. “The future of BC’s parks depends upon our ability to maintain a healthy balance between tourism and conservation. Park managers should use these findings to plan for more visitors and avoid cases of human-wildlife conflict, ultimately sustaining the viability of nature-based tourism.”

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For the first time, UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science presents two speakers over two nights as part of its annual Distinguished Speaker Series.

From Molecule to Medicine: How Modern Chemistry is Transforming the Way We Treat Disease

What: UBC Okanagan’s Distinguished Speaker Series—From Molecule to Medicine: How Modern Chemistry is Transforming the Way We Treat Disease
Who: Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Morten Meldal
When: Tuesday, April 2 at 7 pm
Venue: Kelowna Community Theatre, 1375 Water St.

“What can I do to fix it?”

It’s a question on the minds of most when a doctor makes a diagnosis, and often the answer is written on a prescription pad.

But for a society that utilizes modern medicine to treat ailments, how often do patients think about the science behind the drug?

Dr. Morten Meldal is a Danish chemist and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. In 2022, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his part in developing a process that turns chemicals into parts that click together like LEGO. The process has been used to create and screen millions of complex chemicals to identify those most suitable for drug development.

In his presentation, Dr. Meldal will discuss how this process is opening new doors in the treatment of infectious and metabolic illnesses like cancer, obesity, Alzheimer’s and dementia, and how this process is being used to generate new antibiotics to combat ever-changing superbugs commonly found in hospitals.

He’ll also share his inspiring journey to becoming a Nobel Laureate, the importance of serendipity in research, and give his thoughts on how investing in science education today can lead to sounder policy and a better-informed society tomorrow.

Harnessing the Potential of Diversity and Gender Equality in Business

What: UBC Okanagan’s Distinguished Speaker Series—Harnessing the Potential of Diversity and Gender Equality in Business
Who: International businesswoman and angel investor Dr. Phaedria Marie St. Hilaire
When: Wednesday, April 3 at 7 pm
Venue: Kelowna Community Theatre, 1375 Water St.

Diversity is good business.

According to research, large companies with gender-diverse leadership teams are 25 per cent more likely to outperform their non-diverse industry peers financially. That number rises to 36 per cent for ethnically diverse teams.

So why in 2024 are there fewer women in leadership roles, and a gender gap in fields like science, technology, engineering and mathematics?

Dr. Phaedria Marie St. Hilaire is an international business leader and angel investor with more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. She has held leadership positions at global companies like Carlsberg Group and Novo Nordisk, and is the founder of the non-profit network based in Denmark Professional Women of Colour.

Recently in North America, instead of embracing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, it appears a backlash has arisen, with some prominent businessmen proclaiming “DEI must DIE.”

Could there be a ripple effect in business across the globe?

In her talk, Dr. St. Hilaire will present the state of DEI in 2024, and offer tips to ensure diversity and gender balance initiatives are effective and beneficial to all of society.

The Distinguished Speaker Series brings compelling speakers to the Okanagan to share their unique perspectives on issues that affect our region, our country and our world. These community events are free and open to the public, but registration is required.

To find out more, visit: science.ok.ubc.ca/about/community-engagement/distinguished-speaker-series

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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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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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In a new study published in Nature Reviews Physics, an international research team, including UBC Okanagan’s Dr. Mir Faizal, has ventured into uncharted territories for physics by trying to blend Einstein’s theory of general relativity with quantum mechanics. This innovative approach paves the way for new insights into the nature of space and time.

General relativity explains the structure of the universe at a very large scale—the scale of galaxies. However, the universe at a small scale, such as atomic physics is described by quantum mechanics.

It has not been possible to construct a complete theory of the universe, encompassing both quantum mechanics and general relativity, explains Dr. Faizal. Physicists have long argued that any such theory cannot emerge from space and time.

This mind-bending observation of space and time emerging from something that is neither space nor time challenges our conventional understanding of the universe, he explains. This is the reason why blending general relativity with quantum mechanics is so difficult Dr. Faizal adds.

However, these researchers point out that this emergence can be understood using water as an analogy.

“Water is made up of individual molecules,” explains Dr. Faizal, an Adjunct Professor of Mathematics and Physics with UBCO’s Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science. “Water also forms shapes like a whirlpool, when it is drained. However, at the scale of individual molecules no such shape exists, and this geometric shape is an emergent structure. Similarly, the geometrical shape of space and time is emergent.”

This analogy helps to explain how space and time can emerge from a theory which does not exist within the confines of either.

“Any attempt to construct quantum gravity seems to indicate that spacetime would emerge from something that exists neither in space nor in time. So, we are now looking at a physical theory which is beyond space and time,” adds Dr. Faizal, who is also the Scientific Director of the Canadian Quantum Research Center.

Researchers now have used moving fluids to understand the emergence of space and time. This allows them to further investigate some deep questions related to the quantum physics of black holes. They hope this will foster collaboration between researchers from different disciplines to further the understanding of these complex phenomena.

The global research team includes Dr. Samuel Braunstein from the University of York in the UK, Dr. Lawrence Krauss, Dr. Francesco Marino from the National Institute of Optics in Italy and Dr. Naveed Shah from the Jamia Millia Islamia University in India.

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