PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Q&A: How can Canada best meet its commitment to protecting 30% of its land by 2030?

2023-12-04
(Press-News.org) At last year’s COP15 conference in Montreal, the Government of Canada set the goal of conserving 30 percent of the country’s land and water by 2030. In a new study in Nature Communications, a group of McGill University researchers have sought to understand how well our existing protected lands preserve Canadian species, how many species we could save if we reach our 30 by 30 targets, and what factors impact our ability to safeguard species in future conserved areas.

Lead author Isaac Eckert, a McGill PhD candidate in Biology, answered some questions about his research.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

What did you find? We found that existing protected lands in Canada do not protect Canadian species very well. In fact, only around 15% of Canada’s vertebrates, plants, and butterflies are represented by existing protected areas such as National and Provincial parks. The good news is that if we secure the 30% of Canada’s land most important to biodiversity, we could protect over 65% of all species. However, our ability to achieve this relies on how we coordinate protection across Canada.

While a national strategy, where the land most important for biodiversity is prioritized for protection, can generate these big conservation gains, regional strategies, where each Province and Territory protects 30% of land, or we protect 30% of each Ecozone, greatly hinder our ability to capture biodiversity in future protected lands. In fact, we lose out on the ability to protect a quarter of all Canada’s biodiversity when we spread future protected areas evenly across Canada. This amounts to over 1,000 species.

How can we best protect biodiversity in Canada? These results suggest that the key to maximizing our ability to protect biodiversity into the future depends on how we as a nation work together to establish new protected areas that prioritize Canada’s rich biodiversity. Our results provide a new understanding of the importance of conservation planning across spatial scales and highlight both the challenges and rewards of collaborating to help protect biodiversity into the future.

Why are these findings important for future conservation efforts? These findings have the potential to shape the conservation strategies of nations around the world. Our main message is on the importance of national strategies, informed by biodiversity science, to establish new protected areas. National strategies to conservation have many benefits, including optimizing the protection of biodiversity, unifying regional actors under a common goal, identifying cross-jurisdictional synergies such as large-scale conservation corridors like Yellowstone to Yukon, and streamlining the tracking and reporting process to reach international targets. As nations start on their path to reaching 30 by 30, understanding the trade-offs of different approaches to conservation is critical for the protection of biodiversity and potentially the future of life on Earth.

About the study 30×30 biodiversity gains rely on national coordination by Isaac Eckert, Laura Pollock, et al., was published in Nature Communications.

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Eating disorder hospitalizations on the rise, affecting 'atypical' groups the most

Eating disorder hospitalizations on the rise, affecting atypical groups the most
2023-12-04
Toronto, ON, December 4, 2023 – There was a disproportionate rise in pediatric eating disorder hospitalizations among males, younger adolescents, and individuals with eating disorder diagnoses other than anorexia or bulimia, according to a new study from researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and ICES.  This large, population-based study spanned a 17-year period in Ontario, Canada (2002-2019), and tracked an overall increase of 139% in eating disorder hospitalizations among children and adolescents, with a total of 11,654 hospitalizations. The number of co-occurring mental illness diagnoses for ...

Brains of newborns aren't underdeveloped compared to other primates

2023-12-04
Contrary to current understanding, the brains of human newborns aren’t significantly less developed compared to other primate species, but appear so because so much brain development happens after birth, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, found that humans are born with brains at a development level that’s typical for similar primate species, but the human brains grow so much larger and more complex than other species after birth, it gives the false impression that human newborns are underdeveloped, or “altricial.” Lead author Dr Aida ...

Mortality and morbidity among individuals with hypertension receiving a diuretic, ace inhibitor, or calcium channel blocker

2023-12-04
About The Study: In this prespecified secondary analysis of outcomes of 32,000 participants in a randomized clinical trial and post-trial up to 23 years later among adults with hypertension and coronary heart disease risk factors, cardiovascular disease mortality was similar between all three antihypertensive treatment groups (thiazide-type diuretic, calcium channel blocker, or angiotensin-converting enzyme [ACE] inhibitor). ACE inhibitors increased the risk of stroke outcomes by 11% compared with diuretics, and this effect persisted well beyond the trial period.  Authors: Jose-Miguel ...

Types of on-screen content and mental health in kindergarten children

2023-12-04
About The Study: The results of this study that included nearly 16,000 kindergarten children indicated that both total screen time and different types of content were associated with mental health problems in children ages 3 to 6. Limiting children’s screen time, prioritizing educational programs, and avoiding non–child-directed programs are recommended.  Authors: Fan Jiang, M.D., Ph.D., and Yunting Zhang, Ph.D., of Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China, are the corresponding authors. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this ...

Maternal prenatal depressive symptoms and fetal growth during the critical rapid growth stage

2023-12-04
About The Study: Maternal depressive symptoms were associated with slower fetal growth rate in the critical rapid growth stage before delivery in this study including 2,676 mother-offspring dyads. Early screening for depressive disorders in pregnant women appears to be essential for fetal growth and later health.  Authors: Zhenmi Liu, Ph.D., and Jiaqiang Liao, Ph.D., of Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, are the corresponding authors.   To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.46018) Editor’s Note: Please see ...

About 20% of patients listed as alive in their electronic health records were actually deceased according to California data

2023-12-04
About 20 % of patients whose medical records showed them as being alive with a serious illness were in fact deceased according to California data, leading to hundreds of unnecessary interactions such as appointment reminders, prescription refills and other kinds of wasteful outreach that strain resources and healthcare workers’ time. The data gap is due to California law that makes these full death data available only “for purposes of law enforcement or preventing fraud,” according to a UCLA-lead research team. Even a real-time death database maintained by the National Association for Public Health ...

Dietary environmental factors shape the immune defense against Cryptosporidium infection

2023-12-04
Francis Crick Institute press release Under strict embargo: 16:00hrs GMT Monday 4 December 2023 Peer reviewed Experimental study Animals   Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have discovered that a common dietary supplement could protect against chronic Cryptosporidium infections which are particularly prevalent in children under two and in areas with poorer sanitation. Cryptosporidium is a parasite that infects and damages the small intestine. It is one of the leading causes of diarrhoea-related deaths ...

New study maps ketamine's effects on brain

2023-12-04
Ketamine – an anesthetic also known for its illicit use as a recreational drug – has undergone a thorough reputational rehabilitation in recent years as the medical establishment has begun to recognize its wide-ranging therapeutic effects. The drug is increasingly used for a range of medical purposes, including as a painkiller alternative to opioids, and as a therapy for treatment-resistant depression. In a new study published in the journal Cell Reports, Columbia biologists and biomedical engineers mapped ketamine’s effects on the brains of mice, and found that repeated use over extended periods of time leads to widespread structural changes in the brain’s ...

Studies help explain why some prostate cancers become resistant to hormone therapy

2023-12-04
Two new studies led by researchers from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center give insight into how cells use energy to influence the way prostate tumors survive and grow — advancements that can help explain why some prostate cancers become resistant to hormone therapy, the most commonly used treatment for men with advanced stages of the disease. Hormone therapy, also known as antiandrogen therapy, plays a crucial role in temporarily halting the growth of prostate cancer cells. Over time, however, the majority of patients eventually see their cancer return and progress, underscoring the pressing need for continued advancements to enhance clinical ...

Hard to drug: Protein droplets reveal new ways to inhibit transcription factors in an aggressive form of prostate cancer

Hard to drug: Protein droplets reveal new ways to inhibit transcription factors in an aggressive form of prostate cancer
2023-12-04
Many of the most potent human oncoproteins belong to a class of proteins called transcription factors, but designing small molecule drugs that target transcription factors is a major challenge. An international team of researchers from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG), BC Cancer (University of British Columbia) and other institutions has discovered a potential way to target the androgen receptor, the most prominent oncogenic transcription factor in prostate cancer, based on its propensity to form droplets also known as condensates. The results described ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Less intensive works best for agricultural soil

Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation

Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests

Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome

UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership

New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll

Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025

Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025

AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials

New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age

Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker

Chips off the old block

Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia

Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19

Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity

State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections

Young adults drive historic decline in smoking

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development

This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack

FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology

In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity

Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects

A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions

AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate

Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative

Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine

Mission accomplished for the “T2T” Hong Kong Bauhinia Genome Project

[Press-News.org] Q&A: How can Canada best meet its commitment to protecting 30% of its land by 2030?