Glynnis Hood, PhD, MSc, Dip. Tech, BA, CWB®

Professor of Environmental Science, Augustana - Sciences

Contact

Professor of Environmental Science, Augustana - Sciences
Email
ghood@ualberta.ca
Phone
(780) 679-1556
Address
2-300 Faith & Life Centre
4901-46 Ave
Camrose AB
T4V 2R3

Overview

About

PhD, Environmental Biology and Ecology, University of Alberta; MSc, Natural Resources Management, University of Northern B.C.; Dip. Tech., Fish, Wildlife and Recreation, British Columbia Institute of Technology; BA, Linguistics, University of Victoria. Fellow of The Wildlife Society (TWS).


Research

Research

Freshwater Ecology, Wildlife Ecology and Management

My current research focuses on wetland ecology as it relates to wildlife habitat and management. Semi-aquatic mammals are of specific interest. Along with investigations into water quality and quantity, I study how the presence of beavers affects pond morphometry, aquatic connectivity, and biodiversity. Other research interests include how human-wildlife interactions affect access to critical habitats by wildlife and how those impacts can be mitigated using adaptive management approaches. My research approach is largely empirical, based on field studies, which are then analyzed using statistics and GIS. Much of my work has been conducted in protected areas and adjacent private and public lands.


Teaching

My main teaching interests include: freshwater ecology and management, wildlife ecology and management, environmental impact assessment, geographic information systems, and statistics for the natural sciences. Linking theory and practice is an important part of my approach to teaching, which often has my students finding themselves applying classroom material to field-based activities.

Courses

AUENV 218 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

Introduction to fundamentals and applications of Geographic Information Systems. Topics include the nature of geographic data, geo-referencing systems, geographic modelling, data collection and management, and spatial analysis. Practical applications of GIS will be emphasized with the use of appropriate computer software. Prerequisite: Any 100-level science course. Note: Credit may be obtained for only one of AUGEO 218 (2021) and AUENV 218.


AUENV 335 - Wildlife Ecology and Management

Theory and practices in the study and management of wildlife populations and communities. Population dynamics, habitat assessment and management, conservation challenges, and emerging trends. Computational models and assignments aid theoretical understanding of material. Prerequisites: AUENV 252; AUBIO 253; AUSTA 215.


Browse more courses taught by Glynnis Hood

Scholarly Activities

Research - Advancing use of beavers as a nature-based solution to manage the impacts of climate change

2023-03-31 to 2027-03-31

The overarching objective of our project is to form an evidence base for understanding the potential for, and the potential costs/challenges of, using beavers to mitigate the impacts of climate change on stream and wetland functioning. Four key questions direct the research to achieve the project’s overarching objective: 1) To what extent do beaver dams built in a network pattern elevate stream and riparian water levels, increase channel-floodplain connectivity, enhance groundwater recharge and alter downstream connectivity (i.e., volume and flow paths of stream water)? 2) What impacts do the changes in hydrological regime have on ecological dynamics? 3) How does the location of a pond-leveling device within a beaver dam network affect ponding, downstream connectivity, channel-floodplain connectivity, and beaver activities? and, 4) How can resource managers crowdsource hydrological and ecological data suitable for addressing pressing management challenges in beaver-dominated landscapes? The PI is Dr. Cherie Westbrook, USask and CI: Dr. Glynnis Hood. It is funded by the Alberta Innovates Water Innovation program.

Cherie Westbrook - current projects

Research - Beavers as drivers of ecological dynamics

2020 to 2025

This research examines how the interplay between environmental variables (e.g. soils, vegetation, hydrology, climate) and beaver ecology (e.g. population dynamics, habitat alterations) affects persistence of beaver dams and tipping points where dams fail. While beaver activities increase biodiversity and productivity, dams do break, leading to catastrophic flooding. In response, we are quantifying key variables in beaver-modified landscapes to predict persistence of dams in associated aquatic systems. In addition, spatial and temporal variables will be identified that can inform risk management for beaver release. Moreover, we are assessing the influence of active maintenance of dams, population dynamics, and related environmental variables on the probability of dam persistence. These data will aid development of flood-risk models for agricultural lands adjacent to wildland areas and how they are potentially affected by failure of beaver dams. Research outputs will aid resource managers in balancing biodiversity and flood risk. This research is funded by a NSERC Discovery Grant.


Research - Distribution and habitat associations of semi-aquatic furbearers in the Beaver Hills Biosphere

This research investigates which factors influence the distribution and habitat selection of semi-aquatic mammals (i.e., beaver, muskrat, river otter, and mink) within a mixed-use landscape of the Beaver Hills Biosphere in Alberta’s southern mixed-wood boreal forest. Through the use of camera traps, eDNA sampling, and sign surveys we are measuring the diversity and distribution of semi-aquatic mammals in the Biosphere, and analyzing the relationship between species occurrence and habitat composition, including aquatic connectivity (e.g., the influence of beaver channels). This research is funded by an Alberta Conservation Association research grant (https://www.ab-conservation.com/), and Beaver Hills Biosphere Reserve Association funding.

Past research regarding the influence of beavers on aquatic connectivity and biodiversity is published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology (2020) 98:210–218; Freshwater Biology (2015) 60:198–208; Animal Conservation (2015) 18(3):287–294; Wetlands (2014) 34:19–29; and Herpetological Review (2014) 45(1):18–20.

Featured Publications

Aguirre, I., Hood, G.A., Westbrook, C.J.

Science of The Total Environment. 2024 February; 2024 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170825


Shotyk, W., Cuss, C.W., Grant-Weaver, I., Haas-Neill, S., Hood, G.A., MacDonald, E., Noernberg, T., Than, K.

Environmental Research. 2024 January; 241 (117462) 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117462


Hvenegaard, G.T., McIntosh, A.C.S., Hood, G.A., Bourgeois, K.D., Cook, C.A.

Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 2023 December; 135 (4) 10.1676/22-00079


Hood, G.A. (A. Cheng, Illustrator)

Rocky Mountain Books. 2022 November;


Hood, G.A., McIntosh, A.C.S., Hvenegaard, G.T.

Wetlands. 2021 November; 41 (112) 10.1007/s13157-021-01494-7


Stramoen, C.B., Hood, G.A.

Journal for Nature Conservation. 2021 April; 61 10.1016/j.jnc.2021.125998


Yarmey, N.T., Hood, G.A.

Human-Wildlife Interactions. 2021 January; 14 (3):476–486 10.26077/0C80-AB0A


Hood, G.A. (M. Brierely, Illustrator)

Johns Hopkins University Press. 2020 October;


Hood, G.A.

Land. 2020 September; 9 (10):345 10.3390/land9100345


Hood, G.A.

Canadian Journal of Zoology. 2020 January; 98 10.1139/cjz-2019-0066


Shotyk, W., Bicalho, B., Dergousoff, M., Grant-Weaver, I., Hood, G., Lund, K., Noernberg, T.

Science of the Total Environment. 2019 January; 672 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.303


Stewart, F.E.C, Volpe, J.P., Eaton, B.R., Hood, G.A., Vujnovic, D., Fisher, J.T.

Biological Conservation. 2019 January; 240 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108252


Dubrule, T., Patriquin, D.L., Hood, G.A.

Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management. 2018 January; 20 (2):1850005 10.1142/S1464333218500059


Hood, G.A., Manaloor, V., Dzioba, B.

Human Dimensions of Wildlife. 2018 January; 23 (2):74-116 10.1080/10871209.2017.1402223


Hood, G.A., Hvenegaard, G.T., McIntosh, A.

University of Alberta, Augustana. 2018 January; Technical report for Beaver County


Hood, G.A., Hvenegaard, G.T., McIntosh, A.

University of Alberta, Augustana. 2017 January; Technical report for Beaver County


Matters, S.D., Hood, G.A.

Canadian Journal of Native Studies. 2016 January; 36 (2):149-166


Anderson, N.L., Paszkowski, C.A., Hood, G.A.

Animal Conservation. 2015 January; 18 (3):287-294 10.1111/acv.12170


Post-release survival of beavers exposed to bitumen

Hood, G.A.

University of Alberta, Augustana. 2015 January; Technical Report for CNRL


Hood, G.A., Larson, D.G.

Freshwater Biology. 2015 January; 60 10.1111/fwb.12487


Hood, G.A, Larson, D.G.

Wetlands. 2014 January; 34 10.1007/s13157-013-0476-z


Bromley, C.K., Hood, G.A.

Mammalian Biology. 2013 January; 78 10.1016/j.mambio.2012.02.009


Nelner, T.B., Hood, G.A.

Wildlife Biology. 2011 January; 17 10.2981/09-097


Hood, G.A.

Rocky Mountain Books. 2011 January;


Hood, G.A., Bayley, S.E.

Forest Ecology and Management. 2009 January; 258 (2009):1979-1989 10.1016/j.foreco.2009.07.052


Hood, G.A., Bromley, C.K, Tiitmamer Kur, N.

University of Alberta, Augustana. 2009 January; Technical Report for the Cumulative Effects Monitoring Association (CEMA)


Hood, G.A., Bayley, S.E.

Canadian Journal of Zoology. 2008 January; 86 10.1139/Z08-029


Hood, G.A., Bayley, S.E.

Biological Conservation. 2008 January; 141 10.1016/j.biocon.2007.12.003


Hood, G.A., Bayley, S.E., Olson, W.

Forest Ecology and Management. 2007 January; 237 10.1016/j.foreco.2006.12.005


Hood, G.A., Bayley, S.E.

Lutra. 2004 January; 66 (2):235-241


Hood, G.A., Neufeld, T.

Canadian Field Naturalist. 2004 January; 118 (4):605-607 10.22621/cfn.v118i4.65


Hood, G.A., Parker, K.L.

Wildlife Society Bulletin. 2001 January; 29 (2):624-638 10.2307/3784189