Area of Expertise:
Dr. Brenda Burd is a marine ecologist and research associate at the Vancouver Aquarium and DFO Institute of Ocean Sciences, specializing in 1) analysis of benthic community response and recovery patterns related to metal mines, pulp mills, fish farms and multiple discharges (sewage, stormwater, industrial, ocean dumping and sediment geochemistry); and 2) development of sampling and analytical protocols for benthic monitoring programs. Recent projects include; initiation and management of the Salish Sea Ambient Monitoring Exchange (SSAMEx); quality control and temporal trends in monitoring programs for the Capital Regional District; benthic monitoring programs for the Metro Vancouver Iona and Lions Gate wastewater outfalls; Initiation, design, project management and biological oceanography for Strait of Georgia Ambient Monitoring Program (collaborative agreement of NRCan/DFO/Metro Vancouver 2003-2013).
Dr. Burd is currently building and managing the new Salish Sea Ambient Monitoring Exchange to promote data sharing and harmonization trans-boundary for marine monitoring programs. The primary goal is to support research and analyze temporal trends in background conditions to provide context for understanding the effects and environmental sensitivities related to localized discharges in the region.
Select Presentation(s) / Publication(s):
Burd, Brenda & E. Thomson, Richard. (2015). The importance of Hydrothermal venting to water-column secondary production in the northeast pacific. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography. 121. 10.1016/j.dsr2.2015.04.014.
C Johannessen, Sophia & W Macdonald, Robie & Burd, Brenda & van Roodselaar, Albert & Bertold, Stan. (2014). Local environmental conditions determine the footprint of municipal effluent in coastal waters: A case study in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia. The Science of the total environment. 508C. 228-239. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.11.096.
Burd, Brenda. (2014). Distribution, inventory and turnover of benthic organic biomass in the Strait of Georgia, Canada, in relation to natural and anthropogenic inputs. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 82. 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.03.004.
Burd, Brenda & Macdonald, Tara & Bertold, S. (2013). The effects of wastewater effluent and river discharge on benthic heterotrophic production, organic biomass and respiration in marine coastal sediments. Marine pollution bulletin. 74. 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.06.029.
