Stacey Robinson
Adjunct Research Professor
| Phone: | 343-998-3719 |
| Email: | Stacey.Robinson@canada.ca |
| Office: | Wildlife and Landscape Science Directorate Environment and Climate Change Canada National Wildlife Research Centre 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario, K1S5B6 |
Current Research
The intensive use of chemicals is as a contributor to ecosystem degradation and population declines for a variety of wildlife. To preserve and enhance the quality of the natural environment, and prevent biodiversity loss, it is important to monitor and assess the environmental risk of toxic substances generated by agriculture and industry. Such information will help inform regulatory decisions for pest control products, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals in Canada. My current projects examine a relatively new class of insecticide of emerging concern to non-target organisms: the neonicotinoids and an older herbicide, diquat. In addition to the lethal effects of exposure, I am also interested in the more subtle sub-lethal effects, such as, changes in life history traits, levels of stress, behaviour and susceptibility to parasitism which are important for sustaining healthy populations (i.e., juvenile recruitment and adult fitness). A variety of non-target species are at risk to the potential effects of pesticides and industrial chemicals. My research program assesses the effects of pesticides and other chemicals on the following non-target organisms: amphibians, herbivorous insects, farmland birds and aquatic plants and invertebrates. My research program also includes developing novel methods for the detection of pesticides in water using passive samplers.
Selected Publications
Robinson, S.A., Richardson, S.D., Dalton, R., Maisonneuve, F., Trudeau, V., Pauli, B., Lee-Jenkins, S.S.Y. 2017. Sub-lethal effects on wood frogs chronically exposed to environmentally-relevant concentrations of two neonicotinoid insecticides. Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry 36 (4): 1101-1109. DOI: 10.1002/etc.3739 (OpenAccess).
Prosser, R., Holman, E., Osborne, R., Robinson, S.A., Bartlett, A., Maisonneuve, F., de Solla, S., Gillis, P. 2016. Sensitivity of the early-life stages of freshwater mollusks to neonicotinoid and butenolide insecticides. Environmental Pollution 218: 428-435.
Robinson, S.A., Lajeunesse, M.J., Forbes, M.R. 2012. A meta-analysis of sex differences in mercury contamination of birds challenges conventional wisdom. Environmental Science & Technology 46: 7094-7101.
Bulte, G., Robinson, S.A., Forbes, M.R., Marcogliese, D. 2012. Is there such thing as a parasite free lunch? The direct and indirect consequences of eating invasive prey. EcoHealth 9: 6-16.
Robinson, S.A., Forbes, M.R., Hebert, C.E., Scheuhammer, A.M. 2011. Evidence for sex differences in mercury dynamics in Double-crested Cormorants. Environmental Science & Technology 45: 1213-1218.
Rohonczy, J., O’Dwyer, K., Rochette, A., Robinson, S.A., Forbes, M.R. 2021. Meta-analysis shows environmental contaminants elevate glucocorticoid levels in fish – effect sizes depend on contaminant class and duration of experimental exposure. Science of the Total Environment 800:149402 doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149402
Gavel, M.J., Young, S.D., Dalton, R.L., Soos, C., McPhee, L., Forbes, M.R., Robinson, S.A. 2021. Effects of two pesticides on northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) stress metrics: Blood cell profiles and corticosterone concentrations. Aquatic Toxicology 235:105820 doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.105820
Robinson, S.A., Chlebak, R.J., Young, S.D., Dalton, R.L., Gavel, M.J., Prosser, R.S., Bartlett, A.J., de Solla, S.R. 2021. Clothianidin alters leukocyte profiles and elevates measures of oxidative stress in tadpoles of the amphibian, Rana pipiens. Environmental Pollution 284:117149 doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117149
Robinson, S.A., Young, S.D., McFee, A., Brinovkar, C., De Silva, A.O. 2020. Ecotoxicity assessment and bioconcentration of a highly brominated organophosphate ester flame retardant in two amphibian species. Chemosphere 260: 127631 doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127631
Robinson, S.A., Richardson, S.D.1, Dalton, R.L., Maisonneuve, F., Bartlett, A.J., de Solla, S.R., Trudeau, V., Waltho, N. 2019. Assessment of sub-lethal effects of neonicotinoid insecticides on the life-history traits of two frog species. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 38(9):1967-1977 doi:10.1002/etc.4511