| Twelfth North American Diatom Symposium | |
From the 23rd to the 25th of September, 1993, the Field Station hosted the Twelfth North American Diatom Symposium (NADS). This meeting was the first in the 25-year history of the biennial event to be hosted in Canada. It attracted 85 scientists from across Canada (18), the USA (60), México (3), England (1), Sweden (2), and The Netherlands (1), and it was considered by many to have been one of the most successful NADS in recent memory.
The program consisted of presentations on all aspects of diatom biology. Diatoms (pronounced die-ah-toms) are single-celled algae that are encased in an ornately patterned siliceous shell or frustule. There are hundreds of diatom species, each with a characteristic frustular shape and pattern. Although invisible to the naked eye, diatoms are abundant in most aquatic environments and are important as the base of aquatic food webs. They are ubiquitous in the Delta Marsh, being found on the surfaces of submerged plants, suspended in the water column and inhabiting the soft sediments on the bottoms of marsh channels and bays. In addition to their ecological importance, diatoms are valuable indicators of past environmental change because their frustules persist in sediment deposits. As such, they preserve a record of changes in the overlying water through time. Diatoms have been used throughout the world as bioindicators of the occurrence and progression of water pollution by acids, nutrients and salts. Diatoms have numerous industrial uses as well. Diatomaceous earth, a grayish powder composed of pure diatom frustules, is widely used in filters and abrasives (including toothpastes) and as a natural insecticide.
Keynote addresses were given at NADS by two distinguished diatomists, Drs. Eileen Cox (British Museum, London, England) and Hannelore Håkansson (Lund University, Sweden). In addition, 33 papers and 29 posters were presented during the formal program, and enthusiastic gatherings in Murray's Cottage each evening fostered the informal exchange of information, the development of contacts and the renewal of friendships. Dr. Charles Reimer (Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia), co-author of an important book on the diatoms of North America, was honoured for his continuing contributions to the field via a "roast" conducted by his friends, colleagues and former students. Another highlight of the meeting was the Scum Run, in which relay teams of three diatomists were required to run along the beach wearing chest waders, identifying diatoms shown in photographs along the way. The meeting was preceded by a successful field trip to Riding Mountain National Park, organized by Sharon Gurney of the Manitoba Department of Environment. Following NADS, a productive trip to the Experimental Lakes Area in northwestern Ontario was organized by Hedy Kling of the Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg.
The success of NADS would not have been possible without the contributions of numerous persons and agencies. We were fortunate to receive an NSERC Conference Grant, which enabled Drs. Cox and Håkansson to attend the meeting. The Dean of Science at Brandon University provided additional financial aid. Corporate sponsorships were generously provided by Abitibi-Price (Pine Falls Division), Hoechst Canada Inc., the Canadian Museum of Nature, Leica Canada Inc., Simplot Canada Ltd., Fisher Scientific, Monsanto Canada Inc., Agassiz North Associates Ltd., NorWest Labs (Winnipeg), Labatt's Manitoba Brewery, Robin's Donuts (Portage la Prairie), the Manitoba Department of Environment and the Environmental Youth Corps, Coca-Cola Bottling (Brandon), Manitoba Hydro, Tourism Winnipeg, the Portage la Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce, and Travel Manitoba.
I thank the other members of the NADS Organizing Committee (Sharon Gurney, Hedy Kling and Gordon Robinson) for their help in planning and running the meeting. Help was also provided by Dr. Dave Czarnecki (Loras College, Iowa), Tom Henderson (Brandon University), Kelly-Anne Richmond and Dr. Jim Teller (University of Manitoba) and the staff of the Field Station and the Delta Waterfowl Station. Particular thanks are due to Rhonda McDougal and Maria Zbigniewicz for their help "above and beyond the call of duty", including late nights on shuttle service between the Field Station and satellite accommodations at the Delta Waterfowl Station. I am proud to say that we have set a high standard for the organizers of the 13th NADS, to be held in autumn 1995 at Lakeside Lab, Iowa.
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