Science Outreach Athabasca - Resources

Resources

Science Grab Bag

Learn more about Athabasca and Alberta by answering some of our FAQ's...

General Science

Q. Which is Canada's oldest national park?
a.) Banff National Park in Alberta
b.) Sandbanks National Park in Ontario
c.) Auyuittuq National Park on Baffin Island
d.) Parc de conservation de Miguasha in Quebec

Answer: a.) Banff National Park in the Rocky Mountains, since 1885.

Q. How many head of cattle are there in Alberta?
a.) 3 million
b.) 2 million
c.) 6 million
d.) 10 million

Answer: c.) About 6 million. There were actually 5,930,000 head of cattle in Alberta as of Jan 1, 2005 (the most of any province in Canada), a decrease from 6,400,000 head in July of 2004. Saskatchewan comes in second with 3,040,000. Just as a side note, the population of Alberta in 2004 was only 3,201,000...meaning almost two cows per person!

Q. How many people live in the Athabasca River Basin?

Answer: According to the Alberta Municipal Affairs of 2001, there were 140,452 people living in the Athabasca River Basin.

Q. Is the Athabasca town site near Lake Athabasca?

Answer: No. The Athabasca town site is ~150km north of Edmonton while Lake Athabasca is in the very north-eastern corner of the province

Q. Which town on the banks of the Athabasca River lies near extensive deposits of petroleum impregnated sands?

Answer: Ft. McMurray. The most prominent theory of how this vast resource was formed suggests that light crude oil from southern Alberta migrated north and east with the same pressures that formed the Rocky Mountains. Over time, the actions of water and bacteria transformed the light crude into bitumen, a much heavier, carbon rich, and extremely viscous oil. The percentage of bitumen in oil sand can range from 1% -20%.

Nature Biology

Q. How many mammals are there in the Athabasca region?
a.) 10
b.) 50
c.) 100
d.) 200

Answer: b.) Excluding introduced livestock and humans there are about 50 species of mammals here. See our mammals brochure/checklist for more information.

Q. How many endangered mammals live in the Athabasca region?

Answer: One, the Woodland Caribou. However, sightings are very unlikely because in addition to being endangered in this area, Athabasca also lies on the extreme southern edge of their distribution. See our mammals brochure/checklist for more information.

Q. Are flying Squirrels common around Athabasca?

Answer: Yes! However they are seen only rarely because they are nocturnal and live out of sight high in the forest canopy. See our mammals brochure/checklist for more information.

Q. How many species of snakes are there in the Athabasca River Basin?
a.) 0
b.) 1
c.) 5
d.) 15

Answer: a.) None. Although there are Garter snakes north of Athabasca, there are none in the immediate area because of the absence of over wintering sites.

Q. Are there any scorpions that live in the Athabasca River Basin?

Answer: No, but there is one species (Paruroctonus boreus) that does live in Southern Alberta, occurring mainly in the valleys of the Oldman River, St. Mary River, Milk River and South Saskatchewan River. It feeds on immature grasshoppers and other smaller insects, and is not normally dangerous to humans. Like all other scorpions, they fluoresce under UV light.

Q. How many species of True Frogs occur in Alberta?
a.) 0
b.) 3
c.) 10
d.) 30

Answer: b.) Three. The Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) is present throughout Alberta and prefers a damp woodland habitat. It breeds in early spring with the ice melt and may reach a maximum size of 65mm. The Spotted Frog (Rana pretiosa) is found mainly in the Rocky Mountains and has irregular dark markings on its back. At a maximum size of 102mm, it is slightly larger than the Wood Frog. The Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens) is found only in the western half of Alberta and reaches approximately the same size are the Spotted Frog. As the name suggests, it is distinguishable by its leopard-like spotting pattern.

Q. Which one of the following mammals common to the Athabasca region are most active at dusk/dawn?
a.) Richardsons Ground Squirrel
b.) Flying Squirrel
c.) Coyote
d.) White-Tailed Deer.

Answer: d.) White-tailed deer. Most animals that are active at this time do this to avoid a feeding overlap with other animals that use the same resource but who are instead chiefly nocturnal or diurnal. Its also a mechanism to minimize encounters with potential predators. See our mammals brochure/checklist for more information.

Q. Which one of the following mammals common to the Athabasca region migrate out of the area in winter?
a.) Bats
b.) Flying Squirrels
c.) Bears
d.) Moose

Answer: a.) Bats. In the winter, bats migrate to caves in the Rockies or to warmer climates farther south. Flying squirrels under go a period of dormancy during the winter, as do bears. Moose are active throughout the winter. See our mammals brochure/checklist for more information.

Q. Which one of the following mammals common to the Athabasca region are active underneath the snow in the winter (ie. subnivean)?
a.) Richardsons Ground Squirrel
b.) American Marten
c.) Masked Shrew
d.) Least Weasel

Answer: c.) The Masked Shrew. They eat a large variety of insects of invertebrates, which they kill with their poisonous saliva. The American Marten and the Least Weasel are also active throughout the winter, however are not normally classified as subnivean. The Richardson Ground Squirrel remains dormant during the winter. See our mammals brochure/checklist for more information.

Q. Which one of the following mammals common to the Athabasca region is NOT native to the area?
a.) Flying Squirrel
b.) Deer
c.) House Mouse
d.) Cougar

Answer: The House Mouse. It presumably became established here as it moved with people as they immigrated west during the colonization of Canada. This is not suprising since this species of mouse is largely synanthropic (strong ecological associations with humans). See our mammals brochure/checklist for more information.

Q. Both the Grizzly and Black Bear are present in Alberta, how can you tell them apart?

Answer: The Grizzly has a hump above the shoulders and a dish-shaped face while the Black Bear is smaller than the grizzly with no hump and a pointed face.

Q. What is the most dangerous mammal in the Athabasca region? (excluding humans, which are the most dangerous of all).

Answer: Lynx, Wolves, Black Bears, Wolverines, and Cougars are all present in the Athabasca region but do not normally pose a threat to humans unless provoked, cornered or, as is the case with bears, accustomed to being fed. Cougars however, have been known to occasionally stalk small humans and should therefore be considered dangerous, albeit quite uncommon in this area.

Q. How many species of snakes are there in Alberta?
a.) 0
b.) 4
c.) 10
d.) 20

Answer: There are four species of snakes in Alberta. The Garter snake, the Gopher snake, the Western Hognose and the Western Rattlesnake. Only the Garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis paretalis) can be found outside of southern Alberta. Garter snakes are known for their adaptability and can survive in a variety of habitats, usually feeding on earthworms, frogs and minnows. Although not dangerous to humans, they can release a foul smelling scent if threatened. The Gopher snake of Alberta (Pituophis melanoleucus sayi) can be quite large and may reach 6ft in length. Occasionally they are quite aggressive, coiling up, hissing explosively and striking in defense. For a snake of almost 2 m, this can appear very intimidating. The Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis) is present in the south eastern grasslands of Alberta, feeding on rodents and living in old animal burrows (similar to the Gopher snake). The Western Hognose (Heterodon basicus bascius) also can be found in southern Alberta, although it is very endangered in this region. It prefers sandy soil and feeds on frogs and toads, but is not venomous. However, they are know to be great imitators, often coiling up, spreading their necks like a cobra, hissing and striking (but with the mouth closed).

Earth Science

Q. Is there gold in the Athabasca River?

Answer: Yes, very fine amount in the river gravels. Watch for our next gold panning event.

Q. How big is the Athabasca River Basin (extends from Jasper to Lake Athabasca)?

Answer: 138,412 square kilometers.

Q. Where is the source and destination of the Athabasca River?

Answer: The Athabasca River starts in the Canadian Rockies at the Athabasca Glacier near Jasper, and empties into Lake Athabasca 1400km away progressing in a north-easterly direction through an elevation change of ~1300 meters (from 1500-210m).

Q. What is the mean annual river discharge of the Athabasca River (in million of meters squared)?

Answer: The average yearly discharge of the Athabasca River is 22 287 millions of meters squared (mms). The highest yearly discharge recorded was 34900 mms while the lowest annual discharge is measured at 15 000 mms. Of all Alberta rivers, the Athabasca river is third only to the Peace and Slave rivers in terms of mean annual discharge.

Q. Are there any major diamond deposits in the Athabasca river basin?

Answer: Although there are in fact some very substantial diamond deposits in certain areas of Canada, most importantly the Ekati Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories (Canada's first diamond mine, circa 1998), no major diamond source has as of yet been discovered in the Athabasca River basin. However, there are ongoing explorations around Jasper, which does lie within the basin.

Q. What is the highest peak in Alberta?
a.) Mt. Robson
b.) Mt. Temple
c.) Mt. Alberta
d.) Mt. Columbia

Answer: d.) Mount Columbia is the tallest mountain in Alberta at 3747 meters, and also happens to be located near the headwaters of the Athabasca River. The tallest mountain in Canada is Mount Logan, with an elevation of 5959 meters and located in the Saint Elias Range of the southwestern Yukon.

Q. Of the three main categories of rock (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic) which is the predominant type in Alberta?

Answer: The vast majority of Alberta is covered in sedimentary rock, with the exception of a small portion in the north eastern corner near lake Athabasca where intrusive (a form of igneous) and metamorphic rock can be found.

Q. Are Earthquakes common in Alberta?

Answer: No, but they can occur. There are upwards of 1000 earthquakes every year in western Canada with the vast majority occurring in British Columbia, and only a few dozen of those can actually be felt. However, earthquakes in Alberta do occur, usually near the Rocky Mountains, but can be as far north as Lake Athabasca and in other regions along the Athabasca River Basin. Albertan earthquakes have historically never reached a magnitude of 5, and most fall somewhere in between 2.7 and 3.9 on the Richter scale.

Q. What are the major ecozones of the Athabasca River Basin?
a.) Boreal Plains and Mountain Cordillera
b.) Pacific Maritime and Hudson Plains
c.) Southern Arctic and Mixwood Plains
d.) Tagia Sheild and Arctic Cordillera.

Answer: a.) Boreal Plains and Mountain Cordillera. The headwaters of the Athabasca River are located within the Mountain Cordillera ecozone, which is mostly rugged and mountainous terrain, and also happens to be the most diverse ecozone in Canada. However, the vast majority of the river basin is actually located within the Boreal Plains ecozone, containing lowlying valleys and prairies rich in timber and oil.

History

Q. When did the first humans appear in the Athabasca River Basin?

Answer: It is not known precisely when the first humans reached the river basin, however evidence suggests that they reached what is now known as Alberta around 10,000BC when receding glaciers exposed an ice free corridor that stretched down the rocky mountains into the middle of North America.

Q. Who was the first European explorer to reach the Rocky Mountains?

Answer: Anthony Henday in 1754, although Henry Kelsey may have reached Alberta as early as 1688.

Q. At the point of initial European contact in Alberta during the 1700's, which native tribes inhabited or frequented the Athabasca region?

Answer: Since the native bands at this time were highly nomadic it is difficult to say exactly, but it is believed that the Beaver were the major tribe in the area, residing mainly in the Peace River country and the Lac La Biche regions. The Blackfoot also occasionally visited the area, but had a home base in the Saskatchewan River valley. Farther north near Lake Athabasca the Chipewan were quite common. The central region of the Athabasca River Basin was somewhat of a buffer zone separating these distinct, but largely tolerant tribes.

Q. Where does the word 'Athabasca' originate, and what does it mean?

Answer: One theory is that the town was obviously named after the river itself (and hence, the river after the lake into which it flowed), with the lake/river getting their name from the language "Athapaskan" which was spoken by the Beaver and Chipewan tribes that lived in the region prior to being driven out by the Cree early in the 1800's. However, the river was not always called the Athabasca, but was actually named "Elk River" by the Beaver (and appears that way on Alexander Mackenzie' 1801 map). Therefore, an alternate suggestion is that 'Athabasca' may be a Cree term for "where there are reeds." Both explanations appear to be equally probable.

Q. When was the first permanent settlement established at the Athabasca town site?

Answer: Although there were many other permanent settlements in Alberta during the 1800's, the Athabasca River valley remained completely uncultivated and untouched until the 1870's, save one Native encampment at Calling Lake. It was not until the 1870's when Richard Hardisty suggested a northward trail connecting Ft. Edmonton to the southern loop of the Athabasca River (the current Athabasca town site), which eventually became the historic Athabasca Landing Trail. Through the 1870's and early 1880's Athabasca Landing was only a storage site for furs and other goods, with Hudson Bay Company employees stationed there for only weeks at a time. However, in 1884 Leslie Wood, a HBC post manager, became the first permanent resident at Athabasca Landing. The town continued to grow when, in 1886, the HBC erected a retail store and the forest adjacent to the trail was burnt to make settlement more feasible.

Bugs

Q. How many species of butterflies were seen in the Athabasca Butterfly 2002 Count?

Answer: There were a total of 31 species seen with new species observed! In total, there are a documented 37 species of butterflies in the greater Athabasca region. Probably the actual total is about 50. Check out our Butterfly Count records. Come out July 2003, no experience or background necessary! See our butterfly checklist for more information.

Q. How many species of spiders are there in the Athabasca region?

Answer: There are about 300 species of spiders in the Athabasca region!

Q. About how many species of spiders have been collected in the Athabasca Region?

Answer: 200. And the number keeps growing.

Q. How many kinds of dragonflies and damselflies probably occur in the Athabasca area?

Answer: A dozen. See our dragonfly checklist for more information.

Q. Which of the following insects do NOT occur in the Athabasca area?
a.) Cicadas
b.) Katydids
c.) Deer Flies
d.) Praying Mantids

Answer: d.) Praying mantids, that have modified front legs for capturing prey, do NOT occur in the region. Cicadas are a large bug that rubs its wings together to create a loud buzz, Katydids are a relative of grasshoppers that is green and flattened from side-to-side and Deer flies are small horse flies that have patterned wings. Cicadas, Katydids and Deer Flies however, are quite common in the region.

Q. How many species of mosquitoes are present in Alberta?
a.) 1
b.) 4
c.) 10
d.) 18

Answer: b.) Four. Anopheles, Ades, Culex and Mansonia.

Q. Are there any species of butterflies common around Athabasca that can survive our harsh winter as Adults?

Answer: Yes! There are two species in the family Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflys) that overwinter as adults. The Mourning Cloak and Milbert's Tortoiseshell. See our butterfly checklist for more information.

Birds

Q. About how many bird species can be seen in the Athabasca region?
a.) 52
b.) 100
c.) 200
d.) 350

Answer: c.) Up to 222 species of birds reside, breed or migrate through this area. See our bird checklist for more information.

Q. Which one of the following birds common to the Athabasca region migrates out of the area in the winter?
a.) Great Blue Heron
b.) Great Horned Own
c.) Ruffed Grouse
d.) Downy Woodpecker

Answer: a.) The Great Blue Heron. See our mammals brochure/checklist for more information.

Q. About how many species of Ducks (Anatidae) can be seen in the Athabasca region?
a.) 20
b.) 30
c.) 40
d.) 50

Answer: a.): There are actually 24 species of ducks that reside, breed or migrate through this area. See our bird checklist for more information.

Q. Which one of the following birds can occasionally be seen in the Athabasca region, but ONLY in the Winter?
a.) Snowy Owl
b.) Hairy Woodpecker
c.) Bald Eagle
d.) Osprey

Answer: a.) Snowy Owl. The Snowy Owl lives in the tundra biome located in Greenland, Iceland, Canada, and the northern USA. In the winter it usually migrates south to warmer places, which is why sightings around Athabasca occur only in the winter months. See our bird checklist for more information.

Botany

Q. How many different species of carnivorous plants can be found in the Athabasca River Basin?
a.) 0
b.) 5
c.) 9
d.) 15

Answer: b.) Five. A species of Pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) can be found in northeastern Alberta around Lake Athabasca, and lures prey via nectar secretions and bright colorations. Although secreted enzymes and bacteria are present and aid in digestion, they play no role in insect mortality, which ultimately occurs by simple drowning. Two species of Sundews (Drosera rotundifolia and Drosera anglica) can be found throughout Alberta, and lure small insects again by their bright colors and nectar secretions. Their petals (round in D. rotundifolia and elongate in D. anglica) contain additional stalks with sticky secretions on the ends that immobilize insects long enough for the petal to enclose its prey. Two species of Butterworts (Pinguicula vulgaris and Pinguicula villosa) are also present in the Basin, but in two very different habitats. P. vulgaris is only present in a small section of the Rocky Mountain near the British Columbia border, and tends to live on steep mossy rocks, while P.villosa can be found in the northern quarter of Alberta and extending far north into the Arctic. Both species hold their prey with sticky secretions and digest via enzymes.

Meteorology

Q. When was the last large Tornado in the Athabasca Area? In 1943 or 1984 or 1987?

Answer: In 1984 around Richmond Park/Big Cooley area.

Q. A typical summer and winter in Athabasca usually includes which of the following average temperature ranges?
a.) Summer: 10C to 12C Winter: -33C to -29C
b.) Summer: 14C to 16C Winter: -5C to 0C
c.) Summer: 25C to 29C Winter: -15C to -10C
d.) Summer: 14C to 16C Winter: -15C to -10C

Answer: d.) Summer: 14C to 16C and Winter -15 to -10C. The maximum recorded temperature in the Athabasca region occurred on August 10, 1984 at a temperature of 34.5C and the lowest recorded temp on Jan 27, 1966 at -46.1C. The maximum daily rainfall occurred on July 31, 1953 with 84.8mm of precipitation and the maximum daily snowfall was 20.4cm on April 29, 1986.

Archeology

Q. In which Alberta provincial park would you find the best examples of Native American cave art (pictographs and petroglyphs)?
a.) Wild Horse
b.) Elk Island
c.) Writing on Stone
d.) Dinosaur Provincal Park

Answer: c.) Writing on Stone Provincial Park. With over 50 rock art sites, with thousands of figures, as well as numerous archeological sites the park is designated an Archaeological preserve to protect the largest concentration of rock art, created by Plains People, on the Great Plains of North America.

Space Science

Q. What causes the Aurora Borealis, which appear quite frequently in the Athabasca region?

Answer: Solar wind. The sun extrudes clouds of plasma containing high energy ions traveling upwards of 1200 kilometers per seconds. If this plasma cloud passes near Earths magnetic field, some of these high energy particles may become trapped and are channeled through the ionosphere (60-600Km's above earths surface) where they can collide with gasses and produce their characteristic glow of red, green, blue and violet.

Have any other science questions? Check out a plethora of other science links.

New and recommended web sites:

The Edmonton Science Outreach Network is a great resource for teachers. They now have representatives in Medicine Hat, Calgary, Edmonton and the Peace country for teachers and parents to bring in speakers to classrooms.
Plantwatch has released its Teacher's Guide on the Plantwatch web site. Plantwatch not only gives students a greater understanding of the natural world, but they get the opportunity to work with nature hands-on, plus gain increased computer skills, and work on many activities in the classroom.
Astronomy interest you? Enter the latitude (55^oN) and longitude (113^oW) for Athabasca at the YourSky website and view a map of our Athabasca sky.
Bio-DiTRL Biology resources library is a wonderful resource for images (photographs, drawings, videos, animations) and information biology in general.
What's the coldest day in Canadian history? Find the answers to all kinds of Canadian weather questions at the Canadian Weather Almanac.

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