Dr. Jennifer Provencher

Research Scientist

I work on a variety of wildlife health issues across Canada. Much of my work focuses on contaminants and pathogens in seabirds, including plastic pollution. I lead the northern seabird contaminants long term monitoring program, and have several projects across Canada focusing on the fate and effects of plastic pollution, including plastic additives in wildlife.

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Ottawa, ON

Key publications

Sarma NS, Thomas P, Naz S, Pauli B, Crump D, Zahaby Y, O’Brien J, Mallory ML, Franckowiak RP, Gendron M, Provencher JF. 2022. Metabolomic profiles in relation to benchmark polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) and trace elements in two seabird species from Northern Canada. Environmental Research. 204, 112011. 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112022.

Sherlock C, Fernie K, Munno K, Provencher JF, Rochman C. 2022. Microplastics in an aerial insectivore: Tree Swallows (Tachicyneta bicolor) as potential monitoring tools for microplastics in terrestrial environments. Science of the Total Environment. 150453 doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150453

Smith RA, Albonaimi S, Hennin HL, Grant HG, Fort J, Parkinson KJL, Provencher JF, Love O. 2021. Exposure to cumulative stressors influences laying phenology and incubation behaviour of an Arctic breeding seaduck. Science of the Total Environment. 150882 doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150882

Jardine AM, Provencher JF, Pratte I, Holland ER, Baak JE, Robertson GJ, Mallory ML. 2021. Annual plastic ingestion and isotopic niche patterns of two sympatric gull species at Newfoundland, Canada. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 173 (Part A), 112991. doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112991

Teboul E, Drever M, Provencher JF, Wilson L, Orihel DM, Harrison A. 2021. Chemical identification of microplastics ingested by Red Phalaropes (Phalaropus fulicarius) using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. Marine Pollution Bulletin 171: 112640. 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112640.

Zahaby Y, Xia P, Crump D, Provencher JF, Thomas PJ, Pauli B, Braune BM, Franckowiak RP, Gendron M, Savard G, Sarma SM, Mallory ML, O’Brien. 2021. ToxChip PCR Arrays for Two Arctic-Breeding Seabirds: Applications for Regional Environmental Assessments. Environmental Science & Technology. doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c00229.

Alexander S, Provencher JF, Henri D, Nanayakkara L, Taylor J, Berberi A, Lloren J, Johnson JT, Ballard M, Cooke S. 2021. Bridging Indigenous and Western sciences in freshwater research, monitoring, and management in Canada. Ecological Solutions and Evidence. doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12085.

Bank M, Swarzenski P, Duarte C, Rillig MC, Koelmans A, Metian M, Wright S, Provencher JF, Sanden M, Jordaan A, Wagner M, Thiel M, Ok YS. 2021. A global plastic pollution observation system to aid policy. Environmental Science & Technology. DOI:10.1021/acs.est.1c00818.

Lefort K, Major H., Bond AL, Diamond AW, Jones I, Montevecchi WA, Provencher JF, Robertson G. 2021. Variation in Atlantic Puffin (Fractercula arctica) egg volume in the western North Atlantic is unrelated to local oceanographic conditions. Canadian Journal of Zoology. doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2020-0254.

Mallory ML, Baak J, Gjerdrum C, Mallory O, Manley B, Swan C, Provencher JF. 2021. Anthropogenic litter in marine waters and coastlines of Arctic Canada and West Greenland. Science of the Total Environment 783: 146971

Provencher JF∞, Henri D∞, Bowles E, Taylor J, Steel J, Chelick C, Popp J, Cooke S, Rytwinski T, McGregor D, Ford A, Alexander S. 2021. Weaving Indigenous knowledge systems and Western sciences in terrestrial research, monitoring, and management in Canada: a protocol for a systematic map. Ecological Solutions and Evidence. doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12057. ∞co-first authors.

Van Franeker JA, Kühn S, Anker-Nilssen T, Ewan WT, Edwards E, Gallien F, Guse N, Kakkonen J, Mallory ML, Miles W, Olsen KO, Pedersen J, Provencher JF, Roos M, Stienen E, Turner DM, Van Loon W. 2021. New tools to evaluate plastic ingestion by northern fulmars applied to North Sea monitoring data 2002-2018. Marine Pollution Bulletin. doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112246.

Hamilton B, Bourdages M, Geoffroy C, Vermaire J, Mallory ML, Rochman C, Provencher JF. 2021. Microplastics around an Arctic seabird colony: Particle community composition varies across environmental matrices. Science of the Total Environment. 145536.

Bourdages M, Provencher JF, Baak J, Mallory ML, Vermaire J. 2021. Breeding seabirds as vectors of microplastics from sea to land: evidence from colonies in Arctic Canada. Science of the Total Environment. 764: 142808. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142808.

Linnebjerg JF, Baak JE, Barry T, Gavrilo MV, Mallory ML Merkel FR, Price C, Strand J, Walker TR Provencher JF. 2021. Review of plastic pollution policies of Arctic countries in relation to seabirds. FACETS. doi.org/10.1139/facets-2020-0052.

Albert C, Helgason HH, Brault-Favrou M, Robertson GJ, Descamps S, Amélineau F, Danielsen J, Dietz R, Elliott K, Erikstad KE, Eulaers I, Ezhov E, Fitzsimmons MG, Gavrilo M, Golubova E, Grémillet D, Hatch S, Huffeldt NP, Jakubas D, Kitaysky A, Kolbeinsson Y, Krasnov Y, Lorentsen S_H, Erlend Lorentzen, Mallory ML, Merkel B, Merkel FR, Montevecchi W, Mosbech A, Olsen B, Patterson A, Provencher JF, Plumejeaud C, Pratte I, Reiertsen TK, Renner H, Rojek N, Romano M, Strøm H, Systad GH, Thórarinsson TL, Will AP, Wocjzulanis-Jakubas K, Bustamante P, Fort J. 2021. Seasonal variation of mercury contamination in Arctic seabirds: a pan-arctic assessment. Science of the Total Environment. 750(1): 142201. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142201

Baak J, Provencher JF, Mallory ML. 2020. Sex-specific changes in body condition of Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) through the breeding season in the Canadian high Arctic. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. 52(1): 596-604. i.org/10.1080/15230430.2020.1827577.

Provencher JF, Covernton G, Moore R, Horn D, Conkle J, Lusher A. 2020. Proceed with caution: the need to raise the publication bar for microplastics research. Science of the Total Environment. 141426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141426.

Colston-Nepali L, Provencher JF, Mallory ML, Franckowiak R, Sun Z, Robertson GJ, Friesen VL. 2020. Using genomic tools to inform management of the Atlantic northern fulmar. Conservation Genetics. doi.org/10.1007/s10592-020-01309-y.

Scobie CA, Panopi JG, Bayne EM, Provencher JF, Gilchrist HG. 2020. Relationship between fluctuating asymmetry and parasite infection and breast muscle mercury concentration in Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima). The Canadian Field Naturalist. 134(2). https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v134i2.2325.

Provencher JF, Thomas P, Pauli B, Braune BM, Franckowiak R, Gendron M, Savard G, Sarma SN, Crump D, Zahaby Y, O‘Brien J, Mallory ML. 2020. Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds (PACs) and trace elements in four marine bird species from northern Canada in a region of natural marine oil and gas seeps. Science of the Total Environment. 744:140959. doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.

Baak J, Linnebjerg J, Barry T, Gavrilo MV, Mallory ML, Price C, Provencher JF. 2020. Plastic ingestion by seabirds in the circumpolar Arctic: A review. Environmental Reviews. doi.org/10.1139/er-2020-0029.

Baak J, Provencher JF, Mallory ML. 2020. Plastic ingestion by four seabird species in the Canadian Arctic: Comparisons across species and time. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 158: 111386. doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111386.

Provencher JF, Liboiron M, Borrelle S, Bond A, Rochman C, Lavers J, Avery-Gomm S, Yamashita R, Ryan P, Lusher A, Hammer S, Bradshaw H, Khan J, Mallory ML. 2020. A Horizon Scan of research priorities to inform policies aimed at reducing the harm of plastic pollution to biota. Science of the Total Environment. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139381.