Phil Thomas, M.Sc.

Wildlife Biologist - Research in wildlife biology and ecotoxicology of toxic substances in Canada's terrestrial ecosystems

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Current research and/or projects

Contributing to minimizing threats to Canadians and their environment and the conservation and restoration of Canada's natural environment for present and future generations through various ecotoxicological research projects in plants and terrestrial mammals.

toxicological assessments of hunter- and trapper-harvested wildlife in oil sands impacted areas
population genetics of river otters in the Athabasca Delta and in other Canadian watersheds
developing and validating a genetic biomarker of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in terrestrial mammals
modeling the impacts of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides in Canadian wildlife
field and greenhouse studies on plant health and community dynamics at sites impacted by agricultural and/or oil and gas activities

Education and awards

Citation of Excellence in teamwork, partnering and collaboration for work on the Joint Oil Sands Monitoring Plan, Environment Canada, 2012

M.Sc. Natural Resources and Environmental Studies - Wildlife Biology, University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), 2008

NSERC Industrial Post-Graduate (IPS) scholarship, 2006

UNBC graduate scholarship, 2006

B.Sc. (Hons.) Biology, University of Ottawa, 2005

Key publications

Thomas, P.J., A. Lukina, P. Mineau and A. Baril. 2013. USE OF CROPLAND BY CANADIAN NEOTROPICAL MIGRANT BIRD SPECIES – RISKS AND DECLINES ASSOCIATED TO PESTICIDE USE. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry In Preparation

Thomas, P.J., D. Carpenter and C. Boutin. 2013. EFFECTS OF 3 RARE-EARTH ELEMENTS – LANTHANUM, YTTRIUM AND CERIUM – ON SELECTED CROP AND NATIVE PLANT SPECIES. Chemosphere Submitted for peer-review

Thomas, P.J., A.K. Labrosse, A.C. Pomeroy, and K.A. Otter. 2013. EFFECTS OF TOPOGRAPHY ON AVIAN MOVEMENT PATTERNS AT PROPOSED RIDGELINE WIND ENERGY SITES. The Auk In Preparation

Thomas, P.J. and P. Mineau. 2011. DETERMINING PESTICIDE FOLIAR HALF-LIVES FROM SOIL HALF-LIFE VALUE: NOT SO “CUT-AND-DRY”. Chemosphere 84: 1531-1533.

Thomas, P.J., P. Mineau, R.F. Shore, L. Champoux, P. Martin, L. Wilson, G. Fitzgerald and J. Elliott. 2011. SECOND GENERATION ANTICOAGULANT RODENTICIDES IN PREDATORY BIRDS: PROBABILISTIC CHARACTERISATION OF TOXIC LIVER CONCENTRATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PREDATORY BIRD POPULATIONS IN CANADA. Environment International 37: 914-920.

Thomas, P.J., A.K. Labrosse, A.C. Pomeroy, and K.A. Otter. 2011. EFFECTS OF WEATHER ON AVIAN MIGRATION AT PROPOSED RIDGELINE WIND ENERGY SITES. The Journal of Wildlife Management 75(4): 805-815.

Thomas, P.J., P. Martin and C. Boutin. 2011. BUSH, BUGS, AND BIRDS; INTERDEPENDENCY IN A FARMING LANDSCAPE. Open Journal of Ecology 1(2): 9-23.

Boutin, C., K.L. Aya, D. Carpenter, P.J. Thomas, and O. Rowland. 2011. PHYTOTOXICITY TESTING FOR PESTICIDE REGULATION: SHORTCOMINGS IN RELATION TO BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN AGRARIAN SYSTEMS. Science of the Total Environment 415: 79-92.

Thomas, P.J., P. Mineau, R.F. Shore, L. Champoux, P. Martin, L. Wilson, G. Fitzgerald and J. Elliott. 2012. SECOND GENERATION ANTICOAGULANT RODENTICIDES IN PREDATORY BIRDS: PROBABILISTIC CHARACTERISATION OF TOXIC LIVER CONCENTRATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PREDATORY BIRD POPULATIONS IN CANADA. Presentation at 6th SETAC World Congress/ SETAC Europe 22nd Annual Meeting given May 2012. Berlin, Germany.

Thomas, P.J., K.A. Otter, A.K. Labrosse, and A.C. Pomeroy. 2008. THE INFLUENCE OF TOPOGRAPHY ON AVIAN MOVEMENT IN RIDGE-TOP WIND INSTALLATIONS IN BC. Presentation at International Society for Behavioural Ecology (ISBE) given August 2008. New York, United States of America.

Pomeroy, A.C., A. Labrosse, P.J. Thomas and K.A. Otter. 2008. ASSESSING COLLISION RISK FOR NOCTURNAL MIGRANTS FROM WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT. Presentation at American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) given August 2008. Portland, United States of America.

Thomas, P.J., D. Carpenter, C. Boutin and J. Allison. 2012. Cerium chloride (CeCl3): effects ON CROPS AND SELECTED NATIVE PLANT SPECIES. Report submitted to the Inorganic Units, Ecological Assessment Division, Science and Technology Branch. July 2012.

Boutin, C., D. Carpenter, and P.J. Thomas. 2012. Yttrium chloride (YCl3): effects on crops and selected native plant species. Report submitted to the Inorganic Units, Ecological Assessment Division, Science and Technology Branch. April 2012.

Boutin, C., D. Carpenter, and P.J. Thomas. 2012. Bismuth oxide (Bi2O3): effects on crops and selected native plant species. Report submitted to the Inorganic Units, Ecological Assessment Division, Science and Technology Branch. March 2012.

Boutin, C., D. Carpenter, and P.J. Thomas. 2011. Lanthanum chloride (LaCl3): effects on crops and selected native plant species. Report submitted to the Inorganic Units, Ecological Assessment Division, Science and Technology Branch. December 2011.

Pomeroy, A.C., P.J. Thomas, C. Morcos, A. Labrosse, J. Preston, C. Bryden, M. d'Entremont, and K.A. Otter. 2007. WILDLIFE MONITORING REPORT FOR DOKIE AND WARTENBE WIND ENERGY PROJECTS. Report for EarthFirst Energy Ltd.

Thomas, P.J., A. Labrosse, and K.A. Otter. 2006. REPORT ON METHODOLOGY AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF AERIAL WILDLIFE MONITORING AT DOKIE/WARTENBE. Centre for Wind Energy and the Environment, Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia