No description available.

A sedimentological and geomorphologic investigation southeast of the City of Guelph, Ontario was undertaken to determine the nature, trends in distribution, and origin of subsurface sediments in the Paris moraine. Sediments were investigated by drilling five cored-holes, mapping geomorphic elements, and creating a database of existing data. Nine broadly encompassing and reoccurring lithofacies were identified, ranging from gravel to clayey silt. The general transverse trend of geomorphic elements across the moraine consists of a frontslope, hummocky, and backslope element. Sediment-landform associations were identified from the synthesis of cored-hole, geomorphic element mapping, and lithologic cross-section data. Based on these results, the Paris Moraine is thought to be the remnants of an ice-cored controlled moraine. The relief inversion process responsible for the formation of the controlled moraine creates a horizontally and vertically variable distribution of lithofacies. Hydrogeologic properties of the moraine sediments will likely be similarly spatially variable and difficult to predict. / Ontario Research Fund, NSERC, OMAFRA

No description available.

No description available.

Groups of closely spaced minor moraines allow for observations of moraine formation and ice-marginal fluctuations on short timescales, helping to better understand glacier retreat and predict its geomorphological effects. Some minor moraines can be classified as annual moraines given sufficient chronological control, which implies a seasonal climatic driver of ice-marginal fluctuations. This leads to moraines being utilised as very specific, short-term records of glacier fluctuations and climate change. This research is common in lowland, maritime settings, but remains sparse in high-mountain settings. This study presents the detailed geomorphological and sedimentological results of minor moraines at two high-mountain settings in the European Alps. Geomorphological investigations included mapping and measurements through field observations and remotely-sensed imagery. Detailed sedimentological investigations followed excavation of moraines and include multiple scales of observation and measurements to support interpretations of sediment transport and deposition. Additionally, ground-penetrating radar data were collected in one foreland. Minor moraines at Schwarzensteinkees, Austria, formed as push or combined push and freeze-on moraines in two groups between approximately 1850 and 1930. The existence of a former proglacial lake appears to have exerted a strong control on moraine formation. Modern minor moraines at Silvrettagletscher, Switzerland, exist primarily on reverse bedrock slopes and have formed since approximately 1850 through push, freeze-on, and controlled moraine mechanisms. The presence of these bedrock slopes, and in some areas englacial debris septa, appear to exert the primary controls on moraine formation. The foreland of Gornergletscher, Switzerland, has been revisited using aerial imagery to assess if moraines are still forming annually, and this has been confirmed. These findings show a range of mechanisms responsible for moraine formation, which are then compared to previously published research on minor moraines to elucidate any common drivers of minor and annual moraine formation globally. This includes a global database of forelands where minor moraines have been studied, created as part of this research and presented as a table and Google Earth file, both easily accessible and freely available online, for use by other researchers when exploring similar topics.

The Region of Waterloo (ROW) and Oxford County contain a significant landscape unit called the Waterloo Moraine that provides multiple ecological and water resource functions to surrounding communities. These functions include; providing a clean and abundant source of water, natural landscapes for plant and animal habitats, natural areas for recreational enjoyment, prime agricultural lands on which to grow food and aggregate resources in close proximity to large markets. This landscape unit is similar to the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The purpose of this research is to conduct an examination of the current state of management for the Waterloo Moraine within the ROW and Oxford County. Attributes of the Waterloo Moraine examined include; water resources, agricultural resources, mineral aggregate resources, Environmentally Sensitive Landscapes (ESLs), natural core areas, natural linkage areas and settlement areas. While the hydrologic functions have been most studied within this landscape unit, the Moraine has predominantly been studied from a focused perspective rather than a comprehensive one. Using expert knowledge and available secondary sources the following research questions are investigated: (1) What do we currently know about the Waterloo Moraine and how is this knowledge (or lack thereof) applied to its future existence and sustainability? (2) Who are the stakeholders when it comes to growth and management of the Waterloo Moraine? (3) Which places need to be protected from development most throughout the Waterloo Moraine? (4) Where does the Waterloo Moraine fit into management policies and plans existing in the Region of Waterloo and within the Province of Ontario? Key results of this research include; (1) The boundary of the Waterloo Moraine remains undefined; however, rough estimates of the overall size and various portions within each county, township and city it encompasses have been projected. To date, the largest portion of the Moraine lies in Wilmot Township (36.9%) and the smallest portion lies in North Dumfries (3%). (2) Many stakeholders are involved in the protection and management of the Waterloo Moraine. Regional and provincial officials ultimately control where development and growth occur and which areas in the ROW should be protected most. Those responsible for the initial ‘push’ for Moraine protection are grassroots groups and individuals coupled with the local media. (3) Criteria designating development ‘hot spots’ across the Waterloo Moraine has been established and six ‘hot spots’ within the Waterloo Moraine are designated. Limited recognition has been given to the Waterloo Moraine complex in regional policies. It is therefore suggested that the creation of a Waterloo Moraine Act be considered in order to protect and manage this landscape unit. The Act would promote protection measures for the Moraine’s valuable attributes at the highest provincial level and eventually lead to a conservation plan. It is recommended that the ROW further refine the Waterloo Moraine’s boundaries, develop a database to monitor changes in various features and functions across the Waterloo Moraine’s landscape and promote the implementation of a Waterloo Moraine Act.

The Region of Waterloo (ROW) and Oxford County contain a significant landscape unit called the Waterloo Moraine that provides multiple ecological and water resource functions to surrounding communities. These functions include; providing a clean and abundant source of water, natural landscapes for plant and animal habitats, natural areas for recreational enjoyment, prime agricultural lands on which to grow food and aggregate resources in close proximity to large markets. This landscape unit is similar to the Oak Ridges Moraine (ORM) located in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The purpose of this research is to conduct an examination of the current state of management for the Waterloo Moraine within the ROW and Oxford County. Attributes of the Waterloo Moraine examined include; water resources, agricultural resources, mineral aggregate resources, Environmentally Sensitive Landscapes (ESLs), natural core areas, natural linkage areas and settlement areas. While the hydrologic functions have been most studied within this landscape unit, the Moraine has predominantly been studied from a focused perspective rather than a comprehensive one. Using expert knowledge and available secondary sources the following research questions are investigated: (1) What do we currently know about the Waterloo Moraine and how is this knowledge (or lack thereof) applied to its future existence and sustainability? (2) Who are the stakeholders when it comes to growth and management of the Waterloo Moraine? (3) Which places need to be protected from development most throughout the Waterloo Moraine? (4) Where does the Waterloo Moraine fit into management policies and plans existing in the Region of Waterloo and within the Province of Ontario? Key results of this research include; (1) The boundary of the Waterloo Moraine remains undefined; however, rough estimates of the overall size and various portions within each county, township and city it encompasses have been projected. To date, the largest portion of the Moraine lies in Wilmot Township (36.9%) and the smallest portion lies in North Dumfries (3%). (2) Many stakeholders are involved in the protection and management of the Waterloo Moraine. Regional and provincial officials ultimately control where development and growth occur and which areas in the ROW should be protected most. Those responsible for the initial ‘push’ for Moraine protection are grassroots groups and individuals coupled with the local media. (3) Criteria designating development ‘hot spots’ across the Waterloo Moraine has been established and six ‘hot spots’ within the Waterloo Moraine are designated. Limited recognition has been given to the Waterloo Moraine complex in regional policies. It is therefore suggested that the creation of a Waterloo Moraine Act be considered in order to protect and manage this landscape unit. The Act would promote protection measures for the Moraine’s valuable attributes at the highest provincial level and eventually lead to a conservation plan. It is recommended that the ROW further refine the Waterloo Moraine’s boundaries, develop a database to monitor changes in various features and functions across the Waterloo Moraine’s landscape and promote the implementation of a Waterloo Moraine Act.

The main objective of this dissertation is to improve the knowledge of glacial chronology and paleoclimate of Turkey during the Late Quaternary. The 36Cl cosmogenic exposure ages of moraines show that Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) glaciers were the most extensive ones in Turkey in the last 22 ka (ka=thousands years), and they were closely correlated with the global LGM chron (between 19±23 ka). LGM glaciers started retreating 21.3±0.9 ka (1σ) ago on Mount Erciyes, central Turkey, and 20.4±1.3 ka ago on Mount Sandiras, southwest Turkey. Glaciers readvanced and retreated by 14.6±1.2 ka ago (Late Glacial) on Mount Erciyes and 16.2±0.5 ka ago on Mount Sandiras. Large Early Holocene glaciers were active in Aladaglar, south-central Turkey, where they culminated at 10.2±0.2 ka and retreated by 8.6±0.3 ka, and on Mount Erciyes, where they retreated by 9.3±0.5 ka. The latest glacial advance took place 3.8±0.4 ka ago on Mount Erciyes. Using glacier modeling together with paleoclimate proxy data from the region, I reconstructed the paleoclimate at these four discrete times. The results show that LGM climate was 8-11oC colder than today (obtained from paleotemperature proxies) and wetter (up to 2 times) on the southwestern mountains, drier (by ~60%) on the northeastern ones and approximately the same as today in the interior regions. The intense LGM precipitation over the mountains along the northern Mediterranean coast was produced by unstable atmospheric conditions due to the anomalously steep vertical temperature gradients on the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. In contrast, drier conditions along the southern Black Sea coast were produced by the partially ceased moisture take-up from the cold or frozen Black Sea and prevailing periglacial conditions due to the cold air carried from northern hemisphere's ice sheets. Relatively warmer and moister air from the south and overlying cold and dry air pooled over the northern and interior uplands created a boundary between the wet and dry LGM climates somewhere on the Anatolian Plateau. The analysis of Late Glacial advances suggests that the climate was colder by 4.5-6.4oC based on up to 1.5 times wetter conditions. The Early Holocene was 2.1oC to 4.9oC colder on Mount Erciyes and up to 9oC colder on Aladaglar, based on twice as wet as today's conditions. The Late Holocene was 2.4-3oC colder than today and the precipitation amounts approached the modern levels. Glaciers present on Turkish mountains today are retreating at accelerating rates and historical observations of the retreat are consistent with the behavior of other glaciers around the world.

The Oak Ridges Moraine, located in south-central Ontario, is recognized for its ecological importance in providing “clean and abundant water resources, healthy and diverse plant and animal habitat, an attractive and distinct landscape, prime agricultural land, and sand and gravel resources” (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, 2002). It is protected by the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (2002). A number of initiatives are ongoing to develop monitoring capabilities across the Oak Ridges Moraine (Monitoring the Moraine Project, 2008; Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs, 2008). The purpose of this thesis is to develop and test a multi-party policy monitoring framework to determine if infrastructure environmental assessments on the Oak Ridges Moraine comply with the policies of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP) and meet best practices of environmental assessment identified in the literature. The multi-party policy monitoring framework developed for this research has two dimensions: 1. A moraine-wide survey and map of infrastructure environmental assessments contributing to a “governance watch” (Francis, 2006a; Francis, 2006b) perspective of infrastructure; and 2. An evaluation of an infrastructure environmental assessment case study (York Region’s Lower Leslie Street Trunk Sewer and 19th Avenue Interceptor Sewer) against a set of criteria to determine if it complies with the ORMCP and environmental assessment best practices. The results of the environmental assessment map show a distinctive pattern of infrastructure development, concentrated in the eastern half of the moraine, and within designated settlement areas. That being said, infrastructure networks are expanding to connect settlement areas outside the Greater Toronto Area. The environmental assessment map shows the importance of thinking of infrastructure as a networked system, rather than as discrete projects. The results of the case study evaluation showed that the Lower Leslie Street Trunk Sewer and 19th Avenue Interceptor Sewer Environmental Assessment complied with the minimal requirements of Section 41 of the ORMCP, and in some cases went above and beyond the requirements of the ORMCP. The results suggest, however, that some criteria drawn from the literature, would be better addressed by strategic environmental assessment of infrastructure master plans. / Thesis (Master, Urban & Regional Planning) -- Queen's University, 2008-09-28 09:57:19.652

Scimitar Glacier originates below the northeast face of Mt. Waddington in the southern British Columbia Coast Mountains and flows 18 km down valley to calve into a proglacial lake. The purpose of this research was to describe the late Holocene glacier history of Scimitar Glacier using stratigraphic analysis in conjunction with dendroglaciologic and radiocarbon dating techniques. Downwasting of the glacier surface has exposed stacked till units separated by wood-bearing horizons in the proximal slopes of lateral moraines flanking the glacier at several locations. Historical moraine collapse and erosional breaching has also revealed the remains of standing trees buried in sediments from a lake originally ponded against the distal moraine slope. Radiocarbon dating of detrital wood remains revealed that Scimitar Glacier expanded down-valley at least three times in the late Holocene. The earliest period of expansion occurred 3167-2737 cal yr BP in association with the regional Tiedemann Advance. Following this the glacier receded and downwasted prior to advancing to reconstruct the lateral moraine in 1568-1412 cal yr BP during the First Millennial Advance. The most recent phase of moraine construction was initiated during late Little Ice Age glacial expansion before 1742 AD and extended until at least 1851 AD, after which Scimitar Glacier began to recede and downwaste. Field investigations at Scimitar Glacier allowed for the construction of a late Holocene history of glacier expansion and lateral moraine construction that spans the last 3000 years. This record is comparable to that recorded at other glaciers in this region, and confirms the long-term relationship between regional climate trends and glacier behaviour in this setting. / Graduate