Return to search

Applications of Paleolimnology in Ecosystem Monitoring for Sirmilik National Park: Developing Indicators of Ecological Integrity

Water chemistry and bioindicators (diatoms and invertebrates) were examined for freshwater lakes, ponds and streams in two regions within Sirmilik National Park, northern Baffin Island, Nunavut. Significant differences were recorded between the water chemistry and diatom and invertebrate assemblages of the two regions. Modern diatom assemblages were explained mainly by specific conductivity, ORP, pH, temperature, elevation and distance from the coast. Paleolimnological techniques were applied to a sediment core from Lake BY14 on Bylot Island. Fossil diatom assemblages indicate increases in nutrients and temperature since 1935 AD. The diatom biostratigraphy does not show as large an increase in diversity and production since the middle 20th century as has been noted elsewhere, and this may be a reflection of the more nutrient-rich status of the lake relative to other Arctic lakes.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/24559
Date22 July 2010
CreatorsDevlin, Jane Erica
ContributorsSarah, Finkelstein
Source SetsUniversity of Toronto
Languageen_ca
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis, Dataset

Page generated in 0.0028 seconds