LIMNOLOGICAL AND PALEOLIMNOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE IN THREE DISTINCT ECOSYSTEM TYPES, CANADIAN HIGH ARCTIC by
ii The biological remains preserved in the sediments of Arctic lakes and ponds in the Canadian High Arctic are important indicators of environmental change, especially as long-term instrumental data are often lacking. Although recent studies have underscored variability amongst these aquatic ecosyst...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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2007
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.456.732 http://qspace.library.queensu.ca/bitstream/1974/697/1/Keatley_Bronwyn_E_200709_PhD.pdf |
| Summary: | ii The biological remains preserved in the sediments of Arctic lakes and ponds in the Canadian High Arctic are important indicators of environmental change, especially as long-term instrumental data are often lacking. Although recent studies have underscored variability amongst these aquatic ecosystems, data are lacking from several key ecosystems. This thesis addresses some of these critical knowledge gaps in the Canadian high Arctic, using diatom-based limnological and paleolimnological techniques. First, I explore the limnology and diatom ecology along a gradient of bioclimatic zones on Melville Island in the western High Arctic. Lakes and ponds located in the most lushly vegetated zone were significantly different from those elsewhere on the island, both in terms of measured limnological variables and in terms of diatom assemblage composition. Diatom species distributions from Melville Island can best be explained by differences in pH and related variables. Secondly, ponds and lakes located in a High Arctic oasis on northern Ellesmere Island |
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