EXAMINING THE LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF GOLD MINING OPERATIONS, URBANIZATION, AND CLIMATIC CHANGES ON SUB-ARCTIC LAKES NEAR YELLOWKNIFE (NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA) USING DIATOMS AS PALEOENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS
The mineral resource potential of Canada’s North has been recognized since the early 20th century with mines operating across all three territories. However, the long-term biological consequences of Northern mining operations and associated anthropogenic activities on surrounding freshwaters have no...
Main Author: | |
---|---|
Other Authors: | , |
Format: | Thesis |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2020
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1974/28568 |
id |
ftqueensuniv:oai:qspace.library.queensu.ca:1974/28568 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftqueensuniv:oai:qspace.library.queensu.ca:1974/28568 2023-05-15T14:55:22+02:00 EXAMINING THE LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF GOLD MINING OPERATIONS, URBANIZATION, AND CLIMATIC CHANGES ON SUB-ARCTIC LAKES NEAR YELLOWKNIFE (NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA) USING DIATOMS AS PALEOENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS Sivarajah, Branaavan Smol, John Biology 2020-11-04T21:03:49Z http://hdl.handle.net/1974/28568 eng eng Canadian theses http://hdl.handle.net/1974/28568 Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University Copying and Preserving Your Thesis This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner. Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ CC-BY-NC-ND paleolimnology sub-Arctic lakes environmental change precious metal mining multiple stressors diatom (Bacillariophyceae) thesis 2020 ftqueensuniv 2020-12-29T09:10:22Z The mineral resource potential of Canada’s North has been recognized since the early 20th century with mines operating across all three territories. However, the long-term biological consequences of Northern mining operations and associated anthropogenic activities on surrounding freshwaters have not been investigated extensively. The sub-Arctic lakes around the City of Yellowknife (Northwest Territories) provide an important opportunity to fill this knowledge gap by examining the long-term cumulative impacts of past gold mining operations, land-use changes related to urbanization, and regional climatic changes on aquatic biota. In this thesis, diatom-based (Bacillariophyceae) paleolimnological approaches were used to assess the long-term biological responses to the multiple environmental stressors mentioned above through space and time. A spatial survey of diatom assemblages from the surface sediment of 33 lakes around Yellowknife indicated that assemblage composition was strongly influenced by variables related to lake-water nutrient concentrations and ionic composition in the water column, while metal(loid) contaminants (i.e. antimony, arsenic) associated with gold mining activities played a secondary role. Analyses of diatom assemblages from ten well-dated sediment cores from lakes along a gradient of anthropogenic activities (i.e. mining and urbanization) recorded notable shifts over the last ~200 years. The high species turnover in the lakes closest to the mines and the city were indicative of metal(loid) pollution from past gold mining activities (e.g. roaster stack emissions, accidental spills from tailings pond) and eutrophication from land-use changes (e.g. sewage disposal, developments in the catchment). The impacts of climate-mediated changes were also apparent in both the urban and remote lakes. The synergistic effects of warming and nutrient enrichment led to striking changes at Niven and Jackfish lakes. Recent diatom assemblage composition in all lakes was substantially different from pre-disturbance periods, which suggests that the sub-Arctic lakes around Yellowknife have crossed critical limnological thresholds in response to both anthropogenic activities and climatic changes. The long-term perspectives gained from this research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on biological responses to Northern mining contamination and urbanization in a warming world. PhD Thesis Arctic Northwest Territories Yellowknife Queen's University, Ontario: QSpace Arctic Canada Jackfish ENVELOPE(-110.902,-110.902,58.434,58.434) Jackfish Lakes ENVELOPE(-113.769,-113.769,59.467,59.467) Northwest Territories Yellowknife |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Queen's University, Ontario: QSpace |
op_collection_id |
ftqueensuniv |
language |
English |
topic |
paleolimnology sub-Arctic lakes environmental change precious metal mining multiple stressors diatom (Bacillariophyceae) |
spellingShingle |
paleolimnology sub-Arctic lakes environmental change precious metal mining multiple stressors diatom (Bacillariophyceae) Sivarajah, Branaavan EXAMINING THE LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF GOLD MINING OPERATIONS, URBANIZATION, AND CLIMATIC CHANGES ON SUB-ARCTIC LAKES NEAR YELLOWKNIFE (NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA) USING DIATOMS AS PALEOENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS |
topic_facet |
paleolimnology sub-Arctic lakes environmental change precious metal mining multiple stressors diatom (Bacillariophyceae) |
description |
The mineral resource potential of Canada’s North has been recognized since the early 20th century with mines operating across all three territories. However, the long-term biological consequences of Northern mining operations and associated anthropogenic activities on surrounding freshwaters have not been investigated extensively. The sub-Arctic lakes around the City of Yellowknife (Northwest Territories) provide an important opportunity to fill this knowledge gap by examining the long-term cumulative impacts of past gold mining operations, land-use changes related to urbanization, and regional climatic changes on aquatic biota. In this thesis, diatom-based (Bacillariophyceae) paleolimnological approaches were used to assess the long-term biological responses to the multiple environmental stressors mentioned above through space and time. A spatial survey of diatom assemblages from the surface sediment of 33 lakes around Yellowknife indicated that assemblage composition was strongly influenced by variables related to lake-water nutrient concentrations and ionic composition in the water column, while metal(loid) contaminants (i.e. antimony, arsenic) associated with gold mining activities played a secondary role. Analyses of diatom assemblages from ten well-dated sediment cores from lakes along a gradient of anthropogenic activities (i.e. mining and urbanization) recorded notable shifts over the last ~200 years. The high species turnover in the lakes closest to the mines and the city were indicative of metal(loid) pollution from past gold mining activities (e.g. roaster stack emissions, accidental spills from tailings pond) and eutrophication from land-use changes (e.g. sewage disposal, developments in the catchment). The impacts of climate-mediated changes were also apparent in both the urban and remote lakes. The synergistic effects of warming and nutrient enrichment led to striking changes at Niven and Jackfish lakes. Recent diatom assemblage composition in all lakes was substantially different from pre-disturbance periods, which suggests that the sub-Arctic lakes around Yellowknife have crossed critical limnological thresholds in response to both anthropogenic activities and climatic changes. The long-term perspectives gained from this research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on biological responses to Northern mining contamination and urbanization in a warming world. PhD |
author2 |
Smol, John Biology |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Sivarajah, Branaavan |
author_facet |
Sivarajah, Branaavan |
author_sort |
Sivarajah, Branaavan |
title |
EXAMINING THE LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF GOLD MINING OPERATIONS, URBANIZATION, AND CLIMATIC CHANGES ON SUB-ARCTIC LAKES NEAR YELLOWKNIFE (NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA) USING DIATOMS AS PALEOENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS |
title_short |
EXAMINING THE LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF GOLD MINING OPERATIONS, URBANIZATION, AND CLIMATIC CHANGES ON SUB-ARCTIC LAKES NEAR YELLOWKNIFE (NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA) USING DIATOMS AS PALEOENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS |
title_full |
EXAMINING THE LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF GOLD MINING OPERATIONS, URBANIZATION, AND CLIMATIC CHANGES ON SUB-ARCTIC LAKES NEAR YELLOWKNIFE (NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA) USING DIATOMS AS PALEOENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS |
title_fullStr |
EXAMINING THE LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF GOLD MINING OPERATIONS, URBANIZATION, AND CLIMATIC CHANGES ON SUB-ARCTIC LAKES NEAR YELLOWKNIFE (NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA) USING DIATOMS AS PALEOENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS |
title_full_unstemmed |
EXAMINING THE LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF GOLD MINING OPERATIONS, URBANIZATION, AND CLIMATIC CHANGES ON SUB-ARCTIC LAKES NEAR YELLOWKNIFE (NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA) USING DIATOMS AS PALEOENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS |
title_sort |
examining the long-term ecological consequences of gold mining operations, urbanization, and climatic changes on sub-arctic lakes near yellowknife (northwest territories, canada) using diatoms as paleoenvironmental indicators |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/1974/28568 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-110.902,-110.902,58.434,58.434) ENVELOPE(-113.769,-113.769,59.467,59.467) |
geographic |
Arctic Canada Jackfish Jackfish Lakes Northwest Territories Yellowknife |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Canada Jackfish Jackfish Lakes Northwest Territories Yellowknife |
genre |
Arctic Northwest Territories Yellowknife |
genre_facet |
Arctic Northwest Territories Yellowknife |
op_relation |
Canadian theses http://hdl.handle.net/1974/28568 |
op_rights |
Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University Copying and Preserving Your Thesis This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner. Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY-NC-ND |
_version_ |
1766327176318156800 |