Application of paleolimnological tools for assessing the transfer of marine derived nutrients and toxins to fresh water systems, Nova Scotia Canada: Focus on Alewife within the Gaspereau Lake watershed

This research will focus on using lakes sediments to determine the amount of marine derived nutrients and contaminants that Alewife (Gaspereau) transfer into Gaspereau Lake, Kings County, Nova Scotia. Lake sediment records form an archive that preserves environmental change that has occurred in lakes. In this project lake sediment cores will be collected and analyzed in the laboratory for a wide variety of organic and non-organic contaminants. These cores will provide a 500-year record of this change to better understand if Alewife transfer significant marine derived nutrients and contaminants to fresh water systems. This technique can also be applied throughout Eastern North America to better understand how changing environmental conditions such as damming and forestry affect marine fish residency in fresh water systems.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ian Spooner;Mark Mallory

Student:

Partner:

Ducks Unlimited Canada (NS)

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Life Sciences (not health); Environmental Science and Technology; Natural Resources

University:

Acadia University

Program: