Evaluating the impact of climate change on forest watershed ecosystem services surrounding Cape Breton drinking water source areas

The trees surrounding the source drinking water lakes in Cape Breton Regional Municipality influence the pH and electrical conductivity of throughfall water in preliminary studies, particularly conifers like black spruce. The Kelly Lake Watershed that provides drinking water to the community of Louisbourg suffers from an acidity pulse each spring, potentially influenced by overland flow during the spring melt carrying associated activity from interactions with conifer needles. As low pH values help liberate metal ions, we want to see if the soil in these conifer dominated watersheds is leaching acidity, and possible metal ions, in the spring freshet. Climate change may push the black spruce further north, beyond its current distribution surrounding Kelly Lake, potentially alleviating the vernal acid pulses over time. Accelerating this transition to more favourable FES through stand manipulation may be a short-term management technique available to the CBRM Water Utility Managers.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ken Oakes

Student:

Partner:

CBRM Water Utility

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Environmental Science and Technology; Forestry; Water

University:

Cape Breton University

Program: