Using stable isotope analysis to investigate a food web connection between coal waste contamination and a forest community

A coal mine operating on the Snuneymuxw First Nation reserve lands between 1913 and 1939 has left mine waste that has contaminated the soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water with metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Human health and ecological assessments are being conducted in the area to determine how best to deal with the contamination in the area. Many members of the Snuneymuxw community harvest plants and berries from the forest where the contamination is located and there are several trees with symbolic importance to the community that have been planted on the coal waste. Because of the high abundance of vegetation in the area, standard practices for measuring PAH are difficult to use. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Suzanne Simard

Student:

Emma Zapf-Gilje

Partner:

Golder Associates

Discipline:

Forestry

Sector:

Environmental industry

University:

Program: