Base de données de recherche des TNO

Régions: Dehcho Region

étiquettes: physical sciences, active layer, permafrost, carbon budget, peatlands

Objectif(s): The research will examine the relationships between carbon accumulation and landforms within discontinuously frozen peatlands. Peat accumulates carbon in the form of dead plant matter, but the amounts of carbon storage vary with peatland type (bog, fen peat plateau, and collapse features). Using the White River ash layer (deposited 1250 yrs ago) as a time horizon, cores will be collected from all peatland types and analysed for carbon accumulation rates. Examining the recent rates of carbon accumulation will help to examine the long-term significance of peatlands in the carbon balance, and the impacts of peatlands upon climate warming. The Fort Simpson area has been selected for this research due to the diversity of peatland and permafrost landforms, as well as the occurrence of a well defined ash layer in the peat.

Description du projet: Research will be conducted in a peatland complex approximately 12 km west of Fort Simpson (4 km west of the Wrigley Road). The major component of the field work will include the collection of peat cores in both frozen and unfrozen terrain to about 1 m depth. A total of approximately 100 cores will be collected. Core holes will be approximately 15 cm wide, and will be filled to minimize terrain disturbance. Other information to be collected includes peatland temperatures, water levels, and samples to analyze water chemistry.