Base de données de recherche des TNO

Régions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

étiquettes: mercury, permafrost, greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane, lake chemistry

Objectif(s): To assess greenhouse gas (methane and carbon dioxide) release from warming permafrost and tundra lakes in the ISR and to study associated carbon dynamics and microbiological processes, including the release of mercury to the environment.

Description du projet: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.5500. The goals of this multi-year-long project are to assess greenhouse gas (methane and carbon dioxide) release from warming permafrost and tundra lakes in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) and to study associated carbon dynamics and microbiological processes, including the release of mercury to the environment. The first year of field activities are planned for August 8-22, 2021 and will be based out of Inuvik with day trips to the study sites. Listed below and shown on Figure 1 are the planned locations. All sites are on Crown Land in the ISR. Instruments that will be retrieved were deployed under GNWT Science License 16066. Inuvik Lakes (situated on Mackenzie R. delta plain) Access to study site will be by boat supplied by the Aurora Research Institute. The research team will retrieve the water sampler deployed in summer 2018 and will conduct water sampling (~20 L) for measurement of lake chemistry. The team will also collect approximately 3 shallow (2 m length, 10 cm diameter) permafrost cores at selected locations. Unnamed Lake (situated in outer Mackenzie R. delta plain) Access to study sites will be by helicopter (with support from the Polar Continental Shelf Project). The team will retrieve the water sampler deployed in summer 2018, collect water sampling (~20 L) for measurement of lake chemistry; and, redeployment of new water sampler. The team will also collect air samples in area for methane analyses. Niglintgak Slump (situated on glacial till) Access to study sites will be by helicopter (with support from the Polar Continental Shelf Project). The research team will collect small permafrost samples with a small portable hand drill or by excavating samples from naturally eroding permafrost sections. This site is within the Kendall Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary and a KIBS permit will be obtained. The team will also collect air samples in area for methane analyses, and approximately 3 shallow (2 m length, 10 cm diameter) permafrost cores at selected locations. North Head Lake (lacustrine plain) Access to study sites will be by helicopter (with support from the Polar Continental Shelf Project). The research team will conduct water sampling (~20 L) for measurement of lake chemistry, and deploy a new water sampler. The team will also collect air samples in area for methane analyses, and approximately 3 shallow (2 m length, 10 cm diameter) permafrost cores at selected locations. Communications with the Inuvik, Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Committees (HTC’s) are ongoing. Copies of all scientific contributions (scientific papers, maps, and databases) will be provided to the communities in the ISR through their HTC and through the Aurora Research Institute. As this research will be co-led by the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation our hope is that we will be able to disseminate our findings more directly to communities using their established networks and outreach strategies. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from April 3, 2023 to August 31, 2023.