NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: vegetation, atmospheric sciences, chemistry, tundra ecosystems

Objective(s): The objective of this project is to study the Smoking Hills on the eastern coastline of Cape Bathurst. The burns with smoke coming out of the sea cliffs and blowing low across the tundra or out over Franklin Bay have been the subject of much interest over the past 25 years. In studies from 1975-1986, researchers analyzed the chemistry of the smoke, the soils, the pond waters and vegetation. The fumes are very acidic and some of the ponds close to the smoke sources are remarkably acid. The acidity releases high concentrations of toxic metals from the soils and pond sediments, all of which add to the toxicity. Some plants nevertheless grow quite close to the affected sea cliffs and microscopic plants and animals survive in even the most acidic ponds. Some of the land plants can neutralize acid droplets as they fall onto their leaves. Lichens, known elsewhere to be very sensitive to air pollution, grow on nearby tundra, obviously with particular adaptations. The purpose of this study is to re-measure the occurrences of vegetation, identifying all the different species and measuring them quantitatively in places that were measured 13 years ago. Burns cease at a location and new ones start as new exposures of sea cliff occur, caused by the constant erosion of the cliffs. Areas where burns have stopped will be located and the rates of change in the soil chemistry and in the plants growing alon a line inland opposite these burns will be examined. The focus this time will be on the ability of the tundra ecosystem to recover when a strong chemical stress ceases.

Project Description: The purpose of this study is to re-measure the occurrences of vegetation, identifying all the different species and measuring them quantitatively in places that were measured 13 years ago. The focus this time will be on the ability of the tundra ecosystem to recover when a strong chemical stress ceases. The team will be flown in early August from Inuvik to the old DEW Line landing strip at Malloch Hill by Twin Otter. A Bell 206 helicopter will then take the team and equipment, tents, etc, from Malloch to our camp site just south of the major burn area of the Smoking Hills. Four researchers will be involved and tents will be set up on the tundra half a mile from the sea cliffs where the air is still breathable. Very little equipment beyond camping materials will be taken in. A field pH meter will be used and sulphur dioxide levels in the air will be measured. Samples of zooplankton and phytoplankton from the ponds will be collected and examined for species identification with a field microscope. Very small water and soil samples will be collected for further analysis at Trent University. The lichens, mosses and flowering plants will be identified by taxonomy guides on site. Areas of two metres square will be measured for the quantities and percentage of ground cover occupied by all of the species present. A change in species composition and importance along a line away from the smoke sources is expected. Finally, whatever wildlife is observed (eg. caribou, beluga, etc.) will be noted for the communities.