STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES
There are opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Contact Dr. Scott Lamoureux or the Geography Department for more information.
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CURRENT STUDENTS
Dr. Ted Lewis, PDF
Near future climate change will likely bring about increased winter snowpack, a thickened active layer, increased precipitation, and increased ice-free conditions on arctic lakes. However, it is not quantitatively known how this will affect river runoff, turbidity, lake sedimentation, and water quality. My research involves using computer models to predict how these changes will affect the Cape Bounty lakes and their watersheds. River discharge, sediment flux, and limnologic data collected at Cape Bounty from 2003-2008 will be used to calibrate the models to modern conditions in the watersheds. Then regional climate model output for climate change scenarios will be used to predict future watershed conditions. Beginning in January 2008, I will be a post-doctoral researcher under the International Polar Year Project. I completed my B.Sc(H). and M.Sc. at Queen’s University, and my Ph.D. at University of Massachusetts at Amherst, primarily studying physical lacustrine processes and annually laminated sedimentary deposits in the Canadian High Arctic.
Kasey
Kathan, Ph.D. Candidate
I believe that understanding the current status of natural systems is predicated on understanding the context of our past. Because of this I have developed research interests that lie in interpreting sediment archives of climate variability. Quantifying and interpreting the driving mechanics that link the hydroclimatic system to sediment delivery and deposition is pivotal to paleoclimate research. Specifically, my research will focus on the behaviour of sediment delivery at Pelly Bay, Nunavut. By analyzing accumulated layers of annually deposited sediment(varves), I hope to be able to characterize the response of large (high discharge, high sediment load) rivers to subannual climatic events. This will be done with the objective of comparing the large system dynamics to that of smaller (less available sediment) rivers in the vicinity. I expect to be able to answer questions such as: How sensitive is the sediment deposition from the large river system to various sizes of hydroclimatic events? How many small and large events can be resolved in the yearly sediment records? Is there any pattern to these events in the sediment record?
Kailey
Stewart, Ph.D. Candidate
My research focuses on the sensitivity of arctic freshwater ecosystems to hydroclimate variability and change. A critical component of my research are the fossil remains of diatoms, a class of unicellular algae that dominate high arctic freshwater ecosystems. Since many diatom species respond to changing environmental conditions (e.g., nutrient levels) in a sensitive and predictable way, arctic aquatic ecosystem sensitivity to hydroclimate variability may be assessed from diatom fossils in lake sediments and the information they provide on hydrochemical conditions from the time of their growth. The sensitivity of diatoms to hydroclimate variability will be tested through comparison with independently inferred hydroclimate records, including varve (annual sediment accumulation) thickness measurements and local meteorological records. In addition, sedimentary biogeochemical (e.g., lipids) profiles will be constructed to examine the possibility that changes in terrestrial and aquatic organic contributions might provide additional information on recent hydroclimate variability. The resulting record will shed light on the possible trajectories of High Arctic aquatic ecosystems to projected hydroclimate scenarios.
Anthony
Bassutti, M.Sc. Candidate
My primary project is examining the effects of environmental and anthropogenic changes occurring in the North Frontenac/Addington Heights region. This region is home to commercial industry, tourism, Bon Echo Provincial Park, and a watershed which acts as the head waters for several major southern Ontario rivers. Understanding past and future changes will aid in the preservation of the region’s commodities. My examination is done through physical and chemical analysis of deepwater sediment cores, as well as regular monitoring of several lakes in the region. By examining several lakes, I plan to remove a multi-century climate signal which will be paired with a signal showing any human impacts on the lakes (i.e. cottage development). Aside to my own project, I am also a research assistant in the EVEX laboratory, as well as a field research assistant at the Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory.
James Fletcher, M.Sc. Candidate
My research is focused on understanding the nature of particulate organic material found in stream water from two watersheds located at Cape Bounty, on the south coast of Melville Island, Nunavut. While both catchments are similar in terms of size, topography, vegetative cover, and surficial geology, recent disturbances in one of the watersheds have increased the amount of particulate suspended in stream water. Through the use of innovative sampling methods, I hope to gain an understanding of both the quantity and character of this material. The organic portion of the particulate will be analyzed using standard loss on ignition techniques and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This work represents a new component of the comprehensive hydrological study that has been underway at Cape Bounty since 2003.
Lynne Bosquet, M.Sc. Candidate
This year I looked at the water chemistry in the rivers at Cape Bounty. The main goal of my project was to compare samples collected by an automated pump sampler with samples collected manually. Use of a pump sampler can increase the number of samples collected and provide higher resolution water quality data. Dissolved ion concentrations will be used to examine the differences between manual and automatic sample collection, as well as the impact sediment has on water chemistry. This will determine whether a pump sampler is reliable for sample collection in field studies examining water chemistry. In the next few years at Cape Bounty, I will be studying vegetative response to climate change, in accordance with ITEX. This will be the first such project to be set up in the western High Arctic, and will contribute to the overall understanding of the effects of climate change on vegetation in high latitude locations.
Maryse
Veillette , M.Sc. Candidate
I am interested in studying the fluvial geomorphology of Arctic rivers. My research will focus on how West River has adjusted to active layer detachments (ALD) which were initiated in 2007. The sediment distribution in the river will be studied to identify areas of net erosion and storage by analyzing the amount of sediment entering and exiting various reaches which will be associated with a specific disturbance. This will link the effect that the disturbances have had on the sediment fluxes along the river. The evolution of the channel through time will additionally be studied by comparing aerial photographs and satellite images collected between 1950 and 2009. Emphasis will be on changes in channel width and shape prior to 2007 to allow for a better understanding of the evolution of the channel under undisturbed conditions. These rates of change will then be compared to the response of the channel since 2007 in order to determine if disturbances have accelerated dimensional and geomorphic changes to the river channel. With permafrost disturbances occurring more regularly, it is important to understand how river morphology and sediment fluxes and storage are affected in order to better infer future fluvial behaviour.
Alison
Cassidy, M.Sc. Candidate
I am studying vegetation in Arctic environments. My master’s project will focus on the vegetation characteristics of active layer detachments of varying ages. Examining the process of revegetation over time provides a way to determine how vegetation responds to change. I plan on using air photographs to identify old active layer detachments, and compare these to more recent disturbances. I am also using remote sensing to determine if active layer detachments display a distinct spectral signature and how this signature changes as the vegetation in the detachments recovers from initial disturbance. This can then be linked to on the ground analysis of vegetation, to analyze the spectral characteristics of differing vegetation.
Ashley Rudy , M.Sc. Candidate
I will be investigating the landscape controls over recent and historical permafrost disturbances on the Sabine Peninsula, Melville Island, Nunavut. Using aerial photographs collected in the 50’s and late 70’s various air photo interpretation techniques will be used to identify areas with permafrost disturbances which will then be mapped and compared to present day satellite imagery. With these time series datasets the spatial distribution of the permafrost disturbances will be reflected over time. The 2011 field season will be used to help identify patterns and key controls over permafrost disturbances unique to the varying terrain. The lithological units found on the Sabine Peninsula are part of the Sverdrup Basin succession and are host to many oil and natural gas reserves. Our study site is in close proximity to two of these known natural gas reserves making it crucial that we understand the sensitivity of the High Arctic permafrost landscape to land use activities. With this in mind one of the overall goals of this project is to develop a landscape model that can be used to predict areas that are most sensitive to permafrost disturbances, using factors such as geomorphic, geological and biophysical.