| Citation |
Laird, K, Cumming, B. Nordin, R. 2001. A regional paleolimnological assessment of the impact of clear-cutting on lakes from the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 58:479-491. |
| Organization |
Ministry of Environment |
| URL |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/f00-265 |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
The impact of forest harvesting on lakes within the temperate rainforest on the west coast of Vancouver Island was examined in a paleolimnological study of four lakes that had 35–92% of their watersheds progressively clear-cut over a period of 15–30 years (impact lakes) and four lakes that had experienced little or no known anthropogenic disturbance in their watersheds (reference lakes). Changes in diatom species composition and percent organic matter in the 210Pb-dated sediment cores were compared over the last 100 years in each of the impact lakes before and after the onset of forest harvesting, which began in 1950, and before and after 1950 in the four reference lakes. Only one impact lake showed significant changes in percent organic matter. Significant changes (p < 0.05) in species composition following forest harvesting were detected in all four impact lakes and in one of the four reference lakes. However, the changes in diatom species composition following clear-cutting in the impact lakes were small, with changes in the relative abundance of the most common species being maximally 20%, but more typically 3–10%. |
| Information Type |
article |
| Regional Watershed |
Vancouver Island South, Vancouver Island North |
| Sub-watershed if known |
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| Aquifer # |
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| Comments |
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| Project status |
complete |
| Contact Name |
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| Contact Email |
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