Relation of Lake Acidification and Recovery to Fish, Common Loon and Common Merganser Occurrence in Algoma Lakes (original) (raw)
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Assessing biological recovery of acid-sensitive lakes in Ontario, Canada
Water Air and Soil Pollution, 1995
lnfomaation on breeding waterfowl, habitat and food chains, gathered from acid-sensitive lakes in Ontario, was used to develop a model of effects of acid deposition on waterfowl and their response to predicted sulphur dioxide (SOz) emission reductions in eastem North America. The Waterfowl Acidification Response Modelling System (WARMS) is composed of an acidification model linked to fish and waterfowl models. WARMS uses pH, area, dissolved organic carbon, total phosphorus, and presence of fish to calculate estimates of pre-acidffication, present and eventual steady-state values for pH, fish presence and waterfowl breeding parameters under proposed SO 2 emission scenarios. We used WARMS to estimate chemical and biotic responses to scenarios simulated in three regions of Ontario where biomonitoring studies are underway. For ptl and fish presence, WARMS predicts the greatest improvements in the highly damaged Sudbury region, slight improvements in Algoma, and that the strongest proposed emission reductions will be required to maintain current conditions in Muskoka. For waterfowl, species-specific differences are evident among regions. We discuss implications of these assessments of biological recovery for watersheds in eastern Canada.
The Impact of Acid Rain on the Aquatic Ecosystems of Eastern Canada
2007
In the past environmental management practices have been based on disparate analysis of the impacts of pollutants on selected components of ecosystems. However, holistic analysis of emission reduction strategies is necessary to justify that actions taken to protect the environment would not unduly punish economic growth or vice versa.
Environmental monitoring and assessment
Biological damage to sensitive aquatic ecosystems is among the most recognisable, deleterious effects of acidic deposition. We compiled a large spatial database of over 2000 waterbodies across southeastern Canada from various federal, provincial and academic sources. Data for zooplankton, fish, macroinvertebrate (benthos) and loon species richness and occurrence were used to construct statistical models for lakes with varying pH, dissolved organic carbon content and lake size. pH changes, as described and predicted using the Integrated Assessment Model (Lam et al., 1998; Jeffries et al., 2000), were based on the range of emission reductions set forth in the Canada/US Air Quality Agreement (AQA). The scenarios tested include 1983, 1990, 1994 and 2010 sulphate deposition levels. Biotic models were developed for five regions in southeastern Canada (Algoma, Muskoka, and Sudbury, Ontario, southcentral Quebec, and Kejimkujik, Nova Scotia) using regression tree, multiple linear regression ...
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 2003
The dynamic model MAGIC was applied to 25 lakes in south-central Ontario, Canada using a regional modelling methodology. Soil and lake water chemistry for each lake catchment was simulated for the period 18502050. Sulphate (SO 4 2 ) deposition forecasts were derived from recently proposed emission reductions, which correspond roughly to a 50% reduction in SO 4 2 deposition by 2010 from the 2000 baseline. Changes in SO 4 2 deposition had a significant impact on lake chemistry. Simulated lake water chemistry showed a recovery potential under the current deposition scenario; by 2050 concentration levels recovered to values predicted for the early 1900s. Moreover, simulated future lake water chemistry showed significant recovery compared to 1975 levels. However, although regional simulations predict that base cation losses have decreased in recent years, soils in the region will continue to acidify with Ca 2+ losses dominating depletion of the exchangeable pool. Base cation losses from the exchangeable pool are currently buffering lakes against the impacts of acid deposition; ultimately base cation inputs into the lakes will decrease as exchangeable base cation pools become depleted. Further emission reductions are necessary to ensure continued recovery from acidification.
Environmental monitoring and assessment
The lakes in Killarney Provincial Park, located 40-60 km southwest of Sudbury, Ontario, were some of the first lakes in North America to be acidified by atmospheric pollutants. Acidification affected thousands of fish and invertebrate populations in dozens of lakes. Since the 1970's, water quality has improved in response to atmospheric pollution reductions and some lakes have already recovered to approximately their pre-industrial pH levels, as inferred from diatom microfossils in lake sediments. Since the 1970's, fish species richness has not changed substantially, but zooplankton species richness has increased in acidified lakes. The critical sulphur load, the amount of SO2-derived acid deposition that can occur while still maintaining suitable water quality, was estimated to be exceeded in 38% of the park area in 1997. Depending on which of four possible North American emission control scenarios (CLR = currently legislated reduction; CLR + 25%; CLR + 50%; CLR + 75%) is a...
Monitoring the results of Canada/U.S.A. acid rain control programs: some lake responses
Environmental monitoring and assessment
Aquatic acidification by deposition of airborne pollutants emerged as an environmental issue in southeastern Canada during the 1970s. Drawing information from the extensive research and monitoring programs, a sequence of issue assessments demonstrated the necessity of reducing the anthropogenic emissions of acidifying pollutants, particularly sulphur dioxide (SO2). The 1991 Canada-U.S. Air Quality Agreement (AQA) was negotiated to reduce North American SO2 emissions by approximately 40% relative to 1980 levels by 2010, and at present, both countries have reduced emissions beyond their AQA commitment. In response to reduced SO2 emissions, atmospheric deposition of sulphate (SO4(2-)) and SO4(2-) concentrations in many lakes have declined, particularly in south-central Ontario and southern Québec. Sulphate deposition still exceeds aquatic critical loads throughout southeastern Canada however. Increasing pH or alkalinity (commonly deemed 'recovery') has been observed in only som...
Environmental Science & Technology, 2017
We estimated the potential economic value of recreational fisheries in lakes altered by acid pollution in the Adirondack Mountains (USA). We found that the expected value of recreational fisheries has been diminished because of acid deposition but may improve as lakes recover from acidification under low emissions scenarios combined with fish stocking. Fishery value increased with lake pH, from a low of 4.41anglerday−1inlakeswithpH<4.5,toahighof4.41 angler day −1 in lakes with pH < 4.5, to a high of 4.41anglerday−1inlakeswithpH<4.5,toahighof38.40 angler day −1 in lakes with pH > 6.5 that were stocked with trout species. Stocking increased the expected fishery value by an average of 11.50anglerday−1acrosstheentirepHrangeofthelakesstudied.Simulatingthefuturelong−termtrajectoryofasubsetoflakes,wefoundthatpHandexpectedfisheryvalueincreasedovertimeinallfutureemissionsscenarios.Differencesinestimatedvalueamongpollutionreductionscenariosweresmall(<11.50 angler day −1 across the entire pH range of the lakes studied. Simulating the future long-term trajectory of a subset of lakes, we found that pH and expected fishery value increased over time in all future emissions scenarios. Differences in estimated value among pollution reduction scenarios were small (<11.50anglerday−1acrosstheentirepHrangeofthelakesstudied.Simulatingthefuturelong−termtrajectoryofasubsetoflakes,wefoundthatpHandexpectedfisheryvalueincreasedovertimeinallfutureemissionsscenarios.Differencesinestimatedvalueamongpollutionreductionscenariosweresmall(<1 angler day −1) compared to fish stocking scenarios (>$4 angler day −1). Our work provides a basis for assessing the costs and benefits of emissions reductions and management efforts that can hasten recovery of the economic and cultural benefits of ecosystems degraded by chronic pollution.
Global Change Biology, 2014
Quantifying the effects of human activity on the natural environment is dependent on credible estimates of reference conditions to define the state of the environment before the onset of adverse human impacts. In Europe, emission controls that aimed at restoring ecological status were based on hindcasts from process-based models or paleolimnological reconstructions. For instance, 1860 is used in Europe as the target for restoration from acidification concerning biological and chemical parameters. A more practical problem is that the historical states of ecosystems and their function cannot be observed directly. Therefore, we (i) compare estimates of acidification based on long-term observations of roach (Rutilus rutilus) populations with hindcast pH from the hydrogeochemical model MAGIC; (ii) discuss policy implications and possible scope for use of long-term archival data for assessing human impacts on the natural environment and (iii) present a novel conceptual model for interpreting the importance of physico-chemical and ecological deviations from reference conditions. Of the 85 lakes studied, 78 were coherently classified by both methods. In 1980, 28 lakes were classified as acidified with the MAGIC model, however, roach was present in 14 of these. In 2010, MAGIC predicted chemical recovery in 50% of the lakes, however roach only recolonized in five lakes after 1990, showing a lag between chemical and biological recovery. Our study is the first study of its kind to use long-term archival biological data in concert with hydrogeochemical modeling for regional assessments of anthropogenic acidification. Based on our results, we show how the conceptual model can be used to understand and prioritize management of physico-chemical and ecological effects of anthropogenic stressors on surface water quality.
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 2003
Over the past two decades, substantial reductions in the deposition of acidifying substances (primarily sulphur) have occurred in most parts of Europe and, following recent agreements, this trend is likely to continue. The question arises as to how have sensitive ecosystems reacted, and will react in the future, to these reduced inputs of acidity? In this paper, the SMART dynamic acidification model predicts the possible recovery of 36 acid-sensitive Finnish headwater lakes, for which both catchment soil and water quality measurements were available. The model was calibrated to measurements by adjusting poorly known parameters; it was then used to simulate soil and water chemistry until 2030 under the current legislation scenario resulting from implementing current European emission reduction agreements. Whereas most of the catchment soils show very little change in base saturation, the positive trends in lake ANC and the negative trends in lake sulphate concentrations, observed over the past decade, continue into the future, albeit at a slower pace. The model predicts that, during 201030, all lakes will have reached a positive ANC, a pre-requisite for the recovery of fish populations.