Paleolimnological Records of Post-Glacial Lake and Wetland Evolution from the Isthmus of Chignecto Region, Eastern Canada
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Paleolimnological Records of Post-Glacial Lake and Wetland Evolution from the Isthmus of Chignecto Region, Eastern Canada by Hilary White Thesis Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science (Geology) Acadia University Fall Graduation 2012 © by Hilary White, 2012 This thesis by Hilary White was defended successfully in an oral examination on June 27th, 2012. The examining committee for the thesis was: ________________________ Dr. Darren Kruisselbrink, Chair ________________________ Dr. Linda Campbell, External Reader ________________________ Dr. David Risk, Internal Reader ________________________ Dr. Nelson O'Driscoll, Co-Supervisor ________________________ Dr. Ian Spooner, Supervisor ________________________ Dr. Robert Raeside, Head This thesis is accepted in its present form by the Division of Research and Graduate Studies as satisfying the thesis requirements for the degree Master of Science (Geology). …………………………………………. ii I, Hilary White, grant permission to the University Librarian at Acadia University to reproduce, loan or distribute copies of my thesis in microform, paper, or electronic formats on a non-profit basis. I, however, retain the copyright in my thesis. ______________________________ Author ______________________________ Dr. Ian Spooner, Supervisor ______________________________ Dr. Nelson O’Driscoll, Co-supervisor ______________________________ Date iii Table of Contents: Table of Contents................................................................................................................iv List of Figures.....................................................................................................................vi List of Tables......................................................................................................................vii Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................viii Abstract...............................................................................................................................ix Chapter 1: Introduction........................................................................................................1 1.1 Purpose...............................................................................................................1 1.2 Site Description..................................................................................................2 1.3 Geology..............................................................................................................7 a.) General Geology.....................................................................................7 b.) Soils........................................................................................................8 c.) Regional Glacial History........................................................................9 d.) Sea Level History.................................................................................13 1.4 Ecology............................................................................................................15 a.) Post-Glacial Colonization.....................................................................15 b.) Modern Ecology...................................................................................16 1.5 Post-Contact Anthropogenic and Environmental Change...............................18 1.6 Regional Research...........................................................................................20 a.) Evolution of the Border Marsh Region................................................20 b.) Metals in the Border Marsh Region.....................................................25 Chapter 2: Methodology....................................................................................................29 2.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................29 2.2 Modern Lake Characterization........................................................................29 a.) Water Quality.......................................................................................29 b.) Lake Bathymetry and Sonar Profiling..................................................31 2.3 Lake Sediment Collection and Analysis..........................................................31 a.) Percussion Coring.................................................................................31 b.) Core Preparation and Stratigraphy ......................................................32 c.) Macrofossil 14C Dating........................................................................ 32 d.) Loss on Ignition....................................................................................33 e.) Magnetic Susceptibility........................................................................33 f.) Carbon and Nitrogen Analysis..............................................................34 g.) Elemental Analysis...............................................................................36 h.) Paleosalinity..........................................................................................37 i.) Mercury Analysis..................................................................................37 Chapter 3: Results and Interpretation................................................................................40 3.1 Regional Water Quality...............................................................................................40 3.2 Carbon Dating..............................................................................................................41 3.3 Proxy Analysis.............................................................................................................42 A. Jolicure Lake.....................................................................................................42 I. Results................................................................................................................42 a.) Modern Lake Characterization.............................................................42 i.) Field Observations....................................................................42 iv ii.) Water Quality...........................................................................42 iii.) Basin Morphometry and Sediment Distribution.....................43 b.) Stratigraphy and Age of Sediment.......................................................43 i.) Lake Sediment Cores.................................................................43 ii.) Dating.......................................................................................45 iii.) Lithostratigraphic Units...........................................................45 c.) Chemostratigraphic Results..................................................................48 i.) Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio..............................................................48 ii.) Paleosalinity.............................................................................48 iii.) Lead and Mercury Concentrations..........................................49 II. Interpretation………………………………………………………………….50 B. Long Lake.........................................................................................................53 I. Results................................................................................................................53 a.) Modern Lake Characterization.............................................................53 i.) Field Observations....................................................................53 ii.) Water Quality...........................................................................53 iii.) Basin Morphometry and Sediment Distribution.....................54 b.) Stratigraphy and Age of Sediment.......................................................56 i.) Lake Sediment Cores.................................................................56 ii.) Dating.......................................................................................56 iii.) Lithostratigraphic Units...........................................................57 c.) Chemostratigraphic Results..................................................................57 i.) Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio..............................................................57 ii.) Paleosalinity.............................................................................57 iii.) Lead and Mercury Concentrations..........................................60 II. Interpretation………………………………………………………………….61 C. Blair Lake……….…………………………………………………………….64 I. Results…………………………………………………………………………64 a.) Modern Lake Characterization.............................................................64 i.) Field Observations....................................................................64 ii.) Water Quality...........................................................................64 iii.) Basin Morphometry and Sediment Distribution.....................65 b.) Stratigraphy and Age of Sediment.......................................................65 i.) Lake Sediment Cores.................................................................65 ii.) Dating.......................................................................................67 iii.) Lithostratigraphic Units...........................................................67 c.) Chemostratigraphic Results..................................................................69 i.) Paleosalinity..............................................................................69