An Assessment of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Availability in Constructed Wetlands in the Cumberland Marsh Region, Canada
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An assessment of nitrogen and phosphorus availability in constructed wetlands in the Cumberland Marsh Region, Canada by Maxwell J. Turner Thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours in Geology Acadia University April, 2016 © Copyright by Maxwell J. Turner 2016 The thesis by Maxwell J. Turner is accepted in its present form by the Department of Earth and Environmental Science as satisfying the thesis requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours Approved by Thesis Supervisors _____________________________ ______________________________ Dr. Ian Spooner Date _____________________________ ______________________________ Dr. Mark Mallory Date Approved by the Head of the Department _____________________________ ______________________________ Dr. Ian Spooner Date Approved by the Honours Committee ______________________________ _______________________________ Dr. Anna Redden Date ii I, Max Turner, 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 copyright in my thesis. ___________________________________ Maxwell Turner ___________________________________ Date iii Acknowledgements I would like to extend recognition to Acadia University and Ducks Unlimited Canada, whose funding and dedication to scientific research made this project possible. Nic McLellan of Ducks Unlimited provided both in-field help and a useful supply of regional knowledge. I would like to thank the entirety of the Department of Earth and Environmental Science for providing a supportive learning environment that allows one to feel comfortable, acknowledged, and feel the expectation for success; but a special thanks to Dr. Rob Raeside whose subtle acknowledgements truly made me feel that this was the department to which I belonged. Separate from the world of science, a tremendous thanks is given to my family, who has always supported higher learning— and to my close friends, who consistently give me their honest and blunt opinion. My supervisors Dr. Ian Spooner and Dr. Mark Mallory deserve recognition for giving me valuable advice, much of their time, and guidance for the completion of this project, but also for being among the most dynamic and interesting people I have ever met. Finally, I am so grateful to have worked alongside Amanda Loder, whose relentless optimism, passion for science, and genuine concern for improving this world has given me an example of someone who will deserve every bit of success they enjoy in life. iv Table of Contents Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………. iv Table of Contents………………………………………………………………… v List of Tables…………………………………………………………………….. vii List of Figures……………………………………………………………………. vii Abstract……………………………………………………………….………….. ix Chapter 1: Introduction…………………………………………………………… 1 1.1 Purpose…………………………………………………………………. 1 1.2 Wetlands………………………………………………………………… 2 1.3 Site Description……….………………………………………………… 4 1.4 CMR Geology and Geomorphology………...………………………….. 5 1.5 Anthropogenic Activity……………….………………………………… 10 1.6 Surface and Groundwater Interactions…………………………………. 12 1.7 Nitrogen………………………………………………………………… 13 1.8 Phosphorus……………………………………………………………… 14 Chapter 2: Methods and Materials………………………………………………... 17 2.1 Field Sampling………………………………………………………….. 21 2.2 Groundwater Sampling………………………………………………… 22 2.3 Nutrient Analysis: Total Nitrogen …………………………………….. 22 2.4 Nutrient Analysis: Total Phosphorus ………………………………….. 23 2.5 One-Time Water Sampling…………………………………………….. 24 Chapter 3: Results……………….……………………………………………….. 25 3.1 Site Characteristics……………………………………….….…………. 25 3.2 CMR Water Quality Parameters………………………….……………. 33 3.3 TN Surface Water………………………………………….…………… 33 v 3.4 TP Surface Water……………………………………………………… 34 3.5 Groundwater…………………………………………………………… 36 3.6 Temporal Total Nitrogen and Phosphorus Measurements…………….. 37 3.7 Water Level and Nutrient Input……………………………………….. 43 Chapter 4: Discussion……………………………………………………………. 46 4.1 Trends: Nitrogen………………………………………………………. 47 4.2 Trends: Phosphorus…………………………………………………… 48 4.3 Sources and Pathways: Nitrogen………….………………………….. 50 4.4 Sources and Pathways: Phosphorus………………………………….. 51 4.5 Recommendations and Management Implications…………………… 53 Chapter 5: Conclusions…………………………………………………………… 55 References…………………………………………………………………… 56 vi List of Tables Table Number Description Page 2.1 Study sites and characteristics 19 3.01 Average water parameters and chemistry (UM1) 26 3.02 Average water parameters and chemistry (LM1) 27 3.03 Average water parameters and chemistry (LM2) 27 3.04 Average water parameters and chemistry (LM3) 28 3.05 Average water parameters and chemistry (LM4) 28 3.06 Average water parameters and chemistry (LM5) 29 3.07 Average water parameters and chemistry (LM6) 29 3.08 Average water parameters and chemistry (LM7) 30 3.09 Average water parameters and chemistry (A1) 31 3.10 Average water parameters and chemistry (A2) 32 3.11 Average water parameters and chemistry (A3) 33 vii List of Figures Figure Number Description Page 1.1 Aerial image of the CMR with regional features 5 1.2 Regional geology of the CMR 7 1.3 Soil map of CMR with previous glacial pathways 9 2.1 Images of sample sites UM1, LM5, and A3 20 2.2 Portable spectrophotometer and water vial image 23 3.01 Box plots showing mean TN and TP levels 35 3.02 Groundwater TP and TN concentrations on aerial map 36 view of the CMR 3.03 Weekly TN concentrations in the Upper Missaguash 37 3.04 Weekly TP concentrations in the Upper Missaguash 38 3.05 Weekly TN concentrations in LM7 38 3.06 Weekly TN concentrations in the Lower Missaguash’s 39 newly constructed wetlands 3.07 Weekly TP concentrations in LM7 40 3.08 Weekly TP concentrations in the Lower Missaguash’s 41 newly constructed wetlands 3.09 Weekly TN concentrations in the Amherst Marsh 42 3.10 Weekly TP concentrations in the Amherst Marsh 43 3.11 Daily precipitation amounts over the study period 44 3.12 Temporal graphs mean weekly water level changes 45 and nutrient concentrations viii Abstract The Cumberland Marsh Region (CMR), located on the coast of the Bay of Fundy, is a major feeding ground for waterfowl and contains significant coastal wetland systems. At this site there is concern over the occurrence of wetland senescence (the apparent decline of an ecosystem’s productivity), which appears to be a limiting factor in the viability of the CMR’s constructed wetlands, and results in management challenges. This study focuses on evaluating nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) in both surface and groundwater, and assessing the impact of landscape variability, and temporal and quantitative variations of natural and anthropogenic nutrient sources within altered and constructed wetlands. Water analyses were carried out weekly over a 3-month period on ten constructed freshwater wetlands, one altered freshwater wetland and three ground water sites. Results indicate that the impact of regional N and P sources on the sampled wetland sites is relatively low, and P loading is primarily autochthonous. These observations are supported by low N readings (<3 mg/L) at all sites with little seasonal variation, and higher (eutrophic) P levels that fluctuate without external input (40—300 µg/L) most notably in newly constructed wetlands. Although land use may not be an important contributor to N levels in surface water, a relatively high (5 mg/L) ground water reading suggests that anthropogenic sources exist. These results imply that nutrient sources, inputs, and pathways should be examined when choosing a potential wetland site to avoid the monetary and ecological losses associated with senescent constructed wetlands. ix Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Purpose The Isthmus of Chignecto is an important feeding ground for migratory and residential fauna and encompasses significant important coastal wetland systems. Nutrients and water quality are critical factors that often govern productivity in aquatic ecosystems, and warrant investigation in constructed wetlands (Austin-Smith, 1998; Craft, 1997). The purpose of this study is to investigate the variability of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) levels in constructed wetland systems, and assesses the influence of landscape variability on TN and TP levels in the Cumberland Marsh Region’s (CMR) coastal wetlands. The following questions will be addressed: • What are the concentrations of TN and TP in selected constructed wetlands in the Amherst and Missaguash marshes during June–August 2015? • Do adjacent landscapes have a substantial impact on the nutrient loading to constructed wetlands? • Do groundwater concentrations of TN and TP suggest that groundwater flow may contribute nutrients to constructed wetlands? • Do internal site characteristics such as water chemistry and underlying soils/strata affect TN and TP values? • Which hydrologic pathway in constructed wetlands is dominant, how does it affect nutrient levels, and will substantial rainfall mobilize allochthonous nutrients? • What is the effect of anthropogenic activity on CMR landscape and water quality? 1 1.2 Wetlands Wetlands are aquatic ecosystems that are inundated (periodically, seasonally or permanently) by surface water and/or groundwater, and may be characterized by high hydraulic flux and high nutrient concentration (Cook and Hauer, 2007). They are often cited as the most productive of all ecosystems, and contain abundant macrophytes and unique ecological niches (Mitsch