Effects of partial-catchment helicopter liming on stream water chemistry in West River Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia Lobke Rotteveel Supervisors: Dr. Shannon M. Sterling (Earth Sciences Department, Dalhousie University) Dr. Edmund A. Halfyard (Nova Scotia Salmon Association) Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Honours Bachelor of Science at Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia April 2018 BSc in Environmental Sciences Honour’s Thesis Table of Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 5 1.1 Problem Statement ........................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Background ...................................................................................................................... 6 1.2.1 Freshwater acidification in Nova Scotia ................................................................... 6 1.2.2 Mobilization of aluminium due to acidification ....................................................... 7 1.2.3 Aluminium speciation in acidified waters ................................................................ 7 1.2.4 Effects of chronic freshwater acidification on Atlantic salmon................................ 8 1.2.5 Mitigating freshwater acidification ........................................................................... 9 1.3 Knowledge Gap .............................................................................................................. 10 1.3.1 Absence of helicopter liming attempts in Nova Scotia ........................................... 10 1.3.2 Poor understanding of water chemistry responses to terrestrial liming in Nova Scotia ……………………………………………………………………………………. 10 1.4 Study Introduction .......................................................................................................... 11 1.4.1 Study objectives ...................................................................................................... 11 1.4.2 Research questions .................................................................................................. 11 1.4.3 Study scope ............................................................................................................. 12 1.4.4 Methodology overview ........................................................................................... 13 2 Literature Review.................................................................................................................. 15 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 15 2.2 Freshwater Acidification ................................................................................................ 15 2.2.1 Sources .................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.2 Large-Scope Mitigation Efforts .............................................................................. 17 2.2.3 Freshwater Acidification in Nova Scotia ................................................................ 17 2.2.4 Effects on Southern Upland Atlantic Salmon ......................................................... 18 2.3 Liming ............................................................................................................................ 21 2.3.1 Liming Methods ...................................................................................................... 21 2.3.2 Prior Terrestrial Liming Efforts .............................................................................. 25 2.3.3 Liming Efforts in Nova Scotia ................................................................................ 26 2.4 Knowledge gaps ............................................................................................................. 27 2.4.1 Absence of Helicopter Liming Attempts in Nova Scotia ....................................... 27 2.4.2 Poor Understanding of Water Chemistry Responses to Terrestrial Liming in Nova Scotia ……………………………………………………………………………………. 27 2.5 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 28 Page 1 of 85 BSc in Environmental Sciences Honour’s Thesis 3 Methods................................................................................................................................. 29 3.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 29 3.2 Study Sites ...................................................................................................................... 30 3.3 Catchment Liming .......................................................................................................... 33 3.4 Data Collection ............................................................................................................... 34 3.4.1 Sampling schedule .................................................................................................. 34 3.4.2 Contributed Water Chemistry Data ........................................................................ 34 3.4.3 Sample Collection ................................................................................................... 36 3.4.4 Laboratory Analysis ................................................................................................ 37 3.4.5 Post Laboratory Analysis ........................................................................................ 39 3.4.6 Spatial Analysis ...................................................................................................... 39 3.4.7 Statistical Analysis .................................................................................................. 39 3.5 Limitations ..................................................................................................................... 40 4 Results ................................................................................................................................... 41 4.1 Statistical Analysis ......................................................................................................... 41 4.1.1 Study Site Selection Evaluation .............................................................................. 44 4.1.2 LMM/GLMM Model Evaluation ............................................................................ 44 4.1.3 Effects of Liming .................................................................................................... 41 4.2 Timeseries Analysis ....................................................................................................... 45 4.2.1 Initial Response to Liming ...................................................................................... 45 4.2.2 Ongoing Response to Liming ................................................................................. 46 4.3 Spatial Analysis .............................................................................................................. 49 5 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 54 5.1 Statistical Analysis ......................................................................................................... 54 5.1.1 Study Site Selection Evaluation .............................................................................. 54 5.1.2 LMM/GLMM Model Evaluation ............................................................................ 54 5.1.3 Effects of Liming .................................................................................................... 54 5.2 Timeseries analysis ........................................................................................................ 56 5.2.1 Initial Response to Liming ...................................................................................... 56 5.2.2 Ongoing Response to Liming ................................................................................. 57 5.3 Spatial Analysis .............................................................................................................. 60 6 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 63 7 References ............................................................................................................................. 65 8 Appendices ............................................................................................................................ 74 Page 2 of 85 BSc in Environmental Sciences Honour’s Thesis 8.1 Laboratory Detection Limits .......................................................................................... 74 8.2 Data Sources ................................................................................................................... 75 8.3 Spatial Analysis ArcGIS Model ..................................................................................... 76 8.4 LMM/GLMM Analysis R Script ................................................................................... 79 8.5 Water Chemistry Data Distribution................................................................................ 83 8.6 Spatial Analysis Model Output .....................................................................................