wetlands in alberta - capf.ca - college of alberta ... in alberta.pdf · wetlands are the only...
TRANSCRIPT
David Locky, PhD, PWS, PBiolGrant MacEwan University
Wetlands in Alberta:Challenges and Opportunities
Overview• What & Where• Function & Value• Alberta’s Keystone Ecosystem• Losses & Impacts• Restoration & Construction• A Few Points on Policy• Observations & Insights…
Wetlands are the only ecosystem in the world recognized by international
treaty, the Ramsar Convention
What & Where
What: Wetland Defined
Land…saturated with water…
to promote wetland or aquatic processes…poorly drained soils,
hydrophytic vegetation…various kinds of biological activity
Wetlands in Alberta
Environment Canada
“Well, actually, Doreen, I rather resent beingcalled a ‘swamp thing’, … I prefer the term
‘wetlands-challenged mutant.’ “
Wetland Classification
Classification in Alberta
Classification of Natural Ponds and Lakes in the Glaciated Prairie RegionStewart & Kantrud (1971)
Five Classes of Wetlands• Bog• Fen• Swamp• Marsh• Shallow Water Wetland
Classification in Alberta
Mineral Soil Wetland Peatland
Wetlands in Alberta
Environment Canada
Peat-forming?No Yes
Wetlands in Alberta
Bog
Fen
Conifer SwampShrub Swamp
Marsh
ShallowWater
Wetland
Swamp
Peat-forming?No Yes
Mineral Soil Wetland Peatland
Where Are The Wetlands?
Vitt et al. (2000)
Western Canadian Peatlands
PEATLANDZONE
MINERALSOIL
WETLANDZONE
• Bog• Fen• Conifer Swamp
• Marsh• SWW• Shrub Swamp
Alberta’sTwo Wetland Regions
Wetlands in Alberta
• 11% of Canada’s wetlands?
• ~20% of the province?
• ~93% peatlands? ~7% MSW?
Wetland Function and Value
Function encompasses the science-based ‘performance’ of a wetland whereas value
includes a socio-economic ‘usefulness’ factor
Function vs. Value
Sources• Water• Sediment (Peat)• Biodiversity
Sinks• Water• Sediment (Peat)
Transformers• Biogeochemistry• Water• Physical Forces
Wetland Function
Functional Differences
Kusler 1983
• Type
• Size
• Location
Wetland Value• Flood Control• Groundwater Recharge• Shoreline Stabilization and Storm Protection• Sediment and Nutrient Retention, and Export• Climate Change Mitigation, Water Purification• Reservoirs of Biodiversity• Wetland Products• Recreation and Tourism• Cultural Value
Alberta Wetlands:Some Points on
Function and Value
Productivity
• Important for biodiversity far beyond borders
• Maintain hydrology of adjacent areas
• Temporary habitat and refuge for upland spp
Biodiversity
Mea
n S
pp. R
ichn
ess
0
10
20
30
40
50BryophytesVascular Plants
Locky & Bayley 2006
Plant Diversity
Locky & Bayley 2006
WoodedBog
OpenER Fen
Black SpruceSwamp
WoodedMR Fen
OpenMR Fen
pH/AlkalinityConductanceWater table
MicrohabitatsHigh
HighHighHigh
Low
LowLowLow
LowMR = Moderate-rich
ER = Extreme-rich
Biodiversity Mechanisms
Wooded Moderate-rich Fen
• Often the last remaining areas in degraded landscapes &, thus, mitigate fragmentation
Mitigate Fragmentation
NWTHay-Zama
Lakes
Peace-AthabascaDelta
Whooping CraneSummer Range
BeaverhillLake
SK
AB
BC
USA
Ramsarin AB
• Highly effective at removing sediments, excess nutrients, and pollution
• Natural and constructed wetlands
Storage and Filters
Wetlands AreWell-Connected
LOCAL ANDREGIONAL
DISCHARGE
LOCALRECHARGE LOCAL
DISCHARGE
LOCALDISCHARGE
LOCAL ANDINTERMEDIATE
DISCHARGE
RECHARGELOCAL
RECHARGE
Stre
am/
Wet
land
Sprin
g
Drain
age
Divid
e
Carbon • Peatlands represent
25% to 50% of the global carbon pool
• 147 Gt in Canada, 17 Gt in Alberta
• Complex cycle: CO2 & CH4
• Source or sink?
Wetlands are worth more per hectarethan most other ecosystem types
• Costanza et al. 1997 - $/ha/year: $19,580
• Flood control/acre/year: $96,000
• Nutrient filtration/acre/year: $75,196
• Water supply/acre/year: $291,357
• Horticultural peat in Alberta/year: $69 M
Economic Valueof Wetlands
Estimated Cost of the Loss of Alberta’s Wetlands: $45.7 B (1999)
• Have an impact on the landscape inordinate to their size or distribution
Keystone Ecosystems
Wetlands are Alberta’s Keystone Ecosystem
Losses & Impacts:
Over 60% of Alberta’s wetlands have been lost in the settled region but “93%” of Alberta’s
wetlands are in the unsettled region
Peatland ZoneThe Atlas of Canada (2004)Climate Change
• Carbon?• Function?• Value?
No Change
Very Slight
Slight
Moderate
Severe
Extremely Severe
Sensitivity Level
Many of Alberta’s peatlands initiated 6,000 years ago when the climate was much wetter
-- their existence may be tenuous based on current climate projections
Direct Impacts
Conventional Oil & Gas
Forestry
In-Situ Oil Sands Technology:• 80% of OSR
• Expensive
• Challenging
• Restoration?
Peatland Zone
Googlemaps
Oil Sands Mining:• Air
• Land
• Surface Water
• Ground Water
Peatland Zone
Googlemaps
Oil Sands Mines:• Eight approved -- 1500 km2
• Other proposed -- Additional 700 km2
• Much of this is lost peatland (45-50%)
Peatland Zone
Can We Bring Them Back?Restoration & Construction
Wetland Construction
EIA
City of Edmonton
Peak Experience Imagery
EIA
Shepard Wetland, Calgary
Kennedale Wetland, Edmonton
Suncor Reclamation
There are no known examples of successfully constructed peatlands in the world
Syncrude Constructed Fen
Suncor Constructed Fen
A Few Points onWetland Policy in Alberta
• Federal
• Provincial
• Municipal
The Tools
• 1991
• 29% of Canada
• No-net-loss
• 10.6% of Alberta
Federal Policy
• Calgary has no-net-loss policy
• Edmonton has no wetland policy
• Many examples where Alberta’s no-net-loss policy was applied
Municipal Policy
Provincial Policy1993 1993
Mitigation… a process to reduce
wetland loss by
1. Avoid
2. Minimize
3. Compensate
Restoration/Compensation
3:1
Restoration/Mitigation
Wetland Replacement Ratio Graph
2006
A Case ofSemi-
Permanency
• Well pad on dry land (2005)
• Flooded next year (2006)
Provincial Policy
?
Challenges & Opportunities
Wetland Policy and Practice in Alberta:An Opportunity for Leadership
• We know the way
• We have the expertise
• The timing has never been better
• Policy, evaluation, science, management
Wetland Monitoring Programsand Protocols
• Wetland inventory
• Wetland classification
• Evaluation, carbon, climate change, planning
• Baseline for what we have, cumulative impacts
Two Types, Two Regions, Two Strategies
• Strong dichotomy for all elements
• Peatlands vs. mineral soil wetlands
• Wetland loss, land use, and population
• Mineral Soil Wetland Zone – Peatland Zone
Wetlands are Alberta’s Keystone Ecosystem
• Strong linkages between terrestrial & aquatic
• Many functions and high value
• All of Alberta’s biomes
• Bellwether
• Marketable size black spruce and tamarack are common in peatlands
• Ditching, mounding, and draining
• Winter when organic soils are frozen
Peatland Logging Basics
• Watering-up• Modification of soil microclimate• Loss of nutrients with tree biomass• Reduction of soil hydraulic conductivity• Introduction of weedy species (fens vs. bogs)• Formation of stable shrub communities• Paludification and reduction of productivity
Effects of Peatland Logging
• Higher precipitation = much timber
• Bogs and black spruce swamps
• Black spruce >10cm dbh
• Peat depth 0.5 – 1.0 m
• ½ of forest that is logged is peatland
Peatland Logging in NE Ont.
• Specialized or adapted equipment is used
http://www.unb.ca/standint/nbcc/machine/skidding/cbunkskd.jpg
Lakehead U
Peatland Logging in NE Ont.
Logging Peatlandsin the Western Boreal
Locky & Bayley. 2007. CJFR
Stable Shrub CommunitiesWeeds
Exposed Peat
Implications
• Changes to plant succession• Changes to soil and surface waters
Short-term Effects
Summary
• Disturbed, sterile peat• More vascular plants, weeds• Stable shrub communities
Potential Longer-term Effects
Summary
• Based on known limitations, will peatland logging become a significant activity in the western boreal region?
• Seismic and related activities take significantly more black spruce and tamarack from peatlands than logging….
Does it matter?
Further Observations
Athabasca University
Conventional & Oil Sands
1. Effects of logging in older harvest blocks (post 20 years)?
2. Logging in fens vs. bogs vs. black spruce swamps?
3. Logged peatlands vs. burned peatlands?
Research Opportunities
David [email protected]
Thank you...