A comparison of the effects of beaver ponds and forest harvest on stream methylmercury in boreal watersheds
Beaver ponds and forest harvest are common disturbances in the Canadian boreal forest that result in major changes to catchment hydrology and thus also influence the mobilization and methylation of mercury (Hg). Though both beaver ponds and forest harvest frequently occur in the same watersheds, the...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Environmental Research: Ecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-664X/ada8b2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832542890306306048 |
|---|---|
| author | W Y Lam R W Mackereth C M E Lajoie K A Kidd C P J Mitchell |
| author_facet | W Y Lam R W Mackereth C M E Lajoie K A Kidd C P J Mitchell |
| author_sort | W Y Lam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Beaver ponds and forest harvest are common disturbances in the Canadian boreal forest that result in major changes to catchment hydrology and thus also influence the mobilization and methylation of mercury (Hg). Though both beaver ponds and forest harvest frequently occur in the same watersheds, the possible interactive effects are not well understood. To evaluate the comparative effects of these two disturbances, this study examined in-stream total mercury and methylmercury (MeHg) across 7 stream reaches in the central Canadian boreal forest. Results showed that downstream-to-upstream MeHg concentration ratios were more highly correlated to the presence of beaver ponds than to the presence of forest harvest. However, MeHg concentrations upstream of ponds were higher in streams within harvested watersheds; these streams demonstrated a weaker correlation between beaver pond presence and downstream-to-upstream MeHg concentration ratios. Understanding these comparative and cumulative effects of beaver ponds and forest harvest will allow forest managers to consider how harvest activity could affect downstream MeHg in areas with high beaver activity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4872732e5ade489fa35b5cfc30dc630d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2752-664X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research: Ecology |
| spelling | doaj-art-4872732e5ade489fa35b5cfc30dc630d2025-02-03T12:16:27ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research: Ecology2752-664X2025-01-014101500610.1088/2752-664X/ada8b2A comparison of the effects of beaver ponds and forest harvest on stream methylmercury in boreal watershedsW Y Lam0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8172-3283R W Mackereth1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5017-1567C M E Lajoie2https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4132-3695K A Kidd3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5619-1358C P J Mitchell4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8538-5138Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough , Toronto, ON, CanadaCentre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources , Thunder Bay, ON, CanadaDepartment of Biology, McMaster University , Hamilton, ON, CanadaDepartment of Biology, McMaster University , Hamilton, ON, CanadaDepartment of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough , Toronto, ON, CanadaBeaver ponds and forest harvest are common disturbances in the Canadian boreal forest that result in major changes to catchment hydrology and thus also influence the mobilization and methylation of mercury (Hg). Though both beaver ponds and forest harvest frequently occur in the same watersheds, the possible interactive effects are not well understood. To evaluate the comparative effects of these two disturbances, this study examined in-stream total mercury and methylmercury (MeHg) across 7 stream reaches in the central Canadian boreal forest. Results showed that downstream-to-upstream MeHg concentration ratios were more highly correlated to the presence of beaver ponds than to the presence of forest harvest. However, MeHg concentrations upstream of ponds were higher in streams within harvested watersheds; these streams demonstrated a weaker correlation between beaver pond presence and downstream-to-upstream MeHg concentration ratios. Understanding these comparative and cumulative effects of beaver ponds and forest harvest will allow forest managers to consider how harvest activity could affect downstream MeHg in areas with high beaver activity.https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-664X/ada8b2beavermercurymethylmercuryforest harvestimpoundmentdam |
| spellingShingle | W Y Lam R W Mackereth C M E Lajoie K A Kidd C P J Mitchell A comparison of the effects of beaver ponds and forest harvest on stream methylmercury in boreal watersheds Environmental Research: Ecology beaver mercury methylmercury forest harvest impoundment dam |
| title | A comparison of the effects of beaver ponds and forest harvest on stream methylmercury in boreal watersheds |
| title_full | A comparison of the effects of beaver ponds and forest harvest on stream methylmercury in boreal watersheds |
| title_fullStr | A comparison of the effects of beaver ponds and forest harvest on stream methylmercury in boreal watersheds |
| title_full_unstemmed | A comparison of the effects of beaver ponds and forest harvest on stream methylmercury in boreal watersheds |
| title_short | A comparison of the effects of beaver ponds and forest harvest on stream methylmercury in boreal watersheds |
| title_sort | comparison of the effects of beaver ponds and forest harvest on stream methylmercury in boreal watersheds |
| topic | beaver mercury methylmercury forest harvest impoundment dam |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-664X/ada8b2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wylam acomparisonoftheeffectsofbeaverpondsandforestharvestonstreammethylmercuryinborealwatersheds AT rwmackereth acomparisonoftheeffectsofbeaverpondsandforestharvestonstreammethylmercuryinborealwatersheds AT cmelajoie acomparisonoftheeffectsofbeaverpondsandforestharvestonstreammethylmercuryinborealwatersheds AT kakidd acomparisonoftheeffectsofbeaverpondsandforestharvestonstreammethylmercuryinborealwatersheds AT cpjmitchell acomparisonoftheeffectsofbeaverpondsandforestharvestonstreammethylmercuryinborealwatersheds AT wylam comparisonoftheeffectsofbeaverpondsandforestharvestonstreammethylmercuryinborealwatersheds AT rwmackereth comparisonoftheeffectsofbeaverpondsandforestharvestonstreammethylmercuryinborealwatersheds AT cmelajoie comparisonoftheeffectsofbeaverpondsandforestharvestonstreammethylmercuryinborealwatersheds AT kakidd comparisonoftheeffectsofbeaverpondsandforestharvestonstreammethylmercuryinborealwatersheds AT cpjmitchell comparisonoftheeffectsofbeaverpondsandforestharvestonstreammethylmercuryinborealwatersheds |