Assessment of the importance of nitrogen deposition and climate on aquatic production in Boreal lakes downwind of the Athabasca oil sands region

萨斯喀彻温省北部地区的林业、石油和天然气以及采矿业的发展步伐不断加快，可能会改变该地区的生态平衡，对周围的土地和水产生许多潜在的环境影响。特别是，随着阿尔伯塔阿萨巴斯卡油砂区（AOSR）的工业足迹不断扩大，污染物排放量将继续增加，对该开发区下游的湖泊、河流和湿地产生潜在的不利影响（如酸化、营养负荷）。一个尚未得到解决的新问题是，最近AOSR附近和下游地区湖泊产量的增加是否与氮的排放或气候变化有关 条件在这个建议中，我们使用了一个创新的研究设计和古生态学的方法，使用多个 这些指标将确定AOSR排放导致北方湖泊营养物富集的程度（如果有的话）。古湖沼学是一门跨学科的科学，它研究湖泊沉积物中保存的物理、化学和生物遗迹，以提供水生生态系统如何随时间变化的证据。我们建议检查水生生物（藻类和浮游动物）和氮和碳的同位素保存在湖泊沉积物记录的区域内和外的AOSR排放羽，都在一个区域内经历类似的气候变化。我们对湖泊生产指标的分析将为确定AOSR排放和气候的影响提供良好的基础。该项目将采用技术解决各种压力及其潜在相互作用的累积效应，并将导致开发新的方法来评估北方湖泊的健康状况。最后， 回答所提出的重要问题，将提供一个坚实的基础，为发展（或缺乏）的法规和政策的排放标准，以保护水生态系统的北部地区的萨斯喀彻温省，影响到更广泛的背景下北部地区在加拿大。

The growing pace of forestry, oil and gas, and mining developments in the boreal region of Saskatchewan could alter the ecological balance in this region with numerous potential environmental impacts to the surrounding land and water. In particular, as the industrial footprint of the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) in Alberta continues to expand, emissions of pollutants will continue to increase, with potentially detrimental impacts (e.g. acidification, nutrient loading) on the lakes, rivers and wetlands downwind of this development. An emerging issue that has not been addressed is whether recent increases in lake production in regions adjacent to and downwind of the AOSR are linked to emissions of nitrogen or changing climatic conditions. In this proposal, we use an innovative study design and a paleoecological approach, using multiple indicators, that will determine the extent (if any) that AOSR emissions have resulted in nutrient enrichment of boreal lakes. Paleolimnology is an interdisciplinary science that examines the physical, chemical and biological remains preserved in lake sediments to provide evidence of how aquatic ecosystems have changed over time. We propose to examine aquatic organisms (algae and zooplankton) and isotopes of nitrogen and carbon preserved in lake sediment records in regions within and outside of the AOSR emissions plume that are all within a region experiencing similar changes in climate. Our analysis of indicators of production in lakes will provide a sound basis from which to determine the impacts of both emissions from the AOSR and climate. This project will employ techniques addressing the cumulative effects of various stressors and their potential interactions, and will result in the development of new approaches to assess the health of boreal lakes. Finally, answers to the important questions posed, will provide a solid basis for the development (or lack thereof) of regulation and policies of emission standards to protect aquatic ecosystems in the boreal region of Saskatchewan, with implications to the wider context of boreal region across Canada.