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Potential Effects Of Road Proximity On Zooplankton Communities And Water Quality In Lakes In The Northwest Territories, Marie N. Hannan

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Studies conducted along Canada’s Dempster Highway in the Northwest Territories have shown that road dust can affect water quality in roadside lakes, leading to higher calcium, conductivity, and pH levels. These water quality changes have the potential to affect important members of the lower aquatic food web, such as zooplankton.

For my thesis research, I had two main objectives: 1) To determine if changes in water chemistry caused by deposition of road dust affects zooplankton communities; and 2) To examine if the type of roadside vegetation influences the effects of road dust on aquatic habitats. To achieve these objectives, I …

Can Zooplankton On The North American Great Plains ‘Keep Up’ With Climate-Driven Salinity Change?, Mariam Elmarsafy

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The Great Plains of North America are projected to become more arid as the climate changes over the next century. Salinity levels for lakes in this region are linked to climate, suggesting that lakes will become more saline as the climate becomes drier. One group of organisms that might be affected by increased salinity levels are the zooplankton, aquatic invertebrates that transfer energy from primary producers to macroinvertebrates and fish. Little is known about the ability of zooplankton to adapt to long-term increases in lake salinity levels. For my thesis, I used resurrection ecology to examine how a common zooplankter, …

Boreal Subarctic Lake Water Quality, Zooplankton Communities, And Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities In Areas Impacted By Wildfire, Thomas J. Pretty

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Wildfires are a natural phenomenon in the boreal forest, but recent studies suggest that there will be increases in the frequency and severity of fires in this region over the next century. When wildfires occur in lake catchments, they may affect water quality and invertebrate communities living in associated lakes. Invertebrates, including zooplankton and benthic invertebrates, play important roles in aquatic food webs, acting as conduits of energy from primary producers to larger organisms such as fish and water birds. Therefore, it is important to understand how these groups will respond to changes caused by fires. Unfortunately, few studies have …

Dispersal As A Buffer Against Zooplankton Community Change In Response To Fluctuating Salinity Levels On The Great Plains, Mercedes Huynh

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The North American Great Plains is home to thousands of closed-basin lakes that are sensitive to changes in hydrology. Climate change models predict increased aridity in this region over the coming century, which is expected to lead to higher salinity levels in many freshwater lakes. Increases in salinity levels may impact zooplankton communities, as laboratory experiments show that many freshwater species have a low tolerance for elevated salinity levels, and field data demonstrate that salinity is the primary factor structuring aquatic communities on the Great Plains. Changes to zooplankton communities could lead to a trophic cascade based on their important …

Factors Influencing Zooplankton Communities In Small Arctic Lakes, Northwest Territories, Jasmina Vucic

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The Canadian Arctic has been warming at an unprecedented rate, causing significant changes to the environment. At the same time, continued development in the north has increased the demand for gravel extraction used to construct and maintain infrastructure such as highways. The development of roadways and gradual loss of permafrost in Canada’s north has led to changes in water quality, including increased calcium, conductivity, and nutrients. In addition, gravel extraction has led to the formation of artificial gravel pit lakes. Research has yet to determine how physical and chemical changes associated with development and permafrost thaw might impact zooplankton, and …