Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Coastal Landform Change Influences On Endangered Five-Lined Skink Distribution At Northwest Beach, Point Pelee National Park, Canada, Evan Fortushniok

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

As park visitation increased to Point Pelee National Park up until its peak in 1963, the installation of infrastructure for the purpose of supporting the recreational interest grew with it. At Northwest Beach, large parking lots were built into the coastal landscape and by the 1970s large areas of sand dunes continued to be heavily impacted by the installation of visitor associated infrastructure. The infrastructure resulted in the stabilization of sand on the beach side of the parking lot, resulting in an artificially stabilized and heavily vegetated dune. Over the last few decades, the park slowly reduced the size and …

Dune And Coastal Evolution In Isla Salamanca National Park, Colombia, Juan Felipe Gómez

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This project analyzes natural variables influencing the coastal and dune evolution in Isla Salamanca National Park (ISNP), a biosphere reserve and Ramsar site located in Colombia, on the Caribbean coast. Since at least the early 1950s, the park has been affected by eroding trends along most of the shoreline. Particularly, most modern dunes are located close to the coastline, forming scarped dunes regularly affected by storm wave-action.

The trends through time of rain, bathymetry and coastline changes during the last six decades were studied through statistical analysis, mapping of landscape features, and satellite images and historical aerial photograph …

Understanding The Physiological Effects Of Suspended Material On Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), Tyler J. Weinhardt

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The effect of global warming on northern environments is becoming increasingly evident. Melting of underlying permafrost is associated with widespread impacts in these environments. The loss of permafrost results in a destabilizing of underlying sedimentary layers resulting in thermokarst slumping. When this occurs on a large scale (mega-slumping) soil material becomes mobilized and is carried into local streams and rivers. The purpose of this study is to examine the sub-lethal physiological effects that suspended material has on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the context of the Peel River Plateau. Juvenile rainbow trout were exposed (following Environment Canada exposure …

An Investigation Into The Spatial And Temporal Movement Of The Sand Dunes In The West Lake Ecosystem Of Sandbanks Provincial Park And The Implications For Management (Ontario), Jayson A. Childs

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Sandbanks Provincial Park is located on the northern shore of eastern Lake Ontario approximately 150km east of Toronto. The park is located on the southwestern shore of Prince Edward County in Hallowell Township and the research site was located on the larger of the two baymouth barriers the park protects. The research into aeolian sediment transport was carried out over twelve months in 2003--2004 on the Wellington Baymouth barrier. Vegetated sand dunes are sensitive geomorphic systems and when the protective cover is damaged and removed, changes are inevitable. The study examined variations in the amount of sediment transport in different …

The Relationships Of Vegetation And Bird Communities With Landforms And Geomorphic Processes On The Central Niagara Escarpment (Ontario), Robert John Milne

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study has examined the relationships between geomorphic form and process, vegetation composition and dynamics, and avian populations for landscapes in the central Niagara Escarpment, Southern Ontario. This includes an area extending from Speyside Conservation area near Milton to Mono Cliffs Provincial Park north of Orangeville. Data was collected for geomorphic form and process parameters, vegetation species and structural parameters, and avian species. The physical parameters included a combination of landform characteristics including slope angle, aspect, and landscape position and geomorphic processes, such as creep and debris slides, measured as a level of disturbance. Human levels of disturbance were also …

Dune Morphology Response To Water Level Change, Pinery Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, Michael C.A. Bitton

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis describes the geomorphological changes to a trough blowout in Pinery Provincial Park's sand dunes. The Park is located on Lake Huron’s southeastern shore where, due to rapid changes in Lake Huron water levels, a study could be completed examining the changes to blowout morphology based on the change in beach sediment supply. The study took place during relative low Lake Huron levels (1999-2000) and was compared to data collected during a period of relative high Lake Huron levels (1994-1995). Field research included erosion pin measurement to monitor and verify morphological change through the throat of the blowout, aeolian …

The Effect Of Rock Creep On The Morphology Of Steep-Sloped Sections Of The Niagara Escarpment (Ontario), John Barlow

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The thesis addresses the post-glacial development of the Niagara Cuesta between Hamilton and Collingwood. Conventional thinking on the escarpment during the Holocene suggests that the present morphology developed rapidly following deglaciation due to periglacial processes (Straw, 1966/Tovell 1992). The disruption of the preglacial drainage pattern by drift has meant the escarpment has not been subject to extensive fluvial action along its base, resulting in an extremely slow rate of retreat (Bird, 1980). The concept that the escarpment is a relict feature therefore pervades the modem literature. The apparent motion of the blocks at the face of the escarpment (Hintz, I997) …

An Assessment Of Hydrological Process And Landform Change: Slave River Delta, Northwest Territories, Ronald Brad Hill

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The Slave River Delta, 61˚15'N, 113˚30'W, is located at the mouth of the Slave River in the southeast arm of Canada's Great Slave Lake. Although the delta itself lies some 1600 km downstream from the W.A.C. Bennett Dam at Hudson's Hope, British Columbia, the mean annual discharge and sediment load of the Slave River have decreased by 16% and 33% respectively since regulation. Such alterations in the Slave River flow regime have significant implications for the growth of the River Delta since the transfer of sediment to the delta front is one of the most important factors in the landform’s …

Reexamination Of Scarp Development Along The Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada, David Walter Hintz

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The Niagara Escarpment is generally viewed as a relict landform which shows ancient structural features and the effects of glaciation. Since it was realized that the Escarpment was not a fault, but instead a feature of erosional origin, little interest has been paid to development of the steep cliffed section of the Niagara Escarpment. This research project has several objectives. The first is an examination of the relationship between the morphology of the Escarpment and its geological units. This will include analysis of the structure and lithology of each and the geochemistry, especially, of the Queeston Formation. Associated with the …

Mechanical And Chemical Weathering Of Periglacial And Non-Periglacial Forms On The Eastern Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island (Northwest Territories), Cameron Lawrence Chadwick

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this study is to examine the differences in the mechanical and chemical weathering of different periglacial and non-periglacial forms on the eastern Fosheim Peninsula. Forms studied include: solifluction lobes, non-sorted stripes, polygons, mudboils, wetted sloped, dry ridge and wet meadow. Most sites including the periglacial forms of solifluction lobes, non-sorted stripes, and polygons show signs of chemical and mechanical weathering. The weathering found at all sites was minute but may be significant given the slow rates of weathering in this environment. The individual environmental variables of moisture and temperature levels do not appear to have a direct …

A Field Investigation Of Planimetric Knickpoint Morphology From Rock-Bed Sections Of Niagara Escarpment Fluvial Systems (Ontario), Richard Stanley Pyrce

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study was an initial attempt to understand the impact of parents, peers, the media, and sex education curricula on shaping adolescents' knowledge and attitudes about dating relationships and sexuality. In addition, participants' descriptions of what constitutes a "good" date and a "bad" date were investigated. One hundred participants (48 females, 52 males) aged thirteen to sixteen participated: half of the sample were early adolescents (13-14 years) and the other half were middle adolescents (15-16 years). All participants were asked to describe experienced or hypothetical "good" and "bad" dates. For "good" dates, respondents identified engaging in fun, recreational activities, whereas …

Morphology And Anatomy Of The Norwood Esker, Ontario, John Arthur Dixon

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Over its 25 km. length the Norwood esker traverses two morphologically different areas, a northern section of kame, and a southern section of elongated drumlins. In the north the esker consists of single and multiple ridges: where multiple, the ridges are superimposed on a lower, broader, plateau-like base. In the south a high, steep-sided single ridge is present. In both areas, where single, the ridge splits locally into two narrower ridges which region a short distance downstream.

Internally, the esker contains mostly cross-laminated sands, tough-shaped and tabular sets of cross-bedded sands and gravel, and matrix-supported sandy gravels. The cross-laminated sands …