Physical and Environmental Geography Commons^™

Nitrate Sources And Lake Response In High Elevation Lakes, Uinta Mountains, Utah, Beth J. Hundey

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Direct human activities in the Uinta Mountains, Utah, U.S.A., are limited to free-range grazing and recreation, but the larger-scale perturbations of climate warming and atmospheric deposition could also affect these remote sites. As few limnological measurements are available, it is difficult to discern whether changes in the high alpine lake ecosystems are occurring in this area. This study uses a range of paleolimnological and limnological techniques to: (1) identify the timing, nature, and causes of changes in primary production in high elevation Uinta Mountain lakes; (2) pinpoint the relative contributions of different sources of nitrate to these aquatic ecosystems; and …