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Skip to Search Results- 1Alexander Jonathan Frederick Mertens
- 1Burd, Katheryn
- 1Frei, Rebecca J
- 1Gibson, C M
- 1Kuhn, McKenzie Ann
- 1Pugh, Emily Audrey
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Consequences of peatland disturbance for dissolved organic matter and nutrient transport and fate in northern catchments
DownloadFall 2023
Northern peatlands contain ~415 Pg of carbon (C) in soil organic matter and are significant sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in inland waters. DOM includes a range of molecules that are C-rich and may also contain nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). The escalating disturbance of peatlands...
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From Drought to Deluge: Implications of variable hydrologic connectivity on lake ecosystem functions in the Boreal Plains of Western Canada
DownloadFall 2021
Presence and functions of lakes are dependent on hydrological connectivity to the terrestrial landscape. Inter-annual wet-dry periods, and their amplification through climate change, can influence hydrological connectivity and affect the delivery of water and solutes from various terrestrial...
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Northern Wetlands and Lakes: Circumpolar and Local Perspectives
DownloadFall 2021
Methane (CH4) emissions from Boreal-Arctic wetlands and lakes are likely to increase in a warming climate, and thus add to the atmospheric burden of greenhouse gases (GHG). However, there are large uncertainties in current estimates of CH4 emissions from northern ecosystems, and I have a limited...
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Influence of wildfire and permafrost thaw on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in northern peatlands; implications for lability and downstream transport
DownloadFall 2017
Peatlands in Canada’s western boreal forest are a major source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to downstream ecosystems, where DOC regulates carbon cycling, and can affect ecosystem productivity and habitat quality. Subarctic ecosystems are becoming increasingly vulnerable to the effects of...
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Landscape influences on downstream concentrations of mercury, methylmercury, and dissolved organic carbon in permafrost peatland catchments
DownloadFall 2024
Thawing permafrost in northern regions threatens to increase the downstream delivery of mercury (Hg) and its organic form, methylmercury (MeHg). Permafrost thaw may mobilize large Hg and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) stores from permafrost soils. Once mobilized, inorganic Hg (Hg(II)) can be...
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Long Term Effects of Wildfire on Permafrost Stability and Carbon Cycling in Northern Peatlands
DownloadFall 2017
Changing fire dynamics and increasing global temperatures are causing changes to the fire regime and permafrost stability in the Arctic. Models have separately predicted the widespread thawing of permafrost and increasing magnitude and intensity of wildfires over the next century. However, while...
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Methylmercury production and export across the terrestrial-aquatic continuum in permafrost peatland catchments
DownloadFall 2023
Ongoing permafrost thaw in northern peatland catchments may increase the production and downstream delivery of neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg) across the terrestrial-aquatic continuum. Peatlands in boreal-Arctic regions have large stocks of mercury (Hg) in frozen soils, accumulated through...
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Offsetting approved harmful anthropogenic impacts in the 21st century – Insights into global offsetting practices, habitat banking as an alternative offsetting mechanism and application of habitat enhancement in northern boreal lake systems
DownloadFall 2022
Land-use change via human development is a major driver of biodiversity and habitat area loss and ecosystem function impairment. To reduce these impacts, billions of dollars are spent on environmental offsets, aimed to compensate for authorized negative impacts. Studies evaluating offset project...
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Out of the Dark, into the Light? Influence of Wildfire and Thermokarst on Greenhouse Gas Fluxes from Boreal Peat Landscapes near the southern Limit of Permafrost
DownloadFall 2024
Wildfire and permafrost thaw have been common disturbances in the boreal zone for millennia and are now intensified by warming due to human-made climate change. The Taiga Plains ecozone in northwestern Canada is warming at a faster rate than other regions. In this ecozone, permafrost is found at...
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Spatial variability and controls on surface water chemistry and quality in a heterogeneous landscape: the Western Boreal Forest
DownloadFall 2018
Alexander Jonathan Frederick Mertens
Shallow lakes are highly abundant in the Canadian Western Boreal Forest (WBF) and provide essential ecosystem functions, water resources, sources of biodiversity and anthropogenic values. Increasing exposure to resource development and climate change are putting these lakes at risk, raising the...