Wetlands in Alberta - capf.ca

1 David Locky, PhD, PWS, PBiolGrant MacEwan UniversityWetlands in Alberta :Challenges and OpportunitiesOverview What & Where Function & Value Alberta s Keystone Ecosystem Losses & Impacts Restoration & Construction A Few Points on Policy Observations & are the only ecosystem in the world recognized by internationaltreaty, the Ramsar ConventionWhat & WhereWhat: Wetland with promote wetland or aquatic drained soils,hydrophytic kinds of biological activityWetlands in AlbertaEnvironment Canada Well, actually, Doreen, I rather resent beingcalled a swamp thing , .. I prefer the term Wetlands -challenged mutant. Wetland ClassificationClassification in AlbertaClassification of Natural Ponds and Lakes in the Glaciated Prairie RegionStewart & Kantrud (1971)Five Classes of Wetlands Bog Fen Swamp Marsh Shallow Water WetlandClassification in AlbertaMineral Soil WetlandPeatlandWetlands in AlbertaEnvironment CanadaPeat-forming?

2 NoYesWetlands in AlbertaBogFenConifer SwampShrub SwampMarshShallowWaterWetlandSwampPeat-f orming?NoYesMineral Soil WetlandPeatlandWhere Are The Wetlands ?Vitt et al.(2000)Western Canadian Peatlands P E AT LA N DZONEMINERALSOILWETLANDZONE Bog Fen Conifer Swamp Marsh SWW Shrub SwampAlberta sTwo Wetland RegionsWetlands in Alberta 11% of Canada s Wetlands ? ~20% of the province? ~93% peatlands? ~7% MSW?Wetland Function and ValueFunction encompasses the science-based performance of a wetland whereas value includes a socio-economic usefulness factorFunction vs. ValueSources Water Sediment (Peat) BiodiversitySinks Water Sediment (Peat)Transformers Biogeochemistry Water Physical ForcesWetland FunctionFunctional DifferencesKusler 1983 Type Size LocationWetland Value Flood Control Groundwater Recharge Shoreline Stabilization and Storm Protection Sediment and Nutrient Retention, and Export Climate Change Mitigation, Water Purification Reservoirs of Biodiversity Wetland Products Recreation and Tourism Cultural ValueAlberta Wetlands :Some Points onFunction and ValueProductivity Important for biodiversity far beyond borders Maintain hydrology of adjacent areas Temporary habitat and refuge for upland sppBiodiversityMean Spp.

3 Richness 01020304050 BryophytesVascular PlantsLocky & Bayley 2006 Plant DiversityLocky & Bayley 2006 WoodedBogOpenER FenBlack SpruceSwampWoodedMR FenOpenMR FenpH/AlkalinityConductanceWater tableMicrohabitatsHighHighHighHighLowLow LowLowLowMR = Moderate-richER = Extreme-richBiodiversity MechanismsWooded Moderate-rich Fen Often the last remaining areas in degraded landscapes &, thus, mitigate fragmentation Mitigate FragmentationNWTHay-ZamaLakesPeace-Athab ascaDeltaWhooping CraneSummer RangeBeaverhillLakeSKABBCUSAR amsarin AB Highly effective at removing sediments, excess nutrients, and pollution Natural and constructed wetlandsStorage and FiltersWetlands AreWell-ConnectedLOCAL ANDREGIONALDISCHARGELOCALRECHARGELOCALDI SCHARGELOCALDISCHARGELOCAL ANDINTERMEDIATEDISCHARGERECHARGELOCALREC HARGES tream/WetlandSpringDrainageDivideCarbon Peatlands represent 25% to 50% of the global carbon pool 147 Gtin Canada, 17 Gtin Alberta Complex cycle: CO2& CH4 Source or sink?

4 Wetlands are worth more per hectarethan most other ecosystem types Costanzaet al. 1997 - $/ha/year: $19,580 Flood control/acre/year: $96,000 Nutrient filtration/acre/year: $75,196 Water supply/acre/year: $291,357 Horticultural peat in Alberta /year: $69 MEconomic Valueof WetlandsEstimated Cost of the Loss of Alberta s Wetlands : $ B (1999) Have an impact on the landscape inordinate to their size or distributionKeystone EcosystemsWetlands are Alberta s Keystone EcosystemLosses & Impacts:Over 60% of Alberta s Wetlands have been lost in the settled region but 93% of Alberta s Wetlands are in the unsettled regionPeatland ZoneThe Atlas of Canada (2004)Climate Change Carbon? Function? Value?No ChangeVery SlightSlightModerateSevereExtremely SevereSensitivity LevelMany of Alberta s peatlands initiated 6,000 years ago when the climate was much wetter -- their existence may be tenuous based on current climate projectionsDirect ImpactsConventional Oil & GasForestryIn-Situ Oil Sands Technology: 80% of OSR Expensive Challenging Restoration?

5 Peatland ZoneGooglemapsOil Sands Mining: Air Land Surface Water Ground WaterPeatland ZoneGooglemapsOil Sands Mines: Eight approved -- 1500 km2 Other proposed --Additional 700 km2 Much of this is lost peatland (45-50%)Peatland ZoneCan We Bring Them Back?Restoration & ConstructionWetland ConstructionEIACity of EdmontonPeak Experience ImageryEIAS hepardWetland, CalgaryKennedale Wetland, EdmontonSuncor ReclamationThere are no known examples of successfully constructed peatlands in the worldSyncrudeConstructed FenSuncor Constructed FenA Few Points onWetland Policy in Alberta Federal Provincial MunicipalThe Tools 1991 29% of Canada No-net-loss of AlbertaFederal Policy Calgary has no-net-loss policy Edmonton has no wetland policy Many examples where Alberta s no-net-losspolicy was appliedMunicipal PolicyProvincial a process to reduce wetland loss by1.

6 Avoid2. Minimize3. CompensateRestoration/Compensation3:1 Restoration/MitigationWetland Replacement Ratio Graph2006A Case ofSemi-Permanency Well pad on dry land (2005) Flooded next year (2006)Provincial Policy?Challenges & OpportunitiesWetland Policy and Practice in Alberta :An Opportunity for Leadership We knowthe way We have theexpertise Thetiming has never been better Policy, evaluation,science, managementWetland Monitoring Programsand Protocols Wetland inventory Wetland classification Evaluation, carbon,climate change, planning Baseline for what we have, cumulative impactsTwo Types, Two Regions, Two Strategies Strong dichotomy for all elements Peatlands vs. mineral soil Wetlands Wetland loss, land use, and population Mineral Soil Wetland Zone Peatland ZoneWetlands are Alberta s Keystone Ecosystem Strong linkages between terrestrial &aquatic Many functions and high value All of Alberta s biomes Bellwether Marketable size black spruce and tamarack are common in peatlands Ditching, mounding, and draining Winter when organic soils are frozenPeatland Logging Basics Watering-up Modification of soil microclimate Loss of nutrients with tree biomass Reduction of soil hydraulic conductivity Introduction of weedy species (fens vs.)

7 Bogs) Formation of stable shrub communities Paludification and reduction of productivityEffects of Peatland Logging Higher precipitation = much timber Bogs and black spruce swamps Black spruce >10cm dbh Peat depth m of forest that is logged is peatlandPeatland Logging in NE Ont. Specialized or adapted equipment is UPeatland Logging in NE Peatlandsin the Western BorealLocky & Bayley. 2007. CJFRS table Shrub CommunitiesWeedsExposed PeatImplications Changes to plant succession Changes to soil and surface watersShort-term EffectsSummary Disturbed, sterile peat More vascular plants, weeds Stable shrub communitiesPotential Longer-term EffectsSummary Based on known limitations, will peatland logging become a significant activity in the western boreal region?

8 Seismic and related activities take significantly more black spruce and tamarack from peatlands than it matter?Further ObservationsAthabasca UniversityConventional & Oil of logging in older harvest blocks (post 20 years)? in fens vs. bogs vs. black spruce swamps? peatlands vs. burned peatlands?Research OpportunitiesDavid