Wetlands in Alberta: Challenges and Opportunities David Locky, PhD, PWS, PBiol Grant MacEwan University
Overview What & Where Function & Value Alberta s Keystone Ecosystem Losses & Impacts Restoration & Construction A Few Points on Policy Observations & Insights
Wetlands are the only ecosystem in the world recognized by international treaty, the Ramsar Convention
What & Where
What: Wetland Defined Land saturated with water to promote wetland or aquatic processes poorly drained soils, hydrophytic vegetation various kinds of biological activity
Wetlands in Alberta Environment Canada
Wetland Classification Well, actually, Doreen, I rather resent being called a swamp thing, I prefer the term wetlands-challenged mutant.
Classification in Alberta Classification of Natural Ponds and Lakes in the Glaciated Prairie Region Stewart & Kantrud (1971)
Classification in Alberta Five Classes of Wetlands Bog Fen Swamp Marsh Shallow Water Wetland
Wetlands in Alberta Mineral Soil Wetland Peat-forming? No Yes Peatland Environment Canada
Wetlands in Alberta Peat-forming? No Yes Mineral Soil Wetland Peatland Shallow Water Wetland Bog Swamp Marsh Fen Shrub Swamp Conifer Swamp
Where Are The Wetlands?
Western Canadian Peatlands Vitt et al. (2000)
Alberta s Two Wetland Regions PEATLAND ZONE Bog Fen Conifer Swamp MINERAL SOIL WETLAND ZONE Marsh SWW Shrub Swamp
Wetlands in Alberta 11% of Canada s wetlands? ~20% of the province? ~93% peatlands? ~7% MSW?
Wetland Function and Value
Function vs. Value Function encompasses the science-based performance of a wetland whereas value includes a socio-economic usefulness factor
Wetland Function Sources Water Sediment (Peat) Biodiversity Sinks Water Sediment (Peat) Transformers Biogeochemistry Water Physical Forces
Functional Kusler 1983 Differences Type Size Location
Wetland 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 Value
Alberta Wetlands: Some Points on Function and Value
Productivity
Biodiversity Important for biodiversity far beyond borders Maintain hydrology of adjacent areas Temporary habitat and refuge for upland spp
Plant Diversity Mean Spp. Richness 50 40 30 20 10 0 Bryophytes Vascular Plants Locky & Bayley 2006
Biodiversity Mechanisms Wooded Bog Black Spruce Swamp Wooded MR Fen Open MR Fen Open ER Fen Low Low Low Low MR = Moderate-rich ER = Extreme-rich ph/alkalinity Conductance Water table Microhabitats High High High High Low Locky & Bayley 2006
Wooded Moderate-rich Fen
Mitigate Fragmentation Often the last remaining areas in degraded landscapes &, thus, mitigate fragmentation
Ramsar in AB Hay-Zama Lakes Whooping Crane Summer Range NWT AB Peace-Athabasca Delta BC Beaverhill Lake SK USA
Storage and Filters Highly effective at removing sediments, excess nutrients, and pollution Natural and constructed wetlands
Wetlands Are Well-Connected LOCAL AND REGIONAL DISCHARGE LOCAL RECHARGE LOCAL AND INTERMEDIATE DISCHARGE LOCAL RECHARGE LOCAL DISCHARGE Spring RECHARGE LOCAL DISCHARGE Stream/ Wetland Drainage Divide
Carbon Peatlands represent 25% to 50% of the global carbon pool 147 Gt in Canada, 17 Gt in Alberta Complex cycle: CO 2 & CH 4 Source or sink?
Wetlands are worth more per hectare than most other ecosystem types
Economic Value of Wetlands Costanza et 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 M
Estimated Cost of the Loss of Alberta s Wetlands: $45.7 B (1999)
Keystone Ecosystems Have an impact on the landscape inordinate to their size or distribution Wetlands are Alberta s Keystone Ecosystem
Losses & Impacts:
Over 60% of Alberta s wetlands have been lost in the settled region but 93% of Alberta s wetlands are in the unsettled region
Peatland Zone Climate Change The Atlas of Canada (2004) Sensitivity Level No Change Very Slight Slight Moderate Severe Extremely Severe Carbon? Function? Value?
Many of Alberta s peatlands initiated 6,000 years ago when the climate was much wetter -- their existence may be tenuous based on current climate projections
Direct Impacts Forestry Conventional Oil & Gas
Peatland Zone In-Situ Oil Sands Technology: 80% of OSR Expensive Challenging Restoration? Googlemaps
Peatland Zone Oil Sands Mining: Air Land Surface Water Ground Water Googlemaps
Peatland Zone Oil Sands Mines: Eight approved -- 1500 km 2 Other proposed -- Additional 700 km 2 Much of this is lost peatland (45-50%)
Can We Bring Them Back? Restoration & Construction
Wetland Construction Kennedale Wetland, Edmonton City of Edmonton Shepard Wetland, Calgary EIA EIA Peak Experience Imagery
Suncor Reclamation
There are no known examples of successfully constructed peatlands in the world
Syncrude Constructed Fen
Suncor Constructed Fen
A Few Points on Wetland Policy in Alberta
The Tools Federal Provincial Municipal
Federal Policy 1991 29% of Canada No-net-loss 10.6% of Alberta
Municipal Policy Calgary has no-net-loss policy Edmonton has no wetland policy Many examples where Alberta s nonet-loss policy was applied
Provincial Policy 1993 1993
Restoration/Compensation Mitigation a process to reduce wetland loss by 1. Avoid 2. Minimize 3. Compensate
Restoration/Mitigation 3:1 Wetland Replacement Ratio Graph
A Case of Semi- Permanency Well pad on dry land (2005) Flooded next year (2006) 2006
Provincial Policy?
Challenges & Opportunities
Wetland Policy and Practice in Alberta: An Opportunity for Leadership We know the way We have the expertise The timing has never been better Policy, evaluation, science, management
Wetland Monitoring Programs and Protocols Wetland inventory Wetland classification Evaluation, carbon, climate change, planning Baseline for what we have, cumulative impacts
Two 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 Zone
Wetlands are Alberta s Keystone Ecosystem Strong linkages between terrestrial & aquatic Many functions and high value All of Alberta s biomes Bellwether
Peatland Logging Basics Marketable size black spruce and tamarack are common in peatlands Ditching, mounding, and draining Winter when organic soils are frozen
Effects of Peatland Logging Watering-up Modification of soil microclimate Loss of nutrients with tree biomass Reduction of soil hydraulic conductivity Introduction of weedy species (fens vs. bogs) Formation of stable shrub communities Paludification and reduction of productivity
Peatland Logging in NE Ont. Higher precipitation = much timber Bogs and black spruce swamps Black spruce >10cm dbh Peat depth 0.5 1.0 m ½ of forest that is logged is peatland
Peatland Logging in NE Ont. Specialized or adapted equipment is used Lakehead U http://www.unb.ca/standint/nbcc/machine/skidding/cbunkskd.jpg
Logging Peatlands in the Western Boreal Locky & Bayley. 2007. CJFR
Implications Exposed Peat Stable Shrub Communities Weeds
Summary Short-term Effects Changes to plant succession Changes to soil and surface waters
Summary Potential Longer-term Effects Disturbed, sterile peat More vascular plants, weeds Stable shrub communities
Further Observations Does it matter? Based on known limitations, will peatland logging become a significant activity in the western boreal region? Seismic and related activities take significantly more black spruce and tamarack from peatlands than logging.
Conventional & Oil Sands Athabasca University
Research Opportunities 1. Effects of logging in older harvest blocks (post 20 years)? 2. Logging in fens vs. bogs vs. black spruce swamps? 3. Logged peatlands vs. burned peatlands?
Thank you... David Locky lockyd@macewan.ca