Title: Development of a Subarctic Peatland Linked to Slope Dynamics at Lac Wiyâshâkimî (Nunavik, Canada)
Citation: Bhiry, N., Decaulne, A., & Bourgon-Desroches. (2019). Development of a Subarctic Peatland Linked to Slope Dynamics at Lac Wiyâshâkimî (Nunavik, Canada). NWT Discovery Portal. https://nwtdiscoveryportal.enr.gov.nt.ca/geoportal/catalog/search/resource/details.page?uuid=%7BB3929D6B-D142-4756-ABD2-D77A329F28A8%7D
Study Site: Lac Wiyâshâkimî, Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada)
Purpose: The objective of this study was to detect evidence of gravity processes (e.g. rockfall, debris flows, dry avalanches and snow avalanches and ice-crust sliding) in the peatland and to document the periods of intense geomorphological slope processes that have been recorded in the peatland throughout the Holocene.
Abstract: A peat core was removed from the deepest location of the peatland (180-200 cm) using a Russian peat corer. The first 60 cm of the core (uppermost part) consists of water and some present-day Sphagnum represented by Sphagnum flexuosum, C. rostrata (fen taxa), E. russeolum and C. calyculata. The rest of the core (140 cm) is composed of sandy organic matter overlain by decomposed peat. Samples were taken from the core for loss on ignition (LOI), plant macrofossil analysis and 14C dating. LOI was performed at 2-cm intervals to determine the respective percentages of organic material and mineral material. Samples were first dried in a steam room at 100ºC and weighed (initial weight). Macrofossil analysis was also performed at 2-cm intervals following the protocol outlined by Bhiry and Filion (2001).The number of tree, shrub and herbaceous macroremains in each sample was counted and converted to counts per 10 cm3. The species of Sphagnum were identified based on a subsample of 100 leaves. Macrofossils were identified under a binocular microscope at 6-20X magnification.
Supplemental Information Summary:
Research:
Further Info: Bhiry, N., Decaulne, A., & Bourgon-Desroches. (2019). Development of a Subarctic Peatland Linked to Slope Dynamics at Lac Wiyâshâkimî (Nunavik, Canada). Sage Journals, 29(9). https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683619854516
Status: Complete
Keywords:
peat properties,
soil carbon,
Paleoecology,
Geographical coordinates: North: 56.27828, South: 56.27828 East: -74.47513 West: -74.47513
Bounding Temporal Extent: Start Date: , End
Date:
