Research Document - 2000/055
Freshwater chemistry acidification trends in sensitive Nova Scotia lakes: 1983-1997.
By T.A. Clair, J.M. Ehrman, and C.-U. Ro
Abstract
Nova Scotia lakes have been sampled at least twice yearly since the spring of 1983 for a number of water chemistry parameters. Statistical analysis of a number of the water chemistry variables was done in 1998 to see if trends could be detected in the main ions which caused acid precipitation or which could be dependent on changes in acidification. The data show consistent results. We could detect no long-term trends in pH, acid neutralization capacity (ANC) or dissolved organic carbon. We show a decrease in long-term sulfate and in total sum of cations. The latter two parameter trends suggest two things: a) that the main acidifying ion seems to be decreasing in the system, and b) that the weathering caused by the sulfuric acid is also decreasing. Our results thus suggest that long-term chronic acidification is decreasing, but not enough to change pH or ANC. We also compare the results of this trend analysis to previous ones which were done on 1983-91 and 1983-1994 data series.
Accessibility Notice
This document is available in PDF format. If the document is not accessible to you, please contact the Secretariat to obtain another appropriate format, such as regular print, large print, Braille or audio version.
- Date modified: