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Wieder RK, Vile MA, Scott KD, Albright CM, Quinn JC, Vitt DH. Bog plant/lichen tissue nitrogen and sulfur concentrations as indicators of emissions from oil sands development in Alberta, Canada. Environ Monit Assess 2021; 193:208. [PMID: 33755795 PMCID: PMC7987692 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-08929-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Increasing gaseous emissions of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) associated with oil sands development in northern Alberta (Canada) has led to changing regional wet and dry N and S deposition regimes. We assessed the potential for using bog plant/lichen tissue chemistry (N and S concentrations, C:N and C:S ratios, in 10 plant/lichen species) to monitor changing atmospheric N and S deposition through sampling at five bog sites, 3-6 times per growing season from 2009 to 2016. During this 8-year period, oil sands N emissions steadily increased, while S emissions steadily decreased. We examined the following: (1) whether each species showed changes in tissue chemistry with increasing distance from the Syncrude and Suncor upgrader stacks (the two largest point sources of N and S emissions); (2) whether tissue chemistry changed over the 8 year period in ways that were consistent with increasing N and decreasing S emissions from oil sands facilities; and (3) whether tissue chemistry was correlated with growing season wet deposition of NH4+-N, NO3--N, or SO42--S. Based on these criteria, the best biomonitors of a changing N deposition regime were Evernia mesomorpha, Sphagnum fuscum, and Vaccinium oxycoccos. The best biomonitors of a changing S deposition regime were Evernia mesomorpha, Cladonia mitis, Sphagnum fuscum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Vaccinium oxycoccos, and Picea mariana. Changing N and S deposition regimes in the oil sands region appear to be influencing N and S cycling in what once were pristine ombrotrophic bogs, to the extent that these bogs may effectively monitor future spatial and temporal patterns of deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Kelman Wieder
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA.
- Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA.
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta, T9S 3A3, Canada.
| | - Melanie A Vile
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta, T9S 3A3, Canada
- Department of Health, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, 19383, USA
| | - Kimberli D Scott
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
- Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
| | - Cara M Albright
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
| | - James C Quinn
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
| | - Dale H Vitt
- School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
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