Application of artificial substrate samplers to assess roles of hydrological processes on enrichment of metals of concern across lakes of the Peace-Athabasca Delta

These data were collected to address the need for a hydroecological monitoring program, with focus on metals of concern, in the Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD). To do so, we deployed artificial substrate samplers in ~60 lakes for the duration of the ice-free seasons of 2017 and 2018. We assessed the accrued biofilm-sediment mixtures for enrichment of metals of concern above pre-industrial levels determined from analyses of sediment cores in the PAD. We also related metals enrichment to periphytic algae community composition, inferred from diagnostic algal pigments, to explore taxa-specific rates of active biological uptake of metals of concern.

This data was collected to address the need for a hydroecological monitoring program, with focus on metals of concern, in the Peace-Athabasca Delta.

Dataset associated Journal article: Cory A.M. Savage, Tanner Owca, Mitchell L. Kay, Jelle Faber, Brent B. Wolfe, Roland I. Hall, Application of artificial substrate samplers to assess enrichment of metals of concern by river floodwaters to lakes across the Peace-Athabasca Delta, Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, Volume 38, 2021, 100954, ISSN 2214-5818, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2021.100954 .

Peace-Athabasca Delta