CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Belliveau, K.; Spooner, I.; and Lusby, L.
Date : 2004.
Title : Sensitivity of intertidal and shallow marine environments to climate change: a case study at the Morton Environmental Centre, Heckman.s Island, Nova Scotia.
Publication : Atlantic Geoscience Society. 2004 Colloquium & Annual General Meeting, January 30 & 31, 2004. Moncton, New Brunswick.
Issue :
Page(s) :
Abstract
The Morton Environmental Centre, Heckman.s Island is a 40 ha field research station located near Lunenburg, Nova Scotia that has 1.6 kilometres of coastline that can be characterised as a shallow marine environment. The effects of climate variability, in particular ocean water temperature fluctuations, rising sea levels, and the impacts of increased storminess (all proposed future climate scenarios) are not well known for shallow marine environments. This study evaluates the sensitivity of the shallow marine environment at the Morton Centre to various climate scenarios. Physical characteristics of the near shore marine environment were surveyed to determine: relative temperature, current activity, bathymetry, and bottom substrate flora and sedimentology. The intertidal zone was characterised using longitudinal surveys to determine slope, percolation, and sediment type. Preliminary results of this survey indicate much variability in substrate composition, and biological influenced by storm activity and seiche length, but is also influenced by tidal currents which were found to be quite strong at select sites. The intertidal zone is also variable with zones of intense erosion and deposition located in close proximity. Future climate change scenarios predict increased and anomalous storm activity, rising sea level, which given survey results, could dramatically alter intertidal and near shore morphology, sediment distribution and type in both of these zones. This in turn is projected to have a significant impact on ecology in this environment. The sensitivity model developed in this study will be used to develop management strategies for the site and has the potential to be transportable to other similar environments.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology