Date of Award
2016
Publisher
North Dakota State University
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Awarded
Master of Science (MS)
Program
Natural Resources Management
Department
Natural Resources Management
College
Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources
Faculty Advisor
DeSutter, Thomas M.
Description
Forests are sites for mercury deposition, where accumulation in aquatic environments can occur. Soil total mercury (THg), C and N to 15 cm were studied in ten seasonal pond basins in a northern hardwood forest (Minnesota, USA). Pools and concentrations of THg were lower in uplands than in ponds, indicating downslope transport or differential deposition. In uplands, THg concentrations were the same in 0-2 and 2-5 cm depths and then decreased, whereas density peaked in 2-5 cm, highlighting the importance of bulk density on mass. Carbon and N trends were similar to THg. Apart from pond centers, strong positive relationships between THg and C were observed. Upland slope length, graminoid cover, basin area and tree height accounted for over half of THg variance at pond edge. Understanding the distribution, trends and contributing factors of soil THg can further efforts toward immobilization and sequestration, thus minimizing the potential for bioaccumulation.
Recommended Citation
Boche, Mikayla Jane, "Factors Affecting Soil Total Mercury, Carbon and Nitrogen Distributions in Seasonal Pond Basins within a Northern Hardwood Forest in Minnesota, USA" (2016). Natural Resources Management. 103.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/nrm/103
Rights
NDSU policy 190.6.2
Rights Link
https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf
Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0002-7106-6950
Handle Identifier
https://hdl.handle.net/10365/28271