title: Wetlands as long-term sources of metals to receiving waters in mining-impacted landscapes.
abstract: Wetlands are prevalent in the Sudbury, Ontario region and often operate at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, modifying water chemistry and potentially affecting the recovery of impacted lakes. The deposition of metals and sulphur in Sudbury in 2010-2012 was far below that reported in the 1970's, but still higher than background values. Wetlands in the area have accumulated large quantities of metals, and high concentrations of these metals in streams occurred primarily in response to SO4-related acidification events or associated with high dissolved organic carbon production in early summer. Concentrations of most metals in streams exceeded provincial guidelines and fluxes of some metals from catchments exceeded deposition inputs to lakes by as much as 12 times. The release of metals long after emissions reductions have been achieved must be considered in ecosystem recovery studies, particularly as dry conditions may become more prevalent in boreal regions affected by mining.
authors.affiliation: Living With Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada. Electronic address: Ex_SzkokanEmilson@Laurentian.ca.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Szkokan-Emilson
authors.affiliation: Environmental Resource Science, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7B8, Canada.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Watmough
authors.affiliation: Living With Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gunn
mesh_terms: D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D060106:Lakes / Q000737:chemistry; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D008906:Mining; D009864:Ontario; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D013455:Sulfur / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D013455:Sulfur
keywords: Acidification; Deposition; Metals; Mining; Wetlands