Regional wetland status and sensitivity to disturbances near Fox Creek, Alberta

Abstract

Wetlands cover large areas of Alberta's boreal regions. They play critical roles in flow regulation and flood control, groundwater discharge/recharge, and pollutant filtration. Peat-forming bogs and fens sequester and store large amounts of atmospheric CO2 and harbor a variety of wildlife. The Fox Creek study area is located between the Upper Peace River and Upper Athabasca Watersheds. Within the 6501.3 km2 extended study zone, wetlands cover 1344.2 km2 or 20.7% of the area. Fen is the most abundant wetland class (45.5%), followed by swamp (37.2%), shallow open water (9.1%), bog (7.1%), and marsh (1.1%). Within the 90 km2 local study area near Fox Creek, wetland coverage is relatively low at 4.7 km2 or 5.2%. Swamp is the most abundant wetland class (56.8%), followed by fen (36.4%), shallow open water (4.5%), and bog (2.3%). Natural disturbances such as warming and changing fire regimes, and human disturbances such as forestry and oil and gas activities can greatly affect the water balance, hydrology, and vegetation within a watershed, leading to the loss of critical function and services provided by natural wetlands. Reclamation and restoration of boreal wetlands has come a long way since the early 2000s, although significant knowledge gaps and technical challenges remain.