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Changes in Sediment Sources following Wildfire in Mountainous Terrain: A Paired–Catchment Approach, British Columbia, Canada

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Water, Air, & Soil Pollution: Focus

Abstract

This paper describes a study examining the potential of mineral magnetic, geochemical and organic properties to determine if a 2003 wildfire in a catchment in British Columbia, Canada, caused a change in the sources of the suspended sediment transported in the channel relative to a nearby unburnt (reference) catchment. The results show that some of the properties offer the potential to determine sediment sources in the unburnt catchment. However, the 2003 wildfire modified the concentrations of some properties and this can either compromise or enhance their ability as tracers in the burnt catchment. At present, the source tracing results are inconclusive. This has implications for the use of certain properties as fingerprints and raises important issues about approaches to sediment source identification.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks are extended to Tim Giles (BC Ministry of Forests), Dan Moore (University of British Columbia) and Phillip Krauskopf (University of Northern British Columbia) for logistical support and assistance in the field, and to Richard Hartley and Kevin Solman (University of Plymouth) for undertaking laboratory analysis. NSERC, the Royal Society and the universities of Cranfield, Plymouth and UNBC are thanked for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Soil Resources Institute, Cranfield University, North Wyke Research Station, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2SB, UK

    Philip N. Owens

  2. School of Geography, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK

    William H. Blake & Ellen L. Petticrew

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  1. Philip N. Owens
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  2. William H. Blake
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  3. Ellen L. Petticrew
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Correspondence to Philip N. Owens.

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Owens, P.N., Blake, W.H. & Petticrew, E.L. Changes in Sediment Sources following Wildfire in Mountainous Terrain: A Paired–Catchment Approach, British Columbia, Canada. Water Air Soil Pollut: Focus 6, 637–645 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11267-006-9048-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11267-006-9048-z

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