Name
Modeling the Lateral movement of dissolved carbon in the Upper Bay of Fundy
Date & Time
Monday, May 25, 2026, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Description

Intertidal mudflats are highly dynamic coastal ecosystems. Due to sediment transport and biological activity, they have the capacity to sequester carbon in the long term. Although coastal wetlands have been studied extensively, there is limited research on cold region mudflat carbon transport and sequestration processes, especially in Canada. The lateral transport and removal rate of carbon though the surface and subsurface of the mudflat is specifically understudied. The Bay of Fundy creates an exceptional environment to study these ecosystems due to the extensive tidal range that exposes large sections of the mudflats daily. This study is being conducted in Pecks Cove, located in the upper Chignecto Bay of the larger Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, Canada. The objective of this study is to measure the lateral movement of dissolved carbon in the Pecks Cove mudflat. We installed seven shallow monitoring wells to collect water samples along with a continuous record of hydraulic heads throughout the tidal cycle. Water samples will be analyzed for dissolved carbon and used to map the movement of carbon transport through the mudflat sediment. Additionally, a weir was placed in one of the drainage channels to quantify surface water discharge rates during low tide. In the next field season, the well sampling will continue with the addition of pore water sampling in order to achieve greater spatial distribution. Integrating this data will enhance our understanding of how carbon moves throughout these systems and will inform future carbon budgets for coastal systems.

Location Name
McInnes Room
Full Address
Dalhousie University
Halifax NS
Canada
Session Type
Poster
Abstract ID
283
Speaker Organization
St. Francis Xavier University
Session Name
IAH-2
Co-authors
Emma Boersen, Lauren Somers (Dalhousie University), Graham Clark (St. Francis Xavier University)Department of Earth and Environmental Science, St. Francis Xavier University, AntigonishCanada
Presenting Author
Emma Boersen St. Francis Xavier University