Could a residential wood ash recycling programme be part of the solution to calcium decline in lakes and forests in Muskoka (Ontario, Canada)?
One possible solution to the recent decline of calcium (Ca) concentrations in Canadian Shield forests and lakes in eastern North America is the addition of Ca-rich wood ash to watersheds. We investigated the feasibility of using small, mainly residential sources of non-industrial wood ash (NIWA) for...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Canadian Science Publishing
2019-03-01
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| Series: | FACETS |
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| Online Access: | https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2018-0026 |
| _version_ | 1819030827960369152 |
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| author | Shakira S.E. Azan Norman D. Yan Martha P. Celis-Salgado Shelley E. Arnott James A. Rusak Peter Sutey |
| author_facet | Shakira S.E. Azan Norman D. Yan Martha P. Celis-Salgado Shelley E. Arnott James A. Rusak Peter Sutey |
| author_sort | Shakira S.E. Azan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | One possible solution to the recent decline of calcium (Ca) concentrations in Canadian Shield forests and lakes in eastern North America is the addition of Ca-rich wood ash to watersheds. We investigated the feasibility of using small, mainly residential sources of non-industrial wood ash (NIWA) for this purpose by quantifying concentrations of its major nutrients and metals, its toxicity to Daphnia in aqueous extracts, and estimating the amount of NIWA available in the District of Muskoka in central Ontario. Locally collected NIWA averaged 30% Ca, and also contained smaller but significant amounts of K, Mg, Na, and P. Of these, K was so soluble that it was toxic to Daphnia over 48 h in the concentrate and 10-fold dilution; however, sedimented ash was not toxic over 15 d. Most metal levels in NIWA were below targets permitting unrestricted land application. However, Cu and Zn were just above these targets, but well below those for conditional use. Muskoka residents generate about 235 000 kg of NIWA annually, not enough to treat all central Ontario areas affected; however, a NIWA recycling programme implemented across southern Ontario could generate enough ash to solve the Ca decline problem in Muskoka’s forests and lakes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T06:36:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bd35d6cecb384e4a9be2aba98a77012a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2371-1671 2371-1671 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T06:36:21Z |
| publishDate | 2019-03-01 |
| publisher | Canadian Science Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | FACETS |
| spelling | doaj.art-bd35d6cecb384e4a9be2aba98a77012a2022-12-21T19:12:51ZengCanadian Science PublishingFACETS2371-16712371-16712019-03-0141699010.1139/facets-2018-0026Could a residential wood ash recycling programme be part of the solution to calcium decline in lakes and forests in Muskoka (Ontario, Canada)?Shakira S.E. Azan0Norman D. Yan1Martha P. Celis-Salgado2Shelley E. Arnott3James A. Rusak4Peter Sutey5Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada; Friends of the Muskoka Watershed, P.O. Box 416, Bracebridge, ON P1L 1T7, CanadaDepartment of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada; Friends of the Muskoka Watershed, P.O. Box 416, Bracebridge, ON P1L 1T7, CanadaFLAMES Laboratory, Dorset Environmental Science Centre, Queen’s University, 1026 Bellwood Acres Road, P.O. Box 39, Dorset, ON P0A 1E0, CanadaDepartment of Biology, Queen’s University, 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, ON K7L 3J9, CanadaDorset Environmental Science Centre, 1026 Bellwood Acres Road, P.O. Box 39, Dorset, ON P0A 1E0, CanadaDorset Environmental Science Centre, 1026 Bellwood Acres Road, P.O. Box 39, Dorset, ON P0A 1E0, CanadaOne possible solution to the recent decline of calcium (Ca) concentrations in Canadian Shield forests and lakes in eastern North America is the addition of Ca-rich wood ash to watersheds. We investigated the feasibility of using small, mainly residential sources of non-industrial wood ash (NIWA) for this purpose by quantifying concentrations of its major nutrients and metals, its toxicity to Daphnia in aqueous extracts, and estimating the amount of NIWA available in the District of Muskoka in central Ontario. Locally collected NIWA averaged 30% Ca, and also contained smaller but significant amounts of K, Mg, Na, and P. Of these, K was so soluble that it was toxic to Daphnia over 48 h in the concentrate and 10-fold dilution; however, sedimented ash was not toxic over 15 d. Most metal levels in NIWA were below targets permitting unrestricted land application. However, Cu and Zn were just above these targets, but well below those for conditional use. Muskoka residents generate about 235 000 kg of NIWA annually, not enough to treat all central Ontario areas affected; however, a NIWA recycling programme implemented across southern Ontario could generate enough ash to solve the Ca decline problem in Muskoka’s forests and lakes.https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2018-0026calcium declineMuskokawood ashforestsDaphniarecycling |
| spellingShingle | Shakira S.E. Azan Norman D. Yan Martha P. Celis-Salgado Shelley E. Arnott James A. Rusak Peter Sutey Could a residential wood ash recycling programme be part of the solution to calcium decline in lakes and forests in Muskoka (Ontario, Canada)? FACETS calcium decline Muskoka wood ash forests Daphnia recycling |
| title | Could a residential wood ash recycling programme be part of the solution to calcium decline in lakes and forests in Muskoka (Ontario, Canada)? |
| title_full | Could a residential wood ash recycling programme be part of the solution to calcium decline in lakes and forests in Muskoka (Ontario, Canada)? |
| title_fullStr | Could a residential wood ash recycling programme be part of the solution to calcium decline in lakes and forests in Muskoka (Ontario, Canada)? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Could a residential wood ash recycling programme be part of the solution to calcium decline in lakes and forests in Muskoka (Ontario, Canada)? |
| title_short | Could a residential wood ash recycling programme be part of the solution to calcium decline in lakes and forests in Muskoka (Ontario, Canada)? |
| title_sort | could a residential wood ash recycling programme be part of the solution to calcium decline in lakes and forests in muskoka ontario canada |
| topic | calcium decline Muskoka wood ash forests Daphnia recycling |
| url | https://www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/facets-2018-0026 |
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