How does long term exposure to permafrost thaw slumps affect stream health?

From 2010-2014, we sampled the physical habitat and benthic invertebrates (bugs) in the Peel Plateau to assess how permafrost thaw slumps impact stream health.

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field Value
Creator Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program
Summary Permafrost thaw slumps in streams produce a continuous disturbance that impacts stream health. From 2010-2014, we sampled the physical habitat and benthic invertebrates (bugs) in the Peel Plateau to assess how permafrost thaw slumps impact stream health. During 2021, in collaboration with the Tetlit Gwich’in Renewable Resource Council, we revisited the same sites to compare samples and to understand how biotic stream health is affected by continual, long-term exposure to thaw slumps. We found that while water quality trends remained similar, overall invertebrate abundance did not differ across years, however invertebrate diversity and richness increased in slump-impacted streams.
Local Relevance This research investigates the effect of thaw slumps on stream health in the Peel Plateau, NWT.
Notes This bulletin is part of the Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program's NWT Environmental Research Bulletin series - Volume 8, Issue 61.
Tags Thaw Slumps,Permafrost,Peel Plateau,Streams,Water Quality,Invertebrates
Geographic Region
  • Beaufort Delta
  • Sahtu
Release Date 2023-01-01
Last Modified Date 2023-01-01
Funding Program Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program