Project Metadata

Peat and mineral samples were collected in the Mackenzie Valley, Northwest Territories between 1994 and 1997.  The frozen and unfrozen peatlands of this area represent and enormous source of stored carbon.  Possible consequences of permafrost degradation in peatlands are the release of greenhouse gases, thaw subsidence of the ground surface and remobilization of trace elements presently retained in frozen peat.  As a basis for monitoring environmental change in the Mackenzie Valley, baseline data is required on the distribution and thermal state of peatlands and on peat thickness and trace element composition.  The data are published in Geological Survey of Canada Open File 4007.

Geological Survey of Canada