EMI
“Resilience of coastal lakes to extreme marine inundations: a paleoecological assessment from the Burin Peninsula (Newfoundland, Canada)”
Grant by National Science Center, Poland No. 2020/37/B/ST10/02614
Principal Investigator: dr Krzysztof Pleskot
Tsunamis and storm surges, collectively referred to as extreme marine inundations, are among the most disastrous natural processes. They can lead to the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives and result in multibillion-dollar economic losses. While these events are typically examined from a human perspective, their impact is not limited to people alone. Extreme marine inundations also drive catastrophic environmental changes.
Coastal lakes are among the most vulnerable ecosystems exposed to the adverse impacts of marine inundations. This project focuses on recognizing the effects of tsunamis and storm surges that have impacted lakes on the southern Burin Peninsula (Newfoundland, Canada). Were these events only short-term perturbations, or did they cause drastic, enduring changes to the ecosystems? The research conducted within the framework of this project aims to answer this question by analyzing sediment accumulated at the bottom of the lakes. Deciphering the sediment record will require the application of modern analytical methods that enable insights into the physical, chemical, and biological parameters of the investigated samples.
