History in the Storeys of Sediments in an Ontario Lake

Hi guys, hope everything is having a great summer in the northern hemisphere/winter if you are in the south.

Just wanted to share some local news from Ontario on the research side of things, as the Weather Network reported that a team of researchers believes they may have found a treasure trove of environmental history at the bottom of a lake, which happens to be right here in Ontario!

What they're looking for is a way to examine what might have been a turning point due to human activity, changing the way our planet operates on a significant level.

Francine McCarthy, who is leading the research team, explained that Crawford Lake is an ideal place to be taking samples because nothing lives as the bottom, as the lake is 22 meters deep and anoxic, (anoxic meaning there is little to no oxygen).

If you have ever explored the Niagara escarpment, chances are the stones rocked your world. These are not only parts of the habitat beautiful to the eye, but over time they also can tell a story. McCarthy explained that over summers, pieces from the rocks bordering the escarpment will sink to the bottom. This creates layers of information-containing organic matter that can be analyzed like the rings of a tree.

The goal is to get some insight on just how much human activities have affected the environment, as these layers can help tell the story of what has happened globally through those years.

Specific information they are looking for includes amounts of materials related to human activities such as plutonium and microplastics. These can serve as something measurable to help with defining the start of the anthropocene, marking when humans really did take over the planet.

Source:
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/team-of-researchers-from-ontario-believe-a-turning-point-in-earths-history-is-sitting-in-a-lake-in-milton-brock-carleton-mcmaster-university-sediment-crawford-lake/109666

Small Adventures: Algonquin Park 2014, Pog Lake

     As indicated by the 40 degree Celsius with humidity weather of last week this summer seems to be running a little late and it's giving me some time to catch up a bit on what has come to pass this season.

     In all truth this is going to be a bit of an experimental balancing act for me. While this blog has been primarily centered around science, I also have a passion for creative writing that has temporarily been forsaken for the sake of reason and rational thinking that the environmental movement must rightfully demand. However, over the summer I have spent quite some time sitting on a rock scribbling non-factual thoughts, lines, and story segments down by the lake to my hearts content which admittedly has been a distraction, though one that has a re-inspiring recharge.

Algonquin Park 2014

     This year I stayed at Pog Lake for the weekend of July 12 with a close group of family and friends. Although my own stay was short I still got a chance to see many beautiful sights and get some photos and we shared a few mini adventures within the two-day span. Here are a few of the 'landmarks'.

A killdeer at the drive-through.

     Already eager to look for wildlife, we had our first spotting of the day long before we even arrived at the park when we saw a killdeer running along the side of a drive-through restaurant we went to for breakfast. The picture was crude through scratched, violet-tinted windows, but set a precedent for the rest of our journey.

Product placement not intended.

     The moment we arrived at the park my sister Stella and I hopped out of the car to search for wildlife. Stella has a fetish for mushrooms and was pleased to have an immediate spotting. 
     We wandered around the grassy areas by the washroom facility (as Dad jokingly called a hidden temple) watching crows and inhaling fresh air and sucking up the forest atmosphere both literally and mentally.

     The Saturday night had moderately cool moist air. As a mini pack from our camping group a few of us walked around the beach While we were walking through the campsite looking for walking sticks my friend called me over from where she was by the shore and said, "you have to see this!"

     I was still in 'fetch-a-stick' mode and went to pick up a few more, but the sight immediately commandeered my train of thought. There was a slight cool breeze but the lake in front of us shone like glass with layers of fog draped over it and across the trees. As usual pictures couldn't fully capture all the intricate details, but the feeling in the moment was incredible. 

A blue damselfly perched daintily on a leaf at our campsite.

Lichen...

... lichen...

This one could use a bit of explaining. A friend who was there brought a green laser pointer and this is the product of waving it over a smoky fire after dark.

We were fortunate enough to wtiness an Algonquin Park supermoon on July 12. No werewolves were spotted.

... and more lichen. Lichen holds a special place in my heart because it seems to have a magical ability to endow feelings of otherworliness, as if by peering into a patch of lichen you are peering into an enchanted,natural city.

     We accidentally went down instead of the actual hiking trail, but made a new winged friend. (S)he was found lying on his/her back on the pathway and at first we thought (s)he was dead, so I took a stick and brought it up to the legs. Sure enough, the dragonfly grabbed on, and then was brought over to some greenery at the side, making about a dozen human friends on the way.

This is one of many wildlife spottings I must get to uploading to Project Noah.

These were just a few snippets of the kinds of small adventures that can help reinspire us every day. If ever you find yourself feeling drained, numb, or muted here are 3 steps to get you started towards a closer connection with nature:

1. Go outside.

2. Feel the air, regardless of the temperature, and savor the sensation on your skin.

3. Look or hear up or down, and peer into every detail of the clouds or the sky or the texture of life underfoot you can see or hear. 

Whether it is through a picture, piece of writing, or simply memory, take in the experience and let it take you away to another world, a place of shelter within our world.