How do mining operations in canada impact levels of mercury in the aquatic parts of boreal habitats?
Can these conclusions be extended to predict the impact on the health of these aquatic ecosystems?
Answer
Well coal as you may or may not already know does have mercury in it. now if you are talking about surface strip mining then the answer is that the tailings left behind (which contain mercury) will eventually leach the mercury into nearby aquatic systems. since canada is mostly boreal forest, it only figures that some ends up in boreal habitat aquatic ecosystems.as far as the projected health of these aquatic ecosystens you are able to predict that due to the increasing mercury levels, the population of any aquatic organism living in that habitat would decline.hope this helps.