Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Maritime Science Branch has collected grain size data from sediment and water column samples using bottle samples, sediment cores, and sediment grabs as part of numerous research projects not only in the Atlantic provinces, but also worldwide. The data collected by DFO focuses on the fine grained (<1mm) particles as these are both a source of food and means of contaminant transport. Grain size data are used to study the fate and distribution of complimentary chemistries like heavy metals, pesticides, hydrocarbons, aquaculture waste as well as a variety of physical processes such as the resuspension and transport of sediment.

This record contains results from chemical analysis including suspended nitrogen (mg/g), suspended carbon (mg/g), and phosphorus (mg/g) based on dry weight sediment samples collected in the Beaufort Sea.

Grain size is the most fundamental physical property of sediment, and these data are widely used in a variety of applications in science. Marine expeditions of the Geological Survey of Canada have been collecting grain size information on seabed and sub-seabed samples for over 50 years. Results have been recorded at 5th phi midpoints since the early 1990's in contrast to the earlier full, half or quarter phi interval end point values. Users of high resolution data must note that the sum of %Silt and %Clay equals the total %Mud makeup and that %Gravel, %Sand, %Silt and %Clay sum to 100%. Summary statistics include percentages of gravel, sand, silt, clay and mud as well as mean, kurtosis, skewness and standard deviation. The quality of these data varies. Results should be used with some caution as they may not be fully representative of seabed grainsize, particularly in areas of sandy and coarser sediment (e.g., sand and mud can leak out of the sampler during recovery). Canada makes no representation or warranty of any kind with respect to the accuracy, usefulness, novelty, validity, scope, completeness or currency of the data and expressly disclaims any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose of the data. For the purpose of the web mapping service, grain size data are sorted by the expedition id. Coarse and detailed grain size distribution plots are shown when a point is chosen. If the sample contains more that one sub-sample ( e.g., as with a piston core sequence), the grain size plots are stacked in the display window from the top of the core downwards.

Monitoring activities have collected bulk suspended sediment samples using continuous flow centrifuges and Phillips Tube samplers in the Lower Athabasca River and tributaries respectively. Further, in the absence of pre-development monitoring for this region, high fidelity dated lake sediment cores were used to assess the natural range in contaminant deposition to this region and to obtain a historical perspective of contaminant loadings. All sediments (suspended river and lake cores) have been analyzed in the laboratory for sediment quality variables as per Appendix B in the Integrated Monitoring Plan (cores were also analyzed for paleo indicators of ecosystem health such as diatoms). In addition, as the Lower Athabasca river bed sediments are known to shift and migrate downstream, bathymetric maps of the bed-channel morphology over time was also completed. This will allow for estimates of bed sediment transport downstream for the period of survey, and be useful in calibration/validation of sediment and contaminant numerical transport models.

This dataset is a compilation of numerous data files recovered as part of a data request in 2024 from a historical archive of DFO research data. Sediment and Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) samples were collected over more than a decade as part of Dr. Douglas Loring’s research program while working at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO). Samples were collected as part of individual and collaborative research projects, and links to the relevant primary science publications and reports are included in the data in an effort to provide context to the data, as well as describe the field and laboratory techniques used to generate the attached data.

These datasets provide information pertaining to sediment grain size, porosity, organic content, total carbon and nitrogen concentrations, trace element concentrations, chlorophyll and phaeopigment concentrations, and meiofauna and macrofaunal abundance in Simoom Sound between November, 2000, and February, 2001. Data formatting of files were performed by Meagan Mak.Sutherland et al (2023) covers the benthic component of a broader project investigating potential modification of marine ecosystems by shrimp trawling and trapping on the central coast of British Columbia. Sediment and infaunal samples were collected before and after fishing with commercial fishing gear consisting of otter-trawl, beam-trawl, and trap-lines. Simoom Sound was sampled in November 2000 and February 2001. Tabulated data of sediment characteristics that include sediment grain size, porosity, carbon and nitrogen content, trace-element, and chlorophyll concentrations are presented in this report. In addition, the infaunal data are comprised of both macrofaunal and meiofaunal communities.

New geochemical data from re-analysis of archived stream sediment samples have been assessed using weighted sums modeling and catchment basin analysis as described in the methodology report that accompanies this map (YGS Open File 2015-10). Both commodity and pathfinder element abundances are evaluated to highlight areas that show geochemical responses consistent with a variety of base and precious-metal mineral deposit types. The results of modeling, completed using two approaches, are presented as a series of catchment maps and associated data files. This release is part of a regional assessment of stream sediment geochemistry that covers a large part of Yukon.

New geochemical data from re-analysis of archived stream sediment samples have been assessed using weighted sums modeling and catchment basin analysis as described in the methodology report that accompanies this map (YGS Open File 2015-10). Both commodity and pathfinder element abundances are evaluated to highlight areas that show geochemical responses consistent with a variety of base and precious-metal mineral deposit types. The results of modeling, completed using two approaches, are presented as a series of catchment maps and associated data files. This release is part of a regional assessment of stream sediment geochemistry that covers a large part of Yukon.

New geochemical data from re-analysis of archived stream sediment samples have been assessed using weighted sums modeling and catchment basin analysis as described in the methodology report that accompanies this map (YGS Open File 2015-10). Both commodity and pathfinder element abundances are evaluated to highlight areas that show geochemical responses consistent with a variety of base and precious-metal mineral deposit types. The results of modeling, completed using two approaches, are presented as a series of catchment maps and associated data files. This release is part of a regional assessment of stream sediment geochemistry that covers a large part of Yukon.

New geochemical data from re-analysis of archived stream sediment samples have been assessed using weighted sums modeling and catchment basin analysis as described in the methodology report that accompanies this map (YGS Open File 2015-10). Both commodity and pathfinder element abundances are evaluated to highlight areas that show geochemical responses consistent with a variety of base and precious-metal mineral deposit types. The results of modeling, completed using two approaches, are presented as a series of catchment maps and associated data files. This release is part of a regional assessment of stream sediment geochemistry that covers a large part of Yukon.