The effect of retrogressive thaw slumps on the delivery of high loads of toxic methylmercury to downstream freshwater systems in the Peel Plateau region, Northwest Territories

The objectives of this research are as follows:(1)Quantify THg and MeHg delivery from retrogressive thaw slumps (RTS) features to Peel Plateau streams, and explore how this delivery varies with slump morphology;(2)Determine how THg and MeHg concentrations downstream of slumps change with increasing distance from the site of disturbance, to better understand how slumping might affect streamwater Hg at the landscape scale;(3)Quantify biogeochemical controls on within-stream THg and MeHg concentrations across slump sites and throughout the thaw season, to better understand drivers of THg and MeHg on the Peel Plateau; and(4)Generate information about the relationship between slumping and Hg that is useful to local communities that use the Peel Plateau landscape, to enable community members to apply their land use decisions more confidently.