Effects of an oil spill on the regrowth of emergent vegetation in a northern Alberta Lake.

Following a train derailment in August 2005, Wabamun Lake (Alberta, Canada) was exposed to approximately 149,500 L of bunker "C" oil, much of which became entrained in the abundant Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (= Scirpus validus) beds in the eastern basin of the lake. We assessed the regrowth of emergent macrophytes during the subsequent two growing seasons. Postspill measures of productivity, including transect length, total cover, and biomass were within the variability of prespill data collected in 2001, with the exception of a few specific areas in which biomass appeared to be affected.

Design and application of a transparent and scalable weight-of-evidence framework: an example from Wabamun Lake, Alberta, Canada.

A weight-of-evidence (WOE) framework was developed to evaluate potential effects on the aquatic ecosystem of Wabamun Lake (Alberta, Canada) associated with the release of Bunker "C" oil after a train derailment. The wide variety of stakeholders and interested regulatory agencies made it necessary to develop a consistent and transparent approach to assessing ecological effects on multiple ecosystem components within the lake with the use of a large number of lines of evidence (LOEs). Consequently, a scalable WOE framework was necessary to integrate the findings of 38 different LOEs.

In situ experimental assessment of lake whitefish development following a freshwater oil spill.

Wabamun Lake (Alberta, Canada) has been subject to ongoing contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from multiple sources for decades and in August 2005 was exposed to ca. 149 500 L of bunker C oil following a train derailment. We compared the pattern, frequency, and severity of deformity in larvae of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) incubated in situ in areas of Wabamun Lake exposed only to "background" PAH contamination and in areas additionally exposed to PAHs from the oil.