Lichens as dust and air quality biomonitors at a gold mine tailings site in Nova Scotia, Canada

These maps were created in ArcMap for my master’s research. This project aims to determine the spatial distribution of airborne gold mine tailings contaminants surrounding abandoned mine sites in Nova Scotia, using lichens as biomonitors of dust and air quality.

The maps include the study area; Montague gold mines in Dartmouth, NS. Four sampling areas, with 100 x 100 m grids within, were created, and Platismatia and Usnea lichens collected at these georeferenced points (grid intersections) in the field. The samples were identified to the species level, and mapped, as shown. The lichen samples will be washed, ground, and analyzed for mercury and arsenic, as well as for other metals and metalloids. The goals of these maps are to serve as “Methods” maps, demonstrating where sampling took place and the species that were collected.

Any suggestions and/or feedback on the maps are appreciated.

(Additional information on legacy gold mining in Nova Scotia can be accessed on our lab group’s website: http://www.ap.smu.ca/~lcampbel/Gold.html)