My dissertation investigates glacier mass change in the Columbia and Rocky Mountains of British Columbia. In chapter one I discuss the importance of the cryosphere and glaciers, introduce the climate and glaciers of the study region, and outline the objectives and structure of this dissertation. Previous work established the feasibility of geodetic methods to accurately produce winter glacier mass balance and annual glacier mass balance. These studies demonstrate that geodetic surveys can be used to estimate mass balance during the accumulation season or for one glacier over a number of years. In chapter two, I refine these published methods to measure seasonal and annual mass balance for six glaciers within two mountain ranges from 2014–2018. I use synchronous field-based glaciological measurements, airbornelaser scanningsurveys (ALS) and satelliteimagery to quantify seasonal glacier mass change from 2014–2018. Chapter three reports on radar surveys I completed of the study glaciers, adding important observations to the global database of ice thickness. I use these observations and an existing flowline model, driven with observations of surface mass balance and glacier elevation to bias-correct ice thickness estimates for each glacier. Finally, I use the model to estimate ice thickness for all glaciers in the Columbia Basin and estimate total ice volume. Chapter four builds upon previous work which used surface topography, glacier mass balance, ice thickness, and ice velocity data to estimate ice flux at discrete glacier cross-sections. Previous efforts to infer the spatial distribution of mass balance have focused on glacier tongues. I expand upon this method, calculating surface mass balance between flux gates over the entire elevation range of three glaciers, over three years. I derive the altitude-mass balance relation and demonstrate that the relation can be accurately described with high-resolution elevation and ice flux data, and suggest that this method can be expanded for large-scale estimates. Chapter five summarizes the study’s major findings, highlights its limitations and discussed its broader implications. Finally, I make recommendations that will address knowledge gaps, and improve our understanding of changing glacier conditions and ability to model glacier dynamics.
Transportation infrastructure played a vital role in the establishment of the communities in South-Central Almaguin, and the development of this infrastructure continues to shape the landscapes and taskscapes of the region. Nature-based tourism operators are a key stakeholder in the South-Central Almaguin region and are uniquely situated as they rely on transportation infrastructure, the natural landscape, and the local communities for the operation of their businesses. For this qualitative case study I used semi-structured interviews and the collection of news media to explore the impact of the Highway 11 development project on NBT operators. Using Ingold's concepts of landscape, taskscape, and mobility, I sought to understand how the highway changes have shaped the ways of life and senses of place of NBT operators. Through the interviews I identified major shifts in the mobility of travellers and in the organization of the communities of South-Central Almaguin. These shifts resulted in economic changes and loss of business connections for NBT operators, change in travel times and safety, increased regional collaboration, and a drive for a regional destination brand. The implications of these shifts on the ways of life and senses of place of NBT operators were largely positive for destination businesses, while being largely negative for businesses that relied on through-traffic. The nature of the given businesses also determined the impact that the highway changes have had on the place dependence and place identity of the NBT operators, and subsequent changes to place attachment. The results of this research suggest two possible paths forward for the communities of South-Central Almaguin, as communities struggle to sustain themselves in isolation and destination NBT operators push for a regional focus and cooperation. --Leaf ii.
