Leila Rashid
I am an MSc student working under the supervision of Drs. Koreen Millard and Murray Richardson. Our project focuses on better understanding the interaction of surface water and groundwater in wetlands of the boreal mountains in central Yukon. These wetlands provide many ecosystem services and are often meeting places to host long-standing traditional and cultural practices. Despite this they are at risk of removal due to land-use disturbance activities, such as placer mining. Additionally, information regarding the hydrology of these wetlands is largely unknown due to the remoteness and complex topography of the region. This project aims to characterize the groundwater-surface water interactions of these wetlands by using hydrometric monitoring and geochemical/isotopic water sampling. We will use digital terrain analysis and statistical modelling to identify the landscape controls on the observed groundwater-surface water interactions. The outcome of this project will assess the ability of a digital terrain analysis approach to estimate the hydrologic function (i.e., the groundwater-surface water interaction) of central Yukon wetlands.
Previously, I completed a BSc in Environmental Science and Geology at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. During this degree, I developed a strong appreciation for the wetland ecosystem and gained experience working in wetland hydrology research. I am very excited to continue researching these vital ecosystems in a new biome with unique challenges.