As part of the third year Environmental Geoscience course, students are set the task of conducting an independent research investigation project. This involves planning, collecting in-field data, laboratory analysis and computational skills before presenting the write-up, summarising conclusions and process. This year’s project is about the carbonate chemistry of groundwater-fed streams.
9th September
Following the introductory meeting and carbonate chemistry refresher by Fiona (Senior Lecturer and Professor of Earth Sciences) we were set with the task of sending in 3 project ideas, each linked to scientific questions. Our team immediately got started on brainstorming ideas and proceeded to discuss preliminary thoughts via ZOOM.
Our first preference proposal was focused around incorporating renewable energy into the project since it would be highly relevant with the current climate crisis and recent advances in renewable energy technology.
- Renewable Energy Geothermal
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- In Fiona’s paper, she used numerical modelling to understand controls on hydrothermal dolostone formation that will then lead to geothermal convection.
- In the context of our study: We can study ground-surface water interactions at Bristol/Bath hot springs to understand dolostone formations?
- Maybe can relate to the dolomitic conglomerate in the Avon Gorge Bristol
However, Fiona advised this proposal was too complex for our project since dolomite formation requires the presence of Mg-rich fluids and we would have to extend the scope of our data collection beyond the Bristol area to investigate hydrothermal karst (dissolution) cases across the UK.
2. Project 10 Gloucestershire Sites a….to z
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- How conifer plantations would affect calcite precipitation
- Conifer causes lower Ph, greater calcite dissolution, less tufas?
- More conifer plantations would cause less tufas at nearby spring
Fiona seemed a lot more enthusiastic about this proposal and even suggested that we incorporate a comparison of conifer trees against deciduous trees.
3. Vernham wood springs
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- Looking on the effects of different springs on the water/carbonate chemistry
- Effects of land slipping on carbonate precipitation
Fiona suggested we include other source geologies and land use differences to investigate the effect on the springs/carbonate precipitation.
Following another group ZOOM meeting and careful consideration of Fiona’s feedback in mind, we decided that proposal 2 was the best fit for our project. An investigation into the effect on pH and spring water chemistry caused by conifers or deciduous trees and the tufa formation left us with plenty of variables to analyse and scientific questions to explore.
In the end, we agreed on our (very rough) first draft hypothesis:
If a river system is influenced by conifer plantations, through surface runoff and soil seepage, the water chemistry will be more acidic allowing greater amounts of CaCO3 to dissolve and thus potentially smaller tufa deposits when compared with streams affected by deciduous plantations.