Small-scale harvest of big trees: impacts of land use changes over ~1300 years on SGang Gwaay, Haida Gwaii, B.C.

Long-term land-use changes on SGang Gwaay, Haida Gwaii, have significantly impacted aquatic ecosystems over ~1300 years. Research reveals that small-scale harvesting of western red cedar (Thuja plicata) beginning in the 13th century altered carbon inputs to a pond, shifting from terrestrial plant dominance to increased autochthonous sources post-1625 CE. Paleolimnological methods, including stable carbon isotopes and diatom analysis, demonstrate these changes correlated with village expansion and subsequent ecological shifts, such as increased water mixing and light availability. The study highlights the enduring effects of Indigenous land-use practices on both terrestrial and aquatic systems.

Zvezdin, A. C., Álvarez-Manzaneda Salcedo, M., Langille, E., Meyer-Jacob, C., Michelutti, N., Hipfner, M., Grooms, C., Smol, J. P., & Hargan, K. E. (2025). Small-scale harvest of big trees: impacts of land use changes over ~1300 years on SGang Gwaay, Haida Gwaii, B.C. Botany. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjb-2025-0062