Article
Soil Science
Olena Volik, Richard M. Petrone, Jonathan S. Price
Summary: Understanding the controls on soil respiration and litter decomposition rates in saline boreal fens can help in wetland reclamation in salt-affected post-mined landscapes. Water table depth and soil moisture were found to be important factors influencing soil respiration and litter decomposition rates in saline environments. Keeping a high and stable water table is crucial to reduce decomposition and promote organic matter accumulation.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Emad A. Albakistani, Felix C. Nwosu, Chantel Furgason, Evan S. Haupt, Angela Smirnova, Tobin J. Verbeke, Eun-Suk Lee, Joong-Jae Kim, Amelia Chan, Ilona A. Ruhl, Andriy Sheremet, Sarah B. Rudderham, Matthew B. J. Lindsay, Peter F. Dunfield
Summary: This study examined the methanotrophic bacteria in an industrial end pit lake using molecular DNA methods combined with biogeochemical measurements. The results showed clear and consistent seasonal patterns of growth and decline of three methanotroph genera (Methylobacter, Methylovulum, and Methyloparacoccus). Laboratory experiments suggested that temperature based niche partitioning is a major control for this succession. This study helps to understand microbial dynamics in engineered end pit lakes and has implications for microbial ecology and limnology.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
Olena Volik, Eric Kessel, Adam Green, Richard Petrone, Jonathan Price
Summary: This study assessed the actual evapotranspiration (ET) in different types of wetlands in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region using eddy covariance technique and environmental data. Results showed a significant influence of vegetation on water loss and observed a positive relationship between precipitation and potential evapotranspiration, with peak growing seasons exhibiting high daily ET variability.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Abdul Samad, Dani Degenhardt, Armand Seguin, Marie-Josee Morency, Patrick Gagne, Christine Martineau
Summary: This study aimed to monitor the structural and functional responses of microbial communities in tailings subjected to different capping and vegetation strategies. The results showed that tailings microbial diversity and community composition changed considerably after two growing seasons, while communities in the capping layer were much more stable. Moreover, selecting the right combination of capping material and vegetation type may contribute to improve below-ground microbial processes and sustain plant growth in harsh environments such as oil sands tailings.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Water Resources
Emily Prystupa, Scott J. J. Davidson, Jonathan Price, Maria Strack
Summary: In northern Alberta, oil sands mining has a negative impact on the boreal landscape, and peatland construction is being tested for reclamation purposes. Understanding the cycling of solutes and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is crucial in determining the self-sustainability of constructed peatlands. This study focused on measuring DOC concentration, quality, and sodium (Na+) levels in the rooting zone of Nikanotee Fen to evaluate the role of Na+ in DOC dynamics. The results suggest that vegetation inputs are the main source of DOC in the fen, and elevated Na+ levels may lead to increased carbon export.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Kwadwo Omari, Bradley D. Pinno, Nicholas Utting, Edith H. Y. Li
Summary: Oil sands surface mining and processing in Alberta generate large volumes of fluid tailings and process water high in salts and metals, which must be reclaimed. The study found that certain non-native plant species performed better than native species in boreal oil sands reclamation sites, with cake-peat substrate supporting the highest aboveground biomass.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Matthew C. Elmes, Eric Kessel, Corey M. Wells, George Sutherland, Jonathan S. Price, Merrin L. Macrae, Richard M. Petrone
Summary: The removal of a disturbed fen in the AOSR following the removal of a temporary road led to a decrease in hydraulic conductivity and water discharge, but three years later, both measures showed signs of recovery. Additionally, changes in water chemistry were observed, with some parameters showing significant differences between different areas of the fen before and after road removal.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Wen-Qing Zhang, Killian Fleurial, Michelle Moawad, Robert Vassov, S. Ellen Macdonald, Janusz J. J. Zwiazek
Summary: Oil sands mining in Alberta generates tailings that affect plant revegetation. New technologies using carbon dioxide and thickeners can consolidate the tailings, but their effects on plant growth are still uncertain.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Natasa Popovic, Richard M. Petrone, Adam Green, Myroslava Khomik, Jonathan S. Price
Summary: Obligatory mine reclamation efforts in the Athabasca oil sands region require the restoration of key ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration and water and nutrient cycling. A study used eddy covariance and remote sensing measurements to analyze the changes in energy partitioning of a reclaimed fen-upland watershed over seven years. The results showed that surface conditions evolved from bare ground to robustly vegetated plant communities, altering energy fluxes and surface-atmosphere coupling.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Kaitlyn E. Trepanier, Laura Manchola-Rojas, Bradley D. Pinno
Summary: The study found that buried wood is an important component of reclamation soils, primarily inputting carbon to the soil and affecting plant growth through increasing the C:N ratio and reducing available nitrogen. Soil type is the main factor influencing trembling aspen growth, while buried wood species does not impact aspen development, but the amount of buried wood does. Adding wood content significantly slows down aspen growth on more productive soils.
Article
Agronomy
M. Graham Clark, Richard M. Petrone, Sean K. Carey
Summary: Reclaiming upland boreal forests in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region requires evaluation criteria. Comparing constructed forests to post-harvested ecosystems and mature Boreal Plains ecosystems, it was found that constructed forests had significantly lower water use efficiency even after 10 years. The low WUE in upland conifer sites was driven by high evapotranspiration, while in broadleaf forests it was driven by low gross primary productivity.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Abdul Samad, Gervais Pelletier, Armand Seguin, Dani Degenhardt, Douglas G. Muench, Christine Martineau
Summary: This study used RNA sequencing to investigate the effects of different types of oil sands tailings (OST) on gene expression in willow. The results showed that some genes responded universally, while others responded specifically to different types of OST. Genes related to detoxification, transport, and stress response were identified. The expression of certain genes could be used as a biosensor to distinguish plants exposed to different OST stresses. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing OST capping and vegetation restoration technologies.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
Olena Volik, Richard Petrone, Eric Kessel, Adam Green, Jonathan Price
Summary: The study assessed the variability of water-use efficiency in different types of peatlands in the Athabasca oil sands region, finding that WUE increases under wetter conditions but is offset by a decrease in air temperature. Wildfire has a negative effect on WUE.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Julian Wittische, Scott Heckbert, Patrick M. A. James, A. Cole Burton, Jason T. Fisher
Summary: Anthropogenic landscape disturbances have negative impacts on habitat and biodiversity, with predators being more affected by human features than natural habitat. Linear and non-linear anthropogenic disturbances have different effects on prey and predators, highlighting the importance of considering the dynamics of the entire mammal community in biodiversity conservation efforts.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Virgil C. Hawkes, Nathan Hentze, Travis G. Gerwing
Summary: The Athabasca Oil Sands Region in Alberta, Canada, supports large-scale bitumen mining operations. Reclamation efforts are showing progress in restoring wildlife habitats, with reclaimed areas increasing in community similarity to mature boreal forest plots over 35 years. However, the community similarity between reclaimed and reference sites remains relatively low at this stage, indicating that continued research is needed to assess longer-term functionality and ecological implications of reclaimed habitats.
AVIAN CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGY
(2021)