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Building a suitable soil is the foundation for successful revegetation and ecosystem development following disturbance. Mines produce large amounts of waste materials, which are important resources for soil building where it is lacking, although their potential on their own to support plants is often low. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of built micro topography, organic amendments and an anionic polymer erosion control product (Soil Lynx) in improving plant community establishment on substrates of diamond mine waste materials (crushed rock, processed kimberlite, lakebed sediment) in the Northwest Territories, Canada. In general, micro topography and organic amendments worked independently to enhance revegetation. Built micro topography only enhanced plant establishment on processed kimberlite with highest plant density, cover and height in depressions. Plant response was considerably less on this substrate than on the others. Crushed rock had at least eight times the plant density and cover of processed kimberlite and double that of lakebed sediment. Sewage sludge incorporated 5–10 cm into surface substrates significantly improved plant establishment, growth and frequency of seed heads. Soil Lynx provided no benefit for plants. After 4 years, crushed rock with sewage sludge showed the greatest potential for use in reclamation. Seeded grasses dominated all treatments, although moss and lichen cover were increasing with time on crushed rock. Gravel disturbances are common in arctic regions and the ability to accelerate plant community development through use of novel soil building materials can ensure ecosystem resilience.
Valerie S. Miller; M. Anne Naeth; Sarah R. Wilkinson. Micro topography, organic amendments and an erosion control product for reclamation of waste materials at an arctic diamond mine. Ecological Engineering 2021, 172, 106399 .
AMA StyleValerie S. Miller, M. Anne Naeth, Sarah R. Wilkinson. Micro topography, organic amendments and an erosion control product for reclamation of waste materials at an arctic diamond mine. Ecological Engineering. 2021; 172 ():106399.
Chicago/Turabian StyleValerie S. Miller; M. Anne Naeth; Sarah R. Wilkinson. 2021. "Micro topography, organic amendments and an erosion control product for reclamation of waste materials at an arctic diamond mine." Ecological Engineering 172, no. : 106399.
Naturalization is a new and promising ecological approach to green space development for urban environments, although knowledge is sparse on techniques to implement it. We evaluated naturalization of eight native trees and shrubs, with site preparation (tillage, herbicide) and soil amendment (compost rates) treatment combinations at six sites in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Soil texture improved with all compost rates, and acidity, electrical conductivity and total carbon increased, especially with 100% compost. Soil nutrients generally increased with compost then declined within a year. Plant species with highest potential for use in urban green spaces were Picea glauca, Symphoricarpos albus and Rosa acicularis. Herbicide was the most influential site preparation treatment, positively increasing survival and growth of planted woody species, while negatively lowering non-native species cover and increasing noxious weed cover. Soil amendment with compost influenced cover not species richness, with high compost amendment reducing vegetation cover across sites, and increasing individual plant size. This study suggests amendment of soil with compost and appropriate site preparation can positively influence naturalization of these woody species for urban green spaces.
Jaime Aguilar Rojas; Amalesh Dhar; M. Anne Naeth. Urban Naturalization for Green Spaces Using Soil Tillage, Herbicide Application, Compost Amendment and Native Vegetation. Land 2021, 10, 854 .
AMA StyleJaime Aguilar Rojas, Amalesh Dhar, M. Anne Naeth. Urban Naturalization for Green Spaces Using Soil Tillage, Herbicide Application, Compost Amendment and Native Vegetation. Land. 2021; 10 (8):854.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJaime Aguilar Rojas; Amalesh Dhar; M. Anne Naeth. 2021. "Urban Naturalization for Green Spaces Using Soil Tillage, Herbicide Application, Compost Amendment and Native Vegetation." Land 10, no. 8: 854.
Dust produced from mining has the potential to reduce plant cover, alter plant communities, and increase metal concentrations in vegetation—changes that may affect the amount, type, and quality of forage for barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus). We quantified dust deposition from Diavik Diamond Mine (Northwest Territories, Canada) and investigated the changes on forage quality, type, and quantity for caribou. From 2002 to 2016, dust deposition was measured, and vegetation cover and richness were assessed in permanent plots established adjacent to the mine and in reference areas 1–6 km from the mine. Lichen was collected from areas up to 100 km from the mine to determine metal concentrations. Dust deposition rapidly decreased within 4 km of the mine. Plant communities adjacent to the mine (within 500 m) had disproportionately increased cover of vascular plants and decreased bryophyte and lichen cover. Lichen sampled within 4 km from the mine had greater metal concentrations than those sampled farther afield. Concentrations of Al in lichen collected within 40 km of the mine exceeded safe exposure limits for consumption, assuming lichen comprised 100% of caribou diet. We conclude that dust deposition from mining is altering adjacent vegetation communities but that such changes to forage are unlikely to cause negative effects to caribou due to reduced lichen intake in summer and autumn, their migratory nature, and avoidance of mine-influenced areas. However, minimization and reclamation of mine-related disturbances will be important for maintaining sufficient quality forage and available habitat or space in caribou ranges.
Autumn D. Watkinson; John Virgl; Valerie S. Miller; M. Anne Naeth; Jaewoo Kim; Kerrie Serben; Chris Shapka; Sean Sinclair. Effects of dust deposition from diamond mining on subarctic plant communities and barren‐ground caribou forage. Journal of Environmental Quality 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleAutumn D. Watkinson, John Virgl, Valerie S. Miller, M. Anne Naeth, Jaewoo Kim, Kerrie Serben, Chris Shapka, Sean Sinclair. Effects of dust deposition from diamond mining on subarctic plant communities and barren‐ground caribou forage. Journal of Environmental Quality. 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAutumn D. Watkinson; John Virgl; Valerie S. Miller; M. Anne Naeth; Jaewoo Kim; Kerrie Serben; Chris Shapka; Sean Sinclair. 2021. "Effects of dust deposition from diamond mining on subarctic plant communities and barren‐ground caribou forage." Journal of Environmental Quality , no. : 1.
Woody debris is a critical component of natural forests, with an important function in land reclamation to control erosion and enhance diversity and function of newly developing ecosystems. Combined with cover soils, woody debris can play a significant role in plant community development, as cover soil is a source of inexpensive and ecologically adapted propagules. As we develop woody debris application as a land reclamation tool, its impacts on cover soils over time need to be documented. This study assessed how woody debris volume, types (Picea mariana, Populus tremuloides), and size influenced soil properties, and vegetation structure and composition in forest floor-mineral-mix(FFM) and peat-mineral-mix (PMM) cover soils types four-five years after oil sands reclamation. Soil chemical and physical properties were significantly affected by cover soil types, whereas no woody debris effects were evident. FFM cover soil was associated with greater vegetation cover, plant species richness, composition, and woody plant density than PMM. Nonmetric multi-dimensional scaling and multi-response permutation procedures revealed plant community compositional differences only for cover soil types. Presence of early to late and mid to late seral species four-five years after reclamation in FFM and PMM indicated community development trajectories were following typical early successional processes of boreal forests of the region. Woody debris type, size, and volume application had small or no impact on vegetation development. Although FFM cover soil was more effective than PMM, further long-term research to evaluate impacts of woody debris on vegetation development would be important to affirm its use for reclamation.
Katryna B. C. Forsch; Amalesh Dhar; M. Anne Naeth. Effects of woody debris and cover soil types on soil properties and vegetation 4–5 years after oil sands reclamation. Restoration Ecology 2021, e13420 .
AMA StyleKatryna B. C. Forsch, Amalesh Dhar, M. Anne Naeth. Effects of woody debris and cover soil types on soil properties and vegetation 4–5 years after oil sands reclamation. Restoration Ecology. 2021; ():e13420.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKatryna B. C. Forsch; Amalesh Dhar; M. Anne Naeth. 2021. "Effects of woody debris and cover soil types on soil properties and vegetation 4–5 years after oil sands reclamation." Restoration Ecology , no. : e13420.
Surface mining around the world has produced large quantities of waste materials with ecological impacts. Oil sands mining in Canada generates large volumes of petroleum coke and tailings every year, which are stockpiled in the mining areas, and must be reclaimed through capping, or used in reclamation substrates. A greenhouse study was conducted to determine whether substrates of various mixes of dry tailings (DT), tailings sand (TS), and peat mineral mix (PMM) with coke amendment would support emergence and growth of three grass species commonly used in land reclamation. After 16 weeks in the greenhouse, plant performance varied with substrate and amendment. Treatment with DT:TS:PMM (50:25:25) with 40% coke had greatest cover, biomass and density, and best health. Plant growth was inhibited in treatments with DT (100%) and coke (100%) due to high concentrations of hydrocarbons, undesirable exchangeable ions, and salinity that restricted soil water retention (gravimetric water content, hydraulic conductivity) relative to treatments with PMM. Agrostis scabra and Festuca saximontana showed poor growth or did not survive on DT and DT:TS with coke. Elymus trachycaulus performed better in all DT mixes and the best in DT:TS:PMM with 40% coke. Results from this study indicate that mixing with PMM could improve the reclamation potential of DT and coke. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Gabriela L. Luna Wolter; Amalesh Dhar; M. Anne Naeth. Response of three native grass species on dry tailings reclamation substrate amended with petroleum coke. Journal of Environmental Quality 2021, 50, 384 -395.
AMA StyleGabriela L. Luna Wolter, Amalesh Dhar, M. Anne Naeth. Response of three native grass species on dry tailings reclamation substrate amended with petroleum coke. Journal of Environmental Quality. 2021; 50 (2):384-395.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGabriela L. Luna Wolter; Amalesh Dhar; M. Anne Naeth. 2021. "Response of three native grass species on dry tailings reclamation substrate amended with petroleum coke." Journal of Environmental Quality 50, no. 2: 384-395.
With increasing costs, finite sources, and adverse environmental impacts of fossil fuels, global attention has focused on developing renewable and clean sources of energy. Although geothermal energy is considered one of the most promising sources of renewable and clean energy, it may not be as benign as widely believed. In this paper, we evaluate the environmental challenges for geothermal resource extraction and describe potential reclamation strategies for disturbed ecosystems. Generally, the environmental impacts of geothermal power generation and direct use are minor and in most cases controllable. Geothermal plants have low emissions of carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia, and low land and water usage; these impacts can be minimized through appropriate mitigation measures. Other potential emissions such as mercury, boron, and arsenic may result in local and regional environmental consequences, although their impacts are poorly understood on a global scale. Geothermal plants can alter vegetation and wildlife habitat by reducing species diversity and community composition. There are small risks of subsidence, induced seismicity, and landslides, with potential serious consequences. Integration of timely reclamation during and after plant operation can significantly contribute to reducing long term reclamation costs while enhancing ecosystem recovery. This paper is expected to contribute to understanding environmental impacts associated with geothermal energy production and to determining appropriate mitigation and land reclamation strategies.
Amalesh Dhar; M Anne Naeth; P. Devereaux Jennings; Mohamed Gamal El-Din. Geothermal energy resources: potential environmental impact and land reclamation. Environmental Reviews 2020, 28, 415 -427.
AMA StyleAmalesh Dhar, M Anne Naeth, P. Devereaux Jennings, Mohamed Gamal El-Din. Geothermal energy resources: potential environmental impact and land reclamation. Environmental Reviews. 2020; 28 (4):415-427.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmalesh Dhar; M Anne Naeth; P. Devereaux Jennings; Mohamed Gamal El-Din. 2020. "Geothermal energy resources: potential environmental impact and land reclamation." Environmental Reviews 28, no. 4: 415-427.
Agricultural practices have historically dominated disturbance on North American grasslands. Disturbances from oil and gas have become increasingly common and problematic for grassland conservation. With growing demand for oil and gas, industry is actively implementing minimal disturbance techniques during construction to reduce impacts on grasslands. This study aimed to determine impacts of a large-diameter pipeline right of way (ROW) on dry mixed-grass prairie to determine if and how far these impacts extended beyond the ROW and the effect of time on grassland recovery on and off ROW. Soil and vegetation on the ROW and on transects extending 300 m on either side of the ROW were assessed over a 10-yr period, starting the yr of construction, at six sites along a pipeline route in southern Alberta, Canada. There were significant impacts to soil and vegetation on the ROW and within 5 m of the ROW in the first yr. The trench was most impacted, followed by work and storage areas. Within 2 yr, soil and plant communities were on a trajectory toward reference prairie conditions. Ten yr following construction, only soil pH and bare ground were greater, and litter was less, on the trench than on work and storage areas, and relative to reference prairie. While native grass richness, dominance, and cover were similar on and off ROW, abundance of some native forb species was less on ROW. Non-native species cover was < 2% in all yr and locations. Although ruderal weed species were abundant on ROW the yr following construction, they disappeared by the following yr. Use of minimal-disturbance construction techniques reduced the size and intensity of the disturbance footprint, allowing for even sensitive arid habitat to recover within a short period of time. Similar approaches to other grassland disturbances can increase ecosystem resiliency.
M. Anne Naeth; David A. Locky; Sarah R. Wilkinson; Meghan R. Nannt; Candace L. Bryks; Caitlin H. Low. Pipeline impacts and recovery of dry mixed-grass prairie soil and plant communities. Rangeland Ecology & Management 2020, 73, 1 .
AMA StyleM. Anne Naeth, David A. Locky, Sarah R. Wilkinson, Meghan R. Nannt, Candace L. Bryks, Caitlin H. Low. Pipeline impacts and recovery of dry mixed-grass prairie soil and plant communities. Rangeland Ecology & Management. 2020; 73 (5):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Anne Naeth; David A. Locky; Sarah R. Wilkinson; Meghan R. Nannt; Candace L. Bryks; Caitlin H. Low. 2020. "Pipeline impacts and recovery of dry mixed-grass prairie soil and plant communities." Rangeland Ecology & Management 73, no. 5: 1.
Sagebrush (Artemisia sp. [Asteraceae]) is an important component of many grassland species’ habitats. Anthropogenic activities have resulted in widespread loss of sagebrush, causing declining populations of sagebrush obligate species. With the goal of improving sagebrush habitat restoration outcomes, we sought to maximize germination success of sagebrush by investigating seed preparation methods. Seed collected in 2015 and 2016 was subjected to 3 to 6 after-ripening periods and 2 physical scarification treatments, then germinated for 21 d in light and dark. Scarified seed had significantly greater maximum germination and significantly lower time to maximum germination than did seed that had not been scarified. Physical scarification removed light requirements for germination as time to maximum germination was equivalent between scarified seed germinated in the dark and non-scarified seed germinated in light. Untreated seed had rapid and high germination, indicating that low success with seeding sagebrush was likely due to limiting environmental conditions. We recommend that seed be cold stored to preserve seed viability and seedcoats left intact for seeding. Small but significant differences in maximum germination could have large impacts on landscape-level restoration.
Autumn D Watkinson; M Anne Naeth; Shelley Pruss. Storage time, light exposure, and physical scarification effects on Artemisia cana seed germination. Native Plants Journal 2020, 21, 4 -14.
AMA StyleAutumn D Watkinson, M Anne Naeth, Shelley Pruss. Storage time, light exposure, and physical scarification effects on Artemisia cana seed germination. Native Plants Journal. 2020; 21 (1):4-14.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAutumn D Watkinson; M Anne Naeth; Shelley Pruss. 2020. "Storage time, light exposure, and physical scarification effects on Artemisia cana seed germination." Native Plants Journal 21, no. 1: 4-14.
Soil-forest productivity has been studied over decades, especially for North American boreal forests; however, there has been little effort to quantitatively incorporate this relationship into frameworks of soil quality assessment (SQA). The need for such framework is critical as land reclamation and ecosystem restoration are expected to quantitatively demonstrate the redevelopment of functional soil-plant systems in spatial and/or temporal dimensions for closure of disturbed sites. The objective of this research was to assess three potential options for calibrating soil-forest productivity relationships into a SQA framework using scoring functions, while demonstrating applications in land reclamation. Using Alberta oil sands reclamation as a case study, soil-forest productivity was calibrated by i) stepwise regression of soil and forest productivity indicators, ii) use of GYPSY to model pre-disturbance growth trajectories while treating soil as categorical variable, and iii) use of process based models HYDRUS 1D and BIOMES-BGC to estimate soil and plant productivity parameters such as available water holding capacity, leaf area index and net primary productivity. All three approaches provided adequate data for calibrating the relationship into existing SQA frameworks producing soil quality-scoring functions (SQF), although the regression approach will require more rigorous validation and constraining of the SQF in comparison to the other two options. Applications of the SQF include temporal assessments of plant’s growth rate of reclaimed stands and testing the effect of reclamation cover design factors on forest productivity.
Abimbola A. Ojekanmi; M Anne Naeth; Shongming Huang. Calibration and application of quality-scoring functions using soil-forest productivity relationships in land reclamation. Ecological Indicators 2020, 113, 106193 .
AMA StyleAbimbola A. Ojekanmi, M Anne Naeth, Shongming Huang. Calibration and application of quality-scoring functions using soil-forest productivity relationships in land reclamation. Ecological Indicators. 2020; 113 ():106193.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAbimbola A. Ojekanmi; M Anne Naeth; Shongming Huang. 2020. "Calibration and application of quality-scoring functions using soil-forest productivity relationships in land reclamation." Ecological Indicators 113, no. : 106193.
Biochar is a promising material for efficient removal of toxic metals from wastewater to meet standards for discharge into surface water. We characterized adsorption behaviour of willow (Salix alba) wood (WW) and cattle manure (CM) and their biochars, willow wood biochar (WWB) and cattle manure biochar (CMB), and elucidated the mechanisms for the removal of Ni(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II) from aqueous solutions. The kinetic adsorption suggests that the adsorption of Ni(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II) by feedstock and their biochars was controlled by mass transport, and chemisorption also played a role in the adsorption process. The Elovich model also well described the adsorption kinetics for WW and CM (R2 > 0.92), indicating that heterogeneous diffusion was the mechanism. The Sips isotherm model fitted best (R2 > 0.98) for Ni(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II) adsorption by the feedstocks and their biochars, indicating that both monolayer and multilayer adsorption played roles on the heterogeneous surfaces of the four adsorbents. The WWB had a higher while the CMB had a lower adsorption capacity than their respective feedstock due to the presence of abundant –COOH functional group on WWB surface to interact with Ni(II), Cu(II) and Cd(II) to form surface complexes. The higher specific surface area and lower pH of point of zero charge (PZC) of WWB were other contributing factors for its greater removal capacity. Therefore, we conclude that proper feedstocks need to be selected to produce biochars that are efficient for the removal of toxic metals from wastewater.
Siyuan Wang; Jin-Hyeob Kwak; Shahinoor Islam; M Anne Naeth; Mohamed Gamal El-Din; Scott X. Chang. Biochar surface complexation and Ni(II), Cu(II), and Cd(II) adsorption in aqueous solutions depend on feedstock type. Science of The Total Environment 2020, 712, 136538 .
AMA StyleSiyuan Wang, Jin-Hyeob Kwak, Shahinoor Islam, M Anne Naeth, Mohamed Gamal El-Din, Scott X. Chang. Biochar surface complexation and Ni(II), Cu(II), and Cd(II) adsorption in aqueous solutions depend on feedstock type. Science of The Total Environment. 2020; 712 ():136538.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSiyuan Wang; Jin-Hyeob Kwak; Shahinoor Islam; M Anne Naeth; Mohamed Gamal El-Din; Scott X. Chang. 2020. "Biochar surface complexation and Ni(II), Cu(II), and Cd(II) adsorption in aqueous solutions depend on feedstock type." Science of The Total Environment 712, no. : 136538.
This experiment assessed the effects of plant-derived smoke water, potassium nitrate (KNO3), and their combined effect on germination of cold-stratified and non-stratified seed from 18 native boreal forest plant species. Seeds were treated with smoke water diluted to 1:20, 0.1% KNO3, and smoke water + KNO3. Nine species responded positively to smoke water; these responses were dependent on the type of stratification, and three of these species only had a positive response to smoke water + KNO3 solution. Five species responded positively to KNO3 and four of those were associated with smoke water + KNO3 solution. Smoke water induced germination of several species, but only for seeds that had been previously cold-stratified. Vaccinium myrtilloides Michx. had the largest increase in germination using smoke water and the most reduced germination using KNO3. The interactions between smoke water, KNO3, and stratified seeds are not well understood. The effects and applications of smoke water and KNO3 (or other nitrogen sources) should be further researched to determine alternative approaches to restoration of disturbed boreal forest ecosystems.
Dean D. MacKenzie; M. Anne Naeth. Effect of plant-derived smoke water and potassium nitrate on germination of understory boreal forest plants. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 2019, 49, 1540 -1547.
AMA StyleDean D. MacKenzie, M. Anne Naeth. Effect of plant-derived smoke water and potassium nitrate on germination of understory boreal forest plants. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 2019; 49 (12):1540-1547.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDean D. MacKenzie; M. Anne Naeth. 2019. "Effect of plant-derived smoke water and potassium nitrate on germination of understory boreal forest plants." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 49, no. 12: 1540-1547.
Global energy demands and environmental concerns are a driving force for use of alternative, sustainable and clean energy sources. Solar and wind are among the most promising sources and have been developing steadily in recent years. However, these energy developments are not free of adverse environmental consequences, which require appropriate reclamation procedures. The environmental issues caused by solar and wind plants were reviewed in this paper by summarizing existing studies and synthesizing the principles that could underlie development of reclamation practices. The major environmental drawback of solar and wind energy plants are bird mortality, biodiversity, and habitat loss; noise; visual impact; and hazardous chemicals used in solar panels. Available mitigation measures to minimize these adverse environmental impacts, and appropriate reclamation protocol for the disturbed ecosystems, including key research needs are discussed. We include socio-economic perspectives of solar and wind energy, such as policy related to re-powering initiatives, decommissioning, and reclamation liability. The intent of this paper is to provide current perspectives on environmental issues associated with solar and wind energy development, strategies to mitigate environmental impacts, and potential reclamation practices to solar and wind energy planners and developers.
Amalesh Dhar; M. Anne Naeth; P. Dev Jennings; Mohamed Gamal El-Din. Perspectives on environmental impacts and a land reclamation strategy for solar and wind energy systems. Science of The Total Environment 2019, 718, 134602 .
AMA StyleAmalesh Dhar, M. Anne Naeth, P. Dev Jennings, Mohamed Gamal El-Din. Perspectives on environmental impacts and a land reclamation strategy for solar and wind energy systems. Science of The Total Environment. 2019; 718 ():134602.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmalesh Dhar; M. Anne Naeth; P. Dev Jennings; Mohamed Gamal El-Din. 2019. "Perspectives on environmental impacts and a land reclamation strategy for solar and wind energy systems." Science of The Total Environment 718, no. : 134602.
During mining topsoil is salvaged and stockpiled until ready for reclamation, stockpiling can have detrimental effects on seed viability and soil quality. Research has assessed effects of salvage and placement depth of forest topsoil on plant community establishment, with little work on effects of storage, particularly in the boreal forest. Our research assessed boreal forest topsoil storage methods to determine effects on soil chemical and physical properties, native seed viability and germination and rhizome viability and emergence. Factors were topsoil stockpiling length, stockpile size, season of construction and soil texture. Four replicates of large and small stockpiles were constructed in the mineable oil sands, in northeastern Alberta. During construction seeds and rhizomes from a variety of native boreal plant species were buried within large (0.05, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 m) and small (0.05, 1.0, 3.0 m) stockpiles. Soil gas probes were installed at similar depths as seed and rhizomes were placed. Seeds and rhizomes were extracted eight months and sixteen months after construction; during that time soil samples were collected for various chemical analyses. Irrespective of stockpile size, the majority of species seeds and rhizomes buried below 1 m lost viability and did not germinate after eight months. Anaerobic soil conditions developed soon after construction and persisted at depths below 1.0 m in large stockpiles, and over time anaerobic conditions developed in smaller stockpiles. Only seeds of Geranium bicknellii and Dracocephalum parviflorum had a high survival rate in stockpiles; both species have hard seed coats and are physically dormant. Various soil nutrients increased in concentrations in their soluble forms after stockpiling. Direct placement of topsoil is a preferred soil handling technique; however, if topsoil has to be stockpiled increasing the surface area of stockpiles will help preserve some seed and rhizome viability.
Dean D. MacKenzie; M. Anne Naeth. Native seed, soil and atmosphere respond to boreal forest topsoil (LFH) storage. PLoS ONE 2019, 14, e0220367 .
AMA StyleDean D. MacKenzie, M. Anne Naeth. Native seed, soil and atmosphere respond to boreal forest topsoil (LFH) storage. PLoS ONE. 2019; 14 (9):e0220367.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDean D. MacKenzie; M. Anne Naeth. 2019. "Native seed, soil and atmosphere respond to boreal forest topsoil (LFH) storage." PLoS ONE 14, no. 9: e0220367.
Understanding the effects of reclamation treatments on plant community development is an important step in setting realistic indicators and targets for reclamation of upland oil sands sites to forest ecosystems. We examine trends in cover, richness, evenness and community composition for four cover soil types (clay over overburden, clay over tailings sand, peat‐mineral mix over overburden, and peat‐mineral mix over tailings sand) and natural boreal forests over a 20 year period in the mineable oil sands region of northern Alberta, Canada. Tree, shrub and non‐vascular plant species cover showed similar increases over time for all reclamation treatments, with corresponding declines in forb and graminoid cover with time. These trends resemble those in the natural boreal forests of the region and the trajectory of community development for the reclamation treatments appears to follow typical early successional trends for boreal forests. Species richness and diversity of natural forest differed significantly from reclamation treatments. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination and multi‐response permutation procedure revealed that species composition was not affected by reclamation treatment but clearly differed from natural forest. Analysis of species co‐occurrence indicated random plant community assembly following reclamation, in contrast to a higher proportion of non‐random plant community assembly in natural forests. Thus, reclaimed plant communities appear to be unstructured through year 20 and assembly is still in progress on these reclaimed sites. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Amalesh Dhar; Philip G. Comeau; M. Anne Naeth; Bradley D. Pinno; Robert Vassov. Plant community development following reclamation of oil sands mines using four cover soil types in northern Alberta. Restoration Ecology 2019, 28, 82 -92.
AMA StyleAmalesh Dhar, Philip G. Comeau, M. Anne Naeth, Bradley D. Pinno, Robert Vassov. Plant community development following reclamation of oil sands mines using four cover soil types in northern Alberta. Restoration Ecology. 2019; 28 (1):82-92.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmalesh Dhar; Philip G. Comeau; M. Anne Naeth; Bradley D. Pinno; Robert Vassov. 2019. "Plant community development following reclamation of oil sands mines using four cover soil types in northern Alberta." Restoration Ecology 28, no. 1: 82-92.
Using waste materials from industrial activities to build anthroposols (soils built or altered by humans) can provide soil for reclamation and reduce amounts of materials stored in landfills. Mines and other large industrial disturbances requiring anthroposols usually have large amounts of nonorganic waste materials with low water holding capacity and large amounts of coarse fragments. Thus, water holding capacity is a key property to build into anthroposols as all aspects of revegetation are strongly influenced by soil water content. This research assessed the effectiveness of hydrogel and organic amendments to increase the water retention in common mine wastes used to build anthroposols for reclamation in three greenhouse experiments. Waste materials were crushed rock, lakebed sediment, and processed kimberlite, from a northern diamond mine in Canada. Amendments were hydrogel, sewage, salvaged soil, and peat. Pots were filled with the material and weighed and saturated, followed by periodic weighing until the weight was near constant. Water retention was consistently highest in processed kimberlite, with and without amendments. Water retention increased most with hydrogel in processed kimberlite and crushed rock. Hydrogel application method impacted the initial water retention, but over time, the effect was limited. Water retention in lakebed sediment showed little difference relative to no amendment addition and had lowest increases relative to other substrates. Type of waste material and amendment, application rate, and application method impacted water retention and can be adapted to build anthroposols in the field using waste materials suitable for reclamation.
Valerie S. Miller; M Anne Naeth. Hydrogel and Organic Amendments to Increase Water Retention in Anthroposols for Land Reclamation. Applied and Environmental Soil Science 2019, 2019, 1 -11.
AMA StyleValerie S. Miller, M Anne Naeth. Hydrogel and Organic Amendments to Increase Water Retention in Anthroposols for Land Reclamation. Applied and Environmental Soil Science. 2019; 2019 ():1-11.
Chicago/Turabian StyleValerie S. Miller; M Anne Naeth. 2019. "Hydrogel and Organic Amendments to Increase Water Retention in Anthroposols for Land Reclamation." Applied and Environmental Soil Science 2019, no. : 1-11.
Biochar is a promising material for facilitating the reclamation of oil sands process water (OSPW); however, how biochar properties can be optimized for metal removal from OSPW is not well studied. This study was conducted to determine relationships among feedstock type, pyrolysis condition, biochar property, and lead(II) adsorption capacity to demonstrate the potential use of biochar for metal removal from a synthetic OSPW. Sawdust, canola and wheat straw, and manure pellet were pyrolyzed at 300, 500, and 700 °C, with or without steam activation. Increasing pyrolysis temperature increased, with a few exceptions, biochar pH, surface area, and carbon content, but decreased hydrogen and oxygen contents and surface functional groups. Steam activation increased surface area but did not affect other properties. For non-steam-activated biochars, canola and wheat straw biochars produced at 700 °C had the highest lead(II) adsorption capacity (Qmax_Pb), at 108 and 109 mg g−1, respectively. Increasing the pyrolysis temperature increased Qmax_Pb due to increased biochar pH, ash content, and surface area by increasing precipitation, ion exchange, and inner-sphere complexation of lead(II). Steam activation increased lead(II) adsorption capacity for most biochars mainly due to the increased surface area, with the highest Qmax_Pb at 195 mg g−1 for canola straw biochar pyrolyzed at 700 °C with steam activation. The adsorption with time followed a pseudo-second order kinetic model. The results of this study will help select most effective biochars that can be produced from locally available agricultural or forestry byproducts that are optimized for metal removal from synthetic OSPW.
Jin-Hyeob Kwak; Shahinoor Islam; Siyuan Wang; Selamawit Ashagre Messele; M Anne Naeth; Mohamed Gamal El-Din; Scott X. Chang. Biochar properties and lead(II) adsorption capacity depend on feedstock type, pyrolysis temperature, and steam activation. Chemosphere 2019, 231, 393 -404.
AMA StyleJin-Hyeob Kwak, Shahinoor Islam, Siyuan Wang, Selamawit Ashagre Messele, M Anne Naeth, Mohamed Gamal El-Din, Scott X. Chang. Biochar properties and lead(II) adsorption capacity depend on feedstock type, pyrolysis temperature, and steam activation. Chemosphere. 2019; 231 ():393-404.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJin-Hyeob Kwak; Shahinoor Islam; Siyuan Wang; Selamawit Ashagre Messele; M Anne Naeth; Mohamed Gamal El-Din; Scott X. Chang. 2019. "Biochar properties and lead(II) adsorption capacity depend on feedstock type, pyrolysis temperature, and steam activation." Chemosphere 231, no. : 393-404.
Nutrient-poor, sandy soils form the prevailing substrate at post-mining sites of the Lusatian region (Brandenburg, Germany) and present a challenge for vegetation development. We studied the organic acid quantity and composition of three commonly occurring pioneer plant species, the legumes Lotus corniculatus L. and Trifolium arvense L. and the grass Calamagrostis epigeios (L.) Roth, to determine if plant growth and exudation differed with (non-sterilized soil) and without (sterilized soil) an indigenous soil microbial community. We investigated whether organic acids were found in the rhizosphere and surrounding soil and whether this influenced nutrient mobilization. This study consists of linked field investigations and a greenhouse experiment. Plants were grown in the greenhouse in either sterilized or non-sterilized sandy soil from a reclamation site in the Lusatian mining landscape (Welzow Süd, East Germany). After seven months, the plant biomass, root morphology, organic acids, and water-soluble nutrients and root colonization with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and dark septate endophytes (DSE) were analyzed. Roots of all three plants in the field and greenhouse experiments were highly colonized with AMF. Calamagrostis epigeios and T. arvense had a significantly higher colonization frequency with DSE than L. corniculatus. The quantity and composition of organic acids strongly differed among plant species, with the highest number of organic acids found for L. corniculatus and lowest for C. epigeios. The quantity of organic acids was greatly reduced in all plants under sterilized soil conditions. However, the composition of organic acids and plant growth in sterilized soil were reduced for both legumes, but not for C. epigeios, which had a higher biomass under sterilized conditions. Changes in nutrient concentrations in the field rhizosphere soil relative to those in the control were measurable after seven months. While the spectrum of organic acids and the growth of legumes seemed to be dependent on a highly diverse soil microbial community and a symbiotic partner, the grass C. epigeios appeared capable of mobilizing enough nutrients without an indigenous microbial community, and might be more competitive on sites where soil microbial diversity and activity are low.
Katja Boldt-Burisch; Bernd Uwe Schneider; M. Anne Naeth; Reinhard F. Hüttl. Root Exudation of Organic Acids of Herbaceous Pioneer Plants and Their Growth in Sterile and Non-Sterile Nutrient-Poor, Sandy Soils from Post-Mining Sites. Pedosphere 2019, 29, 34 -44.
AMA StyleKatja Boldt-Burisch, Bernd Uwe Schneider, M. Anne Naeth, Reinhard F. Hüttl. Root Exudation of Organic Acids of Herbaceous Pioneer Plants and Their Growth in Sterile and Non-Sterile Nutrient-Poor, Sandy Soils from Post-Mining Sites. Pedosphere. 2019; 29 (1):34-44.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKatja Boldt-Burisch; Bernd Uwe Schneider; M. Anne Naeth; Reinhard F. Hüttl. 2019. "Root Exudation of Organic Acids of Herbaceous Pioneer Plants and Their Growth in Sterile and Non-Sterile Nutrient-Poor, Sandy Soils from Post-Mining Sites." Pedosphere 29, no. 1: 34-44.
Phosphogypsum (PG) is a by-product of phosphate fertilizer production. This study is the first to investigate Bromis inermis and Festuca ovina root morphology and colonization with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and dark septate endophytes (DSE) in pure PG and PG with a soil cap (soil). Root length density was significantly lower for plants on PG than on soil and both plant species were colonized with AMF and DSE, with lower frequency and intensity in PG. Phosphorus (20 times), calcium (35 times) and sulphur (50 times) were significantly higher in PG than in soil; resulting higher root tissue concentrations were significantly negatively correlated with mycorrhizal colonization for Festuca but not Bromus. Higher fungal colonization of Bromus, especially with DSE known to be prevalent in extreme environments, may be responsible for its better performance on PG relative to Festuca.
Katja Boldt-Burisch; Naeth M. Anne; M. Anne Naeth. Phosphogypsum significantly alters root growth and fungal colonization of smooth brome and sheep fescue on a reclamation site. Rhizosphere 2018, 9, 106 -109.
AMA StyleKatja Boldt-Burisch, Naeth M. Anne, M. Anne Naeth. Phosphogypsum significantly alters root growth and fungal colonization of smooth brome and sheep fescue on a reclamation site. Rhizosphere. 2018; 9 ():106-109.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKatja Boldt-Burisch; Naeth M. Anne; M. Anne Naeth. 2018. "Phosphogypsum significantly alters root growth and fungal colonization of smooth brome and sheep fescue on a reclamation site." Rhizosphere 9, no. : 106-109.
Understanding how reclamation practices influence plant community assembly and succession is an important step in developing realistic indicators and targets for reclamation of oil sands mine sites to upland forest ecosystems. We currently have a poor understanding of factors affecting plant community assembly and succession in reclaimed oil sands sites. Through synthesis of research completed over the last 24 years, we identify four key findings: (i) use of surface soil and forest floor material salvaged from mined areas increases plant species cover, richness, and diversity relative to the use of various other cover soil materials (such as clay subsoil); (ii) stockpiling of salvaged surface soils decreases the abundance of native plant propagules and delays early vegetation community development; (iii) differences in plant community composition between reclaimed and adjacent mature forests remain two decades after placing cover soils; however, differences are smaller with use of forest floor–mineral mix than peat–mineral mix; and (iv) plant community assembly is in progress but communities remain different to those found in natural undisturbed conditions. Our review identified critical knowledge gaps for further research to improve understanding of: (i) long-term (60 to 100 years) plant community composition in reclaimed oil sands sites; (ii) how residual forest patches near disturbed oil sands sites act as seed and propagule sources in newly reclaimed sites; (iii) plant community assembly processes in reclamation sites; (iv) the effect of micro-topographic heterogeneity on plant community development; and (v) how soil nutrient availability in different substrates influences plant community development over the long term. Ongoing support for selected existing studies and establishment of new studies focusing on plant community development through long-term monitoring are highly recommended.
Amalesh Dhar; Philip G. Comeau; Justine Karst; Brad Pinno; Scott X. Chang; M Anne Naeth; Robert Vassov; Caroline Bampfylde. Plant community development following reclamation of oil sands mine sites in the boreal forest: a review. Environmental Reviews 2018, 26, 286 -298.
AMA StyleAmalesh Dhar, Philip G. Comeau, Justine Karst, Brad Pinno, Scott X. Chang, M Anne Naeth, Robert Vassov, Caroline Bampfylde. Plant community development following reclamation of oil sands mine sites in the boreal forest: a review. Environmental Reviews. 2018; 26 (3):286-298.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAmalesh Dhar; Philip G. Comeau; Justine Karst; Brad Pinno; Scott X. Chang; M Anne Naeth; Robert Vassov; Caroline Bampfylde. 2018. "Plant community development following reclamation of oil sands mine sites in the boreal forest: a review." Environmental Reviews 26, no. 3: 286-298.
Native grasslands are endangered by non-native plant invasion worldwide, including foothills fescue grasslands in North America. Large populations of non-native plant species have established in these disturbed fescue grasslands, forming dense monocultures and spreading into undisturbed areas. Soil disturbance and plant invasion can alter the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community, an important symbiotic partner of most land plants, which could negatively affect native plant reestablishment. The objective of this study was to assess whether AMF communities on a fescue grassland shifted in response to disturbances by landfill storage and gravel quarrying and with invasion of non-native plant species relative to undisturbed grassland. Soil and root-AMF samples were procured from disturbed and undisturbed areas at three sites. Plant canopy cover and species richness were assessed. Soils were analyzed for pH; electrical conductivity; total nitrogen, carbon and phosphorus; and available nutrients. For relative AMF taxa abundance assessment, NS31 and AMF specific primer AML2 were used to amplify a central fragment of the V3 and V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene. AMF were characterized using 454 pyrosequencing and multiplexed barcoded samples amplified from genomic DNA isolated from roots. There were 92 AMF, including 15 potentially novel taxa detected. AMF communities in disturbed and undisturbed sampling locations were distinct except for one site, and indicator AMF virtual taxa (VT) for undisturbed grassland and disturbed sites were identified. AMF richness was higher in undisturbed (72 VT) than disturbed (64 VT) sites and AMF richness was positively correlated with plant species richness, diversity and native plant cover, and negatively correlated with non-native plant cover. There were 43 AMF VT on undisturbed and disturbed sites, 62% with higher relative abundance on disturbed sites. Site disturbance shifted AMF communities relative to undisturbed native fescue grassland; thus restoration success with native plants might be highly dependent on reintroducing native AMF.
Holly J. Stover; M. Anne Naeth; Katja Boldt-Burisch. Soil disturbance changes arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi richness and composition in a fescue grassland in Alberta Canada. Applied Soil Ecology 2018, 131, 29 -37.
AMA StyleHolly J. Stover, M. Anne Naeth, Katja Boldt-Burisch. Soil disturbance changes arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi richness and composition in a fescue grassland in Alberta Canada. Applied Soil Ecology. 2018; 131 ():29-37.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHolly J. Stover; M. Anne Naeth; Katja Boldt-Burisch. 2018. "Soil disturbance changes arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi richness and composition in a fescue grassland in Alberta Canada." Applied Soil Ecology 131, no. : 29-37.