Native seed, soil and atmosphere respond to boreal forest topsoil (LFH) storage.

Autor: Mackenzie DD; Vertex Resource Group Ltd, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada., Naeth MA; Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: PloS one [PLoS One] 2019 Sep 16; Vol. 14 (9), pp. e0220367. Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 Sep 16 (Print Publication: 2019).
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220367
Abstrakt: 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.
Competing Interests: The study received funding from the following commercial sources: Syncrude Canada Ltd., Suncor Energy Ltd., Shell Canada Limited Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., Total E&P Canada Ltd., Fort Hills Energy LP, General Petro-Canada Oil Sands Inc. The funding was in the form of a grant to Dr M Anne Naeth through the University of Alberta. The companies contributed towards an unrestricted and unencumbered grant provided for Dr Naeth to conduct the research for Dr Mackenzie’s PhD program. There were no expectations or requirements from the industrial funders other than to receive copies of the final thesis with results of the research. Following the completion of this research project, Dr Mackenzie joined Vertex Resource Group Ltd. as an employee. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. There are no patents, products in development, or marketed products to declare.
Databáze: MEDLINE
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