Improving seed longevity of shrubs for oilsands reclamation

阿尔伯塔省的油砂储量在1.7到2.5万亿桶之间，萨斯喀彻温省也有相当大的储量。采油后必须开垦土地。为了负责任地获得用于石油开采的油砂的经济效益，必须开发技术，迅速重新造林受干扰的土地。原生灌木物种是油砂开采后北方森林复垦的重要组成部分，复垦成功需要稳定和可预测的种子供应。然而，这些物种的种子形成是不可预测的，再加上种子生存期较短，从而限制了复垦所需的种子数量。这个项目的主要目标是制定方案，以确保为回收油砂提供足够的可行灌木种子。另一个目的是了解所选原生灌木种子老化的生化和分子基础。七种原生灌木的种子将在不同的温度和湿度条件下储存。将评估种子在收获、各种预储存和储存条件以及人工老化时的活力、活力和发芽能力，以及生化成分、植物生长调节剂谱和关键基因转录物。该项目的成功完成将有助于确定种子贮藏的最佳方案，提高对乡土灌木种子老化生理和遗传基础的基本认识。所获得的知识可以扩展到其他本地物种，这些物种可以用于加拿大与石油和天然气开发或其他自然资源开采有关的土地开垦。在这个项目中开发的种子存储协议可以立即转让给工业合作伙伴使用。在加拿大，开垦和受采矿影响的土地规模对本地种子的需求是巨大的，并且随着更多的开发和更严格的政府开垦认证法规的结果将会增加。因此，由于种子储存寿命的延长，估计可节省数百万美元。通过帮助油砂行业实现自我维持的北方生态系统，最大的好处将是加拿大经济，这对维持其运营许可证至关重要。

Alberta's oil sands contain between 1.7 and 2.5 trillion barrels of oil and considerable deposits are also present in Saskatchewan. Lands must be reclaimed after oil extraction. To responsibly reap the economic benefits of oil sands for oil extraction, it is imperative that technologies be developed to rapidly reforest the disturbed lands. Native shrub species are an important component of boreal forest reclamation following oil sands mining and a steady and predictable seed supply is needed for successful reclamation. However, seed set of these species is unpredictable, which is further complicated with a short period of seed viability, thus limiting the volumes of seeds required for reclamation. The main objective of this project is to develop protocols to ensure an adequate supply of viable shrub seeds for reclaiming oil sands. Another objective is to understand the biochemical and molecular basis of seed aging in selected native shrubs. Seeds of seven native shrubs will be stored in different temperatures and moisture conditions. Seeds at harvest, various pre-storage and storage conditions, and artificial aging will be assessed for viability, vigor and germination ability and for biochemical components, plant growth regulator profiles, and key gene transcripts. Successful completion of this project will identify optimal protocols for seed storage and improve basic understanding of physiological and genetic basis of seed aging of native shrubs. The knowledge gained can be expanded to other native species that can be used in reclamation of lands related to oil and gas development or other natural resource extraction in Canada. Seed storage protocols developed in this project can be immediately transferred for use by the industrial partners. The demands for native seeds in reclamation and the scale of lands affected by mining in Canada are huge and will increase as the results of more development and stricter government regulations for reclamation certification. Therefore, savings due to increased seed storage longevity is estimated to be several millions of dollars. The most significant benefit will be to the Canadian economy by helping oil sands industry in achieving a self-sustaining boreal ecosystem, which is critical in maintaining its license to operate.