A Comparison of Soil Treatments and Amendments for Forest Re-establishment on Oil Sands Leases

由于风蚀、低有机质含量和低持水量，沙质土壤对复垦专业人员提出了挑战。在加拿大的北方森林，由于生长季节的长短和土壤扰动对微生物群落的腐殖和共生元素的影响，涉及沙土的开垦工作进一步加剧。这种生物成分的破坏降低了土壤分解凋落物和向新建立的植物转运营养物质、矿物质和水的能力。对于阿尔伯塔省和萨斯喀彻温省的油砂行业来说，这些挑战在回收工作方面取得了不同程度的成功，同时也带来了大量的人力和设备支出。从2015年到2017年，石油行业的资本投资减少了49%，收入损失了190亿美元。人们似乎比以往任何时候都更需要导致重新造林成功的复垦科学的进步，特别是如果它们能够以较低的成本实现的话。萨斯喀彻温理工学院与Reclaimit有限公司合作，旨在通过一系列研究试验来解决这一需求，以确定土壤处理和修正，以提高杰克松（Pinus banksiana）的建立和生长前景。研究将集中在有机含量、微生物群落发育和植物生长上。这项研究的拟议设置将在萨斯喀彻温省中北部高原生态区内的萨斯喀彻温省理工学院的哈宁克里克教育和研究设施（HCEARF）。这种生态环境与萨斯喀彻温省和阿尔伯塔省的许多油砂开发是一致的。我们的目标是确定在粗质土壤上进行生态可持续森林复垦的理想土壤处理。结果将与参考生态系统进行比较。这些在回收科学方面的进步也将被证明有利于碳封存。

Sandy soil poses challenges for reclamation professionals due to wind erosion, low organic matter content and low water holding capacity. In Canada's boreal forest, reclamation efforts involving sandy soil are further exacerbated by length of growing season and impact of soil disturbance on saprobic and symbiotic elements of the microbial community. Disruption of this living component reduces the soil's ability to decompose litter and translocate nutrients, minerals, and water to newly established plants. For Alberta and Saskatchewan's oil sands sector, these challenges have contributed to mixed success regarding reclamation efforts while engendering significant expenditures in manpower and equipment. From 2015 to 2017, the oil industry experienced a 49% decrease in capital investments and a $19 billion loss in revenue. Advances in reclamation science leading to improved reforestation success appear more in demand than ever, particularly if they can be achieved at reduced cost. Saskatchewan Polytechnic, in association with Reclaimit Ltd., aims to address this need through a series of research trials to identify soil treatments and amendments that offer enhanced prospects for jack pine (Pinus banksiana) establishment and growth. The research will focus on organic content, microbial community development, and plant growth. The proposed setting for this research will be Saskatchewan Polytechnic's Hanin Creek Education and Research Facility (HCEARF) in the Mid-boreal Upland Ecoregion of north central Saskatchewan. This ecological setting is consistent with many oil sands developments in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Our objective is to identify the ideal soil treatment for ecologically sustainable forest reclamation on coarse-textured soils. Results will be compared to reference ecosystems. These advancements in reclamation science should prove beneficial for carbon sequestration as well.