Carbon dynamics, food web structure & reclamation strategies in Athabasca oil sands wetlands

在阿尔伯塔东北部开采油砂后，湿地将占恢复景观的20-40%。以前的合作帮助我们了解了尾矿和工艺沃茨对这些群落组成的影响，但对它们的功能没有影响。用尾矿建造的湿地在几年内变得植被繁茂和富有成效，但自然（类似参考）过程/条件发展和保持生产力所需的预测时间尚未得到证实。自然湿地缓慢积累来自藻类和水生植物以及陆地输入的碳（C）。添加泥炭或表土被认为可以加速和促进社区发展。尾矿（沥青）和工艺用水（环烷酸）中的碳氢化合物最初是有毒的，但在细菌消化后可能会提供额外的C。

Wetlands will make up 20-40% of the landscape restored after mining for oil sands in NE Alberta. Previous collaboration has helped us understand effects of mine tailings & process waters on composition of these communities but not on their function. Wetlands built with tailings become vegetated and productive in a few years, but predicted times needed for natural (reference-like) processes/conditions to develop and remain productive are unconfirmed. Natural wetlands slowly accumulate carbon (C) from algae & aquatic plants, and terrestrial inputs. Adding peat or topsoil is thought to accelerate and promote community development. Hydrocarbons in tailings (bitumen) and process water (naphthenic acids) are initially toxic, but may provide additional C after bacterial digestion We will document how building wetlands with tailings alters maturation