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

在东北艾伯塔省开采油砂后，湿地将占恢复景观的20%-40%。之前的合作帮助我们了解了尾矿和工艺水对这些社区组成的影响，但不是对它们的功能的影响。用尾矿建造的湿地在几年内就会变得植被茂盛并具有生产力，但预测的自然(类似参考)过程/条件发展和保持生产力所需的时间尚未得到证实。自然湿地缓慢地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碳。我们将记录用尾矿建造湿地如何改变成熟度

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