Carex establishment on reclaimed oil sands landscapes : a case study at Suncor Energy Inc.

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Issue Date
2011-03-14
Authors
Marlowe, Patricia Ann
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Subject
Abandoned mined lands reclamation
Oil sands
Carex
Plant colonization
Plant diversity
Restoration ecology
Athabasca Tar Sands (Alta.)
Alberta, Northern
Suncor Energy Inc.
Case studies (Research methodology)
Abstract
Reclaimed oil sands landscapes are perceived to be low in plant diversity compared with naturally occurring plant communities. Approximately 66 Carex species inhabit the oil sand region. This thesis is unique and represents the first large scale study of Carex establishment on reclaimed oil sands landscapes. Research compared diversity and habitat variables between natural ecosystems and reclaimed landscapes, and examined the colonization mechanism for Carex establishment on reclaimed landscapes (i.e., ingress from adjacent natural ecosystems or emergence from the soil seed bank). Low positive associations between the presence of Carex in natural and reclaimed landscapes, and the presence of species on reclaimed landscapes not accounted for in either the forest or edge plots, suggests Carex established from the soil seed bank and less so from natural ingress. Carex share the same seed dispersal mechanisms as many plants, so the implications may apply to a broader range of plant species.
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