Woody plant establishment in grassed reclamation areas of the Athabasca oil sands

Conference · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1980 · Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5281647

Fedkenheuer, A W

The primary end land use for areas disturbed by the Syncrude Canada Ltd. oil sands surface mining venture is forest cover. Short term erosion control is of concern, however, and this results in the early establishment of a grass and legume cover. Problems have subsequently been encountered in attempts to establish woody plants in the grass and legume cover. Vegetation competition for soil moisture and nutrients and rodent damage to woody seedlings have been the major problem areas. A study was initiated in 1978 to evaluate methods of manipulating the grass and legume cover sufficiently to improve success rates in establishing a variety of shrubs and trees. Five replicated treatments using the chemical herbicide glyphosate, soil scarification and fire alone plus soil scarification were established on an area seeded to grass and legumes in spring 1976. Woody plant survival and rodent damage, populations and distribution are being assessed annually in spring and fall. Rodent damage to woody seedlings was heavy in fall 1978 with 80 percent of the deciduous seedlings on non-scarified plots being damaged. In June 1979, 98 percent of the deciduous plants on the control and herbicide treatment areas were damaged. Damage to conifers was approximately 30 percent less during this time. Prescribed burning and mechanical scarification substantially reduced rodent damage. Seedling survival was variable with Amelanchier alnifolia, Pinus contorta and Populus tremuloides consistently exhibiting the highest survival rates.

• Research Organization: Syncrude Canada Ltd., Edmonton, Alberta
• OSTI ID: 5281647
• Report Number(s): CONF-801263-
• Journal Information: Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States), Conference: Symposium on surface mining hydrology, sedimentology and reclamation, Lexington, KY, USA, 1 Dec 1980
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ATHABASCA DEPOSIT
OIL SAND MINING
LAND RECLAMATION
REVEGETATION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
PLANT GROWTH
ALBERTA
MOISTURE
MORTALITY
NUTRIENTS
PEST CONTROL
RODENTS
SEEDLINGS
VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION
ANIMALS
CANADA
CLONING
CONTROL
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GROWTH
MAMMALS
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SAND DEPOSITS
VERTEBRATES
041000* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Environmental Aspects
510500 - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (-1989)