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Reconstructed soils in Alberta oil sands limit fine root growth of trees
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- Author(s) / Creator(s)
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Oil sands mining removes large areas of vegetation and soil across the landscape, thus post-mining reclamation requires the development of reconstructed soils to support tree growth. These reconstructed soils are generally made up of a top layer of peat mineral soil mix, and an underlying layer of either tailings sand or fine-textured overburden materials. Differences in the structure of these materials create a change in texture across the boundary where the two materials meet. This ‘textural interface’ can cause changes in water and nutrient fluxes through the reconstructed soil profile. This study examines the fine root biomass of two tree species (lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) on tailings sand; white spruce (Picea glauca) on overburden) across this interface, as an indicator of ecosystem development on the reclaimed landscape.
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- Date created
- 2015-03-04
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- Subjects / Keywords
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- Type of Item
- Research Material