EFFECTS OF MICRO SITES AND AMENDMENTS ON NEAR SURFACE SOIL TEMPERATURE AND VOLUMETRIC WATER CONTENT TO ENHANCE REVEGETATION

• Author / Creator

  Jiao, Zhichao

• Land reclamation requires successful germination, emergence and establishment of desired plant species. Seed and micro sites, often lacking in disturbed ecosystems, can be limiting factors for germination and plant establishment. Micro sites, or safe sites, are required to reduce or prevent soil and seed desiccation, especially in exposed soils common on early reclamation sites. Micro sites can provide heterogeneous conditions to favour germination and survival for a variety of native plant species. Even small changes in near surface soil temperature and water content can influence seed germination and plant establishment.
  Micro sites (mounds, pits, flat areas) were evaluated with addition of amendments (hydrogel, manure, blanket, straw, grass, control) to determine their effects on near surface soil temperature and volumetric water content. Near surface soil temperature and near surface soil water content were recorded with half an hour frequency to quantify the modification from micro sites and amendments. Research sites were established in Alberta, Canada, two in parkland and one in grassland.
  Near surface soil temperature and volumetric water content were modified with greater heterogeneity provided by micro sites and amendments relative to flat areas. Mounds consistently lowered near surface soil temperature in winter while raising near surface soil temperature in other seasons. The opposite occurred in pits. The amendments provided greater heterogeneity and thus higher variability in near surface soil temperature. Mulch treatments lowered near surface soil temperature. Both micro sites and amendments were associated with higher heterogeneity and variability in soil volumetric water content. Pits had higher near surface soil water contents than mounds. Micro sites and amendments modified soil conditions with more availability of favourable sites for native plant species in land reclamation.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Amended Micro Sites
  • Soil Water, Temperature

• Graduation date

  Fall 2015

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R33T9DF46

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.