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Skip to Search Results- 1Amoako, Kwaku Akrofi
- 1Archibald, Heather Anne
- 1Bakker, Nicola A. K.
- 1Batycky, Anya
- 1Baydack, Micki
- 1Belanger, Robert J
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Influence of Amendments and Soil Depth on Available Nutrients and Microbial Dynamics in Contrasting Topsoil Materials Used for Oil Sands Reclamation
DownloadFall 2015
As of December 2013, the cumulative area disturbed by oil sands mining in NE Alberta was 896 km2 out of an estimated final footprint of 4,800 km2 – all of which will require reclamation. Expensive handling costs and scarce soil resources necessitate judicious management and application of...
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Influence of Environmental and Site Factors and Biotic Interactions on Vegetation Development Following Surface Mine Reclamation Using Coversoil Salvaged From Forest Sites
DownloadSpring 2017
Industrial activities such as surface mining are responsible for disturbing large areas of forest land. Reclamation methods must facilitate the development of soil, of a diverse natural understory plant community, and of a tree canopy. In my thesis research, I examined the response of vegetation...
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Influence of Soil Cap Depth and Vegetation on Reclamation of Phosphogypsum Stacks in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta
DownloadSpring 2013
This study quantified environmental parameters to develop reclamation strategies for phosphogypsum stacks. Research was conducted on phosphogypsum stack experimental plots established in 2006 (6 soil cap depths, 5 vegetation treatments), and soil capped slopes seeded in 1998. Significant root...
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Landscape Ecology of Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and White-tailed Deer (O. virginianus) with Implications for Chronic Wasting Disease
DownloadFall 2012
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal prion disease of cervids that continues to spread into new regions of Canada despite containment efforts. I examine the importance of landscape connectivity using circuit theory and source/sink habitats that are based on selection, survival and...
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Long-term agronomic and environmental impact of aspen control strategies in the Aspen Parkland
DownloadFall 2010
Since European settlement the Aspen Parkland has been subject to agricultural intensification. This research assessed the agronomic, ecologic and economic impact of native Parkland conversion into tame pasture, by building on a study initiated in 1980 investigating the short-term agronomic...
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Mapping a Species-level Trophic and Non-trophic Multilayer Network of Known Interactions for Boreal Tetrapods of North America
DownloadFall 2021
Mapping trophic and non-trophic species interactions and mapping ecosystem-wide ecological networks have become important research avenues in network ecology, but until recently these two avenues have been separate endeavors. Now, a framework exists to combine multiple interaction types into...
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Marsh reclamation in the oil sands of Alberta: providing benchmarks and models of vegetation development
DownloadFall 2014
A key objective of the Alberta oil sands industry is to reclaim the post-mined landscape to “equivalent land capability” (Harris 2007). Vitt and Bhatti (2012) proposed a restoration framework for boreal disturbances. They suggested that to increase chances of achieving ecosystem equivalency and...
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Fall 2013
Collins, Catherine Elizabeth Victoria
Surface mining for bitumen extraction results in production of tailings that are deposited into large ponds. Tailings in the ponds support diverse microbial communities capable of metabolizing organic compounds and producing biogenic gases (methane, CH4 and carbon dioxide, CO2). Because of low...
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Fall 2015
Assessment of microbial community development is required to determine the success of reclamation process on disturbed land after mining. Peat (PMM) or LFH mineral soil mix (LFH) is used as capping material in reclamation. Application of coarse woody debris (CWD) also facilitates reclamation by...