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Skip to Search Results- 1Annich, Natasha C
- 1Archibald, Heather Anne
- 1Bodeux, Brett B
- 1Davies, Christopher
- 1Droghini, Amanda
- 1Echiverri, Laureen F. I.
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Effects of Root Zone pH, Calcium and Phosphorus Supply on Selected Boreal Forest Plant Species
DownloadSpring 2015
Soil pH is among the major environmental factors affecting plant growth. In the reclaimed areas following open-pit oil sands mining in northeastern Alberta, Canada, the pH of reclaimed soil is commonly higher than 8.0. The optimum range of soil pH for growth and the tolerance of pH extremes...
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Stream Crossings in the Western Boreal Forest: Assessing Impacts and Prioritizing Restoration for Native Freshwater Fishes
DownloadFall 2015
Growing anthropogenic development in response to rising demands for natural resources is a major concern for freshwater fish, particularly in resource rich regions such as Canada’s boreal forest. Expanding networks of industrial resource roads has led to the installation of hundreds of thousands...
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Quality Control Considerations for Overburden Earth-fill Tailings Dam Construction in the Oil Sands
DownloadFall 2018
Quality control and construction methods for an oil sands overburden tailings dam in the Albertan Oil Sands can differ from these conventional construction methods due to two governing factors: A high overburden to ore ratio with a complex geology requiring significant waste management effort and...
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Spatial and Temporal Variations in Tree Growth, Mortality, and Biodiversity in Alberta Forests
DownloadSpring 2014
Understanding the spatial and temporal variation of tree demographic rates and biodiversity is essential for predicting the dynamics of forest ecosystems and their responses to changing environments. This thesis contributes to that understanding through modeling the long-term change in tree...
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Natural Recovery of Upland Boreal Forest Vegetation on a Hummocky Peat-Mineral Mix Substrate in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region, Alberta
DownloadSpring 2010
This research investigated the natural recovery of upland boreal forest vegetation on a peat-mineral mix substrate in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region, Alberta. Three sites, aged 26 to 34 years, were assessed to determine effects of substrate (pH, electrical conductivity, texture), topography,...
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Fall 2016
Re-establishment of appropriate vegetation communities is an important aspect of successful forest reclamation as they contribute to various ecosystem functions. In my research I explore how different coversoil materials (salvaged forest floor (FFM) and peat material), their placement depths, and...
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Spring 2014
Peat mineral soil mix has been the predominant cover soil used in Athabasca oil sands reclamation. Use of LFH mineral soil mix (forest litter layers and underlying mineral soil) has recently been mandated by regulatory approvals. Effectiveness of these cover soil types to provide diverse, native...
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The effects of underplanted white spruce on understory environment and vegetation in aspen-dominated stands of the western boreal forest
DownloadSpring 2012
In the boreal forest of Alberta, Canada, underplanting white spruce (Picea glauca) in aspen (Populus tremuloides) forests attempts to address concerns about "unmixing the mixedwoods". Important ecological differences exist between mixedwood, broadleaf and conifer forests. I studied changes in...
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Spring 2014
The worldwide biodiversity crisis has intensified the need to better understand how biodiversity and human disturbance are related. Yet this relationship lacks both consensus in theoretical expectations and consistency in observed empirical patterns. I present one of the largest extent studies...
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Reproduction and abundance of the wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) in post-harvest variable retention forests
DownloadFall 2017
Many aquatic-breeding amphibians require freshwater habitat for reproduction and terrestrial habitat for refuge, foraging, and overwintering. Variable retention harvesting is a technique where live trees and other forest features are retained during timber harvesting in patterns that emulate...