Well-Site reclamation in the forest: restoring pine, boreal mixedwoods and peatlands

森林井址复垦：恢复松树、北方混交林和泥炭地

• 批准号: 412349-2011
• 负责人: Lieffers, Victor
• 金额: $ 4.43万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=530662
• 关键词: Well; Site; reclamation; forest; restoring

The boreal forests of Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia have a large number of drilling sites for oil and gas exploration. The reclamation of these well pads and access roads back to forests after drilling is a critical step in reducing the environmental footprint of these activities. In this proposal we examine the types of soil disturbance applied to four different forest ecosystems: foothills lodgepole pine, boreal jack pine, boreal mixedwoods and treed peatlands (black spruce bogs and poor fens). We then test a variety of possible treatments that have high probability of re-positioning these sites on a trajectory back to their original forest type. The novel feature of our work is to provide the required environmental conditions for the re-establishment of key species of each forest type. In the Foothills Lodgepole Pine forests of western Alberta we will examine the use of chipping debris from forestry slash piles as a soil amendment for preparing sites for natural or artificial regeneration of lodgepole pine. Use of serotinous cones (from pine logging slash) to deliver seed to the site will also be tested. In the Boreal Mixedwood sites, we will focus efforts on natural regeneration using existing root systems of aspen as a source of vegetative propagation from sprouts (root suckers) and the bud and seed bank to recruit other species. Our research will examine ways to protect the forest floor and the roots systems of aspen from damage during the drilling processes - most of which occurs on frozen ground. In the Boreal Jack Pine ecosystems on Aeolian sands, we will study several possible issues that might slow the recruitment of trees after disturbance. First, water infiltration may not be uniform on sands. Second, the unstable surface of the sands may damage pine germinants on these sites. Third, the exposed surface may dry out too quickly to allow establishment of seedlings. In the Peatland sites, hummock-hollow microtopography is

艾伯塔省、萨斯喀彻温省和不列颠哥伦比亚省的北方森林拥有大量用于石油和天然气勘探的钻探场地。钻探后复垦这些井场和返回森林的道路是减少这些活动的环境足迹的关键一步。在本提案中，我们研究了应用于四种不同森林生态系统的土壤扰动类型：山麓黑松、北方短叶松、北方混交林和树木泥炭地（黑云杉沼泽和贫瘠沼泽）。然后，我们测试了各种可能的处理方法，这些处理方法很有可能将这些地点重新定位到原来的森林类型。我们工作的新颖之处在于为每种森林类型的关键物种的重建提供所需的环境条件。在阿尔伯塔省西部的山麓黑松森林中，我们将研究如何使用林业砍伐堆中的碎屑作为土壤改良剂，为黑松的自然或人工再生准备场地。还将测试使用浆液球果（来自松树伐木斜线）将种子运送到现场。在北方混合木场地，我们将重点致力于自然再生，利用白杨现有的根系作为芽（根吸盘）以及芽和种子库的无性繁殖来源，以招募其他物种。我们的研究将探讨如何保护森林地面和白杨根系在钻孔过程中免受损害——其中大部分发生在冰冻地面上。在风沙上的北方短叶松生态系统中，我们将研究几个可能的问题，这些问题可能会在干扰后减缓树木的补充。首先，水在沙子上的渗透可能不均匀。其次，沙子表面不稳定可能会损害这些地点的松树发芽。第三，裸露的表面可能会干燥得太快而无法生长幼苗。在泥炭地遗址，丘状中空的微地形是