Download Native Species for Reclaiming Sandy Soils

Native Species for Reclaiming Sandy Soils
Jay Woosaree
2006 Ecological
Issues Forum and
Resource Access
Technology
Workshop
Delta Lodge
Kananaskis, AB
October 10-11, 2006
Outline
• Challenges
• Plant development and revegetation in
the sandy soils describing the project
objectives, methodology and results
• Natural recovery
• Conclusions
Challenges to Reclaiming Disturbed
Sites in the Sandy Soils
• Highly erodible soils, low nutrient status and low water
holding capacity
• Sandy soils can be difficult to reclaim and only specific
native plant ecotypes may be able to thrive
• Seed sourcing is a limiting factor in meeting reclamation
and conservation goals (distance requirements Less
than 330 km north or south and 160 km east and west
Project’s Objectives
1.
Management practices used to minimize disturbances
2.
Test our ability to "jump start" natural successional processes and
thereby accelerate recovery of both ecological structure and
function on well site disturbances
3.
Determine if the resemblance of native plant assemblages to the
undisturbed native prairie (i.e. species diversity and composition of
the reclamation seed mix) has an effect on recovery processes
over time
4.
To address the lack of commercially available local seeds
Methodology
Assist the recovery of an ecosystem based on these:
• Similar diversity
• Presence of indigenous species
• Presence of functional groups for long-term stability of the
plant community; and
• Sustained productivity
Self supporting system that is comparable to the area
prior to disturbance
Species Selection
• Identify early colonizers species (their role in the
ecosystem and when used in a reclamation seed
mix, they can provide adequate cover and initiate a
successional trajectory pathway). Species targeted
included: Elymus canadensis, Agropyron
subsecundum, Bromus anomalus, Bouteloua
gracilis, Oryzopsis hymenoides,Sporobolus
cryptandrus and various forbs
• Ease of commercial production of these species
Study Site: Ribstone Creek Ecological Area (near Edgerton
Important wetland/riparian habitat
Specialised plant community:
Lichen, juniper and bearberry
Seed Collection and Testing
Seeding
Seeding, using a zero-till Fabro plot seeder
Designing Seed Mixes
Industry Seed Mix
25%
25%
10%
10%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
5%
Prairie sand reed
Indian rice grass
Canadian wildrye
Sheep fescue
Slender wheatgrass
Awned wheatgrass
June grass
Western porcupine grass
Plains rough fescue
Blue grama grass
Note: 500 PLS/m2 used = 16 kg/ha
Percent of Seed Mix Based on
Pure Live Seeds/m2 (ARC*)
10%
5%
10%
10%
10%
10%
5%
10%
10%
Blue grama
Sand nut grass
Sand grass
Canada wildrye
Indian rice grass
Sand drop seed
Purple oat grass
Rocky Mt. fescue
June grass
*Alberta Research Council
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
Yarrow
Gaillardia
Hairy golden aster
Blue flax
Lilac-flowered beardtongue
Slender blue beardtongue
White prairie clover
Low golden rod
Stiff golden rod
Note: 500 PLS/m2 used = 10 kg/ha
Parameters Measured
Vegetation Parameters
• Emergence
• Species Cover
• Species Richness
• Species Density
• Percent Litter
• Above-Ground Biomass
• Community Diversity
Soil Parameters
• Reaction (pH)
• Salinity (EC)
• Texture
• Bulk Density
• Organic Carbon
• Organic Nitrogen
• Extractable N, P, & K
• Soil Respiration
Results
Provenance Testing
Days to
Seed Yield
Harvest
(kg/ha)
Emergence
Plant
Number
Plants Per
Height
of
Metre
(cm)
Heads/m
101-1
6a
107a
45a
148a
178.2a
Elymus
101-2
8a
104a
38a
148a
177.4a
canadensis
‘North
1b
Species
Line/Variety
-
-
(as of
April 15)
-
-
Dakota’
Agropyron
subsecundum
102-1
4a
‘AEC
6a
Hillcrest’
Bromus
79a
35a
118a
71a
17b
141a
100.9a
32.6a
103-1
9a
66
33
118a
92.5a
anomalous
‘Tannas’
1b
-
1
118a
0.1a
Oryzopsis
104-1
2a
77a
3
128a
1.4a
‘Nezpar’
3a
87a
1
118a
0.4a
105-1
3b
34
39a
148
7.1a
Bouteloua
105-2
4b
28
32.7a
148
2.3b
gracilis
105-3
7ab
16.3
35.7a
148
1.5b
‘Bad River’
12a
15
46.9a
148
0.7c
hymenoides
Percent Cover by Plant Group
90
80
3
8
4
70
32
% Cover
60
50
31
2
10
1
10
14
9
2
11
1
24
23
2
30
2
10
14
14
1
40
20
24
8
9
17
72
7
4
54
45
41
42
2004-T
2005
38
30
23
0
2002
2003
2003-T
2004
Seeded Native Grasses
Seeded Native Forbs
Other Native Forbs
Weedy Species
2005-T
2006
2006-T
Other Native Grasses
Species Richness
Number of Species
25
5
20
15
10
5
1
3
5
7
4
4
1
4
6
5
4
3
1
4
4
1
3
1
2
2
3
3
1
5
5
4
5
0
2002
2003 2003-T
2004 2004-T
Seeded Native Grasses
Seeded Native Forbs
Other Native Forbs
Weedy Species
2005 2005-T
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
1
5
2006 2006-T
Other Native Grasses
Biomass by Plant Group
8000
7000
Biomass (kg/ha)
1031
6000
58
0
2
1086
0
1726
5000
4000
798
3000
1371
2395
24
699
5948
5183
4670
2000
1000
3102
3071
2005-T
2006
2252
0
2004
2004-T
2005
Grasses
Forbs
2006-T
Weeds
SRD benchmark data show a 15 year average forage yield of 1490 kg/ha
(H. Loonen, 2004). Forb species alone contribute to 50 kg/ha.
Litter amounts to 941 kg/ha
Test Plot in Year 1,
Following Seeding (2002)
2003 (Year 2)
Inside test plot, 2005 (year 4)
Variety of forbs growing under
the grass canopy
Average litter cover was 11% in 2003,12% in 2004
and 32.5% in 2005. Average bare ground showing
decreased from 48% to 31% in 2004 and to 11% in
2005
Test Plots in 2006 (Year 5)
“Hillbilly” Nodding brome grass
Natural Recovery
Year 3 (2004)
Year 4 (2005)
Conclusions
ƒ Successful installation of a stand is ensured when proven,
reliable plant varieties, developed through years of testing,
are incorporated into reclamation seed mixes. The locally
collected species continue to outperform the commercially
available seed mix.
ƒ Difference among the locally collected seeds and the
check varieties may be due to genetics as the checks were
from different regions
ƒ Within the 5-year period, the reclaimed plant community
does not closely resemble the undisturbed plant
community (should remove the fence and let animals
graze)
• A low seeding rate seems preferable in facilitating the
recruitment of other indigenous species into the
revegetated area
• Amendments such as the use of straw mulches increase
stability of the soil and provide safe niches for the seed
• Natural recovery can work on small-scale disturbances,
but it may take a much longer time to reach the climax
plant community
• Choice of plant materials is important in balancing
reclamation goals and biodiversity issues in a native plant
community
Reduced Impact to the Landscapes
Thank You
Financial Contributors:
Alberta Environment
Alberta Sustainable Resources
Development
Alberta Agricultural Research Institute
Alberta Research Council
Canadian Petroleum Producers
Association
Husky Energy Ltd
Talisman Energy Ltd
Prairie Seeds Inc.
For Information contact:
Jay Woosaree
Native Plant Program
Alberta Research Council Inc.
Bag 4000
Vegreville, AB T9C 1T4
Tel: (780) 632-8209
email: [email protected]