Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Inversion Technique for Well-Pad Restoration to a Peatland Ecosystem: Ecohydrological Conditions and Carbon Exchange

Maria Strack, University of Waterloo, Geography and Environmental Management, Waterloo, ON, Canada, Matthew Coulas, University of Calgary, Geography, Calgary, AB, Canada, Bin Xu, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Boreal Research Institute, Peace River, AB, Canada, Gabrielle Préfontaine-Dastous, Université Laval, Phytologie, Québec, QC, Canada and Line Rochefort, Université Laval, Phytologie, Québec, Canada

Contact First Author: Maria Strack; mstrack@uwaterloo.ca

Previously Published Material: Vegetation data from 2013 was presented as a poster at a small scientific meeting for industry and academic partners.

Abstract ID#: 34402

 

English Abstract:
A large portion of the oil sands deposit in boreal Alberta is accessible only by in situ extraction techniques that involve the construction of well pads distributed across the boreal landscape. Given that at least 30% of the region is covered by peatland, many of these well-pads are constructed within these wetland ecosystems. We tested a well-pad inversion technique involving either complete removal of the mineral soil pad and inversion of the previously buried peat or inversion of some of the pad and peat (resulting in mineral soil burial). On top of the resulting peat surface, the moss layer transfer technique was used to reintroduce plants to the site with donor material sourced from areas dominated by 1) Sphagnum moss, 2) brown mosses or 3) Polytrichum moss. These treatments were compared to areas without plant reintroduction both with and without straw mulch. During the second full growing season following plant reintroduction, total vegetation cover was over 60% across the pad, being lowest in the section without plant introduction or mulch. Bryophyte cover was lower and graminoid cover higher than the neighbouring undisturbed peatland. There was little effect of the source of vegetation material on the resultant plant cover. Water table was on average deeper than the neighbouring peatland, although both wetter and drier areas were present with no clear effect of inversion type. The ecohydrological conditions combined to result in greater productivity on the restored well-pad than in the surrounding peatland. Although initial ecohydrological conditions remain dissimilar to the undisturbed peatland, the rapid revegetation by wetland plants including bryophytes, favourable water table position, and uptake of carbon dioxide during the growing season suggest that inversion is a promising technique for restoration of well-pads to peatland ecosystems.
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