Comparison of Site Preparation and Revegetation Strategies Within a Sphagnum-dominated Peatland Following Removal of an Oil Well Pad

Shunina, Anna; Osko, Terrance J.; Foote, A. Lee; Bork, Edward W.

doi:10.3368/er.34.3.225

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Osko (2015) recommended filling the excavation with stockpiled peat to restore the hydrological connectivity. Finally, the burial of the well-pad clay, more specifically the vertical inversion of the clay layer and the underlying peat, was an effective technique to reach an elevation similar to what is observed in the surrounding peatland (Sobze et al, 2012). These studies underline the technical knowledge gaps regarding restoration methods adapted to peatlands impacted by roads.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 67%

“…Prior to this research project, only a few attempts to restore peatlands disturbed by mineral infrastructures have been conducted, particularly in oil sands regions of Alberta (Canada), indicating a study gap between studies on the effects of roads on peatlands and research on the mitigation of these effects. Decommissioning in the known projects involved the removal of the mineral material, either partially (Osko et al, 2014) or completely (Pilon, 2015), and the removal of a well-pad by the burial under a peat layer (Sobze et al, 2012). In Pilon (2015) a slow decompression of the peat was observed following the complete removal of the clay covering it.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Burial Under Peat Technique: An Innovative Method to Restore Sphagnum Peatlands Impacted by Mineral Linear Disturbances

et al. 2021

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Mineral roads in peatlands change the nature of the substrate, influence the water table level of the peatland on either side of the road and the physicochemical characteristics of the water and peat. These changes can in turn affect plant community composition. The efficiency of an innovative and affordable method for the restoration of peatlands impacted by roads was evaluated: the Burial Under Peat Technique. To be considered effective from an ecological point of view, the technique should meet restoration goals by 1) confining the chemical elements and compounds potentially leaching from the mineral material; 2) creating and maintaining a restored surface elevation similar to the adjacent peatland for optimal rewetting; and 3) re-establishing typical peatland vegetation communities. Three years post-restoration, water sampled at various depths and distances to the buried road presented chemical elements and compounds concentrations similar to the means measured in the pristine surrounding peatland for most of the ions analyzed. The different steps of the technique ensured the reestablishment of an elevation similar to the surrounding peatland. The return of peatland plant communities was slow, mainly due to local factors (e.g., presence of drainage ditches). Furthermore, the Burial Under Peat Technique fulfilled the restoration objectives in re-establishing an acid organic soil. Finally, it is a cost-effective method in comparison to completely removing the mineral material and transporting new material to fill the depression left by the excavation of the road.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 67%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Burial Under Peat Technique: An Innovative Method to Restore Sphagnum Peatlands Impacted by Mineral Linear Disturbances

et al. 2021

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“…Seedling performance following mounding has been assessed in forest‐harvest plantation environments (Macadam & Bedford 1998; Stanturf et al 2004; Hjelm et al 2019), and, to a lesser extent, decommissioned oil and gas well pads (Caners & Lieffers 2014; Shunina et al 2016; Lieffers et al 2017). In well pads, shrubs and trees exhibit accelerated growth on artificial hummock planting sites (Caners & Lieffers 2014; Shunina et al 2016; Frerichs et al 2017). However, to our best knowledge, Filicetti et al (2019) is the only published investigation of the relationship between silviculture treatments and tree regeneration on seismic lines.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Silviculture treatments hasten seedling growth on seismic disturbances in boreal treed fens

Shellian,

Linke,

McDermid

et al. 2024

Restoration Ecology

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Seismic lines in western Canada's boreal region are linear disturbances that affect the habitat of threatened woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). To hasten the return of forest cover and ultimately to restore caribou habitat, restoration managers use silviculture treatments in wet areas that involve the mechanical mounding of seismic lines to create artificial hummocks. Tree planting then takes place on top of these hummocks. However, the effectiveness of this silviculture technique for restoring seismic lines in peatlands is largely untested. Here we sampled incremental height growth of coniferous seedlings at 41 seismic line plots in poor and rich treed fens in northeast Alberta, Canada. We compared lines that had been treated with inverted mounding (a type of mechanical mounding) and subsequent tree planting, to nearby lines that were left untreated for natural recovery. We used generalized linear mixed models to test the effect of silviculture treatments on 5‐year growth increments of black spruce (Picea mariana) and tamarack (Larix laricina). Overall, we found that mounding and tree planting improved seedling growth compared to seismic lines regenerating naturally. However, growth responses were found to vary by species, ecosite, initial seedling size, and light availability. This suggests that site‐specific prioritization of mounding within peatlands may be more efficient considering the widespread nature of seismic lines. Future experiments testing growth responses to other mounding techniques that are designed to preserve the soil profile. It is also important for managers to weigh restoration goals beyond tree establishment and an accelerated return to forest cover.

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“…Despite several decades of in situ OSE operations in Alberta, few studies have examined the influence of the exploratory drilling pads on vegetation recovery in peatlands (but see Caners & Lieffers 2014; Murray et al 2021 examined carbon flux following OSE). Instead, most studies to date have focused on drilling pads that were built on mineral soil platforms used to support drilling infrastructure as part of the oil extraction process (Shunina et al 2016; Xu et al 2022; Lemmer et al 2023), or linear features used to connect the high density of oil and gas infrastructure on the landscape including OSE drilling pads (Davidson et al 2020; Saraswati et al 2020; Dabros et al 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Episodic deterioration of plant diversity in rich fens with or without in situ oil sands exploration disturbance

Caners,

Crisfield,

Lieffers

2024

Restoration Ecology

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Peatlands with ground surfaces near the water table may be sensitive to disturbances that reduce this distance to water. Shrubby rich fens (SRF) in northern Alberta, Canada, are restricted to the wettest landscape positions and are characterized by brown mosses and stunted trees on weakly consolidated and saturated substrates. In situ oil sands exploration (OSE) practices have established thousands of drilling pads to explore for deeply buried bitumen deposits, with many located on peatlands. In the development of OSE pads on peatlands, the vegetation layer is removed, eliminating the functionally important hummock‐hollow surface topography. We examined the spontaneous regeneration of bryophytes and vascular plants and surface microtopography on SRF, 7 and again 14 years after pad abandonment. In both sampling years, drilling pad surfaces were closer to the water table (mean pad elevation 2012 = 3.3 cm, 2019 = 5.6 cm) and had minor topography compared to adjacent reference habitat. We found, however, over the 7 years, that for both drilling pads and reference habitat, bryophyte and vascular plant richness decreased, and most species declined in frequency. Furthermore, for pads and reference habitat, density of tree seedlings decreased, and expansion of hummock‐forming mosses was limited. Findings suggest that drilling pads and their natural counterparts on SRF may be prone to episodic reductions in plant diversity and ecosystem retrogression, likely resulting from prolonged surface saturation during summers with high rainfall. Because of their wet landscape positions and environmental vulnerability, SRF are likely the peatland habitats slowest to recover following OSE pad construction.

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Comparison of Site Preparation and Revegetation Strategies Within a Sphagnum-dominated Peatland Following Removal of an Oil Well Pad

Cited by 7 publications

References 33 publications

The Burial Under Peat Technique: An Innovative Method to Restore Sphagnum Peatlands Impacted by Mineral Linear Disturbances

The Burial Under Peat Technique: An Innovative Method to Restore Sphagnum Peatlands Impacted by Mineral Linear Disturbances

Silviculture treatments hasten seedling growth on seismic disturbances in boreal treed fens

Episodic deterioration of plant diversity in rich fens with or without in situ oil sands exploration disturbance

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