Evaluation of reclamation success is based on an objective of returning this anthropogenic footprint back to a functional ecosystem that shares similar ecological properties to what was historically present there. To this end, it is important to understand how reclamation practices can affect reclaimed soil and the subsequent trajectory of vegetation and other biota as they recover in reclaimed areas. Recovery of ecological conditions (i.e., vegetation and soil properties) at wellsites in Alberta may continue long after a reclamation certificate is issued, but the status of this ecological recovery is not currently tracked or documented. Towards the goal of increasing our understanding of ecological recovery on reclaimed wellsites, I will present research findings from the Ecological Recovery Monitoring Program, a new monitoring initiative that is measuring the recovery of soil and vegetation properties on certified reclaimed wellsites. In both native grasslands and forested lands, spatially-distributed soil samples were collected from each wellsite (ranging between 10-50 yrs post-certification) and adjacent reference habitat for four soil depths. We measured pH, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon, and bulk density. We also quantified plant community patterns (% cover by species for vascular plants, species censuses for vascular and non-vascular plants, and lichens).
Results/Conclusions
In general, we found significant differences for soil properties on the wellsite compared with adjacent reference conditions for at least one soil depth in both native grasslands and forested lands (e.g., bulk density, pH). Vascular plant communities also differed between wellsites and adjacent reference conditions across the gradient of ages post-certification that we studied. There was some evidence of younger wellsites reclaimed under evolving practices being more similar to reference conditions compared with older wellsites. The findings of our study and development of a long-term monitoring program for reclaimed wellsites in Alberta will improve our ability to adaptively manage into the future by providing novel insights into the trajectories of ecological recovery.