Individual performance and stand biomass accumulation of the dominant macrophyte Typha latifolia in oil sands wetlands in Northern Alberta

FEDERICO MOLLARD; MARIE-CLAUDE ROY; LEE FOOTE

ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2013 vol. 58 p. 26 - 34

0925-8574

Stand productivity of the dominant macrophyte Typha latifolia may be constrained by salinity and pollution in the oil sands wetlands of northern Alberta. We compared the performance and stand biomass of T. latifolia plants established in oil sands industrial wetlands (directly exposed to byproduct processed materials), on-site indirectly-affected, and off-site natural wetlands. We studied T. latifolia physiology (gas exchange, leaf fluorescence), morphology, leaf chemistry, and stand biomass. Oil sands plants had lower stomatal conductance than plants in natural wetlands resulting in lower transpiration but unaffected net photosynthesis rates. Oil sands plants had smaller and lower numbers of green leaves than natural wetlands plants. T. latifolia stands established in oil sands wetlands had lower aboveground and total biomass compared to natural wetlands. Despite water chemistry differences, T. latifolia plant performance did not differ between oil sands wetlands types. However, there was a lower total stand biomass in industrial than in indirectly-affected wetlands. T. latifolia had an unaltered photosynthetic activity in the oil sands wetlands allowing for the maintenance of persistent plant stands. However, T. latifolia growth restrictions and a lower stand biomass in the oil sands wetlands probably compromise long-term reclamation objectives focused on the accumulation of organic sediment and peat.