Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Alberta's oil sands contain between 1.7 and 2.5 trillion barrels of oil and considerable deposits are also present in Saskatchewan. Lands must be reclaimed after oil extraction. To responsibly reap the economic benefits of oil sands for oil extraction, it is imperative that technologies be developed to rapidly reforest the disturbed lands. Native shrub species are an important component of boreal forest reclamation following oil sands mining and a steady and predictable seed supply is needed for successful reclamation. However, seed set of these species is unpredictable, which is further complicated with a short period of seed viability, thus limiting the volumes of seeds required for reclamation. The main objective of this project is to develop protocols to ensure an adequate supply of viable shrub seeds for reclaiming oil sands. Another objective is to understand the biochemical and molecular basis of seed aging in selected native shrubs. Seeds of seven native shrubs will be stored in different temperatures and moisture conditions. Seeds at harvest, various pre-storage and storage conditions, and artificial aging will be assessed for viability, vigor and germination ability and for biochemical components, plant growth regulator profiles, and key gene transcripts. Successful completion of this project will identify optimal protocols for seed storage and improve basic understanding of physiological and genetic basis of seed aging of native shrubs. The knowledge gained can be expanded to other native species that can be used in reclamation of lands related to oil and gas development or other natural resource extraction in Canada. Seed storage protocols developed in this project can be immediately transferred for use by the industrial partners. The demands for native seeds in reclamation and the scale of lands affected by mining in Canada are huge and will increase as the results of more development and stricter government regulations for reclamation certification. Therefore, savings due to increased seed storage longevity is estimated to be several millions of dollars. The most significant benefit will be to the Canadian economy by helping oil sands industry in achieving a self-sustaining boreal ecosystem, which is critical in maintaining its license to operate.