Field emergence of native boreal forest species on reclaimed sites in northeastern Alberta Ann Smreciu & Kim Gould Wild Rose Consulting, Inc. Wild Rose Consulting, Inc.
2 Objective To determine the effect of sowing season and propagule state on field emergence and establishment of 41 native boreal plant species.
3 Methods Dry Seeds Sowing Season spring vs fall Replication harvest year (2) + 4 subplots (n=8) With three sites, each species was sown into a total of 48 plots of 1m 2 Plots were monitored for survival/emergence over a 3-4 year period. Development stage was also recorded.
4 Methods Fleshy Fruit Propagule state cleaned seed vs entire fruit (# of seeds equivalent for seed vs fruit) Sowing Season spring vs fall Replication harvest year + 4 subplots (n=8) With three sites, each species is sown into a total of 96 plots of 1m 2 Plots were monitored for survival/emergence over (2) 3-4 year period. Development stage was also recorded.
Methods 5
6 Methods Experimental Sites Aurora Fort Hills south aspect, steep slope. Capped with 90 cm of peat-mineral mix (2005) Planted with aspen and spruce in 2006. Mildred Lake W1 north aspect, shallow slope Capped with 110 cm of peat-mineral mix (2005) Planted with aspen, spruce, rose and Saskatoon (2007). Suncor Steep Bank no slope. Capped with 28 cm direct placement. Fertilized (2003). Planted with spruce, aspen, birch, pin cherry and alder. Ploughed prior to plot establishment (2008)
Methods Plot Layouts Dry fruited species: 16 subplots 2 yrs x 2 seasons x 4 sub-samples Fleshy fruited species: 32 subplots 2 yrs x 2 seasons x 2 seed states x 4 subplots
8 Emergence at all three sites. Although some species emerged better at one or other of the sites. 27 of 41 species emerged at some level. 5 species emerged at such low levels that data could not be analysed.
9 Dry-fruited species (seed only) No seasonal sowing preference Castilleja raupii purple paintbrush Anemone multifida cut-leafed anemone Hesperostipa curtiseta western porcupine grass Solidago canadensis Canada goldenrod Vicia americana American vetch Bromus ciliatus fringed brome***
10 Hesperostipa curtiseta - western porcupine grass Best practice - No seasonal preference
11 Dry-fruited species (seed only) Fall seeding preference Symphyotrichum laeve smooth blue aster Dasiphora fruticosa - shrubby cinquefoil Spring seeding preference Anemone patens - prairie crocus Solidago simplex mountain goldenrod
12 Dasiphora fruticosa - shrubby cinquefoil Best practice - fall sowing
13 Solidago simplex - mountain goldenrod Best practice: spring sowing
14 Fleshy-fruited species No seasonal sowing preference (seed) Amelanchier alnifolia Saskatoon berry (seed) Prunus pensylvanica pin cherry (seed) Rosa acicularis prickly rose(seed) Symphoricarpos albus snowberry(seed) Cornus canadensis bunchberry (seed or fruit)* No seasonal sowing preference (fruit) Viburnum edule low-bush cranberry (fruit)
15 Rosa acicularis - prickly rose Best practice - no seasonal preference - extracted seeds
16 Viburnum edule - low bush cranberry Best practice - no seasonal preference - entire fruit
17 Fleshy-fruited species Fall seeding preference Arctostaphylos uva-ursi bearberry (seed) Fragaria virginiana wild strawberry (seed) Rubus idaeaus wild raspberry (seed) Shepherdia canadensis buffaloberry (fruit) Spring seeding preference Cornus sericea red osier dogwood (seed) Prunus virginiana chokecherry (seed)
18 Rubus idaeus wild red raspberry Best practice fall sown seeds
19 Prunus virginiana - Chokecherry Best practice: spring sown seed
20 Species that emerged in small amount (not enough to analyse) Maianthemum canadense false lily-of-the-valley Schizachne purpurascens false melic Betula papyrifera - paper birch Campanula rotundifolia - harebell Sibboldiopsis tridentata shrubby 5-fingers
21 Species yet to emerge Alnus incana river alder Alnus viridis green alder Apocynum androsaemifolium dogbane Aralia nudicaulis wild sarsparilla Cypripedium acaule pink lady s slipper Geocaulon lividum bastard toadflax Lilium philadelphicum western wood lily Lonicera caerulea blue-fly honeysuckle
22 Species yet to emerge (continued) Mitella nuda bishop s cap Rhododendron groenlandicum Labrador tea Rumex aquaticus wild sorrel Trientalis borealis northern starflower Vaccinium myrtilloides dwarf blueberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea lingonberry, bog cranberry
Acknowledgements 23
24 Questions? Reference Smreciu, A. and K. Gould. 2015. Field emergence of native boreal forest species on reclaimed sites in northeastern Alberta. Native Plant Journal 16:(3) 205-226.