2008 Joint Annual Meeting (5-9 Oct. 2008): Implications of the Development of Northern Alberta's Oil Resources for the Regional Peatland Carbon Budget.
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774-7 Implications of the Development of Northern Alberta's Oil Resources for the Regional Peatland Carbon Budget.



Wednesday, 8 October 2008: 3:55 PM
George R. Brown Convention Center, 372B
R. Kelman Wieder1, Melanie Vile2, Kimberli Scott1, Avni Malhotra1, Stephen Mowbray1 and Dale H. Vitt3, (1)Biology, Villanova University, 105 St. Augustine Center, Villanova, PA 19085
(2)Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085
(3)Plant Biology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901
Peatlands of boreal, continental, western Canada cover 365,157 km2 and store 42 Pg of C as peat, an indication of the long-term function of these ecosystems as net sinks for atmospheric CO2.  Recent studies suggest that these peatlands continue to function as C sinks, although natural and anthropogenic disturbances may compromise the strength of the sink.  Conventional oil and oil sands exploration and development across northern Alberta occur across a region where peatlands (bogs, poor fens, and rich fens) cover 50% or more of the landscape.  Oil development influences peatlands through surface mining of oil sands, and through the construction of roads and oil well pads.  Surface mining of oil sands in peatland areas completely removes the peatland C sink.  Oil road and pad construction in peatland areas has the potential to alter peatland water tables across considerable distances from the road or pad, especially in fens.  Ongoing studies of drought and water table manipulation in fens will be used to estimate implications for regional peatland C balances.
See more of: Symposium --Stability of Peatland Soil Carbon Pools and Trace Gas Emissions to Disturbance
See more of: S10 Wetland Soils