Dr. Charles Greer describes how alders with nitrogen-fixing bacteria have affected soil quality in reclaimed lands in the Athabasca oil sands. Nitrogen-fixing alders can be used as a pioneering species in poor quality soils in northern climates. Inoculated alder grew faster and improved soil microbes. Mineralization of hydrocarbons in soils with inoculated alders increased or was the same as the non-inoculated alders. Soil quality trends were beginning to emerge after 4 years.
Dr. Charles W. Greer is leader of the environmental microbiology group at the National Research Council's Biotechnology Research Institute (NRC-BRI) in Montréal, Quebec. His presentation was part of the Soil and Groundwater Forum, March 26, 2013 by the Petroleum Technology Alliance of Canada.
