A Lethbridge Polytechnic instructor and researcher has secured nearly $250,000 in funding through Alberta Innovates to support a multi-year research project aimed at bridging a gap in traditional land reclamation efforts by focusing on the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).
Dr. Adriana Morrell, Agriculture Sciences instructor and the scientific lead for the Mycology Research Laboratory at Lethbridge Polytechnic.
Dr. Adriana Morrell, Agriculture Sciences instructor and the scientific lead for the institution's Mycology Research Laboratory, also received a $15,000 Centre for Applied Research Internal Fund grant last year. These grants, together with in-kind support from Lethbridge Polytechnic, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) and Athabasca University, provide a total of $552,594 to test the effectiveness of mycorrhizal amendments and soil probiotics for efficient grassland restoration.
AMF can be found naturally in soils and are associated with 80 per cent of plants around the world. The fungi establish a symbiotic relationship with plants, expanding through the soil and beyond the reach of the plant's root system to transfer water and nutrients back to its host. The plant, in turn, provides complex carbohydrates for the fungi to survive.
"Microorganisms move and transform everything underground, facilitating nutrients and water acquisition - which are essential for growth and optimal plant development," says Morrell. "Yet we often don't know much about the health status of soils from a biological point of view, or how microbial communities are responding to different management practices." She adds that traditional methods of land reclamation, such as seeding, monitoring and controlling invasive species to favour native species are important, but they miss a critical piece of studying and harnessing the power of soil biology to ensure better plant establishment and long-term restoration success.
"Alberta's grasslands hold significant traditional, social, environmental and economic value," says Mark Donner, senior manager, Environmental Remediation and Restoration for Alberta Innovates. "A healthy grassland ecosystem depends on specific soil properties that, when disturbed, can take years to restore. Land reclamation practitioners require advanced tools and methods for evaluating disturbed conditions and identifying effective treatments that allow for biologically diverse and productive outcomes in an acceptable time frame."
As part of the collaboration, the NCC has provided permits to access land affected by coal mining in the Crowsnest Pass and facilitated guidance to help navigate the area and identify relevant plant species. Researchers from Athabasca University are mapping the soil microbial communities at the molecular level using DNA sequencing. Morrell has already completed a pioneer phase at the Crowsnest Pass site that focused on quantifying current AMF communities in different native grasses and evaluating if the fungi were playing a larger role in helping the plants thrive under adverse circumstances.
The next step will be to grow native grasses in the greenhouse at Lethbridge Polytechnic and pre-inoculate them with different types of mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial bacteria. In May, the plants will be relocated from the greenhouse to selected sites in the Crowsnest Pass that have been prioritized for restoration.
"We are pleased to support Dr. Morrell and her research team," says Donner. "This project advances our knowledge of grassland restoration in montane regions of Alberta, while developing new methods of practice that improve ecosystem recovery following a disturbance. Dr. Morrell and her team are well positioned to deliver important results with positive environmental benefits. We look forward to working with Dr. Morrell and sharing project outcomes as they become available."
Morrell's research spans four years, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of restoration efforts with her team tracking changes in soil microbial communities, soil health and plant establishment from initial stages to maturity. This research will provide valuable insights into the long-term sustainability of restoration efforts and inform adaptive management strategies, ultimately contributing to the conservation of biodiversity and environmental services in grassland ecosystems. If her project is successful, Morrell hopes it will help retain carbon in the soil, prevent further erosion and enhance the health of the soil while restoring sites currently struggling to survive on their own.
