DOI: 10.5061/dryad.534ng
title: Data from: Creating fen initiation conditions: a new approach for peatland reclamation in the oil sands region of Alberta

description: Reclaiming peatland ecosystems is challenging our understanding of how to
 rebuild functioning landscapes. Assisted succession may provide a
 practical approach to guide the reestablishment of peatlands in denuded
 landscapes. In Alberta, the majority of peatlands began as fens during the
 paludification process. This research focuses on creating fen initiation
 conditions to establish fen moss species on mineral sediment as an
 approach for peatland reclamation in the oil sands region. In a field
 mesocosm experiment, we evaluated the establishment of five common fen
 mosses (Drepanocladus aduncus, Ptychostomum (Bryum) pseudotriquetrum,
 Campylium stellatum, Tomentypnum nitens, and Aulacomnium palustre)
 introduced in equal proportions to clay loam. To determine the optimal
 hydrologic conditions for the establishment of each species, we tested
 four water levels (0, -10, -20, and -30 cm). We created vegetation types
 similar to those identified at the peat–mineral interface in peat profiles
 to determine the effect of herbaceous plant, low shrub, and wood-strand
 mulch cover treatments on moss establishment. Three seasons after
 introduction, total moss cover averaged 40%, and was greatest under all
 cover treatments and at the 0 cm water level. Total moss biomass averaged
 95.5 g m−2 in moss introduction mesocosms and was greatest under low
 shrubs and herbaceous plants and at the 0 cm and -30 cm water levels. Fen
 moss species distribution was significantly influenced by water table
 depth. Drepanocladus aduncus and Ptychostomum pseudotriquetrum were most
 common at 0 cm and Aulacomnium palustre and Tomentypnum nitens at -30 cm.
 In this approach, we created vegetation types similar to those found on
 mineral sediments at the base of Alberta peat cores and successfully
 established distinct fen moss communities along a water table gradient and
 under shade cover. Introducing a suite of fen moss species that inhabit a
 range of hydrologic niches under low shrubs or herbaceous plants improves
 moss establishment. Synthesis and applications. Our research shows that it
 is possible to create fen initiation conditions on clay loam sediment by
 introducing foundation moss and vascular plant species at optimal water
 levels. Restoring the community structure and biomass accumulation that
 occurs in the initial stages of fen development appears to be a suitable
 target for peatland reclamation. These methods introduce a practical
 strategy to reclaim peatlands in the heavily impacted oil sands region of
 Alberta.
description: TD_AllDatesAbiotic and biotic data from all sampling dates. plotid = Plot ID; date = Sample date; rep = Replicate; trt = Water level treatment (0 cm, -10 cm, -20 cm, -30 cm); cover = Cover treatment (HP = Herbaceous plants, LS = Low shrub, WM = Wood-strand mulch, NC = No-cover control, C = No-moss no-cover control); gwc = Gravimetric water content; l = Percent cover of litter; tdiff = Temperature difference between surface and 5 cm depth in the soil (C o); s2aw = distance between the soil and average water level (cm); som = Percent soil organic matter; tmb = Moss biomass (g); om = Percent cover of opportunistic mosses; tm = Percent cover of total moss; om14 = Percent cover of opportunistic mosses in September 2014; tm14 = Percent cover of total moss in September 2014; ll01 = Percent cover litter transformed using a logit; tdiffsq = Temp difference between surface and 5 cm depth in the soil transformed with a square root; tmbsq = Soil organic matter transformed with a square root; oml01 = Percent cover of opportunistic mosses transformed using a logit; tmsq = Percent cover of total moss transformed with a square root; om14l01 = Percent cover of opportunistic mosses in Sept 2014 transformed using a logit; tm14l01 = Percent cover of total moss in Sept 2014 transformed with a square root;Trench Sept 2014_NoOPercent cover of vascular and non-vascular species. Absolute and relative for moss species, relativized by total moss cover. plotid = Plot ID; Rep = Replicate; Trt = Water level treatment (0 cm, -10 cm, -20 cm, -30 cm); Cover = Cover treatment (HP = Herbaceous plants, LS = Low shrub, WM = Wood-strand mulch, NC = No-cover control, C = No-moss no-cover control); Litter = Percent cover of litter; WtoS = Soil to average water level; Tdiff = Temperature difference between surface and 5 cm depth in the soil (C o); SOM = Percent soil organic matter; Weeds = Percent cover of unplanted vascular plants; HP = Percent cover of herbaceous plants; LS = Percent cover of low shrubs; TMB = total moss biomass; (g) GWC = Gravimetric water content;