Funding secured for Lethbridge Polytechnic research into land reclamation

AMF can be naturally found 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 plant’s roots to give water and nutrients back to the host.

Morrell says she wants to understand more about how this relationship works.

“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.”

The NCC will allow her to access land affected by coal mining in Crowsnest Pass to identify relevant plant species. She has already completed a pioneer phase at the site that quantifies AMF communities in native grasses.

The next step will be to grow the native grasses at Lethbridge Polytechnic and pre-inoculate them with different types of mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial bacteria. In May, they will be related back to Crowsnest Pass for land restoration purposes.

If her project is successful, Morrell hopes the plants will retain carbon in the soil, prevent further erosion and enhance the health of the soil, while restoring sites that are struggling to survive on their own.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now

—

If you have a news tip, question or concern, please email Lethbridge.newsroom@Pattisonmedia.com.

by David Opinko

Funding secured for Lethbridge Polytechnic research into land reclamation

What's Happening