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Oilsands development changes entire forest community: study

A Canada lynx heads into the Rio Grande National Forest after being released near Creede, Colo., April 19, 2005. New reseach suggests that even underground oilsands mines have profound effects on the forest community above it.

 A Canada lynx heads into the Rio Grande National Forest after being released near Creede, Colo., April 19, 2005. New reseach suggests that even underground oilsands mines have profound effects on the forest community above it. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/David ZalubowskiA Canada lynx heads into the Rio Grande National Forest after being released near Creede, Colo., April 19, 2005. New reseach suggests that even underground oilsands mines have profound effects on the forest community above it. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/David Zalubowski

New research suggests that even underground oilsands mines have profound effects on the forest community above them.

The paper, partly funded by an Alberta government agency, looked at the effects of forestry and in situ oilsands mines on 10 different mammals from moose to wolves to squirrels.

It found some species were winners and some were losers, but all were affected.

Lead author Jason Fisher, a wildlife scientist, says industry and government should consider the broad impact of industrial development instead of emphasizing a single species such as caribou.

He say scientists still don't know that much about how plants and animals interact with each other in Canada's northern forests.