Survival of Commercial Hardwoods on Reclaimed Minesoils in West Virginia: 6th Year Results

Skousen, Jeff; Gorman, Jim; Emerson, Paul

doi:10.21000/jasmr07010771

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Black locust and white ash exhibited 100% survival across all treatments and have repeatedly performed well in mine spoil environments (Emerson et al,, 2009;Skousen et al,, 2007;Angel et al" 2006;Ashby et al" 1985), Chestnut oak was the only species to show significant differences in survival by treatment, with the highest survival occurring in the brown sandstone (92%) followed by the gray sandstone (78%), mixed (54%), and shale (39%) treatments.…”

Section: Results and Discussion Tree Growth And Productivitymentioning

confidence: 91%

Evaluating Soil Genesis and Reforestation Success on a Surface Coal Mine in Appalachia

Miller

Barton

Agouridis

et al. 2012

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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m Surface mining poses a significant threat to the Appalachian region via forest loss and fragmentation. Reclamation methods that utilize heavy grading to prevent landslides and erosion create a compacted landscape that is not suitable for forest establishment or growth. Overburden materials derived from differing geologic strata can exhibit large variation in physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. Determining whicb strata should be used for creating a rooting medium for successful reforestation is not well established. Twelve 0.2-ha plots composed of either segregated brown sandstone, gray sandstone, sbale, or a sandstone-shale mixture (four treatments; n = 3) were created on a surface mine in eastern Kentucky using a low-compaction reclamation method. Each plot was planted with native hardwood tree seedlings following the Forestry Reclamation Approach. After two growing seasons, brown sandstone treatments had four times greater extractable P (Mehlich III) and five times greater total N than the other treatments. This helped contribute to greater tree growth on brown sandstone treatments. Spoil settling was faster in the shale treatments due to the loss of carbonate cements. Clay contents and 2:1 minerals were also greater in the whole soil of the shale treatments, leading to greater plant-available water and a greater cation exchange capacity. Gray sandstone treatments exhibited alkaline conditions (pH :: 8.8) that suppressed tree growth. The mixing of brown sandstone and shale overburdens may produce a suitable combination of higher fertility, water holding capacity, and faster settling in reclaimed mine environments.Abbreviations: CEC, cation exchange capacity; FRA, Forestry Reclamation Approach.T he Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) requires the restoration of post-mining land use capability to a level "equal to or better than" that which preceded mining. Surface-mined lands in Appalachia were forested before mining but are often reclaimed to pasture. One reason for this change in land use is that the reclamation practices under SMCRA tend to inhibit tree growth. Impediments to forest growth under SMCRA includes: (i) excessive compaction of the spoil, (ii) unsuitable or sometimes toxic rooting material, and (iii) competition for nutrients and water by aggressive and often invasive herbaceous species that are planted to establish ground cover (Angel et al., 2005;Burger et al., 2005a;Rodrigue and Burger, 2004). The spoil medium effects on tree growth, tree species not suited to site conditions, and improper tree planting techniques are often problems associated with reclaimed lands. Realizing the significance of these problems, regulatory, mining, and research groups coordinated efforts to restore forests across the region. As a result, a five-step system to reforest coal-mined land, called the Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA), was developed based on 80 yr of research. The steps of FRA are: (i) create a suitable 1.2-m-deep rooting medium for Soil Sei. Soc.

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Section: Results and Discussion Tree Growth And Productivitymentioning

confidence: 91%

Evaluating Soil Genesis and Reforestation Success on a Surface Coal Mine in Appalachia

Miller

Barton

Agouridis

et al. 2012

Soil Science Soc of Amer J

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“…Ashes are early‐succession species well adapted to a mine site environment. Zeleznik and Skousen (1996) as well as Skousen et al (2007) identified white ash as the best surviving species in their minesoil studies. Harlow and Harrar (1968) also say that ashes are known to be very tolerant at the seedling stage as they are abundant in a forest's understory.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some annual or perennial grasses can grow much taller than the young seedlings in the early stages of development and smother the seedlings when the aerial portions die back in the winter. In addition, a heavy groundcover also provides cover for small mammals which feed on the bark and girdle trees (Skousen et al, 2007; Torbert et al, 2000). Torbert and Burger (2000) showed less‐competitive herbaceous species to be a better option when seeding ground cover for reforestation sites.…”

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confidence: 99%

Survival and Growth of Hardwoods in Brown versus Gray Sandstone on a Surface Mine in West Virginia

2009

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Surface mining in West Virginia removes the eastern deciduous forest and reclaiming the mined land to a productive forest must consider soil depth, soil physical and chemical properties, soil compaction, ground cover competition, and tree species selection. Our objective was to evaluate tree survival and growth in weathered brown sandstone and in unweathered gray sandstone. Brown and gray sandstone are often substituted when insufficient native topsoil is available for replacement. Three 2.8-ha plots were constructed with either 1.5 or 1.2 m of brown sandstone, or 1.5 m of gray sandstone at the surface. Half of each plot was compacted with a large dozer. Percent fines (<2 mm) in the upper 20 cm was 61% for brown sandstone and 34% in gray. Brown sandstone's pH was 5.1, while gray sandstone's pH was around 8.0. In March 2005, 2-yr-old seedlings of 11 hardwood species were planted. After 3 yr, tree survival was 86% on 1.5-m gray sandstone, 67% on 1.5-m brown sandstone, and 82% on 1.2-m brown sandstone. Survival was 78% on noncompacted and 79% on compacted areas. Average volume of all trees (height x diameter(2)) was significantly greater on brown sandstone (218 cm(3)) than gray sandstone (45 cm(3)) after 3 yr. Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) had the highest survival (100%) and significantly greater volume (792 cm(3)) than all other tree species. Survival of the other 10 species varied between 65% for tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) and 92% for redbud (Cercis canadensis L.), and volume varied between 36 cm(3) for white pine (Pinus strobes L.) and 175 cm(3) for tulip poplar. After 3 yr, brown sandstone appears to be a better topsoil material due to the much greater growth of trees, but tree growth over time as these topsoils weather will determine whether these trends continue.

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Survival of Commercial Hardwoods on Reclaimed Minesoils in West Virginia: 6th Year Results

Cited by 2 publications

References 17 publications

Evaluating Soil Genesis and Reforestation Success on a Surface Coal Mine in Appalachia

Evaluating Soil Genesis and Reforestation Success on a Surface Coal Mine in Appalachia

Survival and Growth of Hardwoods in Brown versus Gray Sandstone on a Surface Mine in West Virginia

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