Trade-offs relating to grassland and forest mine reclamation approaches in the central Appalachian region and implications for the songbird community

Abstract

Surface mining in the Appalachian region (USA) converts large areas of mature forest to early successional habitat. This shift in landscape structure has the potential to reduce habitat availability and suitability for forest-dwelling songbirds by reducing and fragmenting mature forest, but also to increase habitat availability for grassland-and shrubland-associated songbirds. We examined the influence of mountaintop mining/valley fill (MTMVF) reclamation habitats (grassland, shrubland, and remnant forest) on songbird community composition and abundance at three former MTMVF mines in southwestern West Virginia, relative to intact forest. We quantified the songbird community in 1999 and 2000 using point counts arranged throughout the mine complexes to assess landscape composition of the songbird community. Community analysis showed songbirds had strong associations with their respective guild based on species habitat preferences. Although remnant and intact forest treatments had similar species compositions, the forest interior guild had greater richness in intact rather than remnant forest. Total species richness was greatest in the reclaimed shrubland treatment. Focal species analysis followed similar trends as community assessments, because most species abundances within treatment types were strongly associated with species habitat preferences. Our results indicate that reclamation habitat decisions, i.e., grasslands versus forests, can have large effects on avian community composition. Determining appropriate mine restoration actions depends on the suite of species desired for long-term occupancy and their conservation priority. Compromis relatifs aux approches de remise en état de mines en prairie ou forêt dans la région centrale des Appalaches et répercussions sur la communauté de passereaux RÉSUMÉ. L'exploitation de mines à ciel ouvert dans la région des Appalaches (É.-U.) a entrainé la conversion de vastes secteurs de forêts matures en milieux de début de succession. Ce changement dans la structure du paysage peut engendrer une réduction de la disponibilité et de la qualité des milieux pour les passereaux forestiers en réduisant et fragmentant les forêts matures, mais peut aussi entrainer une augmentation de la disponibilité de milieux pour les passereaux de prairies et d'arbustaies. Nous avons examiné l'effet de la remise en état (en prairie, arbustaie ou forêt résiduelle) d'anciens sites miniers situés au sommet de montagnes ou dans des vallées remblayées (SMVR) sur la composition et l'abondance des communautés d'oiseaux à trois anciennes mines SMVR dans le sud-ouest de la Virginie-Occidentale, comparativement à des forêts intactes. Nous avons déterminé la composition des communautés d'oiseaux à l'échelle du paysage au moyen de dénombrements par points d'écoute répartis dans l'ensemble des complexes miniers en 1999 et 2000. L'analyse des communautés a révélé que les passereaux étaient fortement associés selon leur guilde respective fondée sur leurs préférences d'habitat. Même si les forêts résiduelles et...

Successful Ecological Regeneration of Opencast Coal Mine Spoils through Forestation: From Cradle to Grove

“…The complex ecosystem associated with mature woodland has yet to become established. However, elsewhere, mosaic and shrub-land habitats have proved best for increasing, at least, songbird diversity on reclaimed coal lands [70]. Here, results from mammal surveys suggest increases in diversity, numbers, and the length of food chains, while the bird seed fall work, which also suggests increasing populations and ecosystem productivity, demonstrates how forestation has significantly increased seed fall and so accelerated recolonisation of the site by local tree species.…”

Native Plant Species: a Tool for Restoration of Mined Lands

“…Knowledge on the adaptability of different plant species and their role in nutrient dynamics is vital to indulge in restoration measures through biological means (Gairola 2014). Margenau et al (2019) suggested plantation of native plant species accelerates the forest succession on degraded mined lands. The restoration of the degraded mine sites includes the control of all types of disturbances of soil, i.e., physical, chemical, and biological.…”

Carbon Nanoparticles Functionalized with Carboxylic Acid Improved the Germination and Seedling Vigor in Upland Boreal Forest Species

“…The observation that CNPs enhanced the seedling vigor index indicates that these seeds have enhanced capacity to be able to germinate, get establish, and survive under a range of challenging or stressful environmental conditions. This means that CNPs have the potential to enhance the vigor of native boreal forest seeds during propagation to facilitate plant growth under varied environments and may have applications in boreal forest restoration or reclamation programs [7,8,12].…”

“…[6]. Natural resource extraction companies, for instance oil and gas companies, are mandated by law to return the ecologically important disturbed sites back to a functional upland boreal forest ecosystem, using native plant species [6][7][8]. Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis L.) is a small shrub of the genus Shepherdia that produce edible berries.…”