Tree Response to Substrate and Grading Treatments on Quarry Overburden

Abstract

Rock quarries are often in close proximity to residential areas. Consequently the re-establishment of forest vegetation is desirable. However, reclamation methods for the eastern US have been developed primarily for the coal mining industry, on overburden which differs in chemical and physical properties from quarry overburden. The objective of this study was to test the material placement technique used for reforestation in coal mine reclamation, and to determine whether lime or nitrogen application will enhance early tree growth on this overburden material. Twelve rectangular plots were constructed of overburden materials from a limestone quarry. Six of the plots were lightly graded with a single pass of a bulldozer, and the other six remained ungraded. Liquid lime was applied to one half of each plot, and fertilizer (20:20:20) was applied at a rate that provided 100 Kg/ha or 400 Kg/ha N to randomly selected plots in a manner that created three replicates of all lime, fertilizer, and overburden placement treatment combinations. Monocultural blocks of Castanea dentata (American chestnut), Pinus echinata (shortleaf pine) and Quercus alba (white oak) nursery seedlings were planted on 1 x 1 m spacing in all treatment combinations. All three species showed a positive growth response to the higher fertilizer application rate. This response to fertilizer was pronounced in both chestnut and white oak, but these species showed no growth response to lime application. Shortleaf pine showed reduced growth in root collar diameter and height in response to lime, although the reduction in diameter growth was overcome by the addition of more fertilizer. The growth of both chestnut and pine was negatively affected by single-pass grading and interactions between grading and soil amendment treatments were found. At this stage of the study, it can be concluded that interactions between pH, nutrients, and material placement can have an important influence on the post-planting performance of different tree species.

Influence of Microtopography and Soil Treatments on Tree Establishment on a Reclaimed Quarry

“…Soil was collected from each plot in March 2009 prior to the application of amendments. Overall texture of the substrate was classified as a sandy loam with 66.2% rocks (>2 mm diameter) and 33.8% fines determined from a composite sample comprised of sub-samples from all the plots as previously described [14]. Soil samples were collected along with soil moisture and temperature measurements in July and December of 2009, in April, June and July of 2010, and in July and August of 2011.…”

Re-Establishing American Chestnut on Mined Lands in the Appalachian Coalfields

“…In areas with dense deer or elk populations, it may be necessary to construct fencing or wire cages around seedlings to prevent browsing and seedling losses. In Tennessee, fertilizer application at the time of planting was found to increase growth rates in the first two years (de Lima et al, 2011;Miller et al 2011).…”