Conifers growing on anthracite mine soils respond to fertilization
Anthracite mine soils will support vegetation. To confirm this one needs only to look at the sizeable number of acres revegetated since passage of the 1963 Pennsylvania Anthracite Strip Mine and Conservation Act. In spite of the large number of acres revegetated, many planted trees, particularly conifers, grow poorly on anthracite mine soils. It is not uncommon for trees of a single species to differ widely in growth, not only from one mine soil to another but even on the same one. Studies were conducted on anthracite mine soils and breaker refuse to examine the growth response of some planted conifers to 1) slow-release fertilizer and 2) granular fertilizer. Annual height growth was used to measure response. Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis) growing on mine soil responded to slow-release fertilizer in the first year. Red (Pinus resinosa), white (P. strobus), and Austrian (P. nigra) pines did not respond until the second year after treatment. The response lasted for 3 years. This fertilizer did not affect growth of white spruce (Picea glauca) on mine soil, but it had a significant effect for the full, 4 year term of the study on Austrian pine growing on coal breaker refuse. Red and Scotch (P. sylvestris) pines on breaker refuse did not respond to granular fertilizer until the third year and the response was short-lived. Even though significant growth responses were obtained with these treatments, the height differences were relatively small.
- Research Organization:
- Forest Service, Princeton, WV
- OSTI ID:
- 5361694
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-821175-
- Journal Information:
- Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States), Conference: Symposium on surface mining hydrology, sedimentology, and reclamation, Lexington, KY, USA, 1 Nov 1982
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
COAL MINES
LAND RECLAMATION
REVEGETATION
FERTILIZERS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
FIELD TESTS
ANTHRACITE
CONIFERS
PLANT GROWTH
SPOIL BANKS
BLACK COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GROWTH
MATERIALS
MINES
PLANTS
TESTING
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
510500* - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (-1989)