Biomass and nutrient accumulation in 10-year old eastern cottonwood, Virginia pine, and black locust plantations on eastern Kentucky mine spoil

Conference · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5447702

Vail, J A; Wittwer, R F

Eastern cottonwood, Virginia pine, and black locust growing on eastern Kentucky strip mine spoils for ten years were examined for aboveground biomass and plant nutrient accumulation. Two treatments, tree species grown with grasses and legumes and tree species grown alone were used and nutrient concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg were determined. Total above ground biomass and nutrient accumulations were estimated for each tree species-treatment combination. Spoil and litter samples were also analyzed. No significant differences (P = 0.05) were found for total biomass accumulations. Nutrient accumulations were found to be different between species but not between treatments. As expected, black locust accumulated the greatest amount of N and eastern cottonwood the greatest amount of Ca and Mg. There were no differences in accumulations of P or K. Litter weights were found to be greatest under black locust followed by eastern cottonwood and Virginia pine. Litter nutrients were also greatest under black locust. Spoil nutrients showed no significant differences (P = 0.05) between species, however the grass-legume treatments of all species showed significantly lower K than species grown without grasses and legumes. The pH of spoil under eastern cottonwood was significantly higher, reflecting the greater amount of Ca and Mg.

• Research Organization: Madisonville Community College, KY
• OSTI ID: 5447702
• Report Number(s): CONF-821175-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Univ. Ky., Off. Eng. Serv., (Bull.); (United States)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
510500* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOMASS
BUILDUP
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COAL MINES
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION IV
GROUND COVER
GROWTH
KENTUCKY
LAND RECLAMATION
MINES
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
NUTRIENTS
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
REVEGETATION
SPOIL BANKS
SURFACE MINING
TREES
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
USA