Rooted aquatic plant revegetation of strip mine impoundments in the Northern Great Plains

Thesis/Dissertation · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5930586

Fulton, G W

Survival and growth of twelve emergent aquatic plants transplanted by three techniques on abandoned coal strip mine ponds at the Glenharold Mine, Stanton, North Dakota were studied in a cooperative project between North Dakota State University, the US Forest Service, and the Consolidation Coal Company. Planting labor increased and injury to plants decreased from sprig to plug to fiber pot techniques. Plots of each species-technique combination were located on shorelines of two adjacent ponds (North and South) in water depths of 1-50 cm in June 1979. Shoot numbers, area occupied, and water depths were determined in 0.25 m/sup 2/ quadrats in June and August 1979, 1980, and 1981. In June 1980 plant survival on both ponds was significantly different (p = .05) among techniques: pots (75%), plugs (61%), and sprigs (49%). Survival of plants in water depths over 30 cm (32%) was significantly lower than those in water depths less than 20 cm (32%) was significantly lower than those in water depths less than 20 cm (70%). Survival of pots (80%) and plugs (75%) was significantly greater than sprigs (58%) in water depths less than 20 cm. Although an unplanned drawdown of the South Pond during 1980 slowed the growth of plants, all species survived and began to spread in 1981 when the water level rose. Mean area per plot on the North Pond in June 1979 was 3.2 m/sup 2/ and fell to 1.9 m/sup 2/ in June 1980 due to plant mortality. Shoot production and area occupied was influenced by interactions of species, technique, survival in June 1980, water depth, slope, soil erosion/deposition and soil texture. By August 1981 a zonation similar to that in natural wetlands was beginning to develop.

• OSTI ID: 5930586
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
COAL MINING
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FEDERAL REGION VIII
GROWTH
LAND RECLAMATION
MINING
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH DAKOTA
PLANT GROWTH
PONDS
REVEGETATION
SURFACE MINING
SURFACE WATERS
USA