Factors affecting choice of plant species for revegetation on the Hanford Site

Technical Report · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6127511

Fuchs, M R; Cox, G R

This study was conducted to evaluate three sites with vegetative communities whose dominant perennial grass species were Siberian wheatgrass-thickspike wheatgrass (Agropyron sibiricum-Agropyron dasytachyum), Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), and Sandberg's bluegrass (Poa sandbergii), respectively. The principal objectives of the study were to determine the following: whether soil conditions influenced the establishment of these stands; the extent of these perennial grass species as members of the vegetation community on the Hanford Site prior to human influences, e.g., animal grazing, fire, construction, and excavation; and whether these perennial grasses could be established on other sites to be stabilized. The information obtained from this study has resulted in the following conclusions and recommendations: The depth of the soil to coarse sediments, the soil texture, and the percentage of gravel in the soil appear to affect the vegetation community on a site. It is recommended that Siberian, thickspike, and crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) be utilized for revegetation purposes on deep fine-textured soils of low gravel content. It is recommended that for revegetation purposes on shallow, coarse-textured or high gravel content soils, Indian ricegrass, needle and thread grass (Stipa comata), Sandberg's bluegrass, and sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) be utilized. Greater success in stabilization/revegetation programs will be achieved if deep, fine-textured soils are utilized.

• Research Organization: Rockwell International Corp., Richland, WA (USA). Rockwell Hanford Operations
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-77RL01030
• OSTI ID: 6127511
• Report Number(s): RHO-LD-155-P; ON: DE83013943
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
HANFORD RESERVATION
REVEGETATION
PREFERRED SPECIES
GRASS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SOILS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PLANTS
SHRUBS
TREES
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
052002 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
510500 - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (-1989)