Establishment of bryophytes on a reclaimed surface mine site at Goose Lake Prairie State Park, Illinois

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6224380

Rastorfer, J R

The location of the site at Goose Lake Prairie State Park provided an impetus to revegetate the reclaimed acid minesoil as a demonstration site with prairie floristic species. Because many bryophytes are pioneer plants and because baseline data were needed, surveys were made (1976-1978) to ascertain the natural establishment of mosses and liverworts on the site. Different habitats were surveyed with respect to types of fine-textured mineral soils; namely, abandoned (cultivated) field soil, old minesoil (spoil), and two reclaimed minesoils distinguished by reclamation efforts initiated in 1972 to 1973 and 1975 to 1976. Thirty moss species and one liverwort species were identified from the entire site, and two additional moss species were found in areas adjacent to the site. The role of bryophytes in the development of prairie plant communities on reclaimed minesoil is still uncertain. However, existing research data provide support for the following hypotheses: (1) bryophytes should help reduce soil erosion by binding soil particles via their rhizoidal systems, and by the relatively high water-holding capacity of their gametophytic shoots; (2) bryophytes might reduce heavy-metal toxicity to certain vascular plants at soil surfaces, because they have an ability to accumulate these elements; and (3) bryophytes may enhance nitrogen fixation through their associations with blue-green algae and possibly with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA); Chicago State Univ., IL (USA). Dept. of Biological Sciences
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6224380
• Report Number(s): CONF-800114-1; ON: DE81023114
• 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
COAL MINES
GREAT LAKES REGION
GROWTH
ILLINOIS
LAND RECLAMATION
MINES
MINING
MOSSES
NORTH AMERICA
PLANTS
REVEGETATION
SOILS
SPECIES DIVERSITY
SPOIL BANKS
SURFACE MINING
USA