Establishment, succession, and stability of vegetation on surface mined lands in eastern Montana. Annual progress report, March 1, 1977--February 29, 1978

Technical Report · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6624370

Sindelar, B W; Plantenberg, P L

An ecological investigation of reclamation and plant succession on strip mined land near Colstrip, Montana, was initiated in June, 1975. Its purpose was to examine and document development, stability, and permanence of plant communities established on semiarid mined land since 1928. Fenced exclosures on 1 to 8 year-old reclamation seedings and on 47 to 50 year-old naturally revegetated coal spoil were established. An exclosure was also established on adjacent native range. Transects set up within the exclosures for analyses of density, frequency, phenology, biomass production, and species composition were sampled throughout the growing season. Coordination with other research projects at Colstrip provided additional vegetation, soil, and weather data. Preliminary analyses indicated that some early successional stages associated with soil formation might be bypassed in reclamation by top-soiling, fertilizing, mulching, and seeding mixtures of plant species. Plant succession on seeded spoil was markedly influenced by variables, including species needed, weather conditions following seeding, initial seeding success, cultural practices, and post-mining management. Plant succession on naturally revegetated spoil was influenced by overburden characteristics, availability of seed sources, weather conditions following disturbance, and post-mining management. Preliminary conclusions are reported.

• Research Organization: Montana State Univ., Bozeman (USA). Agricultural Experiment Station
• OSTI ID: 6624370
• Report Number(s): RLO-2228-T3-5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
012000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Mining
510500* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ARID LANDS
COAL MINING
LAND RECLAMATION
MINING
MONTANA
NORTH AMERICA
REVEGETATION
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SPECIES DIVERSITY
SPOIL BANKS
SURFACE MINING
USA