Topsoil, ripping, and herbicides influence tree survival and growth on coal minesoil after nine years
- Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States). School of Natural Resources
On reclaimed coal surface mines trees are stressed by soil compaction, herbaceous competition, and animal damage. The authors tested treatments to modify soils and herbaceous competition in a split-split-plot experiment on calcareous minesoils in southeastern Ohio. They measured tree survival and growth as affected by minesoil surface (standard graded topsoil, ripped topsoil, graded overburden) and herbicide applications (type, rate, and frequency). Green ash, silver maple, European alder, black pine, eastern white pine, and Virginia pine were planted into a grass/legume ground cover seeded 18 months earlier. Herbicides were applied over the trees at two rates and two frequencies (first year only, two consecutive years) for all species except Virginia pine. After nine years, only green ash (95%) and black pine (48%) had adequate survival. Silver maple (16%), alder (7%), Virginia pine (6%) and white pine (<1%) had low survival by the fifth year. Black pine survived better on standard topsoil (60%) than on graded overburden (37%) and was 43% taller on both topsoils (165 or 168 cm total height) than on graded overburden (116 cm). Green ash height varied significantly on all soil surfaces (172 cm on ripped topsoil, 136 cm on standard topsoil, 102 cm on graded overburden). Survival on herbicide treated plots was greater than on untreated controls only for Virginia pine sprayed with Princep or Oust and for silver maple sprayed with Stomp, but both species had less than 25% survival even when treated by these herbicides. Green ash survival decreased with both rates of Oust and with increasing frequency of Oust. Green ash height was increased on average of 19% by either rate of Dowpon or Surflan. Longer term tree growth was benefited more by topsoil replacement and ripping than by herbicide treatments.
- OSTI ID:
- 361637
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9805185-; TRN: IM9933%%18
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 15. American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation (ASSMR) annual national meeting, St. Louis, MO (United States), 17-21 May 1998; Other Information: PBD: [1998]; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the 15. annual national meeting of the American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation. Mining -- Gateway to the future; Throgmorton, D.; Nawrot, J.; Mead, J.; Galetovic, J.; Joseph, W. [eds.]; PB: 801 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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