Successional Development of Vegetation on Surface Mined Land in Montana

Sindelar, Brian W.

doi:10.1016/b978-1-4832-8365-4.50077-6

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…Natural plant succession and minesoil development on unreclaimed areas after disturbance have been reported in Minnesota (Leisman 1957), Wisconsin (Kimmerer 1984), ~ontana (Schafer et al 1980, Schafer and Nielsen 1979, Sindelar 1979, Iowa (Glen-Lewin 1979), Illinois (Croxton 1928), Indiana (Byrnes and Hiller 1973), Ohio (Bell and Ungar 1981), Pennsylvania (Bramble andAshley 1955, Brenner et al, 1984), West Virginia (Smith et al 1971), Kentucky (Thompson et al 1984), Missouri (Game et al 1982), and Oklahoma (Gibson et al 1985, Johnson· et al 1982. Most of these studies have attempted to evaluate the plant species and communities that established and developed on the disturbed area, and to· assess the influence of soil properties on plant community development.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Chronosequence of Vegetation and Minesoil Development on a Texas Lignite Surface Mine

Skousen¹,

Call²,

Knight³

1988

ASMR

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Abstract.--Unreclaimed mined sites ranging in age from 1-50 years were sampled to evaluate vegetation and minesoil changes with time, and compared to an adjacent unmined area. One-year-old, unreclaimed mined areas had very sparse vegetation dominated by weedy species. Herbaceous plant cover increased on mined areas that were 5, 10, and 15 years old, and reached a peak on 20-year-old mined sites.On mined sites older than 20 years, shrub and tree canopies began suppressing understory species. Shrub and tree species were observed on mined areas as early as 5 years after mining, but shrub and tree cover did not become substantial until 20 to 30 years after mining. A multi-layered tree and shrub vegetation structure dominated the 50-year-old site. Compared to native soils of the area, minesoil pH increased from 5,9 to 6.9 shortly after mining then dropped to 3.8 during the next 5 yeats due to weathering and release of acidic ions. Continued weathering and pyrite oxidation caused minesoil pH to remain at this level for approximately 30 years. Minesoil pH of the 50-year-old site was 6.8. Bulk density of minesoils in the surface 12 cm declined with time as vegetation, litter, and organic matter increased on the site. A· similarity index revealed the intermediate-aged mined sites (5, 10, 15, and 20) were similar in plant species composition. Vegetation establishment and development on these different-aged mined sites followed ·several models of ecological succession: initial floristics model (plants reach disturbed areas as a result of chance and remain until other plant species become more competitive for resources), tolerance model (each fndividual plant species possesses characteristics or mechanisms which make it adapted to the site), and relay floristics (some plants ameliorate the site and fascilitate establishment by other species).

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Chronosequence of Vegetation and Minesoil Development on a Texas Lignite Surface Mine

Skousen¹,

Call²,

Knight³

1988

ASMR

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“…These results suggest that an increasing trend toward a monoculture of timothy may increase the total amount of energy and nutrients bound in the recalcitrant fraction of litter, decreasing the available soil nutrient pool, slowing the decomposition rate, and increasing litter accumulation, which will ultimately affect total plant production. As previously stated, decreases in stand productivity, excessive litter accumulation, and rapid depletion of soil nutrient pools have been documented in several studies of mine spoil reclaimed as pasture (Carrel et al 1979;Sindelar 1979;Schafer and Nielsen 1979;Marrs et al 1980;Schafer et al 1980;Stroo and Jencks 1982). Because timothy has low nutrient requirements and is tolerant of low soil fertility (Smoliak et al 1981), the presence of this short-lived perennial at high biomass levels with a relatively small total plant biomass on the 7-year plot along with a relatively slow timothy litter decomposition rate, augment the suggestion that spoil on the oldest plot is deficient in available nutrients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…It has been hypothesized that the rapid growth and slow decomposition of these types of forage can preclude colonization of disturbed sites by native species, affecting not only stand community structure, but decomposition and nutrient cycling processes as well (Visser 1984). Decreases in stand productivity, excessive litter accumulation, and rapid depletion of soil nutrient pools have been documented in several studies of mine spoil reclaimed as pasture (Carrel et al 1979;Sindelar 1979;Schafer and Nielsen 1979;Marrs et al 1980;Schafer et al 1980;Stroo and Jencks 1982).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Decomposition of timothy (Phleum pratense) litter on a reclaimed surface coal mine in Alberta, Canada

Durall¹,

Parsons²,

Parkinson³

1985

Can. J. Bot.

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1985. Decomposition of timothy (Phleum pratense) litter on a reclaimed surface coal mine in Alberta, Canada. Can. J. Bot. 63: 1586-1594. Three plots differing in the time since their reclamation (7, 3, and 1 years) were selected for a 3-year decomposition study of timothy (Phleum pratense L.) litter on a surface coal mine in Alberta, Canada. A comparison between single and double exponential functions showed that mass losses were best described by double exponential decay functions, which revealed a trend of decreasing mass loss rate of the labile and recalcitrant litter fractions with increasing time following reclamation. This study suggests that abiotic factors control the release of the labile fraction during the initial phase of decomposition, whereas biotic factors control the decomposition of the recalcitrant fraction with minimal influences imposed by the measured microsite parameters. Timothy biomass formed a much larger component of the total biomass on the 7-year plot (39%) than on the 3-year (13%) and I-year (13%) plots. Reports in the literature indicate that timothy has low nutrient requirements and is tolerant of low soil fertility. The presence of this short-lived perennial at high biomass levels with a relatively small total plant biomass on the 7-year-old plot, along with a relatively low rate of timothy litter decomposition, supports the suggestion that spoil on the oldest plot is deficient in available nutrients. DURALL, D. M., W. F. J. PARSONS et D. PARKINSON. 1985. Decomposition of timothy (Phleumpratense) litter on a reclaimed surface coal mine in Alberta, Canada. Can. J. Bot. 63: 1586-1594.Dans une mine de charbon a ciel ouvert en Alberta (Canada), trois parcelles diffkrant par la longueur de la periode CcoulCe depuis le moment de la recuperation (7 ans, 3 ans et I an) ont Ct C choisies pour une Ctude de la dCcomposition de la litikre du mil (Phleum pratense L.). La comparaison de fonctions exponentielles simples et doubles montre que les fonctions exponentielles doubles de dCcroissance sont celles qui dCcrivent le mieux les pertes de masse de la litikre; ces fonctions montrent que le taux de perte de masse des fractions labile et tenace de la litibre a tendance a diminuer a mesure qu'augmente la #node CcoulCe depuis la rkcuperation. Cette Ctude suggkre que la IibCration de la fraction labile durant la phase initiale de la dCcomposition est contr81C par des facteurs abiotiques, tandis que la dCcomposition de la fraction tenace est contr8lCe par des facteurs biotiques, avec des influences minimes des variables mesuries dans les microsites. La biomasse du mil constitue une composante beaucoup plus importante de la biomasse totale sur les parcelles BgCes de 7 ans (39%) que sur celles BgCes de 3 ans (13%) et d'un an (13%). Les donnCes publiCes dans la IittCrature indiquent que le mil a de faibles exigences face aux CICments nutritifs et qu'il tolkre des sols peu fertiles. La biomasse ClevCe de cette plante vivace de courte IongCvitC dans la parcelle %gee de 7 ans, ou la phytomasse totale est r...

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“…Sindelar (1979) found that vegetation established on abandoned surface mined land in southeastern Montana almost 50 years previously varied from site to site. Two sites with a sandy loam spoil differed in that one was dominated by Artemisia cana (Silver Sagebrush), A. dracunculus (False Tarragon Sagewort) and Bromus tectorum (Cheatgrass), with only 7% cover by perennial grasses, while the second showed almost 50% cover by perennial grasses.…”

Section: Colonization Of Treated Industrial Wastes and Contaminated Smentioning

confidence: 99%

The Roles of Colonization and Succession in the Reclamation of Mine Sites

Winterhalder¹

1993

ASMR

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It is of advantage to the reclamationist to have some conceptual understanding of natural succession, and even more important to have a practical knowledge of the climax vegetation and natural successional processes in the region where he or she works. Factors that can limit succession on reclaimed land include lack of appro!)riate seed source unsuitable soil conditions, and climatic or microclimatic factors. The use of natural success10nal processes is' not incompatible with a certain amount of management, and measures that can be. used to initiate or enhance succession include the use of physical site stabilization or a nurse crop, an enhanC<:d nanve seed source, ".r the use of minimal soil amelioration. An understanding of seed ecology, patch dynamics and the role of s01l microoorganisms are also invaluable to the reclamationist The extensive literarure on colonization and succession, both on untreated and treated wastes of various types and in various climates, is reviewed. The concept of successionThe concept of ecological succession has been at the heart of ecological thinking since the time of Clements (1916Clements ( , 1936. According to Clementsian thinking, succession is an autogenic process, in which vegetation develops on a formerly bare substrate as a sequence of plant communities, each one altering the environment such that it favours the one that follows, culminating in a relatively steady-state -the climax. This concept of succession came to be known as "Relay Floristics" (RF). Egler (1954) introduced another concept of succession, which suggested that the species composition early in the successional process can have a great influence on the final composition. This concept, which would be especially applicable to secondary successions such as those following industrial disrurbance, was known as Initial Floristic Composition (IFC). A lesson on the importance of "initial composition" can be learned from the Mount St. Helen's eruption, where "late successional" species such as hemlock and true fir became established on the debris slide within a year (Dale, 1992). Similarly, Bellairs and Bell (1992) found that initial species composition largely determined vegetation development on sand-mined soils in Western Australia. (1977) presented two further models of succession, the "tolerance" model and the "inhibition" model. The tolerance model incorporates both the RF and the IFC approaches, since it proposes that vegetational change is the result of the superior success of the species best able to make use of the available resources. These species will normally include both "pioneers" and species already established.In the context of revegetation, the tolerance model is likely to include a third component -the species sown or planted by the rec.lamationist. The model is particularly relevant m the case of revegetated land, in view of the use of fertilizers as a tool in implementing revegetation and in managing revegetated land. A plant community is the result of the interaction between the ec...

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Successional Development of Vegetation on Surface Mined Land in Montana

Cited by 8 publications

References 1 publication

A Chronosequence of Vegetation and Minesoil Development on a Texas Lignite Surface Mine

A Chronosequence of Vegetation and Minesoil Development on a Texas Lignite Surface Mine

Decomposition of timothy (Phleum pratense) litter on a reclaimed surface coal mine in Alberta, Canada

The Roles of Colonization and Succession in the Reclamation of Mine Sites

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