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Evaluating Short Paper Fiber as a Soil Amendment for Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation in West Virginia
Abstract
Maximizing the use of onsite material to create topsoil has the potential to reduce costs for mine reclamation in the eastern United States. This study evaluated the addition of short paper fiber (SPF), a by-product of paper mill processing, to coarse coal refuse (CCR) to aid in vegetation establishment. Vegetation growth in two blends of SPF and CCR (80% CCR with 20% SPF; 60% CCR with 40% SPF) was compared to growth in refuse. Ground cover was monitored weekly, and biomass was measured. The SPF/CCR blends resulted in significantly higher ground cover and biomass than the refuse alone. Therefore, the addition of SPF shows potential to support vegetation establishment in CCR. Ground cover reached the minimum level needed for environmental permit release (70%) for both SPF/CCR blends, but ground cover decreased to below 50% on average by the end of the study. Further study should be completed at a large scale.
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Inadequate nutrients and poor soil quality pose challenges for turfgrass establishment on disturbed soils. Compost amendment has been shown to mitigate poor soil quality. This research was conducted to compare surface applications of compost to standard hydroseeding for improving soil chemical properties and turfgrass establishment. Plots established with either hydroseed or compost in spring 2007 were evaluated for soil pH, Mehlich-I extractable K, Mg, Zn, P, total N, organic C, and percent ground cover, fescue coverage and biomass production of tall (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and chewing's fescue [Festuca rubra L. ssp. fallax (Thuill.) Nyman]. Two years after plot establishment, the compost treatment had significantly increased Mehlich-I extractable soil P, K and Zn. Phosphorus increased 566% in the compost soil but only 17% in the hydroseeded soil. Higher percentages of ground coverage were reported in the compost than the hydroseed treatments with coverage in treatments declining from 2008 to 2009. Although the surface additions of compost initially enhanced the establishment and growth of fescue, vegetation may be limited in the long run by soil conditions in the root zone and competing broadleaf weeds.
The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the use of uncomposted, de-watered pulp sludge as the organic matter component in a manufactured topsoil. Seven manufactured topsoils, containing 5.1, 8.8, 9.6, 10.9, or 13.8% pulp sludge and 0, 8.4, or 20.7% flume grit on a dry weight basis, were applied to an abandoned gravel pit. Manufactured topsoils and a control topsoil were evaluated for (1) impacts on soil and soil solution chemistry, and (2) effectiveness as a growing medium for a grass conservation mix and hybrid poplars (Populus spp.). Significant N mineralization was evident in all of the manufactured topsoils within the first field season. Soil cation exchange capacity (CDC), pH and P availability were positively correlated to pulp sludge loading rate. In soil solution, the highest concentrations of solutes were detected within 2 mo of topsoil placement and were dominated by NOâ--N and Ca. Cumulative grass yields from the 15 mo following topsoil placement were greater than those in the control topsoil and ranged from 3.9 to 7.3 Mg haâ»Â¹ in the manufactured topsoils. Tree height, diameter growth, and foliar nutrient concentrations responded positively to the manufactured topsoils. Results from this study indicate that topsoils manufactured with pulp sludge as the organic matter compound can be an environmentally sound alternative to natural topsoil for the reclamation of sites on which existing conditions necessitate importing topsoil for revegetation.
Covering the soil surface by rock fragments, organic mulches or vegetation is often done to reduce runoff and soil loss by water erosion compared to a bare soil treatment. The runoff or erosion-reducing effectiveness of these soil surface covers has been investigated for a range of plot lengths under different environmental conditions. Recent research indicates that the effectiveness of soil surface covers in reducing runoff and soil loss by water erosion may be affected by the size of the laboratory or field plots (ie, spatial scale). Therefore, the main objective of this review is to explore to what extent the impact of plot length on the effectiveness of different surface covers (ie, rock fragments, organic mulch and vegetation) in reducing runoff and soil loss by water erosion emerges from a worldwide data set. Furthermore, it is investigated whether there is a significant difference in runoff or erosion-reducing effectiveness between rock fragments, organic mulches and vegetation. Data from 65 experimental studies, investigating the impact of surface cover by rock fragments, organic mulch or vegetation on runoff or soil loss, are collected and analysed in this review. The results indicate that for plot lengths < 11 m there is a large variation in the runoff and erosion-reducing effectiveness of a soil cover, depending on various factors and on the larger number of studies conducted on these plots compared to longer field plots. However, with an increasing plot length (up to 50 m) this variation is reduced and surface covers by rock fragments, organic mulches and vegetation become on average more effective in reducing runoff or soil loss by water erosion. A vegetation cover is significantly more effective in reducing runoff rate compared to a rock fragment cover. No other significant differences in runoff or in erosion-reducing effectiveness between the studied soil surface covers are observed. Finally, two equations are proposed describing the possible effect of plot length and cover by rock fragments, organic mulches and vegetation on relative runoff and soil loss by water erosion. These findings have important consequences for the design of runoff and erosion plots, for modelling runoff and soil erosion rates and for scaling up plot data.
Questions
What are the differences in speed and pathway of vegetation development on nutrient‐poor, unvegetated slopes sown with low‐diversity seed mixtures of cultivars and high‐diversity seed mixtures of regional species? And how is the susceptibility of the different sowing treatments to immigration events via seed rain? We compared differences in using a low‐diversity seed mixture in comparison with a high‐diversity seed mixture, both sown on nutrient‐deficient raw soil. We assessed differences of speed and pathway of vegetation development of different variants as well as their susceptibility to immigration events via seed rain.
Location
Central G erman Lignite Mining District.
Methods
In December 2004, the trial was established in complete block design with four variants: sowing of a low‐diversity seed mixture with three grass cultivars and sowing of a high‐diversity seed mixture with 40 herbs and 11 grasses of local provenance, both with and without an additional mulch layer. Vegetation surveys were made between 2005 and 2010. Using generalized linear models ( GLM ), we tested for treatment effects on species diversity, above‐ground biomass, total coverage of vegetation as well as number and coverage of target grassland species. In addition, we estimated B ray‐ C urtis distances between treatments using non‐metric‐multidimensional scaling.
Results
Sowing of a high‐diversity seed mixture clearly accelerated the vegetation development and led to a significantly higher biomass production in the 1st year. On both variants, the additional mulch layer facilitated the establishment of sown species and led to a higher coverage of the herb layer in the 1st year. After 6 yr, the influence of the mulch layer decreased for the benefit of the seed mixture. Despite species exchange between sites, sites sown with different seed mixtures were still dominated by different sets of species in the final year of our study. Whereas high‐diversity mixtures sped up vegetation development in the direction of highly diverse semi‐natural grasslands, low‐diversity mixtures considerably delayed the successional progress.
Conclusions
In grassland restoration in surface‐mined land, high‐diversity mixtures performed similar or even better than low‐diversity mixtures of grass cultivars with respect to ecosystem services such as biomass production and ground cover (erosion control). An additional mulch layer considerably accelerated the vegetation development in the 1st years on both sowing variants. In contrast to sowing of low‐diversity seed mixtures of grass cultivars, the use of high‐diversity seed mixtures of local provenance contributes to the enhancement of local biodiversity. Although target grassland species were able to migrate into the low‐diversity sites, this process is slow and only possible when appropriate seed sources are nearby.
Evaluation of grass influence on soil erosion process can provide important information in soil and water conservation. The laboratory experiment was conducted to study runoff and sediment producing processes and runoff hydraulics in the grassplots with different covers (35%, 45%, 65% and 90%) and bare soil plot (control) at a slope of 15°. The results showed that grass significantly reduced runoff and sediment. Compared with bare soil plot, the grassplots had a 14–25% less runoff and an 81–95% less sediment, and played a more important role in reducing sediment at the final stage of rainfall. There was a significantly negative logarithmic relationship between sediment yield rate (SDR) and cover (C): SDR = 1.077–2.911 ln(C) (R2 = 0.999∗∗). Sediment yield rate of grassplots decreased with rainfall duration, and decreased linearly as runoff rate increased. Overland flow velocities deceased with increase in grass cover, and the cover had greater effect on lower slope velocity than upper one. Froude numbers decreased with increase in cover, and flow regimes of all treatments were laminar and tranquil. Darcy–Weisbach and Manning friction coefficients of grassplots increased as ground cover increased. Therefore, increase in grass coverage can efficiently reduce soil loss and improve ecological environments.
This book presents the results of the latest research regarding water balance covers for containing solid waste sites. Water balance covers (also known as store-and-release, evapotranspiration, or ET covers) are an effective and efficient alternative to conventional clay liner or geosynthetic covers, especially in arid regions. By cycling water from the soil to the atmosphere during growing seasons, water balance covers minimize the percolation of rainwater through the soil and thus the production of leachate from landfill contents. This book introduces water balance covers and compares them with conventional approaches to waste containment. The authors give detailed analysis of the fundamentals of soil physics and design issues, introduce applicable ecological concepts and revegetation practices, and then move on to construction, modeling, and maintenance. Case studies drawn from current field testing add depth to the analysis. This book will be valuable to practicing geotechnical engineers, as well as regulators and landfill managers. © 2010 by the American Society of Civil Engineers. All Rights Reserved.
Soil erosion is a growing problem and constitutes a threat to soil quality and to the ability of soils to provide environmental services. That is, water erosion is the most destructive erosion type worldwide, causing serious land degradation and environmental deterioration, inflicting multiple damages in managed systems such as crops, pastures, or forests as well as in natural ecosystems. Soil detachment, deposition, and transport processes occur simultaneously during erosive rainfall events. As a result, nutrients, soil organic carbon and valuable soil biota are transported. At the same time, species diversity of plants, animals, and microbes are significantly reduced. The off-site impacts of eroded soil and runoff, primarily eutrophication of water bodies, sedimentation of gravel-bedded rivers, loss of reservoir capacity, flooding of roads and communities, are increasingly recognised and the costs estimated. Against a background of climate change and accelerated human activities, changes in natural rainfall regimes have taken place and erosion processes will be expected to become more pronounced in future decades. Long-term shifts may challenge the existing cultivation systems worldwide and eventually alter the spatiotemporal patterns of land use and topography. All these changes will increase pressure on soil erosion and hydrological processes, making accurate erosion prediction and control more difficult. Thus, improved knowledge and understanding the soil-erosion process will be essential for dealing with the forthcoming challenges regarding soil-conservation practices. This review article highlights the causes, processes, and effects of soil erosion as well as its control measures, with particular focus on European Mediterranean environments.
Question: How is vegetation succession on coal mine wastes under a Mediterranean climate affected by the restoration method used (topsoil addition or not)? How are plant successional processes influenced by local landscape and soil factors?
Location: Reclaimed coal mines in the north of Palencia province, northern Spain (42°47′-42°50′ N, 4°32′-4°53′ W).
Methods: In Jun–Jul 2008, vascular plant species cover was monitored in 31 coal mines. The mines, which had been restored using two restoration methods (topsoil addition or not), comprised a chronosequence of different ages from 1 to 40 yr since restoration started. Soil and environmental factors at each mine were monitored and related to species cover using a combination of ordination methods and Huisman–Olff–Fresco modeling.
Results: Plant succession was affected by restoration method . Where topsoil was added, succession was influenced by age since restoration and soil pH. Where no topsoil was added, soil factors seem to arrest succession. Vegetation composition on topsoiled sites showed a gradient with age, from the youngest, with early colonizing species, to oldest, with an increase in woody species. Vegetation on non-topsoiled sites comprised mainly early-successional species. Response to age and pH of 37 species found on topsoiled mines is described.
Conclusions: Restoration of coal mines under this Mediterranean climate can be relatively fast if topsoil is added, with a native shrub community developing after 15 yr. However, if topsoil is not used, it takes more than 40 yr. For topsoiled mines, the species found in the different successional stages were identified, and their tolerance to soil pH was derived. This information will assist future restoration projects in the area.
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