Mine land reclamation techniques were tested in arid Southeast Arizona for their potential to enhance reclamation success on two sites at different elevations (1400- and 1650-meters above sea level) on two sandy loam soils (Arkose and Gila Conglomerate). Seedbed preparation (smooth or rough surface) and straw mulch treatments (surface mulch, mulch incorporated into the soil, or no mulch) were tested for their potential to establish vegetation and prevent erosion. Gila soil retained 12.9% more soil moisture than the Arkose soil and was preferred by the seed mix (Gila: 64.4 plants m⁻²; Arkose: 23.2 plants m⁻²). A rough surface with surface mulch was recommended. Gila soil was more susceptible to erosion likely because it contained smaller soil particles. Rock cover was associated with significantly (P=0.0138) reduced rate of soil movement (0.1588 cm soil loss or accumulation per 1 percent rock cover). Proper soil management can be critical for reclamation success.

No description available.

This dissertation is grounded in stories of how Chickasaw people have restructured and dedicated their lives to ensuring the continuance of Chikashshanompa', their Indigenous heritage language. Building on an earlier study of what motivates Chickasaw people-across generations-to engage in language reclamation, these pages explore how: 1) Chickasaw young adult professionals who have established careers with the Chickasaw Nation Department of Language have made language reclamation their life's pursuit; 2) Chickasaw citizens-at-large, who reside outside of the Chickasaw Nation, engage in language reclamation, and 3) the study of Chikashshanompa' in school has impacted Chickasaw high school and university students' conceptualizations of their personal and social identities. Together, the perspectives of these groups of language learners comprise a case study of Chickasaw people's resilient and tireless efforts to ensure that Chikashshanompa' ilanompohóli bí­yyi'ka'chi¹ [we will always speak the Chickasaw language]. As a Chickasaw person and language learner myself, I worked from culturally-grounded research methodology which embraced my cultural identity and personal relationships with other Chickasaws involved in language reclamation. One key feature of this methodology was my reconstruction of in-depth, phenomenological interviews as participant profiles-or stories-as a means to present and analyze data. Individually, these stories tell of the nuanced and diverse experiences of Chickasaw language learners representing distinct generational categories and demographics. Collectively, they reflect three key themes enabling the vitality and efficacy of Chickasaw language reclamation: 1) a raised critical Chickasaw consciousness, 2) the conception of Chikashshanompa' as cultural practice, and 3) the (re)valuing of language learners.

The first chapter investigates whether construction of the Bureau of Reclamation dams in the early twentieth century raise farm values and increase agricultural output? I construct a new county level panel data set from 1890 to 1920 with information on geography, climate, politics, agriculture, and major dams and then evaluate the effect of the Bureau of Reclamation dams on the value of farms and on crop productivity. Using fixed effect panel estimation, I find that new federal dam construction increased the average value of farm land by approximately 6.4 percent. When I apply an instrument to control for potential endogeneity, the effect of Bureau dams on the farm land value increases in size, although the estimate is no longer statistically significant. When examining the crop output, the only crop for which the dams had effects was alfalfa. In the second chapter I investigate the effect of the geographic, economic and political factors on dam construction at the beginning of the Bureau of Reclamation's operation in the American West. Applying county level data which has been linked from various data sources for the time period of 1900 to 1910, I show that the percentage of votes for Republicans in presidential elections has a significant and positive effect on major dam construction. The last chapter investigates the effect of climate change on US agriculture using county-level data from 1997 to 2007. Compared to previous contributions, we pay particular attention to the spatial heterogeneity across the climate zones and include the presence of extreme weather events. The lack of consideration for both effects may have led previous works to generate biased estimates and incorrect impact forecasts. While current approaches use projected climate variables derived from coarse resolution Global Climate Models (GCMs), we use data at a much finer resolution by relying on dynamically downscaled simulation data. Further, we pay particular attention to the spatial heterogeneity in the impact of climate among the climate zones. Chow-Wald tests indicate the presence of significant heterogeneity across zones in the effects of climate on land values.

Plant diversity and selected soil parameters from 36 sites placed on brown coal mining spoil heaps were analyzed and compared. Spontaneously revegetated or technically reclaimed spoil heaps of different age were situated in brown coal mining district of eastern Most basin in north western part of the Czech republic. Samples were sorted in groups according to vegetation growth and type. Plant diversity increases during succession development and is higher on non-reclaimed sites than reclaimed sites, where diversity decreases with time. Soil bulk density decreases during succession on all sites. Soil pH is decreasing too and this process is faster on spontaneously revegetated sites. Old successional forest type sites have very acid soils probably due to properties of original mineral matrix. Thickness of organic horizon and A horizon is increasing during succession and they appear in mid-aged sites first. Content of soil organic carbon is increasing continuously. Non-reclaimed sites reach higher contents, mainly because of higher content of fossil organic matter in spoil mineral matrix. Keywords: vegetation succession, soil development, reclamation, brown coal mining heaps

Extraction of mineral resources causes landscape degradation and the aim of reclamation efforts is to restore ecosystems. Our research was carried out on spoil heaps after brown coal mining near Sokolov (Czech Republic). We compared twenty years old spontaneously developed sites and reclaimed sites afforested by alders Alnus glutinosa and A. incana. Biomass and nutrient budget were evaluated for herbs and woody plants, separately for species Salix caprea, Populus tremula and Alnus glutionosa. Alder showed significantly higher concentrations of nitrogen and carbon compared to other tree species. The total amount of biomass, carbon and nitrogen was higher on reclaimed sites whereas phosphorus was more represented on spontaneously developed sites. Most of nitrogen was accumulated in the below-ground tree biomass and the largest amount of phosphorus was in the above-ground tree biomass. Woody plants of non-reclaimed sites produced more litter whilst litter of alder stands showed a higher concentration of nitrogen. Higher values of biomass, carbon and nitrogen of reclaimed sites were probably achieved through alder ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen.

The aim of this work is to describe North Bohemia brown coal (lignite) basin, as well as history of coal mining, development of this landscape and particulary the restoration of damaged landscape and nature. Theoretical part of my work summarizes the issueof recultivations, included history, types of reclamation, vanished settlements and significant exaples of recultivation. All of it is focused on region around North Bohemian city Most. Practical part's goal is to create an educational programme to increase knowledge of second degree Grammar school pupils about recultivations and to involve them in care about surrounding nature. Teaching programme was performed and results were statistically evaluated. Keywords Recultivation, Reclamation, Brown coal basin, Educational programme. Použité zkratky v AJ: SHP - North Bohemian lignite basin SHR - North Bohemian lignite basin

Challenges to the reclamation of pyritic mine tailings arise from in-situ acid generation that severely constrains natural revegetation. While microbial communities that participate in acid generation through iron and sulfur (FeS) oxidation in acidic aquatic environments are well studied, relatively little information is available concerning the initial dynamics of in-situ soil acidification due to microbial FeS oxidation that occur in moderately acidic conditions. This research characterizes the taxonomic composition and behavior of microbial FeS oxidizing communities across a pH gradient from moderately acidic to highly acidic environmental conditions. We combine results from a 7-year compost-assisted phytostabilization field study with a controlled microcosm enrichment experiment that was conducted in an artificial soil matrix to follow the influence of pH on development of the soil microbiome. Microcosm results show that biological activity significantly increases the acidification rate in moderately acidic pH conditions in comparison to abiotic controls. Taxonomic profiles of the microbial communities in the microcosms and from the field study reveal that populations associated with both heterotrophic and lithotrophic activity (Alicyclobacillaceae, Acetobacteraceae and Xanthomonadaceae) dominate during acidification in moderately acidic conditions. These results suggest that chemoheterotrophs are an important element of the microbial community that help enable, directly and indirectly, lithotrophic FeS oxidation across moderately acidic conditions. Taken together, this research suggests that shifts of microbial populations associated with pH transitions have the potential to be used as bioindicators of the present and future status of the phytostabilization process.

M.Sc. / The decommissioning of mines and mining-related activities brings about the onset of rehabilitation. A legacy that most coal mines must address is the rehabilitation of the coal discard dumps that are generated by the beneficiation process of the raw coal. Rehabilitation involves the shaping and covering with a topsoil layer of these coal discard dumps. The topsoil layer is then revegetated to provide a stable form of protection against erosion. Considerations taken into account regarding the rehabilitation of coal discard dumps include the final slope angle, physical constraints i.e. railways or rivers, a source of topsoil and the grass species to be sown. Once the dump has been shaped, capped and seeded, regular applications of fertilizer take place for a defined period of time. This is to accelerate the growth of the grasses, as well as to stabilise the nutrient levels in the topsoil capping. Ingwe Mine Closure Operations (MCO), part of Ingwe Collieries Limited, is the business unit entrusted with the management and successful rehabilitation of Ingwe’s defunct operations. All of the coal discard dumps sampled in this study are found on such defunct operations. These coal discard dumps have been rehabilitated to a very high standard by MCO, and in most cases exceed the minimum requirements stipulated by law and guideline documents. This study and the results obtained from it reflect this. This study investigated, in terms of defined types of cover, whether or not there is a statistically significant difference between the: • six coal discard dumps from which data were collected; • five different defined slope aspects; • two groups of slope angles; and • slope angle and slope aspect in terms of cover. The data collected was analysed statistically, so as to determine whether significant differences (95 percentile confidence level), in terms of cover, exist. The purpose of this was to determine whether or not a preferred slope aspect or slope angle group could be identified for the six coal discard dumps sampled. By identifying a preferred slope aspect or slope angle group, companies could alter the design of operational or defunct dumps so as to maximise these. This would make the rehabilitation of the dump more sustainable and could possibly reduce aftercare costs. Through statistical analysis of the data collected it was determined that: • of the six coal discard dumps sampled, significant differences did exist between some of the dumps regarding basal cover, plant litter cover and bare ground. As each dump is different with its own specific micro-climate, this can be expected. The age of the dumps could also have played a role in terms of development; • of the five different defined slope aspects analysed, no significant differences existed between any of them; • of the two groups of slope angles analysed, no significant difference existed between them; and • no relationship between slope angle and slope aspect, in terms of cover, could be established. The analysis of the data collected was done by means of ANOVA one-way tests, coupled with Post Hoc Tests and Contrast Tables. The results of the statistical analysis were evaluated by the STATCON Department of the Rand Afrikaans University for accuracy. The data and the statistical analysis thereof were found to be satisfactory and correct. Various other statistical analyses were conducted on the data, but the results obtained from these tests were all the same as that of the original data analysis. These analyses included the Univariate Analysis of Variance, T-tests and Mann-Whitney tests.

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Architecture to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2018 / This thesis aims to understand the role that Independent Power Producers (IPP’s) can play in the renewal of architectural firms in creating new realities and how these firms can once again become drivers of social change. Kathu (Northern Cape), a steel mining town, is facing the reality that it will have to survive without a mining house and the community funding that results from its operations soon. There are three IPP’s within a 50km radius of Kathu. Under the current funding structure all 3 IPP’s have to contribute to socio-economic development (SED) and enterprise development (ED) within Kathu. According to the Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (IPPP’s), IPP’s are required to provide 1% of gross turnover to community funds for SED and ED development programmes. Where this funding differs from funding obtained from mining houses is that renewable energy is effectively limitless. Despite IPP’s having a projected lifespan of 20 years they will continue to be redeveloped and upgraded. These upgrades will allow for longevity of revenue, which in turn allows for sustained support for the communities surrounding them. Funding structures that are being used to disseminate mining house funds to the communities are suffering from governance issues. This means that the communities do not receive the most effective or necessary forms of development. Through a new typology of architectural practice, the way these funds are managed and utilised can create better environments for those communities. This new typology of architectural firm must move away from the corporate and profit driven nature of modern architectural firms and more towards a ‘Rural Studio’ model. This is where the primary focus is on the community and how to best serve the needs of the people. In doing so SED projects would be more effective in bringing about social change, creating new realities for communities and drivers of sustainability in post-mining towns in South Africa. / XL2019