In July 1987, we began an experiment to evaluate the effects of water harvesting and establishment irrigations on range grasses on retired farmland. In each of the two years since establishment, we have measured significantly higher forage production where we applied establishment irrigations. We have not detected any significant differences in forage production due to water harvesting treatments.

In July of 1986, we seeded buffelgrass, klein grass, "Catalina" lovegrass, "Cochise" lovegrass, bottlebrush, and sideoats grama grass on retired farmland in the Avra Valley west of Tucson. We seeded these grasses under three irrigation regimes: no establishment irrigation, two establishment irrigations, and four establishment irrigations. In measurements of the standing forage in 1987 -90, four establishment irrigations significantly increased the standing forage over the unirrigated treatments. However, the two irrigation treatment was not significantly different from either four irrigations or no irrigations. Buffelgrass, klein grass, and the lovegrasses appear to be promising species for vegetative cover for this site. We have also measured significant increases in the standing forage over the last four years.

M.Sc. / The Mining of sand in South Africa is rapidly growing to sustain an increasing demand of sand for building purposes. Although mining of sand is regulated by environmental legislation, such as the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998, previous poor mining practices have left areas of land degraded and vulnerable to erosion. These areas need to be rehabilitated by restoring the vegetation and habitats to a natural state. This study was conducted in the Seringveld Conservancy, where the mining of sand has left the landscape with a degraded and unsightly appearance, and where little rehabilitation of the original vegetation has taken place. The aim of the study was to develop rehabilitation techniques for the degraded mined soils and to develop an overall strategy of revegetation by regenerating key plant species. Techniques for regenerating indigenous tree species cover, using modified mined sludge if topsoil is not available, were used to develop a practical and cost effective strategy to be used in revegetation. A comparative trial was used to cultivate indigenous tree species in different soil mixtures. Monitoring was done weekly to determine the growth performance and to ascertain which plant species would be most suitable and easy to cultivate. The study is important as it provides new information on the rehabilitation and revegetation of sand mined areas in the Seringveld Conservancy. This study will determine if alternatives could be used to replace topsoil on mined areas where none is available. The study is needed to determine whether revegetation of the mined areas would be possible using indigenous plant species that are often difficult to grow. The overall results indicate that replacing topsoil was successful for various modified soil mixtures that could sustain the growth of indigenous vegetation on the sand mines. Different indigenous tree species require different modified soil mixtures for successful propagation. A revegetation strategy was developed to complement and enable the rehabilitation of the mined in the Seringveld Conservancy. The revegetation initiative will benefit the restructuring of the degraded mined areas in the Seringveld Conservancy and will provide a benchmark for revegetation efforts in future in similar sand mining areas.

O processo de beneficiamento do zinco, extraído em Vazante pela Companhia Mineira de Metais - CMM produz um rejeito alcalino e com baixa disponibilidade de nutrientes. Esta dissertação tem como objetivo avaliar o potencial de utilização de espécies leguminosas noduladas e micorrizadas na revegetação de barragem de rejeito da CMM. Neste sentido, foram instalados dois experimentos de campo onde foi realizado o plantio prévio de Brachiaria sp. O primeiro experimento foi composto por 36 tratamentos que foram formados por uma combinação de 17 espécies + 1 testemunha (ausência de plantas) na presença e na ausência de esterco de curral (2,0 L) na cova de plantio. Cada unidade experimental foi formada por 20 exemplares da mesma espécie que foram plantadas em covas abertas manualmente (25 x 25 x 25 cm) num espaçamento de 2 x 2 m. Todas as covas receberam a adubação básica formada por 125 g de superfosfato simples e 60 g de cloreto de potássio. Entre as 17 espécies avaliadas, 3 não pertencem a família Leguminosae e receberam, além da adubação básica, cerca de 25 g de sulfato de amônio por cobertura. O segundo experimento foi montado com o objetivo de avaliar o potencial de espécies leguminosas beneficiarem o estabelecimento e crescimento de espécies não leguminosas na revegetação de barragem de rejeito da CMM. Foram utilizadas três espécies leguminosas (Enterolobium scomburkii, Acacia mangium e Acacia holosericea) e três não leguminosas (Lithraea brasiliensis, Cinnamomum glaziovii e Eugenia jambolana) num esquema fatorial (3 x 3) + 1 testemunha, formando dez tratamentos distribuídos em blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Cada parcela foi formada por 20 plantas (10 leguminosas + 10 não leguminosas) plantadas em espaçamento 2 x 2 m e com a mesma adubação básica utilizada no primeiro experimento. Todas as espécies leguminosas utilizadas foram previamente inoculadas com estirpes selecionadas de bactérias fixadoras de Nitrogênio atmosférico e com uma mistura de fungos micorrízicos provenientes da Embrapa/Agrobiologia. Os experimentos foram avaliados quanto ao estabelecimento e crescimento de plantas (altura e diâmetro do colo) aos 4, 12 e 24 meses após o plantio. Os resultados obtidos permitem concluir que dentre as espécies avaliadas, as mais indicadas para a primeira etapa da revegetação da barragem de rejeito da CMM são: Acacia holosericea, Acacia farnesiana, Acacia auriculiformis, Mimosa caesalpiniifolia, Leucaena leucocephala, Mimosa birmucronata, Enterolobium schomburkii e Prosopis juliflora. O sucesso do consórcio de espécies leguminosas e não leguminosas depende da escolha das espécies a serem combinadas, de maneira que não exista uma efetiva competição por água, nutrientes e luz que possa prejudicar as espécies de menor plasticidade. Das combinações avaliadas, as de maiores potencialidades para o programa de revegetação das barragens de rejeito da CMM são aquelas envolvendo a espécieLithraea brasiliensis. / The ore milling process at Vazante by Companhia Mineira de Metais - CMM produce an alkaline and low nutrients content refuse. This work had the aim to evaluate the potential of nodulated and mycorrhized legumes shrubs and trees specie at the revegetation of the CMM´s tailing dam. Therefore, two field experiments were carried out at the tailing dam where Brachiaria sp. was previously seemed. The first experiment was formed by a combination of 17 specie + 1 blank (without plants) in the presence and absence of cattle manure (2.0 L) at planting pit. Each experimental unit was composed by 20 individuals of same specie which were planted in handle holes (25 x 25 x 25 cm) at 2 x 2 m lines. Each planting pit received 125 g of super phosphate and 60 g of potassium chlorate. Among the 17 species evaluated, three are not Leguminosae and also received more 25 g of ammonium sulfate by surface application. The second experiment was carried out with the aim to evaluate the potential of leguminous specie to benefit the establishment and growth of non-leguminous specie at the revegetation of the refuse dam. At this experiment three leguminous specie (Enterolobium schomburkii, Acacia mangium and Acacia holosericea) and three non-leguminous specie (Lithraea brasiliensis, Cinnamomum glaziovii and Eugenia jambolana) were combined in a factorial design (3 x 3) + 1 blank, forming 10 trataments. Each experimental unit was composed by 20 plants (10 legumes + 10 non-legumes) planted and fertilized at the same way used at the first experiment. The leguminous specie were previously inoculated and mycorrhized with efficient strains of N-fixation and a misture of mycorrhizal fungi obtained at Embrapa/Agrobiologia. The experiments were evaluated about the plants establishment and growth (height and steam diameter) at 4, 12 and 24 months after the planting time. The obtained results allowed concluding that the indicated specie, among all evaluated, to the first step of the refuse dam revegetation are: Acacia holosericea, Acacia farnesiana, Acacia auriculiformis, Mimosa caesalpiniifolia, Leucaena leucocephala, Mimosa birmucronata, Enterolobium schomburkii e Prosopis juliflora. The success of the combination of leguminous and non-leguminous specie depends to the choice of the specie to avoid competition by water, nutrients and light which may damage the specie with less plasticity. Among all evaluated combinations the more potentiality one to the CMM´s tailing dam revegetation are which envolving L. brasiliensis.

Chiu, Ming Ho. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-155). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.v / Table of Contents --- p.vii / List of Tables --- p.xi / List of Figures --- p.xiii / List of Plates --- p.xiv / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Environment of Hong Kong --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1.1 --- Flat land area --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1.2 --- Population --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.1.3 --- Climate --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Landslides in Hong Kong --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.2.1 --- Landslide history --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.2.2 --- Government actions on landslide prevention --- p.7 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Slopes in Hong Kong --- p.8 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Slope stabilization --- p.10 / Chapter 1.1.4.1 --- Conventional methods of slope stabilization --- p.10 / Chapter 1.1.4.2 --- Biotechnical stabilization --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2 --- Situation in Hong Kong --- p.16 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Slope protection in the past --- p.16 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Government action on improving slope appearance --- p.16 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Proprietary slope greening techniques --- p.19 / Chapter 1.3 --- Vegetation growth on slopes --- p.22 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Basic requirements of plants --- p.22 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Potential problems of proprietary systems on shotcreted cut slopes --- p.24 / Chapter 1.3.2.1 --- Steep gradient --- p.24 / Chapter 1.3.2.2 --- Thin soil --- p.24 / Chapter 1.3.2.3 --- Rainfall seasonality --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4 --- Current study --- p.26 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Objectives --- p.26 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Significance --- p.26 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Thesis layout --- p.27 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Soil water status and vegetation of cut slopes --- p.30 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.30 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Study site --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- In situ measurements and substrate sampling --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Physical properties of substrates on slopes --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.3.1 --- Slope angle --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.3.2 --- Substrate thickness --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.3.3 --- Soil moisture --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.3.4 --- Soil texture --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.3.5 --- Bulk density --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.3.6 --- Water retention capacity --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Chemical properties of substrates on slopes --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.4.1 --- pH --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.4.2 --- Conductivity --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.4.3 --- Organic matter --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.4.4 --- Total Kjeldahl nitrogen --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.4.5 --- Mineral nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate) --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.4.6 --- Carbon:Nitrogen --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.4.7 --- Total phosphorus --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.4.8 --- Available phosphorus --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.4.9 --- Major extractable cations --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Green coverage on slopes --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.6 --- Statistical analysis --- p.47 / Chapter 2.3 --- Results --- p.47 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Rainfall characteristics --- p.47 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Soil moisture --- p.49 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Green coverage --- p.52 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Physical properties of substrate on slopes --- p.55 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- Chemical properties of substrate on slopes --- p.57 / Chapter 2.4 --- Discussion --- p.61 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Soil moisture and vegetation growth --- p.61 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Soil nutrients and vegetation growth --- p.66 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Other substrate properties and vegetation growth --- p.69 / Chapter 2.5 --- Summary --- p.75 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Surface runoff and soil erosion of cut slopes --- p.76 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.76 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.84 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Study site --- p.84 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Experimental setup --- p.84 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Surface runoff and soil loss --- p.88 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Nutrient loss in runoff --- p.89 / Chapter 3.2.4.1 --- Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen --- p.89 / Chapter 3.2.4.2 --- Mineral nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate) --- p.89 / Chapter 3.2.4.3 --- Total phosphorus --- p.89 / Chapter 3.2.4.4 --- Available phosphorus --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Other substrate properties --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.5.1 --- Soil texture --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.5.2 --- Bulk density --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.5.3 --- Soil compaction --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.5.4 --- Water retention capacity --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.5.5 --- Organic matter --- p.90 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Vegetation coverage and green coverage on slope --- p.91 / Chapter 3.2.7 --- Statistical analysis --- p.91 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results --- p.91 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Meteorological characteristics --- p.91 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Surface runoff and runoff coefficient --- p.92 / Chapter 3.3.2.1 --- Surface runoff and runoff coefficient between different treatments --- p.92 / Chapter 3.3.2.2 --- Surface runoff and runoff coefficient between different proprietary systems --- p.97 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Soil loss --- p.98 / Chapter 3.3.3.1 --- Soil loss between different treatments --- p.98 / Chapter 3.3.3.2 --- Soil loss between different proprietary systems --- p.99 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Nutrient loss --- p.99 / Chapter 3.3.4.1 --- Nutrient loss between different treatments --- p.99 / Chapter 3.3.4.2 --- Nutrient loss between different proprietary systems --- p.104 / Chapter 3.3.5 --- Substrate properties of proprietary systems --- p.104 / Chapter 3.3.6 --- Vegetation coverage and green coverage --- p.107 / Chapter 3.3.7 --- Relationship between rainfall and erosional parameters --- p.110 / Chapter 3.4 --- Discussion --- p.117 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Surface runoff and runoff coefficient between different treatments --- p.117 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Relationship between rainfall characteristics and surface runoff --- p.122 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Soil loss between different treatments --- p.125 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- "Relationship between rainfall characteristics, surface runoff and soil loss" --- p.126 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- Nutrient loss between different treatments --- p.128 / Chapter 3.4.6 --- Surface runoff and erosional losses between different proprietary systems --- p.129 / Chapter 3.5 --- Summary --- p.132 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Conclusions --- p.134 / Chapter 4.1 --- Summary of major findings --- p.134 / Chapter 4.2 --- Implications of the study --- p.136 / Chapter 4.3 --- Limitations of the study --- p.137 / Chapter 4.4 --- Suggestions for further investigation --- p.138 / References --- p.139 / Appendices --- p.156

Many species of wildlife use roadside vegetation as habitat. The ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) utilizes roadsides for all types of cover. Because pheasants are nonmigratory and generally live their entire lives within a 1- to 2-mile radius, pheasants are excellent indicator species to predict both quantity and quality of roadside wildlife habitat. Pheasants were introduced to Utah in the late 1800's. Populations climbed until pheasant habitat occupied 2-4 percent of the total land area in Utah. Populations began to decrease in the 1950's. Since 1962, pheasant populations in Cache County, Utah have dropped 2.71 percent annually. Experts believe the decline in pheasants is directly related to decreased habitat. They attribute the decrease to land use changes. Cache County roadsides currently support 3,643 acres of wildlife habitat and have the potential to support over 15,000 acres. To evaluate roadside habitat in Cache County, a roadside vegetation inventory was conducted. This was done by conducting a windshield survey of Cache County roadsides in agricultural areas. Next, vegetation density was measured along roadside transects using a Daubenmire frame and vertical profile board. The results showed Cache County roadsides did not support quality wildlife habitat. The exception was wetlands that contained significant stands of cattail. The evaluation found current maintenance practices of mowing and spraying roadside vegetation has degraded the plant communities and created dense monocultures of a few grass species. A questionnaire was completed by county weed supervisors throughout the state of Utah as well as Utah Department of Transportation personnel and other people associated with the managment of roadside vegetation. The questionnaire provided information about current roadside maintenance practices and attitudes. As a result of the roadside vegetation data and the questionnaire, the study determined that healthier roadside plant communities are possible if current maintenance practices and standards are modified. These modifications should include 1) spot spraying herbicide to eradicate weed species, 2) mowing only 10% of the right-of-way, which will provide more residual nesting cover in the unmowed areas, and 3) allowing woody vegetation along the backs! ope of ditches and other areas where motorist safety is not compromised. By modifying maintenance practices and implementing diverse seed mixes, roadside plant communities will support quality wildlife habitat.

Exclosure plots were monitored to investigate the impact of browsing on seedling recruitment by Trichosurus vulpecula, Oryctolagus cuniculus and Rattus rattus on seedlings under Leptospermum scoparium and Kunzea ericoides plantings in two Auckland Regional Council Parks (ARC), Shakespear and Wenderholm. The number of woody seedlings that established over a 17-month period was recorded. Gaps within the same Leptospermum scoparium and Kunzea ericoides canopy were created to investigate the influence of the canopy on seedling recruitment. Soil samples were taken to investigate the existing seed bank beneath the same Leptospermum scoparium and Kunzea ericoides canopies.At Wenderholm, net change in seedling density differed among treatments (P=0.014). Seedling density increased within the plots that excluded Trichosurus vulpecula and Oryctolagus cuniculus and within plots that additionally excluded Rattus rattus, but declined in the control plots. In contrast at Shakespear, although seedling density increased more within both the exclosure plots than in the control plots, this result was not statistically significant (P=0.728). At Wenderholm, the average seedling height increased within both types of exclosure plots, but declined in the control plots. However, these differences among treatments were not statistically significant (P=0.204). At Shakespear, seedlings increased in height within the Trichosurus vulpecula, Oryctolagus cuniculus and Rattus rattus exclosures and declined marginally in the other two treatments. Again, differences in height change among treatments were not statistically significant (P=0.202).At both regional parks, the greatest cause of mortality within the exclosures excluding Trichosurus vulpecula and Oryctolagus cuniculus was desiccation. All of the mortalities within the Trichosurus vulpecula, Oryctolagus cuniculus and Rattus rattus exclosures was unidentifiable. However, within the control plots, at Wenderholm, the greatest identified cause of mortality was browsing and at Shakespear, the only cause of mortality within the control plots was browsing.Seedbanks at Wenderholm and Shakespear under the Leptospermum scoparium and Kunzea ericoides plantings were dominated by forb species. A total of 1308 seedlings germinated from soil taken from Wenderholm, with exotic species making up 99.4% of germinations, with exotic species making up 97.9% of germinations. Similarly a total of 801 seedlings germinated from soil samples taken from Shakespear.At Wenderholm, the number of native seedling germinations within the gaps created in the Leptospermum scoparium and Kunzea ericoides canopy, was more than twice the number that germinated under the closed canopy. However, this difference was marginally non-significant (P=0.065). At Shakespear, the number of native seedling germinations within gaps created in the Leptospermum scoparium and Kunzea ericoides canopy was similar to the number that germinated under the closed canopy (P=0.2603).The results suggest that at Wenderholm, despite ongoing predator control, Trichosurus vulpecula and/or Oryctolagus cuniculus have had an adverse effect on the survival and growth of seedlings. The results also suggest that at Shakespear, Rattus rattus have had an adverse effect on the survival and growth of seedlings under the Leptospermum scoparium and Kunzea ericoides canopy. The distance from mature forest may also have had an impact on the dispersal of native seeds within the Leptospermum scoparium and Kunzea ericoides canopy. The implication of these results for the future management of restoration plantings in regional parks is discussed.

The aims of this project were to: 1. further develop the evaluation systems of Westman (1986), Chapman and Underwood (2000) and Wilkins et al (2004) proposed for the assessment of restored ecosystems; and 2. use these developments to evaluate whether the revegetation of agricultural land on the Cumberland Plain, west of Sydney, NSW, has led to the re-establishment of a grassy woodland. The evaluation system developed in this Thesis was designed to compare three key ecosystem attributes. First, to assess how restoration was progressing, the species richness, composition and vegetation structure of abandoned pasture (starting point), was compared to that of restored vegetation of differing ages (putative mid points), and remnants (goal or end point). Refinements of the previous assessment models included formulation of predictions about native and exotic species richness and composition under the assumption that restoration was succeeding, and explicit testing of these predictions by planned comparisons and trajectory analysis of species composition. Second, the small-scale effects of planted tree canopies on species composition were assessed to test the hypothesis that native tree canopies facilitate the return of natives. Third, the effects of fire and neighbour removal on seedling emergence and establishment in pasture, restored vegetation and remnants were examined to explore what factors controlled germination and establishment. The results of this study indicate that to date, there has been a partial success of the restoration program at the study sites: while native species have returned unaided to restored sites, the trajectory of native species composition was not in the direction of remnants. There was however, increased species richness of exotic species detected underneath planted tree canopies. Patterns of seedling emergence observed in this study suggest that recruitment plays a role in the maintenance of the species composition found in restored vegetation, with seedling emergence dominated by exotics The evaluation methodology developed within this Thesis is a transparent and accurate way to measure ecological changes in vegetation that have occurred as a result of restoration.The restoration evaluation methodology further developed here will be useful to an industry that involves tree planting, landcare, revegetation and bush regeneration. It will complement guidelines provided by government and other sources that advise on practical aspects of revegetation and will be one of the few which have examined the success of revegetation in ecological terms that are founded on sound scientific basis. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Much emphasis has been placed on the design, operation, and construction of sanitary landfills while the proper reclamation and revegetatiun of completed. sites has often been overlooked.. Revegetation of exposed. landfill surfaces drastically reduces soil erosion, minimizes water infiltration into refuse, helps to control leachate production, and improves site appearance, thus promoting greater public acceptance of sanitary landfills.This research was designed to determine which of selected grasses used. for erosion control were best adapted to the sanitary landfill environment. The experiment was conducted on three sanitary landfills in central Indiana.Results showed that the availability of sufficient plant nutrients was critical for establishing vegetative growth. Significant variations in the performance of the individual grass species was observed.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

published_or_final_version / Botany / Master / Master of Philosophy