Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1990. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-80). Also available via the Internet.

The primary aim of this study was to investigate vegetation production and soil management factors influencing forage establishment on the waste rock dumps at a Southern Interior B.C. copper mine. Total plant cover on the waste rock dumps ranged from less than 5 to greater than 80 percent. Vegetation and spoil from the major reclaimed sites were analyzed to determine possible causes for the differences in plant cover. Test case areas, which varied in production, topography, and treatment, were then selected for an investigation into the relationships between spoil and vegetation variables. Waste rock and overburden glacial till materials were generally low in N, P, and Mg. Spoil N and K levels varied throughout each reclaimed site, likely as a result of fertilizer placement. Significant positive relationships were found between spoil N and grass cover and spoil K and both grass and legume cover. P levels in legumes from most fertilized sites were still in a deficiency range. A negative relationship between coarse fragment content and legume cover was observed. High coarse fragment content, accompanied with low water holding capacity and dry climatic conditions, suggests that moisture deficiencies are likely a critical problem for revegetation success, particularly on the lower portions of the slope faces. High bulk density values on the flat terraces indicated that compaction could be impeding root growth. Multivariate cluster analysis, based on total percent plant cover and percent composition legumes, was used to categorize all study sites into four vegetation production groups: low cover, grass cover, mixed grass and legume cover, and high production legume dominated cover. Spoil characteristics that differentiated between groups were: N, P, K, Mg, pH, coarse fragment content, and bulk density. This classification system will assist in identifying the management requirements of each vegetation type, such as: level and type of fertilization, overburden capping to reduce coarse fragment content, and scarification. Multiple regression analysis was used to generate equations for predicting biomass production from spoil N, P, K, Mg, pH, and coarse fragment content. Reclamation costs were estimated and it was demonstrated that grass cover and mixed grass and legume cover types were the most desirable. Although costs per hectare were lowest for the low cover type, efficiency of reclamation dollars (dollars invested per tonne forage produced) was also lowest for this type. Establishment of a legume dominated cover type may not be desirable due to forage quality considerations: Cu:Mo ratios in legume foliage averaged less than the recommended 2:1 for cattle grazing. / Science, Faculty of / Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Institute for / Graduate

Thesis (Ph.D.) --Murdoch University, 2003. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Science and Engineering. Accompanying CD-ROM contains appendices. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-172).

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, August, 1996. / Title from PDF t.p.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Murdoch University, 2009. / Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Sustainability, Environmental and Life Sciences. Includes bibliographical references (p. 308-319).

In South Africa, most of the surface coal mines are situated on the Highveld of the Mpumalanga Province. The mining industry plays a vital role and contributes to the economy of the country. Very often the mining activities change the physical nature of the soil which results in soil compaction. In mine soils, compaction is of great importance in plant growth and the environment because its high levels may adversely result in the degradation of soil structure, reduced nutrient distribution and reduced root growth, which eventually decreases plant growth. To ensure a productive vegetation, compacted mine soils has to be ameliorated effectively. A combination of practices is suggested to alleviate soil compaction, but some of them are costly and not ecologically stable particularly the use of conventional methods. Therefore, the challenge is to use the potential practices to ameliorate compacted soils. The proposed investigations, which are envisaged to solve harmful effects of soil compaction on plant growth, include biological activities, achieved through appropriate application of cattle manure and planting of pasture species. A review on literature, some studies indicate that the application of organic manure amendments such as cattle manure may overcome the negative effects of compaction, due to the beneficial effects on soil physical, chemical and biological properties in the zone of incorporation. Other studies has shown that pastures are linked with improvements in soil structure, soil organic matter content, rooting depths, consequently, reductions in bulk density. The focus of this study were to monitor the root biomass of irrigated Tall Fescue (F. arundinacea cv Dovey) and dryland Smuts Fingergrass (D. eriantha cv Irene) on mine soils, and to describe soil bulk density and soil nutrient concentrations in such soils. This study were also determining the effects of incorporating cattle manure into compacted (mine soils) and non compacted (agricultural soils) and evaluating its effects on the seedling growth rate, dry matter and root biomass production of Tall Fescue and Smuts Fingergrass. In addition, the influence of different rates of cattle manure on soil bulk density and nutrient concentration in such compacted soil was also measured. These parameters are relevant to the sustainable rehabilitation of mine soils. Based on the results obtained in this study, it was concluded that the use of two grass species, Tall Fescue and Smuts Fingergrass, with vigorous root systems have extended their roots in compacted mine soil layers over two growing seasons. Other results have demonstrated that application of cattle manure revealed a significant decrease in soil bulk density of compacted mine soils planted to Tall Fescue and Smuts Fingergrass. The bulk density was at a minimum in the 80 tha-1 cattle manure-treated plots and followed by the 40 tha-1 cattle manure treatment, and the maximum bulk density was recorded for the control treatment (0 tha-1). The application of cattle manure resulted in a large input of nutrients to the soil as compared to untreated control and significantly increased Tall Fescue and Smuts Fingergrass growth and production. This research has illustrated that use of plant roots and cattle manure as soil organic amendments to reduce soil compaction may be environmentally and economically beneficial leading to a more sustainable agricultural system. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Plant Production and Soil Science / Unrestricted

Nitrogen deficiencies have long been acknowledged as a factor limiting the restoration of ecosystems destroyed by surface mining in the Appalachian Region of the U.S. The fundamental ecological structure and function common to intact terrestrial ecosystems are largely lacking in mine soils. Reliable guidelines for effective long-term restoration require a detailed understanding of the ecological processes occurring within the mine-soil system. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which inorganic N fertilization, native topsoil replacement, or whole-tree wood-chip amendment affected the restoration and reforestation of an Appalachian mine-soil system through changes in C and ~ dynamics. Eighteen concrete tank lysimeters filled with mine spoils served as experimental microcosms to test hypotheses set forth in this study. Treatment effects on soil N and C pools, herbaceous biomass production, N uptake, N fluxes between pools, net leachate N losses, and early growth of pitch x loblolly hybrid pines were evaluated at regular intervals between July 1987 and October 1989. Inorganic N fertilization increased aboveground herbaceous biomass yield and N uptake by 87 and 71%, respectively, during the first growing season, but did not significantly affect yield or N uptake thereafter. During the first growing season, biomass production was 38% higher in the topsoil-amended mine soil than the unamended control. This resulted in an additional 17.4 kg N ha-1 sequestered in comparison to the control. Biomass yield was 270 and 19% lower in the wood-chip-amended mine soil than the unamended control after the first and third growing seasons, respectively. This resulted in 63 and 25% less N uptake, respectively, than the control. Survival of pitch x loblolly pine after two growing seasons was 90% in the N-fertilized mine soil and 71% with the fertilizer control treatment. This difference in survival was the result of lower water potential in the unamended mine soil during the growing season in which the trees were planted. Nitrogen fertilization did not significantly affect tree growth or nutrition. Pine survival after two growing seasons was 83, 98, and 60% for the unamended control, wood-chip, and topsoil treatments, respectively. By the end of the second growing season, the wood-chip treatment also resulted in greater tree height, ground-line diameter, and stem-volume index by 30, 49, and 203% respectively, when compared to the control. Increased survival and growth in the wood-chip-amended mine soil were directly related to higher soil water potential than the control or topsoil treatments. Total inorganic N leaching loss from N-fertilized mine soil was 47.64 kg ha-1 yr-1 higher than the control during the first growing season. However, N fertilization losses were not significantly higher during the remainder of the study period. Drainage was significantly higher during all three growing seasons in the wood-chip-amended mine soil. This resulted in lower N sequestering during the third growing season when precipitation was most abundant. Topsoil amendment did not significantly affect N leaching losses. Inorganic N fertilization did not significantly affect total organic C, total N, or N availability indices in the mine soil. Following topsoil addition, mine-soil total N was 294% higher than the unamended control. Wood-chip effects on the soil organic-matter pool were more gradual; however, by the end of the study, total N and total organic C were 18 and 95% higher, respectively in the wood-chip-amended mine soil than in the unamended control. Aerobic incubation of soil samples collected near the end of the second growing season showed that the topsoil and wood-chip amendments increased the N mineralization potential by 101 and 55%, respectively, in comparison to the unamended control. Furthermore, the mineralization rate constant of the wood-chip-amended mine soil was 44% lower than the control. This shows a slower rate of N turnover and more stable mine-soil N pool with the wood-chip treatment. This study shows that inorganic N fertilizer effects on N and C dynamics were rapid but transient. In contrast, the surface-applied amendments of native topsoil and whole-tree wood chips improved the potential for successful restoration of forests by increasing the N cycling capacity of the developing mine-soil system. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MTech. degree in Chemistry)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2010.

The Star Fire Coal Mine is a large strip mining operation (10,000 acre permit) that produces mine spoil consisting of sandstones, shales, siltstones, and underclays of the Pennsylvanian Breathitt Formation. Chemical analysis of groundwater from the saturated mine spoil show unusually high magnesium concentrations, with magnesium constituting between 27 and 47 percent of the major cations. Excess magnesium in water is detrimental to plant metabolism, and its content in groundwater may limit its use for irrigation and other uses during a post-mining land use plan. Petrological methods (thin section point count analysis and x-ray diffraction) and geochemical methods (electron microprobe analysis and water extraction experiments) were performed to determine the source of magnesium in sandstone and shale samples of the Breathitt Formation. Based on mineral percents and concentrations of magnesium found in samples used for waterrock interaction samples, magnesium-rich siderite was found as the primary contributor of magnesium to the groundwater. / Department of Geology

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.