John P. Vimmerstedt

Nitrogen and Carbon accretion on Ohio coal minesoils: Influence of soil-forming factors☆

Abstract Plantations of white pine (Pinus strobus L.), tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera L.), white ash (Fraxinus americana L.) and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), established in 1946 on ungraded calcareous, neutral or acid coal spoils, were sampled in 1976 for weight, carbon and nitrogen content of the forest floor, and for total N concentration in 4 depth increments of the underlying mineral soil. Minesoil characteristics were related to the following soil-forming factors: parent material (overburden), organisms (tree species) and relief (aspect and slope position). Forest floor weight was high under white pine on all parent materials and under black locust on acid parent material. Nitrogen content of the forest floor was highest on acid minesoil, as was total weight of N in the forest floor under all species except tuliptree. Although concentration of N in the forest floor was highest under black locust, total weight of forest floor N under pine exceeded that under locust on calcareous and neutral minesoils because of the much greater weight of forest floor under pine. C/N ration of forest floor was lowest under locust and on the acid minesoil. Total N concentration was highest at all depths in soils that formed under black locust: rate of decrease in total N concentration between the 0–5 and 5–15 cm depth increments was also greatest under black locust. Soils formed on calcareous parent material had higher total N concentrations at all depths than those formed on neutral or acid parent materials. We estimate that concentration of total N in the 0–5 cm horizon of calcareous minesoils has increased from 0.04 to 0.23% in the 30 years since tree establishment. The corresponding increase in the acid minesoils has been from 0.03 to 0.18%. Our results show that accretion of carbon and nitrogen on minesoils will be influenced both by overburden strata placed at the surface as parent material of the new soil and by tree species chosen for planting.

Topsoiling, ripping, and fertilizing effects on tree growth and nutrition on calcareous minesoils

Abstract Tree survival, growth, and foliar nutrition were evaluated in two studies on coal minesoils in southeastern Ohio. A topsoiling-fertilizing study contrasted three constructed soil profiles (graded cast overburden, graded cast overburden under 30 cm of standard graded or ripped topsoil) and six phosphorus fertilizer treatments (0, 280, or 560 kgha −1 triple superphosphate, and 0, 1120, or 2240 kgha −1 rock phosphate). A ripping-fertilizing study used only graded cast overburden, ripped to 1.2 m depth or not ripped, and four fertilizer treatments (0 kgha −1 P and N, and 112 kgha −1 P in combination with 0, 168, or 336 kgha −1 N). Fertilizer treatments were in addition to fertilizers applied during ground cover seeding. After 7 years, overall tree survival was excellent for green ash ( Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.) (91% survival) but poor for silver maple ( Acer saccharinum L.) (15–21%), sycamore ( Platanus occidentalis L.) (9%), and white pine ( Pinus strobus L.) (1%). Austrian pine ( Pinus nigra Arnold) survived moderately well in the topsoiling study (62%) but failed in the soil ripping study (0%). Deer browsing and rabbit cutting contributed to poor tree survival. In the topsoiling study, green ash was taller on both topsoil profiles (total height, 85 cm) than on cast overburden (64 cm). Austrian pine was also taller on standard topsoil (115 cm) and ripped topsoil (102 cm) than on cast overburden (64 cm). Tree performance was not improved by ripping topsoil in the topsoiling study or by ripping cast overburden in the soil ripping study. For comparable fertilizer treatments, gree ash grew better on cast overburden (ripped or not ripped) in the ripping study than on topsoils in the topsoiling study. Silver maple survived better (29% vs. 11%) and green ash was taller (126 cm vs. 101 cm) on plots that received both N and P than on plots that received no fertilizer. Fertilization with P alone was not effective. Foliar N concentrations in green ash (12.4–13.6 gkg −1 in the topsoiling study; 15.0–16.4 gkg −1 in soil ripping study) and Austrian pine (6.7–7.0 gkg −1 in topsoiling study) were much less than optimal. Of treatments tested, provision of adequate N by fertilizers appears to have the most potential for improving tree growth on these minesoils, but controlling animal damage would probably have a greater impact on survival and early growth than any fertilizer treatment.

In situ recycling of urban deciduous litter

Abstract When 1, 2, 4 and 8 times the average annual litterfall was placed around trees in a shade tree evaluation plantation, earthworm populations increased with increasing application rate after 5 months. After 17 and 60 months there was no significant effect on earthworm populations. In situ recycling of leaf litter can increase earthworm populations in urban soils.

Site factor effects on establishment of planted and volunteer trees and shrubs on graded cast overburden and replaced topsoil in southeastern Ohio

Abstract We measured survival and height of trees planted on graded cast overburden in southeastern Ohio as affected by aspect and slope position in one study and by aspect and interplanted European alder in an adjoining study. We also measured density and height of volunteer trees and shrubs on the cast overburden and on adjacent topsoiled plots that were not planted with trees. After eight years, survival for planted species varied from 1% for white pine ( Pinus strobus L.) to 92% for green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh) Survival was poor ( 15% r silver maple l(Acer saccharinum L.) and intermediate (43-52% or European alder [ Atnus giutinosa ( L.) Gaertn.] sycamore ( Platanus occidentalis L.) bur oak ( Quercus macrocarpa Michx) and Austrian pine ( Pinus nigra Arnold) Aspect ( northeast vs. southwest) or slope position ( upper vs. lower) affected survival only of silver maple. Maple survived better on the northeast-facing, lower slope ( 43% ) than on other combinations of aspect and slope position ( ...

Establishment of trees on minesoils during drought and wet years

ABSTRACT In two studies, green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and white pine (Pinus strobus) were planted on three minesoils (graded topsoil, ripped topsoil, and gray cast overburden). Mixtures of grasses and/or legumes were seeded at different times in relation to tree planting. In the first study, tree planting was followed by several weeks of drought; in the second study, precipitation was above average for the first two growing seasons following planting. In the drought year, survival of green ash was influenced by minesoil type, herbaceous mixture, and herbaceous seeding time in relation to tree planting. Among minesoils, mean survival was highest (87%) on cast overburden. Seeding grasses the fall before planting resulted in poor ash survival (40% to 47%) compared with seeding at time of planting (82% to 85 %). Ash survived well (81 % to 94%) on legume-seeded plots. When tree planting was followed by two wet seasons, survival at 4 and 5 yr ranged from very good to excellent in all treatments. Total hei...

Topsoil and fertilizer effects on ground cover growth on calcareous minesoils

ABSTRACT We measured canopy cover and aboveground biomass of herbaceous species in four studies for five years (1989–1993) in southeastern Ohio. Three studies compared graded cast overburden, standard graded topsoil (30 era depth), and ripped topsoil. The fourth study lacked the ripped topsoil treatment. In 1997 two studies were seeded with both a standard and a modified mixture of grass and legume species, and two studies used the modified mix only. A nitrogen rate study used 45, 90, or 135 kg/ha of N applied on two occasions, and a phosphorus fertilizer study used rock phosphate amendment at 0, 1120, or 2240 kg/ha and triple superphosphate amendment at 0, 280, or 560 kg/ha. Based on one clipping per year, overall average biomass (Mg/ha dry weight) was slightly greater on standard topsoil (3·34), and ripped topsoil (3·30) than on cast overburden (3·09). Biomass did not differ significantly (p=0·05) on standard topsoil versus cast overburden for 15 of 19 comparisons. Legume biomass (Mg/ha, measured for 3 ...