RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Fertilizer effects on establishment of two seed mixtures on mined land in southeastern Montana
JF Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
FD Soil and Water Conservation Society
SP 241
OP 244
VO 36
IS 4
A1 Jerry L. Holechek
A1 Edward J. Depuit
A1 Joe G. Coenenberg
A1 Raul Valdez
YR 1981
UL http://www.jswconline.org/content/36/4/241.abstract
AB Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, applied in the first year of a six-year evaluation of plant establishment on strip-mined land at Colstrip, Montana, had no effect on long-term survival of plants seeded in 4-species and 16-species mixtures. However, fertilizer application significantly (P .05) increased above-ground biomass. The number of native plant species established was substantially higher on plots seeded with the 16-species mixture than on plots seeded with a 4-species mixture. Despite the proximity of native range, nonseeded native species were almost nonexistent on plots seeded with both mixtures. This indicates that natural succession is a slow process on mined lands at Colstrip. Critana thickspike wheatgrass (Agropyron dasystachyum), lodorm green needle-grass (Stipa viridula), and fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) are native species that appear suited for mined-land plantings in the Northern Plains. Fairway crested wheat-grass (Agropyron cristatum), while easy to establish, may be too competitive in mixtures with native species. Two legumes, ranger alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and lutana cicer milk-vetch (Astragalus cicer), showed considerable potential for reseeding mined lands in the area.