Woody Vegetation and Succession on the Fonde Surface Mine Demonstration Area, Bell County, Kentucky

摘要

the long term impact of surface mining on vegetation and plant scucession has always been of concern to environemtnalists and residents of Apalachia. The Fonde Surface Mine Demonstration Area is a 7.3-ha, NE-NW-aspect contour coal mine at an elevation of 562 m. It was reclaimed in 1965 to show state-of-the-art surface mien reclamation techniques consistent with thencurrent law and regulations after coal mining in 1959 and 1963. the mine spoils were lightly graded to control erosion and create a bench with water control and two sediment ponds. Soil pH ranged from 2.8 to 5.9. About 80 percent of the mine was planted with 18 tree and shrub species including plantations of mixed pine, mixed hardwoods, black locust, and shrubs for wildlife. In a complete floristic inventory conducted 25 years later, we foudn the woody flora consisted of 34 families, 53 genera, and 70 species including 7 exotics. This inventory of the fonde mine shows that a diverse forest vegetation can be reestablished after extreme disturbances in appalachia. Black locust, yellow poplar, and vrginia pine reproduction varied significantly among plantation types. canopy tree species significantly affected ground layer cover, total species richness, number of tree seedling species, and total number of tree seedlings present. Mine soil type affected ground layer percent cover and total species richness. Pre-SMCRA (Surface Mining Contorl and Reclamation Act of 1977) reclaimed and inventoried mines can be used to evalaute biodiversity on post-SMCRA mines.