Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

The Effect Of Four Mine Spoil Treatments On The Seedling Water Relations Of Two Plant Species, Lorraine K. Van Kekerix

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Surface mines in mountainous areas cause environmental deterioration at lower elevations in the watershed. The most successful long term solution to the downstream problem is revegetation. However, mine spoils are low in essential plant nutrients, have low water holding capacity, and are often acidic. These factors limit plant colonization. Plants must also be adapted to the environmental conditions of high elevations.

At the McLaren Mine, }1ontana, at 2800 m, it was observed that seedlings on revegetation plots were desiccated, indicating possible water deficits. Field and growth chamber studies were carried out to determine the effects of some spoil ameliorating treatments …