Abstract
A study was established on an abandoned coal washing settlement pond to examine the biological effectiveness and economic efficiency of four organic soil amendments on the growth of herbaceous cover and the survival and growth of black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia L.) The site had a pH of 1.8 and was devoid of vegetation at the time of study establishment. Materials tested included hardwood bark, a mixture of bark, sawdust and manure, a mixture of composted sewage sludge and kiln dust, and a mixture of straw and manure. After six growing seasons, the mixture of bark, sawdust and manure and the mixture of sewage sludge and kiln dust produced the most herbaceous cover. All treatments were equally effective in promoting tree survival and growth except for the sewage sludge and kiln dust, which was significantly worse. In economic terms, however, the control, which was limed and fertilized, was the most cost effective in all cases. The soil amendments simply did not result in a biological response sufficient to offset their substantially higher establishment costs.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Environment
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
