English

Abstract

Step three of the Forestry Reclamation Approach is to plant tree compatible ground covers. The normal reclamation sequence at the Red Hills Lignite Mine in Ackerman, MS involves planting bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) followed by establishment of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) with generally 70-80% survival. The objective of this study was to evaluate bermudagrass as a compatible species for establishment of loblolly pine. Vegetative ground cover and tree counts were conducted within randomly selected 81.4 m 2 circles. Seasonal droughts in 2006 and 2007 reduced ground coverage of bermudagrass in some areas, allowed encroachment of other volunteer species and had an adverse affect on loblolly pine survival. However, pine seedling survival was not related to the degree of bermudagrass coverage. A section of respread prime farmland (PFL) topsoil that had ground coverage of 100% bermudagrass in 2006 had only 30% pine seedling survival in 2007. Other areas reclaimed and seeded in 2006 that achieved only 20% coverage of bermudagrass and 50-70% bare soil also had only 30% pine seedling survival in 2007. The 20% bermudagrass areas developed a volunteer stand of giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida L.) and marestail (Conyza canadensis L.) that had a 30% understory of volunteer white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in 2007. Marestail disappeared in 2008 and was largely replaced by volunteer stands of either white clover, sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. Cours) or partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata (Michx.). Pines replanted in 2008 had poor survival if either sericea or partridge pea was greater than 30%. There was a clear negative relationship between pine seedling survival and the presence of either sericea or partridge pea, however pine survival in bermudagrass was excellent prior to 2006 and in 2008 indicating that bermudagrass is a tree compatible species. Additional