Abstract
A variety of soil amendments were evaluated for suitability in revegetation of waste rock piles in the Coeur d'Alene Mining District of northern Idaho. The amendments included biosolids, composts, log yard wastes, and two liquid‐based organic treatments. Initial available nitrogen (N) (ammonia plus nitrate) values varied significantly with the type of amendment, ranging from 20 lb/ac in the liquid‐based soil treatments to 2800 kg/ha in a biosolids treatment. As would be expected, high available N increased the potential for high runoff N. The level of available N also had a strong impact on plant frequency vs. density, species distribution, and the extent of unseeded vegetation. For example, high N amendments promoted a high‐frequency/low‐density vegetation profile that was dominated by grass species and contained low content of unseeded vegetation. Conversely, the low N amendments promoted a low‐frequency/high‐density profile with a diverse grass–legume mixture but also a greater density of weeds.
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