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••~ 2.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS <br />2.1 Experimental Design <br />Several different revegetation techniques were instituted on the <br />refuse pile test plots in order to generate data specific to the objec- <br />tives of this study. Test plots which were constructed for this <br />ezperimeat were designed to test the effects that slope, aspect, <br />vegetation species, and method of seeding mulching will have on revege- <br />ration success and slope stabilization. The benefit of a soil material <br />covering the refuse pile will also be tested. The factors tested and <br />their relationship to environmental influences are discussed below: <br />• Slope (2:1 vs. 4:1). Differences in slope are expected to <br />' influence the amount and duration of solar radiation striking <br />the plot, which in tuna influence rates of soil heating and <br />soil moisture evaporation. An increase is slope angle is <br />ezpeeted to increase the risk of soil loss due to higher <br />runoff rates. <br />• Aspect (north, south, east, vest, level). Ia conjunction with <br />slope angle, slope aspect influences the amount and duration of <br />solar radiation striking the plot. North sad east facing slopes <br />are generally expected to be cooler than south sad vest-facing <br />slopes, especially during the spring and fall. <br />• Soil (topsoil, refuse material). Application of topsoil to a <br />refuse material base is expected to provide a more favorable <br />- plant growth medium because of higher organic matter content, <br />and higher macro-nutrient levels. Application of topsoil also <br />provides a source of weed seeds that germinate and compete <br />with planted species. <br />• Species mixture (xerie, mesic). Revegetation species mixtures <br />were selected or. the basis of relative adaptation to dry (aeric) <br />sites and to more moist (mesic) sites. It is ea~ected that the <br />xerie mixture will perform beat oa the steeper, south facing <br />slopes, and that the mesie mizture will grow best on the <br />steeper north-facing slopes. <br />• Seedintt method (broadcast, drill) and mulching method (crimped <br />stray, excelsior blanket, hydromulch). Because of material and <br />© space limitations, seeding and mulching methods were employed <br />on the slopes and aspects where such methods would be most <br />relevant in a practical revegetation situation. Hydromulch <br />2 <br />