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Phvsiolooical status: Although monitoring of leaf water potential gave an initial indication <br />of water stress condition of the plants under specific irrigation schedules, additional <br />physiological conditions of the plant vital to survival are unknown. Other physiological <br />conditions, such as stomata) conductance, photosynthesis, and respiration, may show <br />response to drought prior to indication by plant water status. Therefore, monitoring <br />during 2007 will include additional physiological measurements of the transplants under <br />each irrigation treatment, including photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration. This <br />should allow a better evaluation of the physiological stress conditions occurring under <br />specific irrigation treatments; and the physiological conditions favorable for survival. We <br />will expand the monitoring of physiological stresses by conducting more frequent <br />physiological measurements on aspen transplants, sprouts from root segments, and <br />potted plants to gain a better understanding of the factors that are likely to affect long- <br />term aspen establishment and survival. Given additional resources, we could expand <br />these studies to examine the physiological stresses of other species such as willow and <br />other shrubs that are also being planted in mine reclamation activities, to help gage their <br />suitability for survival on reclaimed lands. <br />Proposed Future Research: <br />In response to the success of the weeding treatments on growth and survival of <br />aspen during the 2006 growing season, we propose to initiate a new experiment during <br />the 2007 and/or 2008 growing seasons. Aspen growing stock would be planted using <br />standard weed control fabric and machine planting as recommend by the Colorado <br />State Forest Nursery. The experiment would plant aspen in several fenced areas on the <br />Seneca mine, with or without the weed barrier fabric. Irrigation water would also be <br />examined. One-third of the planted aspen would receive pond water by drip system or <br />by periodic watering from bulk tank as needed. Another third would receive water <br />verified with low EC, and the last third would receive no supplemental irrigation water. <br />Given the compaction and high density of the reclaimed soils, another treatment worth <br />examining would be deep cultivation subsoil trenching using 'sod-busting' chisel plow <br />equipment prior to planting. This would break up the compacted soils and allow deeper <br />penetration of root systems to enhance survival the first few years after planting. We <br />19 <br />