Laserfiche WebLink
Experimental Treatments <br />Vegetative Competition. Half of the trees were planted with landscape fabric and half without. This was <br />to verify the importance of protecting plants from vegetative competition in survival of the aspen and <br />serviceberry on reclaimed lands. <br />Irrigation. Based on findings from 2005-2007 irrigation study, we applied clean water (low-saline) or no <br />water (control treatment) every other week. All plots received local ambient rainfall in addition to <br />irrigation treatments. Irrigation water was applied to irrigated plots by hand from a bulk tank. Soil <br />moisture status was determined from gravimetric soil moisture measurements, and plant water status <br />measurements were obtained using a plant water status console. <br />Field Measurements <br />Growth. Aspen and serviceberry were measured for height and basal caliper (diameter) at planting, <br />and at the end of the first summer growing season for height and caliper growth and survival. <br />Observations on leaf size and chlorosis were also noted. <br />Terminal leader growth and stem diameter (caliper) data were not normally distributed, and therefore a <br />Gaussian or lognormal transformation was conducted on the original data prior to statistical analysis. <br />Physiological status. Physiological conditions, such as stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, and <br />respiration, may show response to drought or other stress prior to any visible indications of leaf stress. <br />These physiological measurements may provide an early indication of which plants are stressed and not <br />likely to survive. We collected physiological measurements of aspen plants in each treatment, including <br />leaf water potential, photosynthesis, respiration, and transpiration. This allows a better evaluation of the <br />physiological stress conditions occurring under specific treatments; and the physiological conditions <br />favorable for survival. Serviceberry was not monitored for physiological status since the plants and leaves <br />were too small. <br />Soil and Water. At each planting site soil samples from within the topsoil down to overburden were <br />collected for analysis for texture and fertility (organic matter, pH, N, P, K, CEC) by a contract soils <br />testing laboratory using standardized methods and protocols for those processes. Root zone soil samples <br />were collected during the growing season for gravimetric soil moisture determination. Soil samples were <br />also submitted to the soils testing laboratory for determination of other chemical constituents. <br />A large portion of the Seneca mines was covered with aspen, serviceberry, and other native plants <br />prior to mining. Aspen is unique in that it is a common species in the western United States, but it has not <br />been planted successfully in wildland environments. Developing methods to do so and gaining a better <br />understanding of factors that limit planting success of aspen in high-altitude semi-arid environments will <br />be of great benefit to the mining industry in the West and Northern US and should aid State regulatory