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INTRODUCTION <br />In order to address concerns over utilizing varying topsoil replacement depth within a given <br />permit area to enhance plant diversity, a study was funded by the Wyoming Abandoned Coal <br />Mine Land Research Program to: 1) determine if shallower replacement depths of topsoil <br />enhance plant species diversity; 2) determine if shallower replacement depths of topsoil affect <br />vegetation cover and production; 3) evaluate the quality of replaced topsoil through time and <br />between variable replacement depths; and based on these findings, 4) determine if variable soil <br />replacement depths enhance the development and/or differentiation of post -mine vegetation <br />communities. <br />Based on these objectives, the following specific null hypotheses will be tested: 1) variable <br />topsoil replacement depths do not influence vegetation cover and production; 2) variable topsoil <br />replacement depths do not influence plant diversity; and 3) quality, in terms of electrical <br />conductivity and pH, of the replaced topsoil layer will not deteriorate with topsoil depth. <br />ACTIVITY SUMMARY TO DATE <br />This project has been divided into three major tasks. This does not include summarization of <br />the data on an annual basis and disseminating information to interested parties, both ACMLRP <br />funding requirements. <br />Task I, Review Existing Vegetation/Soil Information <br />Previous topsoil depth studies on mined lands have included, in part: DePuit 1984; Doll, et al. <br />1984; Faught 1989; Fox 1993; Halvorson, et al. 1986; Oddie and Bailey 1988; and Schuman, <br />et al. 1985. Previous literature was reviewed in addition to Wyoming Department of <br />Environmental Quality, Land Quality Division (WDEQ -LQD) mine permit volumes (Appendix <br />D-8, Vegetation, and D -7, Soil) and annual reports for various mines throughout the state on <br />record at the WDEQ -LQD offices in Cheyenne, Sheridan (for Campbell County), and <br />Cheyenne (for Converse County). <br />Task II, Establish and Construct the Study Site <br />The study site is located on the Rochelle Mine which is approximately 10 miles southeast of <br />Wright, Wyoming. Refer to Figure 1. Rochelle Mine provided the equipment and manpower <br />necessary to construct the field site. Site selection was determined by specific mine limitations, <br />i.e., spoil grading, spoil sampling, topsoil/seeding contractor schedules. <br />The study site location was rough graded in Spring 1998. Block construction activities were <br />conducted from late August to October 1998 with the exception of the cover crop seeding <br />which was conducted in early December 1998. A two year extension on this project enabled <br />the cover crop aspect of typical reclamation at the Rochelle Mine to be maintained. The <br />permanent reclamation seed mix was seeded in late November 1999 and was derived to <br />represent the pre- mining Breaks Grassland vegetation type. Within the time frame of the study, <br />