Wednesday, August 4, 2010: 8:00 AM-11:30 AM
301-302, David L Lawrence Convention Center
OOS 23 - Reclamation and Reforestation of Mined Land
Global changes in temperature, carbon dioxide, and rainfall have forced scientists to more critically evaluate the functional aspects of our landscape. Currently, millions of acres exist throughout the Appalachians that are in some state of post-mining recovery. These lands were once dominated by productive hardwood forests. Due to government regulations enacted several decades ago, reclamation efforts focused on erosion, sedimentation, and mass instability of landforms. In short, mine land reclamation was oriented towards returning land bases to a similar pre-mining topography and establishing plant cover to minimally control sedimentation and hydrology—little thought was given to ecological functionality. The resulting man-made habitats have heavily compacted soils, poor drainage, low nutrient status, and are dominated by herbaceous species, many of which are non-native. In effect, highly functional, diverse, and productive hardwood forest ecosystem was converted to and replaced by low quality, unproductive habitats dominated by non-native species. After forty years, most of these habitats have failed to advance successionally, and hardwood forest development is unlikely anywhere in the near term future. Severe anthropogenic disturbance has resulted in arrested succession. Recent advances in mine land reclamation and reforestation research have led to new technologies which promise to accelerate forest succession and return these lands to productive, functional forests. This session will explore the myriad of advances that have been made in the last decade toward increasing forest cover on reclaimed mine sites and returning the functionality of the native ecosystem.
Organizer:	Brian C. McCarthy, Ohio University
Moderator:	Carolyn H. Keiffer, Miami University
8:00 AM	OOS 23-1		Ecophysiology as a tool to develop novel post-minesite restoration techniques in a Mediterranean ecosystem Stephen M. Benigno, University of Western Australia / Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Jason Stevens, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, West Perth, Australia, Deanna P. Rokich, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Christoph Hinz, University of Western Australia, School of Earth and Environment, Kingsley W. Dixon, Kings Park and Botanic Garden
8:20 AM	OOS 23-2		Revisiting the past to improve the future: legacy of OARDC research on mined-land reclamation in Ohio P. Charles Goebel, The Ohio State University, David M. Hix, The Ohio State University
8:40 AM	OOS 23-3		Seedling growth and survival following mine land reclamation treatments Brian C. McCarthy, Ohio University, Jenise M. Bauman, Miami University, Carolyn H. Keiffer, Miami University
9:00 AM	OOS 23-4		Root growth and mine soil moisture profiles on newly reforested steep slopes of coal mine sites Elizabeth Aubuchon, University of Tennessee
9:20 AM	OOS 23-5		Evaluating tree colonization on reclaimed mines in the northern anthracite fields of Pennsylvania Edmund Janosov, Wilkes University, Robert Mercatili, Wilkes University, Chad Rizzardi, Wilkes University, Jephte Akakpo, Wilkes University, June Lor, Wilkes University, Priscella Payne, Wilkes University, Tylor Ricker, Wilkes University, Kenneth M. Klemow, Wilkes University
9:40 AM			Break
9:50 AM	OOS 23-6		Methods promoting ectomycorrhizal interactions on establishing American chestnut (Castanea dentata) seedlings during coal mine reclamation Jenise M. Bauman, Miami University, Carolyn H. Keiffer, Miami University, Shiv Hiremath, USDA Forest Service
10:10 AM	OOS 23-7		Songbird response to hardwood reforestation of mine lands Jeremy Mizel, WV Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, Petra B. Wood, USGS Fish & Wildlife Research Unit
10:30 AM	OOS 23-8		Growth and survival of American chestnut seedlings on mined lands reclaimed through end-dumping Keith E. Gilland, Ohio University
10:50 AM	OOS 23-9		Substrate, groundcover, and bark mulch effects on tree growth of a reclaimed West Virginia surface mine Jeffrey G. Skousen, West Virginia University
11:10 AM	OOS 23-10		American chestnut restoration on surface mined sites in the Appalachian region Robert L. Paris, The American Chestnut Foundation, Brian C. McCarthy, Ohio University, Christopher D. Barton, University of Kentucky, Jennifer A. Franklin, University of Tennessee, Jeff G. Skousen, West Virginia University, Michael Jacobson, Pennsylvania State University, Keith N. Eshleman, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

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