Oral Presentations: UC 330
Revegetating Steep, Severely Eroded Hillslopes: The Importance of Site Characteristics
Presentation Type
Presentation
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Contamination from metal mining and smelting operations causes large-scale damage to ecosystems. In Anaconda, Montana, copper smelting operations combined with logging for smelter fuelled to widespread loss of vegetation cover and resulted in erosion across many hillsides in Mt. Haggin and the surrounding area. The primary goal of restoration efforts in the area is to re-establish vegetation cover in order to decrease erosion. To test the effectiveness of various revegetation treatment options, we conducted an experiment on two steep, heavily eroded hillslopes. We applied an organicmatter fertilizer and a polymer-coated urea fertilizer alone and in conjunction with erosion control structures. Relative change in percent cover ranged from -7% to 58%. Site features had the strongest relationship with changes in percent cover but some significant differences were observed between organic-matter fertilizer treatments and controls.
Category
Life Sciences
Revegetating Steep, Severely Eroded Hillslopes: The Importance of Site Characteristics
UC 330
Contamination from metal mining and smelting operations causes large-scale damage to ecosystems. In Anaconda, Montana, copper smelting operations combined with logging for smelter fuelled to widespread loss of vegetation cover and resulted in erosion across many hillsides in Mt. Haggin and the surrounding area. The primary goal of restoration efforts in the area is to re-establish vegetation cover in order to decrease erosion. To test the effectiveness of various revegetation treatment options, we conducted an experiment on two steep, heavily eroded hillslopes. We applied an organicmatter fertilizer and a polymer-coated urea fertilizer alone and in conjunction with erosion control structures. Relative change in percent cover ranged from -7% to 58%. Site features had the strongest relationship with changes in percent cover but some significant differences were observed between organic-matter fertilizer treatments and controls.