A Comparative Analysis of the Vegetation and Topsoil Cover Nutrient Status between Two Similarly Rehabilitated Ash Disposal Sites

The aim of this paper is to compare the rehabilitation result between two ash disposal sites with regard to its vegetation establishment and soil nutrient status. The study areas were situated in close proximity, in the Mpumalanga coalfield, South Africa. Although both areas received a similar ameli...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Environmentalist 2003-12, Vol.23 (4), p.285-295
Main Authors: Van Rensburg, L, Morgenthal, T L, van Hamburg, H, Michael, M D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ashes
Biomass
C (programming language)
Coal
Comparative analysis
Constraining
Copyrights
Derelict land
Disposal sites
Documents
Environmental restoration
Essential nutrients
Fly ash
Grasslands
Low level
Maintenance
Methods
Monitoring
Nitrates
Nutrient status
Nutrients
Pollution control
Proximity
Rehabilitation
Seeds
Soil (material)
Soil nutrients
Soils
Statistical analysis
Studies
Sustainability
Topsoil
Trace elements
Vegetation
Vegetation establishment
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Summary:The aim of this paper is to compare the rehabilitation result between two ash disposal sites with regard to its vegetation establishment and soil nutrient status. The study areas were situated in close proximity, in the Mpumalanga coalfield, South Africa. Although both areas received a similar amelioration treatment and were seeded with similar seed mixture the vegetation composition were significantly different. Both areas were poor in essential nutrients, this probably being one of the most limiting factors for vegetation establishment. No serious phytotoxic conditions, as is frequently experience with coal ash, could be identified. A regular monitoring and low level maintenance program is therefore proposed to improve the sustainability of the vegetation. The study proposed that results form such evaluations be used to identify performance standards for rehabilitated derelict land. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0251-1088
2194-5403
2194-5411
DOI:10.1023/B:ENVR.0000031359.70523.4a