British Columbia Mine Reclamation Symposium

Long-term monitoring of permanent reclamation plots on high-elevation disturbances at the Line Creek Mine Smyth, Clint R.; Kovach, William

Abstract

High-elevation exploration disturbances at the Line Creek Mine were revegetated in 1980. In 1982, permanent reclamation monitoring plots were established. In 1988, the monitoring program was expanded to compare vegetation dynamics with undisturbed natural reference areas. Mean total vegetation cover increased from 1982 to 1988, decreased during the period from 1988 to 1996 and increased between 1996 and 2000. Changes in mean total cover from 1982 to 1996 are attributed to the increase and subsequent die-back of agronomic grasses while the increase in total cover in later years is attributed to colonization and expansion of native forbs. Total cover in the undisturbed reference plots remained relatively constant over the monitoring period. Species richness increased over the monitoring period although structural diversity of the reclaimed areas remains lower than that for the undisturbed "reference" plots. The most important difference between the reclaimed and the native plots is the reclaimed plots exhibit relatively high grass species cover and low woody species cover.

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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International