A Revegetation Strategy for Taconite Iron Ore Tailing Using VA Mycorrhizae and Native Grasses

Details

• Personal Author:
  Norland MR ; Noyd RK ; Pfleger FL ; Russelle MP
• Description:
  Interactions between potentially successful plant species and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi influence successful dynamics and long-term sustainability of revegetated ecosystems. Revegetation of coarse taconite iron ore tailing is difficult because tailing has an alkaline pH (8.2), low water retention (1 % by wt.), and low levels of available P (1-3 mg/kg), N ( < 1 mg/kg), and organic matter (0 %). Current revegetation practices include planting a mixture of agronomic species and fertilizing annually with 448 kg/ha of diammonium phosphate (18-46-0). The University of Minnesota and the U.S. Bureau of Mines' goal is to establish self-sustaining plant communities with a minimum of fertilization and labor using native grass species. A revegetation strategy was formulated based on information from plant selection experiments in the field and P response curves in the greenhouse. The cool-season grass, Canada wild rye (Elymus canadensis L.), was selected to initially stabilize the site, followed by the warm-season grass big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi Vitm.). This seeding schedule was based on their site suitability and growth characteristics in association with a locally-occurring species of V AM mycorrhizal fungi, Glomus claroideum Schenck & Smith. Canada wild rye shoot yields are less responsive to V AM, but the plant's abundant root system is highly colonized by these fungi and thus it increases the inoculum in the tailing for the more VAM-responsive big bluestem. Phosphorus response curves indicate that inoculation with VAM fungi increases shoot mass and P uptake and maximum shoot mass can be obtained with about 190 kg/ha of KH2P04 fertilizer. Natural immigration of V AM fungal propagules is inadequate and an outside source of inoculum is necessary. The fine tailing basins and their restored vegetation offer a potential source of Glomus claroideum and other adapted VAM fungal species that live under similar chemical stresses as those posed by coarse tailing. It is expected that natural dispersal of plant seeds will slowly diversify and further stabilize the established plant populations. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Chemistry Ferrous Compounds Fertilizers Fungi Occupational Health Phosphorous Compounds Safety
• Keywords:
  Chemical Properties Iron Organic Compounds Phosphorus Plants Stress Taconite Vegetation
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• Publisher:
  U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  Minnesota ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; Pennsylvania
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  TCRC - Twin Cities Research Center
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20050607
• Citation:
  Proceedings of the International Land Reclamation and Mine Drainage Conference and Third International Conference on the Abatement of Acidic Drainage April 24-29, 1994, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh, PA: United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Special Publication SP 06C-94, 1994 Apr; 3:348
• CAS Registry Number:
  Iron (CAS RN 7439-89-6) ; Phosphorus (CAS RN 7723-14-0) ; Taconite (CAS RN 12249-26-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1994
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Proceedings of the International Land Reclamation and Mine Drainage Conference and Third International Conference on the Abatement of Acidic Drainage April 24-29, 1994, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:42e4ac6bc8d6360891c1e3b8ff6b29bd35080444e36073a1d4d542879b3815d23f3e00b374da222f962f637d3140c12be3715a311fd20f5110e59c67829098f1
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/227594/cdc_227594_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 919.95 KB ]