Browsing by Author "Evans, Daniel M."
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- Economic Viability of Woody Bioenergy Crops as a Potential Mine Reclamation ProcedureLeveroos, Maura; Sullivan, Jay; Evans, Daniel M. (Virginia Tech. Powell River Project, 2012)Planting woody biomass for energy production can be used as a mine reclamation procedure to satisfy the SMCRA and provide renewable energy for the United States. This study examines the productivity of woody biomass on previously mined lands using four species planted at two densities; one-half of the trees were fertilized in year two. This report summarizes the current and predicted volume of these species as well as the effect of planting density and fertilizer application. After four years, black locust has the highest volume of any treatment with the other species an order of magnitude behind. Black locust and sycamore trees have reached a point where it is clear that planting at lower density can increase per tree biomass. Future projections indicate planting at low density with fertilization will produce the greatest amount of biomass per tree.
- Establishing Hardwood Forests on Appalachian Mine Sites Using the Forestry Reclamation ApproachZipper, Carl E.; Klopf, Sara K.; Krenz, Robert J.; Evans, Daniel M.; Burger, James A.; Fields-Johnson, Chris W. (Virginia Tech. Powell River Project, 2016)
- Forest Composition and Growth After 9 Years on a Virginia Mine SiteZipper, Carl E.; Burger, James A.; Evans, Daniel M.; Donovan, Pat (Virginia Tech. Powell River Project, 2011)The eastern USA’s Appalachian region contains abundant coal resources and supports extensive deciduous forests. Appalachia’s forests provide ecosystem services, including carbon storage, watershed and water quality protection, and habitat for diverse flora and fauna; and they supply high-quality hardwood timber to the world economy. Since 2006, some mining firms have been using a reclamation method known as the “Forestry Reclamation Approach” or FRA, for the purpose of restoring native hardwood forests on reclaimed coal mine sites (Burger et al. 2005). In 2001-2002, a prototype version of the Forestry Reclamation Approach was applied by Rapoca Energy Co. at a mine site in Buchanan County, Virginia. Company personnel worked with the authors to apply Virginia Tech’s mine reforestation guidelines (Burger and Zipper 2002) while remining and reclaiming an older mine site. Reclamation grading operations were conducted with the intent of avoiding surface compaction. A tree-compatible groundcover seeding mix was applied, and trees of species native to Appalachian forests were planted. Due to limited spoil availability and prior mining effects, a wide variety of mine soil types and conditions were left on the surface. Most of the site was bounded by unmined forest, providing opportunity for “seeding in” by volunteer species. Here, we report results of a site assessment conducted in summer and fall 2010, after nine growing seasons. Specific goals are to assess species composition and growth of the young forest, and to evaluate how community composition and tree growth responded to soil and site conditions.
- Mined Land Reclamation to Restore Forest Land Capability: Spoil Type and Seeding EffectsKoropchak, Sara; Burger, James A.; Zipper, Carl E.; Evans, Daniel M. (Virginia Tech. Powell River Project, 2012)The purpose of this study is to investigate differences in tree survivorship and growth among several tree species on different soil/spoil materials on a reclaimed coal surface mine in West Virginia. Trees were planted in various substrates (soil and spoil types) to determine how spoil type and ground cover seeding affects tree survival, tree growth, and emergence of the full plant community. Soil/ spoil treatments were divided such that half of each substrate-treatment plot received either “tree compatible” herbaceous seeding or no seeding. This report describes the study layout and provides initial tree planting and survival data. It is intended as an initial report and documentation of study implementation and design. No substantive conclusions are drawn from these results, as longer time periods will be required to determine how reforestation success may have been affected by the soil and seeding treatments applied.
- Reclaimed Mined Land for Forests and ForestryBurger, James A.; Strahm, Brian D.; Evans, Daniel M.; Zipper, Carl E. (Virginia Tech. Powell River Project, 2011)This report lists products of research and education activities concerning reforestation of mined lands conducted during the 2010-2011 fiscal year.
- Reclamation Grading and Seeding Influences on Trees on a Virginia Mine Site after Six YearsZipper, Carl E.; Koropchak, Sara; Krenz, Robert J.; Evans, Daniel M. (Virginia Tech. Powell River Project, 2014)
- Seasonality of nitrogen balances in a Mediterranean climate watershed, Oregon, USLin, Jiajia; Compton, Jana E.; Leibowitz, Scott G.; Mueller-Warrant, George; Matthews, William; Schoenholtz, Stephen H.; Evans, Daniel M.; Coulombe, Rob A. (2018-12-19)We constructed a seasonal nitrogen (N) budget for the year 2008 in the Calapooia River Watershed (CRW), an agriculturally dominated tributary of the Willamette River (Oregon, U.S.) under Mediterranean climate. Synthetic fertilizer application to agricultural land (dominated by grass seed crops) was the source of 90% of total N input to the CRW. Over 70% of the stream N export occurred during the wet winter, the primary time of fertilization and precipitation, and the lowest export occurred in the dry summer. Averaging across all 58 tributary subwatersheds, 19% of annual N inputs were exported by streams, and 41% by crop harvest. Regression analysis of seasonal stream export showed that winter fertilization was associated with 60% of the spatial variation in winter stream export, and this fertilizer continued to affect N export in later seasons. Annual N inputs were highly correlated with crop harvest N (r(2)=0.98), however, seasonal dynamics in N inputs and losses produced relatively low overall nitrogen use efficiency (41%), suggesting that hydrologic factors may constrain improvements in nutrient management. The peak stream N export during fall and early winter creates challenges to reducing N losses to groundwater and surface waters. Construction of a seasonal N budget illustrated that the period of greatest N loss is disconnected from the period of greatest crop N uptake. Management practices that serve to reduce the N remaining in the system at the end of the growing season and prior to the fall and winter rains should be explored to reduce stream N export.
- Tree Species, Density, and Fertilizer Effects on Woody Biomass Production on Mined Lands: Year Three ReportEvans, Daniel M.; Zipper, Carl E.; Burger, James A.; Fields-Johnson, Chris W. (Virginia Tech. Powell River Project, 2011)Under-utilized, previously mined lands may be used to produce woody biomass materials for energy production and C sequestration. Past research trials have shown that tree growth on mined lands can be highly productive if suitable reclamation practices are used. This study tests the productivity of woody biomass plantations on previously mined lands after ripping to reduce soil compaction, using four species treatments under two planting densities. This report summarizes the establishment procedure, growth of trees after three years, and the effects of a fertilizer treatment applied after year two. At year three, black locust continues to have the highest volume and biomass of any treatment and high density treatments have greater per-ha volume and biomass compared to low density treatments. For black locust, sycamore, and hybrid poplar, year three per-tree volume growth increments were greater than year two and fertilizer nominally increased growth in year three.
- Tree Stock and Fertilizer Effects on Black Locust Biomass Production on Mined LandsEvans, Daniel M.; Zipper, Carl E.; Burger, James A. (Virginia Tech. Powell River Project, 2011)