Quantification of Prairie Restoration for Phytostability at a Remediated Defense Plant

Abstract

In June 2008 and 2009, cover, density, and species diversity were measured on two areas of the prairie at the U. S. Department of Energy Weldon Spring Site to begin quantification of the prairie establishment and the effects of a prairie burn. Sampling began by testing for the most appropriate transect length (cover) and quadrat size (density) for quantification of vegetation. Total cover increased in the first growing season after burning. Conversely, total cover decreased in the unburned area in one year. The trend in litter cover is the opposite with litter decreasing after burning, but increasing in one year in the unburned area. Bare ground decreased in one year in the unburned area, but was unchanged after burning. Species diversity tripled after fire, but was unchanged in one year in the unburned area. The results show that litter and fire both affect plant cover. If land reclamation activities are to be an integral part of hazardous waste remediation at contaminated sites, then the success of reclamation efforts needs to be quantified along with success criteria for waste remediation of the sites. The results show that plant cover can be easily quantified, but that density measures are more biased which makes it more difficult to achieve adequate sample size for plant density.

KEY WORDS:

• vegetation analysis
• vegetation sampling
• land restoration
• plant cover
• plant density
• species diversity

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Research was funded by the Weldon Spring Longterm Surveillance and Maintenance Project, Department of Energy, Office of Legacy Management. The authors would like to thank Yvonne Deyo, Weldon Spring Site Manager, S. M. Stoller Corporation, for her assistance with the field work.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.