NATURAL REVEGETATION OF 15 ABANDONED MINE LAND SITES IN WEST-VIRGINIA

Fifteen AML sites ranging in age from 13 to 35 yr in northern West Vir ginia were selected from three surface-mined coal beds Pittsburgh, Fre eport, and Kittanning) to evaluate plant invasion and establishment on disturbed sites. Three 10 m by 10 m plots were randomly located on ea ch site, and cover, density, and stem diameter of all woody plant spec ies were measured. Herbaceous and plant Litter cover were also estimat ed in square-meter quadrats within each 10-m(2) plot. Total tree cover was significantly different among sites on Pittsburgh and Kittanning coal mined sites, but not among Freeport sites. Among coal beds, Kitta nning sites had the lowest tree cover (33% avg), Pittsburgh had an ave rage of 67%, while Freeport sites had a multilayered tree cover averag ing >100%. A total of 29 tree species were found on these sites. No tr ee species occurred on all 15 sites, but black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) and red maple (Acer rubrum L.) were found on 13 sites. Cluster ing produced three distinct plant communities including (i) an herbace ous community, (ii) a tree community dominated by red maple, and (iii) another tree community of primarily black birch (Betula lenta L.). He rbaceous communities were found on sites with soil pH > 5.0, while tre e communities occurred on sites with pH < 5.0. On disturbed sites with high soil pH, herbaceous plants rapidly invaded and formed an almost complete cover. On low-pH sites, the invasion of plant species from ad jacent undisturbed sites was initiated in favorable microsites where m inesoil or environmental conditions were ameliorated.