Survival and Growth of Trees and Shrubs on Different Lignite Minesoils in Louisiana

In 1980, an experimental opencast lignite mine was developed to compare redistributed A horizon with three minesoil mixtures as growth media for woody plants. The three minesoil mixtures contained different amounts and types of overburden materials, and normal reclamation practices were followed. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima Carruthers), yaupon (Ilex vomitoria Ait.), Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii Maxim.), water oak (Q. nigra L.), white oak (Q. alba L.), longleaf pine (I? palustris Mill.), and Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera (Raf.) Schneid.) were planted in each reclaimed soil. Survival and gruwth of all eight species were good on all soils. Therefore, replacement of the A horizon is not always necessary to satisfactorily revegetate lignite minesoils. Tree Planters' Notes 44(4): 166-171; 1993.