Plant-soil Relationships on Bentonite Mine Spoils and Sagebrush-grassland in the Northern High Plains

Abstract

Plant canopy cover, standing crop, and soils were sampled on (1) old (unreclaimed), (2) reclaimed, (3) semireclaimed (newly mined) bentonite mine spoils and (4) native sagebrush-grass rangelands in southeastern Montana. Plant cover and standing crop were higher on sagebrush-grass rangelands than on all bentonite spoils. Scurfless saltbush (Atriplex suckleyi) was the most successful and abundant plant on bentonite spoils. Soil chemical analyses indicated that low pH, excessive salinity and sodium, plus soil compaction were limiting for plant growth and establishment on bentonite spoils.