Initial Establishment of Four Species on a Mine Spoils

Abstract

Research was conducted in a greenhouse at Bozeman, Montana, and on coal mine spoils at Colstrip, Mont., in 1975 to determine the initial establishment of fairway crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), critana thickspike wheatgrass (Agropyron dasystachyum), ranger alfalfa (Medicago sativa), and fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens). Establishment of the four species in the greenhouse experiment was different from that in the field experiment. In both studies all four species showed good initial establishment. Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application after emergence had no effect on the survival of any species.