Document: JOS-3-69-39

What prevents revegetation on Blue Mountain Ridge?

COLOSI, J.C* and M.ROYA HAMADANI

Allentown College, Center Valley, PA 18034 USA 1

Abstract:
Zinc smelting in Palmerton, Pennsylvania from 1898 to 1980 contributed to the devegetation and soil loss on over 2900 hectares of Blue Mountain. In 1999, extensive areas on the ridge persisted as bare rock. Organic muck has accumulated in depressions and is unvegetated in some areas and in adjacent areas is covered by dense stands of Agrostis perennans (Walt.) Tuckerman (upland bent-grass). Concentrations of zinc (504 to 1000 ppm), cadmium (253 to 4684 ppm), and lead (11 to 135 ppm) did not differ between vegetated and unvegetated areas of organic muck. The concentrations of heavy metals from both vegetated and unvegetated muck caused stunting and death in the greenhouse of onion, radish, and spinach. A. perennans was also stunted in muck compared to growth in potting soil. The only difference we found that could explain the absence of plants in the unvegetated muck was the lack of grains in the seed bank and the movement of unvegetated muck during flooding from rain.

Keywords: smelter, zink, cadmium, lead, seed bank, revegetation, restoration, Agrostis perennans

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This abstract is being presented at: 10:30 AM in session:
Poster Session #12: Disturbance Ecology.