Effects of soil compaction on pasture growth during rehabilitation of strip mined land.

Abstract

Reports the results of a study conducted to provide an initial assessment of the severity of the problem of soil compaction in the rehabilitation of strip mined land. Presents results from the first season of growth only; Compaction of soils by heavy earth moving equipment is an endemic problem in the rehabilitation of land after strip-mining. Accordingly, special tillage operations and other precautions to reduce the severity of compaction are practised on strip coal mines of the Anglo American Coal Corporation. There is, however, a lack of information in South Africa on the extent to which soil penetrability is affected by such compaction (which is different from that occurring in agricultural situation), its effect on plant growth, and the efficacy of tillage operations. In a study carried out on one of Amcoal's collieries, dry matter production of Eragrostis tef and penetrometer data were used to quantify the compaction effects.

Keywords: coal mining; dry matter production; Eragrostis tef; Land rehabilitation; mining; Pasture growth; plant growth; rehabilitation; soil compaction; soil hardness; Soil penetrability; soils; south africa; Strip-mined land; strip-mining; tillage

Journal of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa.