The Natural Revegetation of Lead/Zinc Mine Spoil in Northeastern Oklahoma

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Abstract
The vegetation from abandoned mine sites in the Picher lead Zn mining field in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, structurally and compositionally resembles that of other disturbed habitats in the eastern part of Oklahoma. The overstory dominants are cotton wood (Populus deltoides) and black willow (Salix nigra). Winged sumac (Rhus copallina), American elm (Ulmus americana), and black cherry (Prunus serotina) were the most important understory species. The seeds of the characteristic overstory and understory vegetation are primarily dispersed by wind and birds. Inefficient seed dispersal is suggested as a reason for the almost complete absence from these sites of the upland forest dominants, oaks (Quercus spp.) and hickories (Carya spp.) The sites have high concentrations of heavy metals; however, their potential toxic effects may have been alleviated to some extent by the high pH and soil Ca concentrations. Macronutrients are not limiting in the soils from these sites. Similarity indices and unidimensional site ordination were used to investigate the intrasite variation and reveal a correspondence between the individual site vegetative composition and soils.

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