An investigation into the effect of soil and vegetation on the successful creation of a hay meadow on a clay‐capped landfill
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Published source details
Carrington L.P. & Diaz A. (2011) An investigation into the effect of soil and vegetation on the successful creation of a hay meadow on a clay‐capped landfill. Restoration Ecology, 19, 93-100.
Published source details Carrington L.P. & Diaz A. (2011) An investigation into the effect of soil and vegetation on the successful creation of a hay meadow on a clay‐capped landfill. Restoration Ecology, 19, 93-100.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Apply herbicide before seeding/planting Action Link |
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Remove topsoil or turf before seeding/planting Action Link |
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Apply herbicide before seeding/planting
A replicated, controlled study in 2001–2007 in a former landfill site in Somerset, UK (Carrington & Diaz 2011) found that applying herbicide before sowing seeds increased the number of seeded species compared to seeding alone. After two years, the average number of seeded plant species was higher in areas where herbicide was applied and seeds were sown (7.8 species/plot) than in areas where no herbicide was applied but seeds were sown (5.0 species/plot). The same pattern was true after 3–6 years (with herbicide: 2.4–7.2 species/plot; without herbicide: 1.7–5.1 species/plot), although statistical significance was not reported. In 1998, the landfill site was decommissioned and covered with clay to a depth of 1 m to which topsoil and compost were added to a depth of 15–20 cm. In June 2001, herbicide was applied and dead vegetation raked from six 10 × 10 m plots, while herbicide was not applied to six other plots. In June 2001, a commercial seed mix of 22 species was sown at a rate of 1.8 g/m2 in all plots. The presence of all plant species was recorded annually in June 2003–2007 using two randomly located 1-m2 quadrats in each plot.
(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
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Remove topsoil or turf before seeding/planting
A replicated, controlled study in 2001–2007 in a former landfill site in Somerset, UK (Carrington & Diaz 2011) found that removing topsoil before sowing with a commercial seed mix increased the number of seeded species compared to seeding alone. The number of seeded plant species was higher in areas where topsoil was removed and seeds sown (6.4–10.2 species/plot) than in areas where topsoil was not removed but seeds were sown (1.7–5.2 species/plot). In 1998, the landfill site was decommissioned and covered with clay to a depth of 1 m to which topsoil and compost were added to a depth of 15–20 cm. In June 2001, topsoil was removed from six 10 × 10 m plots to a depth of 15 cm, while soil was not removed from six other plots. In June 2001, a commercial seed mix of 22 species was sown at a rate of 1.8 g/m2 in all plots. The presence of all plant species was recorded annually in June 2003–2007 using two randomly located 1-m2 quadrats in each plot.
(Summarised by: Philip Martin)
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