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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #407255
Research Project: Developing Best Management Practices for Poultry Litter to Improve Agronomic Value and Reduce Air, Soil and Water Pollution

Location: Poultry Production and Product Safety Research

Title: Remote sensing reveals trends in vegetation recovery and land cover transformation post-reclamation at Tar Creek Superfund Site

Author
item SMITH, HARRISON - University Of Arkansas
item Ashworth, Amanda
item KING, SUMMER - University Of Arkansas
item KREMAN, CRAIG - University Of Arkansas
item MILLER, DAVID - University Of Arkansas
item NAILEY, LAWTON - University Of Arkansas
item Owens, Phillip

Submitted to: Discover Geoscience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/14/2024
Publication Date: 8/22/2024
Citation: Smith, H.W., Ashworth, A.J., King, S.R., Kreman, C., Miller, D.M., Nailey, L.L., Owens, P.R. 2024. Remote sensing reveals trends in vegetation recovery and land cover transformation post-reclamation at Tar Creek Superfund Site. Discover Geoscience. 2. Article 53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44288-024-00057-7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s44288-024-00057-7

Interpretive Summary: Mining wastes can be hazardous to both human health and the environment, making the cleanup of former mine sites a priority, particularly for Tribal Nations. Reclamation is the process of restoring land affected by mining activities to productive use, and often involves the establishment of plants to improve soil conditions and prevent erosion. However, monitoring plant growth after reclamation can be a time-consuming and expensive process. One way to overcome these challenges is through the use of satellite imagery to track vegetation recovery. In this study, imagery from Landsat satellites was use to track vegetation recovery after reclamation at the Tar Creek Superfund Site. At 123 formerly contaminated sites, imagery from the last 3-20 years was used to estimate vegetative health and regrowth on Quapaw Tribal Lands. On average, vegetation at former waste sites took about 3.5 years to fully recover, and after reclamation vegetative cover reached a level similar to nearby pasture and grassland. Statistical analysis demonstrated that additional soil amendments improved regrowth rate, and that cleanup efforts managed by the local Quapaw Nation Environmental Office recovered as quickly or faster than those managed by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of tribal-led cleanup efforts and the strong potential for satellite imagery in tracking and explaining vegetation recovery after reclamation. This method could represent a cost-effective approach for real-time monitoring of reclamation progress and outcomes going forward.

Technical Abstract: The harmful effects of mining wastes on human and ecosystem health make the reclamation of former mine sites a priority of environmental management. However, the factors affecting post-reclamation vegetative recovery, a critical reclamation process component, are poorly understood. This study examines the Tar Creek Superfund Site as a case study for understanding vegetation recovery after reclamation. Broadly, the aim of this study was to understand what factors affect vegetation recovery rates and vegetative health 3-20 years after reclamation at the landscape scale across 123 surface mining waste cleanup locations within the Tar Creek site. To accomplish this, a time series analysis of Landsat-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was conducted for reclaimed sites at Tar Creek. Linear plateau models were fit to each time series and used to calculate vegetative recovery magnitude, duration, and rate, which were then used to evaluate reclamation success. Across all reclamation sites, the average magnitude of recovery after reclamation was 0.27 NDVI, the average recovery duration was 3.5 years, and average recovery rate was 0.1 NDVI year-1. After recovery had plateaued, reclaimed sites had an average NDVI of 0.70. In addition, recovery rates tended to be higher in areas managed by the Quapaw Nation Environmental Office, demonstrating the effectiveness of tribal-led cleanup efforts. These results demonstrate a strong potential for remote sensing methods in tracking and explaining vegetation recovery after reclamation and could represent a cost-effective approach for real-time monitoring of reclamation progress and outcomes.