1. Woody Plant Abundance in the Red Rocks Canyon Landfill Laura Holder Caity Ross Becca Willis

2. Landfills are a part of the urban landscape www.learn.co.uk/.../ks2/ rubbish1/article1.asp www.eeingeorgia.org/eic/eic_schools/ columbia.htm

3. Problems With Reclamation Elevated pH High soil moisture High methane levels Low abundance of woody plants

4. Effects of pH Decomposing refuse Leachates Basic Soil Inhibited plant growth

5. Effects of Soil Moisture Clay Cap Water binding Dense soil Poor Root Growth

6. Effects of Methane Organic Waste Methane release Methanotrophs Excess CO 2 Poor plant growth

7. Lack of Woody Plants Basic soil + Moist clay cap + Anoxic conditions = Poor plant growth

8. Red Rock Canyon Landfill Location Operated from 1970 until 1986 Fifty feet of debris covering the 80 acre landfill area Clay-capped in 1986

9. Hypothesis Low abundance of woody plants in landfill because of: -Acidic Soil -High Soil Moisture Content -High Methane Levels

10. Methods: Establishing Plots http://www.saveredrockcanyon.com/location.htm

11. Methods: Plant Abundance

12. Methods: Soil Cores

13. Methods: pH and Moisture

14. Methods: Methane

16. Methods: Gas Chromatograph

17. Results 1) Abundance 2) Temperature 3) Moisture 4) pH 5) Methane

18. Plant Abundance by Area

19. Average Temperature by Area

20. Average Moisture by Area

21. Average pH by Area

22. Average Methane Flux by Area

23. Woody Plants vs. Temperature

24. Woody Plants vs. Moisture

25. Woody Plants vs. pH

26. Woody Plants vs. Methane Flux

27. Furthering Studies More time/plots Deeper soil tests Trace metals and cations Leachate composition Seed dispersal Redox tests DNA probe

28. Societal Impact http://www.saveredrockscanyon.com/photos.htm

30. Works Cited: Arthur, J.J., Leone, I.A. Leone, and F.B. Flower. 1981. Flooding and Landfill Gas Effects on Red and Sugar Maples. Journal of Environmental Quality. 10: 431-433. Ellis, D. 2000. The Landfill. Red Rock Rag. 2: 2-3 Ellis, D. 2000. Keep this Map. Red Rock Rag. 7: 2-3 Ettala, M., P. Rahkonen, V. Kitunen, O. Valo, and M.S. Salonen. 1988. Quality of Refuse, Gas, and Water at a Sanitary Landfill. Aqua Fennica. 18: 15-28. Fernandez, I.J. and P.A. Kosian. 1987. Soil Air Carbon Dioxide Concentrations in a New England Spruce-Fir Forest. Soil Science of America Journal. 51: 261-263. Foster, G. A. 2001. Assessment of Landfill Reclamation and the Effects of Age on the Combustion of Recovered MSW. MSW Management. Gilman, E.F., Flower, F.B, and I.D. Leone. 1985. Standardized Procedures for Planting Vegetation on Completed Landfills. 3: 65-80. McDonnell, M.J., and E.W. Stiles. 1983. The Structural Complexity of Old Field Vegetation and the Recruitment of Bird-Dispersed Plant Species. Oecologia. 56: 109-116. Whitney, G.G. 1991. Relation of Plant Species to Substrate, Landscape Position, and Aspect in North Central Massachusetts. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 1245-1252. Wise, M. G., J. V. McArthur, and L. J. Shimkets. 1999. Methanotroph Diversity in Landfill soil: Isolation of Novel Type I and Type II Methantrophs whose Presence was suggested by Culture-Independent 16S Ribosomal DNA Analysis. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 65: 4887-4897. Wong, M. H. 2003 Landfill Restoration for Sustainable Waste Management and Land Utilization. Proceedings of the Internet Conference on Ecocity Development.

31. Acknowledgements: Sharon Hall Shar Samy Terry Putman Joss McKinnen The RRCL Security Guard The German Women Hiking Group