Lead and mercury levels in vegetation from strip-mined areas in Eastern Ohio

Coal has been strip mined in 27 of Ohio's eastern counties; in 9 of these counties surface mining affected more than 5% of the land area. Although a limited amount of farming is being done on this land, the largest part of it seems destined to be utilized for wildlife and wildlife-associated recreation. The quantity and kinds of vegetation on strip-mined land frequently are different from that on nearby unmined sites. There was, therefore, reason to question whether nutritive levels of plant tissues also might differ from those of undisturbed lands. Accordingly, the authors examined the effects of strip mining on the nutritive quality of vegetation (LINDSAY 1974). They also wished to measure the concentrations of lead and mercury in vegetation on stripped areas and to evaluate these findings as they relate to the suitability of such vegetation as food for wildlife. Levels of mercury and lead in vegetation are presented here.