Dynamic Parameters of Plant Communities Partially Reflect the Soil Quality Improvement in Eco‐Reclamation Area of an Opencast Coal Mine

Abstract

The influence of soil physicochemical properties and the relationship between the plant community and edaphic factors have been studied through monitoring the community dynamic parameters and analyzing the soil properties from four plant plots at the Pingshuo opencast coal mine eco-reclamation area. The results are obtained as follows:(1) the law of the quantity variation of total N and available K is affected by the different kinds of plant configuration mode. It is Robinia pseudoacacia þ Pinus tabuliformis (SIV) > R. pseudoacacia (SV) > R. pseudoacacia þ P. tabuliformis (SI) > R. pseudoacacia þ Ulmus pumila þ Ailanthus altissima (SIII). The quantity is close to or exceeds the level of the original geomorphology. The average content of available N has the following order: SIV > SI > SIII > SV; the average content of available P SV > SIII > SIV > SI, both are far below the level of the original geomorphology; pH SIV < SIII < SI < SV; bulk density SI < SIV < SV < SIII, moisture content SIV > SIII > SI > SV; in the soil layer of 20-40 cm, except the available P, other physicochemical factors are in accordance with the factors of the surface soil; (2) the population average density, height and diameter at breast height (DBH) have no obvious relevance with the average density of the stumpage; (3) the average density, height, and DBH of R. pseudoacacia are closely related to pH and the content of available N and available P and all the index can be fitted by the equation of linear regression of the edaphic factors mentioned above. The principal component analysis shows that the magnitude of the impacts of three kinds of edaphic factors on the R. pseudoacacia population has the following order: pH > available N > available P. The average density of U. pumila is closely related to the moisture content of the soil. This regression model can be used to direct the cultivation and propagation of R. pseudoacacia and U. pumila population at the mine eco-reclamation area.

Analysis of Plant and Soil Restoration Process and Degree of Refuse Dumps in Open-Pit Coal Mining Areas

“…In accordance with previous studies [28], most of the soil nutrients measured in this study increased with the increase in restoration age (Figures 2-4), suggesting that a revegetative approach is effective to enhance topsoil recovery in refuse dumps. In general, plants can affect the soil nutrients [57], which may be attributed to the conversion from leaf litter fall to humus in the topsoil [30]. Thus, soil nutrients were relatively lower in the newly RA, as the seedlings and soil were in the initial stage of mutual feedback.…”

Vegetation Development on Coal Waste Pile in Panyi Coal Mine

“…The result suggested that the succession of vegetation from herbaceous to shrub or liana may be sponsored after then 17 . Other researches also demonstrated that trends of species richness and diversity increased with increase in the age and common occurrence of certain shrubs and other species emerged after then [18][19][20] . As a result, shrub and liana plants grown in this pile not only suggested the future direction of succession, but also showed the good condition altered by the pioneering plants for the following colonized vegetation.…”