Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) ecosystem macronutrients budget on reclaimed mine sites—stand trees supply and stability

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the sources, accumulation rate and relationships between macronutrients in reclaimed mine soils (RMS) and aboveground plant biomass on external slopes of lignite mines in central Poland. The study was conducted on two different types of sites with 10-year-old Scots (Pinus sylvestris L.) pine stands located on Quaternary loamy sands (QLS) and on Tertiary acidic carboniferous sands following neutralisation (TCS). The control plot was located in the same vicinity on an external slope in a natural pine ecosystem on a Haplic Podzol in a young mixed coniferous forest habitat (NPE). The nutrient resources, apart from N, were higher in RMS than in comparable Haplic Podzols, however, N primarily accumulated in the mineral horizons. In forest soils, the main macronutrient resources were accumulated in organic horizons, which in natural soils of coniferous forest habitats constitute the main source of nutrients. The proportion of individual macronutrients accumulated in the biomass vs. pools in soil was much lower on the external slope RMS than in the natural site, which in view of the potential richness of RMS, indicated poorer sorption and utilization of macronutrients in aboveground plant biomass than in natural habitats. Other important linear correlations (p = .05) were found between the sources of nutrients in RMS and elements accumulated in biomass (most clearly in case of K, Ca and Mg), which indicates important relationships between soil and vegetation in the first stages of ecosystem development as stimulated by reclamation.

Scots pine needles macronutrient (N, P, K, CA, MG, and S) supply at different reclaimed mine soil substrates—as an indicator of the stability of developed forest ecosystems

“…A complete assessment of the reclamation and afforestation processes should take into consideration many ecological factors (Rodrigue et al 2002). Of particular importance is the need to understand soils processes, element flux (Bradshaw 1983; Daniels et al 1992; Li and Daniels 1994; Bendtfeldt et al 2001; Schaaf 2001; Knoche et al 2002; Pietrzykowski 2010a) and energy balance (Pietrzykowski and Krzaklewski 2007). …”

“…In recent years, interest in tree species selection and their adaptation to post-mining sites has grown (Baumann et al 2006; Chodak and Niklińska 2010; Kuznetsova et al 2010; Pietrzykowski 2010a; Pietrzykowski and Socha 2011). Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) is one of the most important species used for reclaiming mined lands in central Europe (Baumann et al 2006; Pietrzykowski 2010a; Kuznetsova et al 2010).…”

“…Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) is one of the most important species used for reclaiming mined lands in central Europe (Baumann et al 2006; Pietrzykowski 2010a; Kuznetsova et al 2010). Scots pine is native to Europe and Asia and has a common range extending west to Great Britain and to Portugal, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia.…”

“…The pioneering character of Scots pines over such a vast area coupled with its tolerance of poor soils makes it an ideal species for reclamation and reforestation in central Europe. However, post-mining sites differ significantly from natural sites; water and nutrient limitations are the foremost impediments to tree stand growth and stability on disturbed lands (Howard et al 1988; Katzur and Haubold-Rosar 1996; Knoche et al 2002; Ochał et al 2010; Pietrzykowski 2010a; Zipper et al 2011). The adaptability of Scots pine to these environments must be studied further (Baumann et al 2006; Pietrzykowski and Krzaklewski 2007; Ochał et al 2010; Pietrzykowski 2010a).…”

“…This criterion can also be used to assess reclaimed mine soil (RMS) nutrient status (Pietrzykowski 2010a) based on the correlation between nutrient availability in the soil versus nutrient content in the foliage (Braeke and Sahin 2002), though these correlations between nutrient and foliar RMS are in need of further proofing (Heinsdorf 1999; Baumann et al 2006; Ochał et al 2010; Pietrzykowski 2010a; Pietrzykowski and Socha 2011). More traditional criteria assess the morphology of the needles (i.e., needle weight and length) and growth of tree stands (mean height and mean diameter at a breast height of 1.3 m) (Baule and Fricker 1970; Ballard and Carter 1986).…”