The relationship between successional vascular plant assemblages and associated microbial communities on coal mine spoil heaps

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between the vascular plant species and the associated soil microbial properties at various stages of vegetation development on unclaimed hard coal mine spoil heaps in Upper Silesia (south Poland). The spontaneous vegetation, soil chemistry as well as the activity and structure of microbial communities were recorded on this specific habitat. The colliery heaps were divided into four age classes and the plant species composition and cover abundance were recorded on established plots (2 m × 2 m). The soil microbial activity under the vegetation patches was assessed using fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity (FDHA) and the soil microbial biomass and community composition were determined by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers. Total microbial biomass in soils from the older vegetation plots was significantly higher than those in soils from the younger plots. In all studied samples, microbial communities consisted primarily of bacteria with the dominance of Gram negative bacteria over Gram positive and aerobic microorganisms were more dominant than anaerobic ones. Statistical analysis revealed a correlation between the type of vegetation and microbial community structure.

The externalities of energy production in the context of development of clean energy generation

“…The habitats can differ in factors such as moisture, salinity, coarseness, compactness, and the character of vegetation in the adjacent neighborhood. Therefore, Upper Silesia is a good region for extended studies concerning the restoration of post-mining lands in various aspects- (Stefanowicz et al 2015;Woźniak et al 2015) and (Woźniak 2010) can be put as examples of such studies. The main result is that richness and diversity of plant species on coal-mine heaps rise with time.…”

“…However, thermal activity, coarseness, and moisture are associated with differences in vegetation. The factors that describe the quality of plant vegetation such as the plant height, area of leaves, root system, seed mass frequency, and time of germination are correlated positively with the age of heap (Woźniak 2010). This means that vegetation transforms hostile post-mining regions gradually into milieus more and more biologically friendly.…”

Effect of thermal activity on the differentiation of the vegetation of the “Ruda” postmining heap in Zabrze (Poland)

“…In open and highly sunny places on drier and alkaline substrates, the initial stage of the development of the spontaneous plant cover is represented by Tussilago farfara patches and communities of Poa annua and Polygonum aviculare on trampled sites. Communities of the intermediate stage of succession, such as meadow-like stands with Medicago lupulina and Festuca pratensis, ruderal communities with M. alba and Achillea millefolium, and reeds with Phragmites australis that tolerate drought, were also recorded on these sites [1,2,22,25,26]. In the intermediate stage of plant succession, the plant-forming activities of the expansive, clonal and tall grass (125 cm) Calamagrostis epigejos is important.…”

“…This species forms compact and large area patches (440 m 2 ) in open and slightly shaded places on wet and alkaline substrates on the top of the heap. The decomposition of the thick layer of its fallen leaves (12.8 cm) improves the edaphic properties of the soil substrate, which enables the further development of the plant cover and the encroachment of more specialized species, such as Salix caprea and S. purpurea [1,20,[25][26][27][28]. On wet and alkaline substrates in the eastern part of the top of dumping grounds, a forest-like community with a distinct three-layer structure has developed.…”

Dominant plant species are the drivers of postindustrial sites ecosystem functioning

“…Some study on dominant plant species has also been conducted on many habitats including post-industrial sites (Prach andPyšek 1999, Woźniak 2010) and these studies have mostly been focused on the species composition that accompanies the dominant plants on a range of different types of post-industrial sites. The vegetation growing on coal mine spoil heaps consists of a mosaic of patches dominated by various species confined to a variety of microhabitats (Woźniak et al 2015, Rawlik et al 2018a, Rawlik et al 2018b. We aimed to assess the role of some dominant species, expressed as their influence on soil substratum abiotic and biotic properties, and to assess the dominant species role in novel ecosystem function development.…”