Soil and Vegetation Development on Coal-Waste Dump in Southern Poland

Oimahmad Rahmonov, Agnieszka Czajka, Ádám Nádudvari, Maria Fajer, Tomasz Spórna and Bartłomiej Szypuła
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Oimahmad Rahmonov: Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Agnieszka Czajka: Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Ádám Nádudvari: Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Maria Fajer: Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Tomasz Spórna: Institute of Social and Economic Geography and Spatial Management, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Bartłomiej Szypuła: Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-24

Abstract: As an anthropogenic element of urban landscapes, coal heaps undergo changes due to both natural and anthropogenic factors. The aim of this study was to determine the common development of soil under the influence of vegetation succession against a background of environmental conditions. Vegetation changes and soil properties were analysed along a transect passing through a heap representing a particular succession stage. It was found that changes in the development of vegetation were closely related to the stages of coal-waste disposal, where the initial, transitional, and terminal stages were distinguished. The mean range of pH (H 2 O) values in the profiles was 6.75 ± 0.21 (profile 1), 7.2 ± 0.31 (profile 2), 6.3 ± 1.22 (profile 3), and 5.38 ± 0.42 (profile 4). The organic carbon (OC) content in all samples was high, ranging from 9.6% to 41.6%. The highest content of total nitrogen (Nt) was found (1.132%) in the algal crust and sub-horizon of the organic horizon (Olfh-0.751%) and humus (A-0.884) horizon in profile 3 under the initial forest. Notable contents of available elements were found in the algal shell for P (1588 mg∙kg −1 ) and Mg (670 mg∙kg −1 ). Soil organic matter content was mainly dominated by n -alkanes ( n -C 11 - n -C 34 ) and alkanoic acids (C 5 –C 20 ). Phytene and Phytadiene were typical for the algal crust on the initial pedigree. The initiation of succession was determined by the variation in grain size of the waste dumped on the heap and the variation in relief and associated habitat mosaic. Algal crusts forming on clay–dust mineral and organic material accumulating in the depressions of the site and at the foot of the heap can be regarded as the focus of pedogenesis.

Keywords: soil–vegetation link; soil features; vegetation succession; coal dump; post-industrial sites (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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