Long-Term Vegetation Changes and Socioeconomic Effects of River Engineering in Industrialized Areas (Southern Poland)

Oimahmad Rahmonov, Weronika Dragan (), Jerzy Cabała and Robert Krzysztofik
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Oimahmad Rahmonov: Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Będzińksa 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Weronika Dragan: Institute of Social and Economic Geography and Spatial Management, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Będzińska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Jerzy Cabała: Institute of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Będzińksa 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Robert Krzysztofik: Institute of Social and Economic Geography and Spatial Management, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Będzińska 60, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-22

Abstract: The exploitation of mineral resources associated with human mining activities leads to the degradation of both terrestrial and aquatic biocenotic systems. The drastic disturbance of water relations as a result of the relocation of the riverbed of the Biala Przemsza River (southern Poland) for coal and filler sand mining will lead to changes in plant ecosystems. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the diversity and distribution of vegetation in the Biała Przemsza valley in sections of channel straightening with the old riverbed and areas undisturbed by engineering works against the background of land use in temporal and spatial aspects. The results of the ecological and phytosociological studies showed that the composition of flora and vegetation types varied. Within the transformed riverbed, anthropogenic mixed forests with species characteristic of different ecological systems are developing, whereas the non-regulated section of the river is overgrown by an alder riparian forest with an almost complete species composition for this plant community. The highest Simpson’s biodiversity index was found in the anthropogenically disturbed section of the river (0.86), and in the undisturbed section, it was 0.83. Both sections of the river were dominated by species of the family Compositae , Poaceae , Caryophyllaceae , Rosaceae and Apiaceae . The diversity of the flora in the transformed sections of the valley is determined by the presence of mosaics and microhabitats, as well as the nature of the surrounding vegetation, which is reflected in the ecological requirements of the flora concerning light preference (moderate light [56.25%]), and almost 90% of the flora from the area of the regulated section of the valley develops on humus-poor and mineral-humus soils. Although this area has lost its original natural function, it is now valuable for selected economic and social functions, especially in highly urbanized regions.

Keywords: mining operation; ecosystem degradation; river engineering; urban river; post-industrial sites (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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