Development of soil biota in post mining forest sites established by reclamation and spontaneous succession - preliminary results of an ongoing study

0206376 - UPB-H 20023020 RIV SIGLE US eng C - Conference Paper (international conference)
Frouz, Jan - Pižl, Václav - Tajovský, Karel - Balík, Vladimír - Háněl, Ladislav - Starý, Josef - Lukešová, Alena - Nováková, Alena
Development of soil biota in post mining forest sites established by reclamation and spontaneous succession - preliminary results of an ongoing study.
Proceedings of the 28th Annual Conference on Ecosystems Restoration and Creation. Tampa: Hillsborough Community College, 2001, s. 122-129.
[Annual Conference on Ecosystems Restoration and Creation /28./. Tampa (US), 10.05.2001-11.05.2001]
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA526/01/1055
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6066911
Keywords : soil biota * post mining forest sites * spontaneous succession
Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour

Density and community structure of a wide spectrum of soil organisms (microscopic fungi, algae, testate amoebae, nematodes, lumbricids, oribatid mites, diplopods, terrestrial isopods and dipteran larvae) were studied in the Sokolov coal mining district (Czech Republic) at three post mining plots that were allowed to spontaneously regenerate on alkaline clay spoils. Only scarce herbaceous vegetation was found on eight year old plots; shrubs (Salix caprea) on thirteen year old plots. The results were compared with a similar chronosequence of reclaimed alder forests. Reclaimed sites were leveled before trees were planted, whereas on spontaneous sites longitudinal depressions and elevations remained as formed by heaping. This resulted in the accumulation of litter and more diverse and abundant communities of soil biota in depressions in younger plots. In older plots, these differences decreased and in some groups such as soil algae, more diverse and abundant communities occurred in elevated sites. The development of soil biota in younger spontaneous plots seemed to be slower than in alder reclamation, but in older sites the communities of many of the investigated groups were roughly comparable with reclaimed sites in terms of abundance and species number. Because of differences in species composition, the spontaneous plots may increase the diversity of post mining areas.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0101970