The role of spontaneous succession in reclamation of mining waste tip in area of Ruda Śląska city

Abstract

Coal exploitation has produced a huge amount of mining waste whose considerable part is being piled on the waste dumps. The analysis was carried out in the area of Ruda Ślaska city. The waste dumps are located within the city limits. The spontaneous processes of succession can thus help to manage such urban landscapes in compliance with the principles of sustainable development. The majority of such territories are managed and restored. However, some areas avoid reclamation processes and instead undergo the process of spontaneous vegetation or even landscape succession. The aim of the research is first and foremost to characterize the spontaneous succession of vegetation in terms of habitat requirements to which we include light, temperature, humidity, trophic conditions, reaction (pH), granulometric composition and plant life forms. In the second place the aim was to determine the direction of the spontaneous succession of vegetation as well as to demonstrate the usefulness of such types of research while planning the reclamation of the post-mining areas that have been deformed to suit the urban landscape. The result of the analysis showed the occurrence of 108 vascular plants in I and 60 in II waste dump. It was mostly photophilous species that prevailed on both waste dumps. They were mostly native as well as nonnative species. Some species like Calamagrosits epigejos, Robinia pseudoacacia, Betula pendula have high biological productivity despite unfavorable conditions. The overgrown dumps shaped the image of the city landscape in a specific way. However, the investigation showed that the number of species on the waste dumps increases with time. The results of the research into the conditions that reign on the dumping grounds provide the basis for projects of reclaiming the post-mining sites, in particular the waste dumps, from raw material extraction, as well as demonstrate the usefulness of the spontaneous succession of plants.