Agricultural populations of

The study of meadow fescue agropopulations was conducted in the agricultural phytocoenoses, established on the leveled coal mining spoils in the forest-steppe zone of the Kuznetsk Basin mining region in Russia. In agrophytocoenoses the fescue is not a dominant species, as in the natural meadows of herbs and fescue, which occupied the area prior to spoiling. However, the presence of the meadow fescue in the newly established plant communities resulted in increasing their biological diversity and improving the forage quality. The species was shown to sustain in agricultural communities on the coal mining spoils for more than 25 years, whereas when sown on the zonal soils it maintains it presence for 4-6 years. The ontogenetic groups of the plant in all communities were found to be dominated by virginile, young and mid-aged generative specimen. By the 25th year of agricultural phytocoenoses development the vitality of the agropopulations decreased on the coal mining spoils, composed of both Quaternary and Permian sediments. The study showed for the first time that meadow fescue is a species with good potential to restore vegetation cover in the areas disturbed by the open coal mining

Peculiarities of successional processes taking place in artificial phytocenoses on the Kuzbass coal mining dumps

The article presents results of the long-term studies of the structure and production of agrophytocenoses, established on the coal mining dumps in the Kuznetsk basin forest steppe zone. Agrophytocenoses were established on the leveled dumps by seeding grasses and legumes. Another set of control agrophytocenoses was established by the same technic on zonal soil. Seeds were provided by the laboratories of the Central Siberian Botanical Garden SB RAS, Novosibirsk. After 30 yrs of observations it was found that agrophytocenoses on the coal mining dumps did not have initial stage, as well as stage of spontaneous species invasion. Elimination of Trifolium pratense and Arrhenatherum elatius from coal mining dumps phytocenoses took place 3-4 yrs later than from agrophytocenoses on zonal soils. Species did not eliminate totally, but remained in communities with increased or decreased relative abundances. Significant number of species displayed fluctuation, rather than succession in course of 30 yrs development on the coal mining dumps. These phytocenoses It was also found that agrophytocenoses on the coal mining dumps have high long-term production potential

Species composition dynamics in successive plant assemblages on the northern slopes of the coal mining spoils in the arid areas of Khakassia

The results of the study of the species composition dynamics in successive plant communities developing on the northern slopes of the coal mining spoils dating back to the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s years in the arid areas of Khakassia, are presented for the first time. During the first 10-15 years of revegetation there was an increase in taxonomic diversity in the successive plant assemblages. Endemic species of the Fabaceae family, common for the bunch grasses steppes and stony steppes of Khakassia, were not found on the northern spoil slopes. Mesoxerophytes were the most abundant ecological group. Drastic increase in the complexity of the successive plant assemblages in the arid areas of Khakassia was found to take place after 25-30 years of revegetation

Species composition dynamics in successive plant assemblages on the northern slopes of the coal mining spoils in the arid areas of Khakassia

The results of the study of the species composition dynamics in successive plant communities developing on the northern slopes of the coal mining spoils dating back to the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s years in the arid areas of Khakassia, are presented for the first time. During the first 10-15 years of revegetation there was an increase in taxonomic diversity in the successive plant assemblages. Endemic species of the Fabaceae family, common for the bunch grasses steppes and stony steppes of Khakassia, were not found on the northern spoil slopes. Mesoxerophytes were the most abundant ecological group. Drastic increase in the complexity of the successive plant assemblages in the arid areas of Khakassia was found to take place after 25-30 years of revegetation

Biogeocenosis development during initial revegetation of a coal combustion ash dump

The initial stage of biogeocenoses development on the coal ash dump produced by the thermal power staton in Novosibirsk (55.000, 83.068), Russia, were studied after 9 years of spontaneous revegetation. Soil properties, soil cover and plant communities were examined in detail. The predominating types of embryozems and transition from open to succession plant communities were described. Soil substrate moisture content was found to determine changes in plant species composition, projective cover and abundance, altogether causing asynchronicity of soil formation in different sites

Biogeocenosis development during initial revegetation of a coal combustion ash dump

The initial stage of biogeocenoses development on the coal ash dump produced by the thermal power staton in Novosibirsk (55.000, 83.068), Russia, were studied after 9 years of spontaneous revegetation. Soil properties, soil cover and plant communities were examined in detail. The predominating types of embryozems and transition from open to succession plant communities were described. Soil substrate moisture content was found to determine changes in plant species composition, projective cover and abundance, altogether causing asynchronicity of soil formation in different sites