PLANT COVE R DIVERSITY OF TECHNOZEMES OF RECLAMATION LAND AT THE NIKOPOL MANGANESE ORE BASIN

The study of the disturbed natural complexes evolution processes is important for the development of the most effective and rational methods of reclamation. The restoration of vegetation is one of the most informative components of ecosystems. Plant complexes, which have been formed during self-establishment, are an integral indicator of the dumps suitability degree for biological reclamation

RECULTIVATED SOIL HETEROGENEITY: ECOLOGICAL ASPECT

Extracting minerals by the open method leads to the removal of the rocks to the surface which significantly disturbs natural processes in biogeocoenoses. After remediation activities anthropogenic biogeocoenoses are formed. In this biogeocoenosis on the rocks man-made soils are formed under the influence of environmental factors. Such man-made soils are called technozems

Diversity, dynamics and ecological analysis of flora of reclaimed soil

The flora of vegetation cover of sod-lithogenic soil on loess loams was studied at a reclaimed site in the Nikopol manganese-ore basin. The control site is located on the black soil of the steppe area. The species composition of plants was studied in both sites annually for three years. Ecological analysis of the flora was carried out according to Raunkiaer’s system of life-forms and Belgard’s system of ecomorphs. It has been established that the floristic composition on the reclaimed site is significantly poorer than that of the steppe site. The reclaimed site was found to be have fewer species and a smaller number of families. The comparative inconstancy and dynamism of floristic composition on reclaimed soil is shown. The reclaimed ecosystem is distinguished by a significant share of the participation of annual and biennial plant forms. This indicates the anthropogenic transformation of the vegetation cover of the reclaimed soil. Also, a distinctive feature of the reclaimed soil flora is the smaller number of ecological groups of species. Such groups are united according to the ecological optimum to one of the environmental parameters

Soil heterogeneity after recultivation: ecological aspect

The study subject was the soil heterogeneity at a recultivation site Nikopol manganese-ore basin (Pokrov, Ukraine). The soils at the locality are sod lithogenic soils developed on gray-green clays. The study ran by applying soil penetration resistance indices. The penetration resistance was measured across a regular grid of 7 × 15 points (21 × 45 m). The distance between the measurement points was 3 m. The parameters were recorded at every 5 cm to a depth of 50 cm. The environmental parameters were determined by phytoindication. Geostatistical analysis showed the average level of spatial dependence of soil penetration resistance. According to the features of the profile variation in penetration resistance with the depth, the measurement points have been divided into three clusters. The clusters formed morphologically homogeneous soil areas. These areas significantly differed in their soil acidity and in nitrogen content in soil