Natural revegetation on topsoiled mining-spoils according to the exposure

Comparative plant successional studies on derelict sites are providing significant insights into vegetation dynamics to ensure the success of future revegetation projects in these areas and, in the short-term, by using a space-for-time substitution. In this paper we describe, in relation to site exposure, vegetation development on waste rock materials covered with biologically active soil media, and compare this development with that from a previous study at the same mine (CW Spain) on non-biologically modified waste rock materials. The succession under study is faster on the North slope, as expected, and does not differ significantly from the general pattern of primary revegetation, although it was characterised by its own sequence of plant species. The topsoiling of waste increases richness and diversity from the first year of revegetation, reduces the time required for recovery of a terminal stage, and highlights the influence of slope orientation on vegetation dynamics. A total of 237 plant taxa were recorded, showing one of four patterns of change: (1) ‘pioneer’, (2) ‘intermediate’, (3) ‘late coloniser’ and (4) ‘fluctuating’.     

Natural revegetation on topsoiled mining-spoils according to the exposure

Comparative plant successional studies on derelict sites are providing significant insights into vegetation dynamics to ensure the success of future revegetation projects in these areas and, in the short-term, by using a space-for-time substitution. In this paper we describe, in relation to site exposure, vegetation development on waste rock materials covered with biologically active soil media, and compare this development with that from a previous study at the same mine (CW Spain) on non-biologically modified waste rock materials. The succession under study is faster on the North slope, as expected, and does not differ significantly from the general pattern of primary revegetation, although it was characterised by its own sequence of plant species. The topsoiling of waste increases richness and diversity from the first year of revegetation, reduces the time required for recovery of a terminal stage, and highlights the influence of slope orientation on vegetation dynamics. A total of 237 plant taxa were recorded, showing one of four patterns of change: (1) ‘pioneer’, (2) ‘intermediate’, (3) ‘late coloniser’ and (4) ‘fluctuating’.     

Some factors affecting successional change on uranium mine wastes: Insights for ecological restoration

Question: Are growth form and dispersal-mode replacement during vegetation succession in semi-arid Mediterranean conditions affected by the starting quality of the substrate and by site aspect? Location: Central-western Spain. Methods: We monitored successions on three waste materials left after uranium mining: unbroken waste, broken waste and wastes amended with a sandy material (Arkoses); both north and south aspects were also studied on each substrate. Results: The substrate starting quality had the greatest influence on spontaneous succession, separating the poorer quality substrates (broken and unbroken wastes) from the better ones (Arkoses) and two reference communities (Topsoil and Dehesa). The importance of aspect was confirmed then within each substrate type. Most species with a short life span (mostly annuals and a few biennials), together with some woody species on Arkoses, showed no response to age (years following the deposition of new soil). Others short-lived species declined over time on the poorer wastes but not on the better Arkoses. There was a tendency for life form replacement (from thero-phytes to hemicryptophytes) during succession only on the poorer-quality substrates. No dispersal-mode replacement sequence was found. Conclusion: Improving the abiotic conditions of the substrate had a great effect on vegetation succession, but this effect was modified by aspect. Aspect took longer to induce differences in floristic composition on the poorer substrates, where succession was slower. Some trends in species responses to successional change were found by considering species traits, particularly life-form.     

采石场废弃地的生态重建研究进展

采石场的开采严重破坏了植被和土壤,形成了大量的裸露岩石斜坡,造成宏观景观支离破碎和极端的环境条件,限制了植物的生长。由于自然恢复所需时间长久,人工恢复被广泛应用于采石场废弃地的生态重建。自然演替过程是采石场生态重建的理论基础,自然演替理论可以为人工恢复措施提供指导。植物群落演替的早期阶段,非生物因素起主要作用,随着演替的推移,生物因素的重要性增强。邻近自然植被的土壤和繁殖体通过外力的扩散,对恢复起重要作用。除了非生物和其他的限制,先到达恢复地的物种竞争能力的变化能决定了演替过程。演替过程中的干扰因素往往成为演替重要的驱动力。裸露岩石斜坡的物理稳定性对植被恢复有重要影响,有机废物的使用和施肥可以影响恢复演替的方向和生物多样性。播种一定的植物能够改变恢复演替方向,加速演替过程。乡土物种适应了当地气候,能够促进演替。随着修复时间的延长,土壤有机质含量,植被覆盖度和物种丰富度不断增加,土壤微生物生物量随之增加。开展不同地区采石场植物种类的选育、研究乡土物种的功能特性、土壤微生物群落和酶的变化、植被演替过程的定位研究、植物种间的竞争关系、自然演替和人工恢复的比较研究、探索经济高效的采石场生态重建方法是未来的研究方向。     

Revegetation of earthen mounds along a topographic-productivity gradient in a northern mixed prairie

Abstract. The influence of productivity gradients on plant succession, richness, and community composition is the focus of much interest. Earthen mounds and other soil disturbances are a conspicuous feature of many temperate and semi-temperate grasslands. The revegetation of artificial earthen mounds located at different positions along a topographic-productivity gradient was studied in a North American northern mixedgrass prairie over a five year period. Relative stem density increased the most on mounds in low prairie (81% of off-mound density in 1992), followed by mounds in middle (64%) and high prairie (38%). Species richness was significantly different between prairie types by the fifth year of the experiment, but there was not a strong correlation between species richness and stem density within prairie-types. Composition on mounds reflected species composition in the surrounding off-mound areas and only three species were sampled regularly in all three prairie types. Results of this experiment suggest that models and experiments attempting to relate productivity to species richness and composition should include a spatial component.     

石林风景区不同石漠化人工修复方式对木本植物群落组成及种群生态位的影响

石漠化是我国西南喀斯特地区生态修复最严重的障碍,植被恢复是石漠化治理的重要途径。近50年来,我国开展了大量石漠化植被恢复的实践与研究,包括自然恢复与人工修复。但是,长期以来缺乏对已完成人工修复的植被的演替特征和修复效果的研究,而人工修复植被的效果评价能为石漠化生态修复提供理论依据与实践经验。以石林风景区中两类人工修复植被——栽植植被(PV)与飞播植被(ASV)为研究对象,以地带性自然植被(ZNV)为对照,研究人工修复植被中木本植物群落组成、群落多样性和种群生态位特征,以期揭示不同人工修复方式下的植被构成规律以及对有限资源的利用程度。结果表明:(1)在地带性自然植被、栽植植被和飞播植被3种植被类型中分别记录到木本植物92种(45科80属)、138种(50科101属)与44种(26科37属),3种植被类型中的共有种12种。(2)3种植被类型的Patrick丰富度指数与Shannon-Wiener多样性指数排序均呈现为地带性自然植被>栽植植被>飞播植被(P<0.01),栽植植被与地带性自然植被之间的Jaccard相似性指数为0.14,飞播植被与地带性自然植被之间的Jacca...     

Faunal response to revegetation in agricultural areas of Australia: A review

Summary   We reviewed the literature on fauna in revegetation in Australian agricultural areas. Of 27 studies, 22 examined birds, with few studies focusing on other faunal groups (four to six studies for each remaining group) and nine examined multiple groups. Existing evidence suggests that revegetation provides habitat for many species of bird and some arboreal marsupials. Species richness of birds was greater in revegetated areas that were large, wide, structurally complex, old and near remnant vegetation. Bats, small terrestrial mammals, reptiles and amphibians did not appear to benefit significantly from revegetation in the short term. Evidence to date suggests that revegetation is not a good replacement of remnant vegetation for many species. Key information gaps exist in the faunal response to (i) revegetation as it ages; (ii) different structural complexities of revegetation; (iii) revegetation that is composed of indigenous vs. non-indigenous plant species; and (iv) revegetation that is in riparian vs. non-riparian locations. In addition, little is known on the value of revegetation for declining or threatened fauna, or of the composition of fauna in revegetation. There is a need to better understand the balance between quantity of revegetation in the landscape, and the quality or complexity of revegetation at the patch scale. Based on current evidence, we recommend revegetation be conducted in patches that are large, wide and structurally complex to maximize the benefits to fauna.     

南亚热带退化生态系统恢复和重建的生态学理论和应用

退化生态系统的恢复与重建是一项十分复杂的系统工程,其功能和动态过程涉及物质、能量、空间、时间和多样性等基本的生态变量。在南亚热带的气候生态因子中,既有光、温、水充裕的有利一面,也有秋旱、台风和暴雨等不利的因素,但总的来说,影响退化生态系统恢复的主导生态因子是土壤因子,如土壤肥力和土壤水份。极度退化的生态系统的恢复与重建,第一步就是控制水土流失,提高土壤肥力和土壤理化结构,这还需要工程措施和生物措施相结合．退化生态系统的植被的恢复与重建,最有效和最省力的是顺从生态系统的演替发展规律来进行,生态系统演替理论是指导退化生态系统重建的重要的理论基础．退化生态系统恢复与重建的优化结构的构建,依赖于对空间、生物、能量生态学原理的理解。种群密度制约、种群空间分布格局、边缘效应、生态位分化、食物链、生物多样性等原理均对生态系统结构的构建有指导意义．而生态系统的群体发展,则受物质定律的影响．     

Ground beetle communities on reclaimed mine spoil: Effects of organic matter application and revegetation

On a study site in the Lusatian lignite mining region (Germany), sandy mine spoil was ameliorated with either sewage sludge, compost or mineral fertilizer. Plots were sown with the grass Secale multicaule and planted with pine seedlings except for a control that was not meliorated and not revegetated. Pitfall catches of ground beetles in 1996/97 yielded high numbers of species and individuals directly after revegetation. The dominant beetles were xerophilic species, known to prefer open sandy sites. Catches in different plots were positively correlated with the amount of vegetation cover and declined as follows: amelioration with sewage sludge > compost > mineral fertilizer > untreated control. Even beetles characteristic of open sandy sites showed a distinct preference for plots with high vegetation cover treated with organic waste. For the dominant species, an attraction to shelter and a more balanced, humid microclimate is assumed. A year-to-year comparison showed an increase in beetles typical of dry grasslands and ruderal sites in the second year, while characteristic species of open sandy sites decreased. Application of organic waste combined with revegetation led to an immediate increase in beetle numbers. In the long term, revegetation would be expected to reduce suitable habitats for endangered ground beetles which prefer open sites with poor sandy soils. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Establishment of woody species across 26 years of revegetation on a Queensland coal mine

The establishment success of woody plant species at 56 revegetation sites, four to 26 years old, across the Meandu open‐cut coal mine in south‐east Queensland was assessed. The revegetation process involved returning stockpiled topsoil, deep ripping and mechanical sowing of a mix of native seeds. Blakes Wattle (Acacia blakei) and less often Black Wattle (A. leiocalyx), both primarily derived from respread topsoil seed, dominate the vegetation canopy at 59% and 20% of revegetation sites, respectively. The additional sowing of seeds of many tree and shrub species within the sites has had limited success with most failing to persist or grow well. Revegetation management, for example selective thinning of acacias (Acacia spp.) saplings within the first 5 years is recommended to release the competition pressure on the poorly performing tree species. This will also allow opportunities for other less well represented shrub and herb species to persist. This study has shown that a range of tree and shrub species, including Eucalyptus spp., are performing poorly under the current revegetation regime, suggesting adjustments to revegetation species selection and/or methodologies are needed. The natural colonization of woody native species within the sites from nearby remnant vegetation is shown to be limited to only four species, and therefore is unlikely to significantly supplement the species diversity of the revegetation.     

长白山次生杨桦林样地：物种组成与群落结构

 长白山次生杨桦林是该地区阔叶红松林经皆伐和火烧等破坏后恢复形成的主要次生林类型之一,是阔叶红松林次生演替系列中的重要阶段。参 照巴拿马巴洛科罗拉多岛（Barro Colorado Island, BCI）50 hm² 热带雨林样地的技术规范,于2005年在长白山北坡的自然保护区内建立了 一块5 hm²的次生杨桦林长期监测样地,对样地内所有胸径≥1 cm的木本植物进行了详细的定位调查。对样地的物种组成与群落结构的分析表明 ：次生杨桦林样地物种组成丰富,共包括16科28属44种;区系特征明显,北温带成分占主要部分;样地内被监测的树木个体数为20 101,不包 括分枝的独立个体数为16 565;优势树种明显,从个体数、平均胸径、胸高断面积和重要值等分析来看,演替先锋树种白桦(Betula platyphylla)和山 杨(Populus davidiana)在群落中占有绝对优势地位,但从径级结构来看,它们的更新却非常差,随着演替的进展,这些先 锋树种将逐渐走向衰亡;阔叶红松林中的主要树种如红松(Pinus koraiensis)和紫椴(Tilia amurensis) 等已经在次生杨桦林中占有了一定的 比例,林下更新良好,逐渐进入林冠层并最终取代杨桦等成为该森林的优势种;从物种的空间分布格局来看,演替先锋树种和阔叶红松林中的 主要树种并没有表现出明显的聚集性分布格局,而其它的小乔木和灌木树种则表现出明显的聚集性分布格局,但与地形并没有表现出明显的相 关性,相关结论还需要进一步分析。     

Convergence of community composition during secondary succession on Zokor rodent mounds on the Tibetan Plateau

Aims The community succession theory is much debated in ecology. We studied succession on Zokor rodent mounds on the Tibetan Plateau to address several fundamental questions, among them: (i) During secondary succession, does the community composition converge towards one community state or multiple states depending on the initial colonization? (ii) Do mound communities located in different background communities exhibit different assembly trajectories?Methods In a sub-alpine meadow, we investigated a total of 80 mound communities at several successional stages in three different background communities resulting from different management histories and compared their changes in species composition. The distribution of plant communities over time was analyzed with quantitative classification and ordination methods. The co-occurrence patterns of species were evaluated at each successional stage, and the degree of convergence/divergence among communities was obtained by calculating two beta-diversity indices.Important findings During secondary succession, species richness of mound communities changed over time, and this change was dependent on the background community. Five life-form groups exhibited different dynamic patterns in species richness and plant cover. Community composition and the degree of species co-occurrence between communities increased over time since disturbance. There was much variation in species composition at earlier stages of succession, but communities on older mounds became more similar to each other and to their surrounding vegetation over the course of secondary succession. Post-disturbance succession of Zokor mound communities transitioned from 'multiple alternative states' to 'background-based deterministic community assembly' over time. Tradeoffs between competition and colonization, as well as the characteristics of different life-forms and mass effects within a limited species pool are the mechanisms responsible for convergence of mound communities.     

Vegetation succession and biological turnover on coal-mining spoils

Abstract. This paper describes secondary revegetation and biological turnover development on coal-mining spoils. Qualitative and quantitative changes in species composition, rate of succession, formation of plant bio-mass structure and net primary production are described for revegetation stages with an undisturbed meadow system as a reference. The development of biological turnover in grasslands has four stages. The first stage is characterized by the growth of weedy species, high above-ground standing crop and production and low below-ground production. The second stage includes the establishment of perennial grasses, a decrease in the above-ground plant biomass and production, an increase of the below-ground living and dead root mass, formation of the plant material structure (distribution of plant material among the compartments of the ecosystem) close to steady-state pattern, the approach to the balance between net primary production and organic matter decomposition. During the third stage a mature species composition is formed and below-ground production increases up to the steady-state level. At the fourth stage the humus storage reaches its steady-state value.     

露天煤矿排土场边坡植被组成特征及其群落稳定性评价

研究植被恢复过程中植物群落组成、结构及稳定性的变化,可进一步了解到植物群落的演替过程及规律。采用空间代时间的方法对内蒙古锡林郭勒盟北电胜利露天煤矿4个排土场边坡人工恢复植被进行群落调查,在此基础上采用多样性指数与优化后的M.Godron稳定性指数对植物物种组成、物种多样性及其群落稳定性进行分析,探究不同恢复年限排土场边坡植被在恢复过程中群落特征及稳定性变化特征。结果表明：（1）排土场边坡植物物种组成共有16科44属56种,植物群落组成较简单,其中禾本科种类最多,生长型以草本植物为主。（2）随着恢复年限的增加,植物生活型由一、二年生转变为多年生,坡面优势种由人工种植植物转变为本土植物。（3）整体看,随着恢复年限增加,物种多样性呈下降趋势,群落稳定性整体呈上升趋势。（4）由于不同坡向土壤微环境差异,北坡恢复效果及稳定性好于南坡。本研究在一定程度上可为露天煤矿排土场边坡人工修复过程中植物物种及合理配置模式的选择提供科学依据。     

Patterns of plant species diversity during succession under different disturbance regimes

Summary I suggest that between-community variations in diversity patterns during succession in plant communities are due to the effects of selection on life history strategies under different disturbance regimes. Natural disturbances to plant communities are simultaneously a source of mortality for some individuals and a source of establishment sites for others. The plant community consists of a mosaic of disturbance patches (gaps) of different environmental conditions. The composition of the mosaic is described by the size-frequency distribution of the gaps and is dependent on the rates and scales of disturbance. The life-history strategies of plant species dependent on some form of disturbance for establishment of propagules should reflect this size-frequency distribution of disturbance patches. An extension of island biogeographic theory to encompass relative habitat area predicts that a community should be most rich in species adapted to growth and establishment in the spatially most common patch types. Changes in species diversity during succession following large scale disturbance reflect the prevalent life history patterns under historically common disturbance regimes. Communities in which the greatest patch area is in large-scale clearings (e.g. following fire) are most diverse in species establishing seedlings in xeric, high light conditions. Species diversity decreases during succession. Communities in which such large patches are rare are characterized by a large number of species that reach the canopy through small gaps and realtively few which regenerate in the large clearings. Diversity increases during succession following a large scale disturbance.Evidence from communities characterized by different disturbance regimes is summarized from the literature. This hypothesis provides an evolutionary mechanism with which to examine the changes in plant community structure during succession. Diversity peaks occurring at intermediate levels of disturbance as discussed by Connell and Huston are interpreted in this context.     

Succession and herbivory in monsoonal wetlands

This paper considers the applicability of the Gleasonian succession model to monsoonal wetlands, particularly those in Australia and India. The similarities in climate and taxa shared among these wetlands produce a setting in which successional cycles may be replicated. The Gleasonian succession model was first designed to describe cyclic changes in prairie pothole wetlands in response to water flux and herbivore activity over 5–25 year intervals. However, monsoonal wetlands change over an annual cycle. The Gleasonian succession may therefore be faster in these wetlands than in temperate ones. Herbivores create openings in flooded vegetation during the wet season in India by killing emergent species. During the dry season, Paspalum distichum revegetates these openings via the sprouting of vegetative fragments (VS-I; establishment by vegetative means in drawndown conditions). In Australia, in those monsoonal wetlands dominated by the annual Oryza meridionalis (AS-II; establishment by seed germination in flooded conditions), revegetation is from the seed bank during the wet season. The Gleasonian succession model can help to explain the invasion of exotics in monsoonal wetlands; in Australia, sites dominated by Oryza meridionalis (wet season annual) can be invaded during the dry season by Mimosa pigra (PS-I; perennial, establishment by seed germination in drawndown conditions). Thus the role of herbivores in succession is more complicated than current predictive models of vegetation change encompass. Herbivores select specific habitats over plant species, and also can form symbiotic relationships with plants as seed dispersers. Nonetheless, if appropriately modified with respect to the life history requirements of these plant species, the Gleasonian succession model is useful in describing annual and long-term changes in the vegetation of monsoonal wetlands.     

油页岩废渣场的生态恢复

油页岩开采带来一系列的生态与环境问题 ,但对油页岩废渣场进行生态恢复的历史还较短 ,也缺少系统专门的研究报道。国外对油页岩废渣的利用始于 2 0世纪 4 0年代 ,对废渣场生态恢复的研究始于 2 0世纪 6 0年代 ,均早于我国。由于废渣场的基质成分恶劣 ,缺乏一般的土壤结构 ,复垦难度大。一般有 3种常规的复垦方法 :不经处理直接栽种植物 ;常规的物理或化学处理后栽种植物 ;表土覆盖后再进行植被恢复。前 2种方法均难产生显著效果 ,第 3种见效较快 ,但工作量大。近年来 ,一些新技术 ,如生物降解、生物富集和生物强化技术等被发明并用来恢复油页岩废弃地 ,取得了较好的生态恢复与修复效果。我国从 1985年开始 ,在广东茂名进行油页岩废渣场的生态恢复工作 ,先后对面积达 1.4 km2 和 6 .7km2 的 2个大型废渣场 (南排土场和北排土场 )进行了治理 ,主要是采用生物修复技术中的植物修复来进行试验。南排土场经过 19a的复垦演替成了郁郁葱葱的森林 ;北排经过 5 a的实践也取得了很好的恢复效果 ,一些幼林初步形成。然而 ,当前北排土场恢复实践中出现了一些很值得关注的现象 ,如乔木树种矮化、分枝增多等 ,但这些问题还有待进一步研究解决。此外 ,还探讨了油页岩废渣场开展生态恢复的步骤与原则     

Species turnover and diversity during early stages of vegetation recovery on the volcano Usu,northern Japan

To study the rate of revegetation during succession on the volcano Usu, northern Japan, vegetation structure and species composition were monitored from 1984 to 1988 in permanent quadrats near the summit of the volcano, which had been almost completely deforested by 1 to 3 m thick volcanic deposits in 1977–78. Analyses of vegetation structure included species richness, species diversity (IT), evenness (J'); year-to-year changes were quantified using Community Coefficient (CC), and Percentage Similarity (PS). While species turnover rates fluctuated and vegetation cover gradually increased, species richness, diversity and evenness did not fluctuate much. The diversity parameters showed slightly different levels for three habitat types distinguished. CC values comparing subsequent years with the starting year 1984 suggest only minor changes in qualitative species composition; PS values decreased more rapidly, indicating larger changes in species cover. A few well-rooted perennial plants were predominant, therefore, PS decline resulted from dominance-controlled community structure. PS-value detected not only habitat difference, but also the rate of the volcanic succession, suggesting that PS is most effective to evaluate successional pace.     

Succession and herbivory in monsoonal wetlands

This paper considers the applicability of the Gleasonian succession model to monsoonal wetlands, particularly those in Australia and India. The similarities in climate and taxa shared among these wetlands produce a setting in which successional cycles may be replicated. The Gleasonian succession model was first designed to describe cyclic changes in prairie pothole wetlands in response to water flux and herbivore activity over 5–25 year intervals. However, monsoonal wetlands change over an annual cycle. The Gleasonian succession may therefore be faster in these wetlands than in temperate ones. Herbivores create openings in flooded vegetation during the wet season in India by killing emergent species. During the dry season, Paspalum distichum revegetates these openings via the sprouting of vegetative fragments (VS-I; establishment by vegetative means in drawndown conditions). In Australia, in those monsoonal wetlands dominated by the annual Oryza meridionalis (AS-II; establishment by seed germination in flooded conditions), revegetation is from the seed bank during the wet season. The Gleasonian succession model can help to explain the invasion of exotics in monsoonal wetlands; in Australia, sites dominated by Oryza meridionalis (wet season annual) can be invaded during the dry season by Mimosa pigra (PS-I; perennial, establishment by seed germination in drawndown conditions). Thus the role of herbivores in succession is more complicated than current predictive models of vegetation change encompass. Herbivores select specific habitats over plant species, and also can form symbiotic relationships with plants as seed dispersers. Nonetheless, if appropriately modified with respect to the life history requirements of these plant species, the Gleasonian succession model is useful in describing annual and long-term changes in the vegetation of monsoonal wetlands.     

Effect of cattle activities on gap colonization in mountain pastures

Cattle influences gap dynamics in pastures in two ways: (1) by creating gaps and (2) by affecting the colonization process. This effect of cattle activity on gap revegetation can be subdivided in three main factors: herbage removal, trampling and dung and urine deposition. The objective of this study was to assess how these three effects moderate the plant succession following gap creation. In an exclosure, four controlled treatments simulating cattle activity (repeated mowing, trampling, manuring and untreated control) were applied on plots of 2 × 2 m. In the centre of each plot, one artificial gap of 60 × 60 cm was created. During three years, vegetation changes were monitored in spring and in autumn, with a square grid of 100 cells of 0.01 m² centred on the gap. Our experiment confirmed that fine-scale gap creation may have a high impact on relative abundances of species in the community. The gap environment acts on species as a filter and this filtering was described in terms of regenerative attributes. Colonizers were species with small seeds, unspecialized seed dispersal, persistent seed bank and high vegetation spread. However, the role of dung deposition, herbage removal or trampling by cattle did not seem to be of primary importance in the revegetation process, but could moderate vegetation response. Therefore, the different cattle effects act as secondary filters that selectively favoured or disadvantaged different species from the gap-regenerating community. These complex interactions are probably keys to understand plant coexistence in perennial grasslands.