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Can Dung Beetles Improve Post-Mining Land-Use Options?

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Can Dung Beetles Improve Post-Mining Land-Use Options? Coaltech project 8.2.8: Can dung beetles improve post-mining land-use options? SOIL REHABILITATION: CAN DUNG BEETLES IMPROVE POST-MINING LAND-USE OPTIONS? PROJECT NO: 8.2.8 Final report to May 2018 Page 1 Coaltech project 8.2.8: Can dung beetles improve post-mining land-use options? Project Leader: Dr. Jackie Dabrowski Project Team: Prof. Clarke H. Scholtz Dr. Wayne Truter Ms. Jessica Badenhorst (M.Sc. student) Mr. Gustav Venter (M.Sc. student) Contact details: [email protected] Tel +27 83 256 3159 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We, the authors, would like to acknowledge various contributions made to this work by the following individuals: Coaltech for project funding; Johann Beukes for his years of support and encouragement; The Coaltech Surface and Environment committee for guidance and feedback; Staff at mines including Martin Platt, Francois Grove, Annelie Rossouw, & Jaco Fick; Staff at the Scarab Research Group at the University of Pretoria including Christian Deschodt, Carmen Jacobs and Catherine Sole. We also thank Johan Van Wyk for field assistance. We especially thank Adrian Davis for his time and expertise identifying the beetles. Former students and project team members Ms. Alexandra Howard and Ms. Sarah Newman Page 2 Coaltech project 8.2.8: Can dung beetles improve post-mining land-use options? EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS ON POST-MINING SOIL 18 1.1 HISTORY OF COAL MINING ...................................................................... 18 1.2 CONDITIONS ON OPEN-CAST COAL MINES ......................................................... 18 1.3 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF COAL MINING ....................................................... 19 1.4 MINE RECLAMATION ....................................................................................... 20 1.5 SOIL FERTILITY AND PLANT GROWTH................................................................ 21 1.6 SOIL INVERTEBRATES ..................................................................................... 22 1.7 DUNG BEETLES .............................................................................................. 23 1.8 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................... 25 CHAPTER 2 DUNG BEETLE ACTIVITY IMPROVES HERBACEOUS PLANT GROWTH AND SOIL PROPERTIES ON PLOTS SIMULATING RECLAIMED MINED LAND ................................................................. 26 2.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 26 2.2 METHODS ...................................................................................................... 29 2.2.1 Field collection of dung beetles ...................................................................... 29 2.2.2 Breeding dung beetles ................................................................................... 29 2.2.3 The study site ................................................................................................ 29 2.2.4 Preparation of experimental plots ................................................................... 30 2.2.5 Herbaceous plant biomass and protein content ............................................. 32 2.2.6 Soil properties ................................................................................................ 32 2.2.7 Soil strength ................................................................................................... 32 2.2.8 Water infiltration rate ...................................................................................... 32 2.2.9 Data analysis ................................................................................................. 33 Page 3 Coaltech project 8.2.8: Can dung beetles improve post-mining land-use options? 2.3 RESULTS ....................................................................................................... 33 2.3.1 Herbaceous plant biomass and protein content ............................................. 33 2.3.2 Water infiltration rates .................................................................................... 35 2.3.3 Soil strength ................................................................................................... 35 2.3.4 Soil properties ................................................................................................ 38 2.3.5 Principal Components Analysis ...................................................................... 40 2.4 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................. 43 CHAPTER 3 ALLEVIATION OF DEGRADED SOIL CONDITIONS BY DUNG BEETLE ACTIVITY ON RECLAIMED MINED LAND. .............. 46 3.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 46 3.2 METHODS ...................................................................................................... 48 3.2.1 Study site ....................................................................................................... 48 3.2.2 Preparation of enclosures .............................................................................. 48 3.2.3 Measurement of plant and soil properties ...................................................... 50 3.3 RESULTS ....................................................................................................... 50 3.3.1 General observations ..................................................................................... 50 3.3.2 Herbaceous plant biomass and crude protein content .................................... 51 3.3.3 Water infiltration rate ...................................................................................... 53 3.3.4 Soil strength ................................................................................................... 54 3.3.5 Soil properties ................................................................................................ 57 3.3.6 Principal Components Analysis ...................................................................... 59 3.4 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................. 63 CHAPTER 4 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND FURTHER RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................... 65 4.1 GENERAL DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS ....................................................... 65 4.2 FURTHER RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................ 69 CHAPTER 5 THE COAL MINING SECTOR IN EMALAHLENI (SOUTH AFRICA) AND HOW DUNG BEETLES CAN ASSIST IN RECLAMATION EFFORTS .................................................................. 70 5.1 MINING IN SOUTH AFRICA ................................................................................ 70 5.2 COAL IN SOUTH AFRICA .................................................................................. 70 5.3 COAL EXTRACTION ......................................................................................... 71 5.4 MINE CLOSURE LEGISLATION........................................................................... 71 Page 4 Coaltech project 8.2.8: Can dung beetles improve post-mining land-use options? 5.5 IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................ 72 5.5.1 Habitat destruction ......................................................................................... 72 5.5.2 Secondary effects of rehabilitation ................................................................. 73 5.6 BIOLOGICAL REMEDIATION OF MINED SOILS BEFORE DUNG BEETLES .................. 74 5.6.1 Dung beetle abundance in Southern Africa .................................................... 75 5.6.2 Factors that influence their regional distribution ............................................. 75 5.6.3 Factors that influence their local distribution .................................................. 75 5.6.4 Breeding behaviour ........................................................................................ 76 5.6.5 Ecosystem services provided by dung beetles ............................................... 77 5.7 STUDY AIMS ................................................................................................... 78 CHAPTER 6 HOW DUNG BEETLE ASSEMBLAGES ARE AFFECTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ACROSS RECLAIMED MINED SITES IN EMALAHLENI. ......................................................... 79 6.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 79 6.2 METHODS ...................................................................................................... 81 6.2.1 Study taxa ...................................................................................................... 81 6.2.2 Study sites ..................................................................................................... 82 6.2.3 Dung beetle sampling .................................................................................... 83 6.2.4 Environmental variables ................................................................................. 84 6.2.5 Data analysis ................................................................................................. 84 6.3 RESULTS ....................................................................................................... 85 6.3.1 Dung beetle assemblage ..............................................................................
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