Fruit Trees and Bushes As a Biodiversity Element in the “Górażdże” Quarry Reclaimed Areas
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Journal of Ecological Engineering Received: 2018.10.10 Revised: 2018.11.15 Volume 20, Issue 3, March 2019, pages 24–29 Accepted: 2019.01.13 Available online: 2019.01.20 https://doi.org/10.12911/22998993/99307 Fruit Trees and Bushes as a Biodiversity Element in the “Górażdże” Quarry Reclaimed Areas Katarzyna Łuczak1, Grzegorz Kusza1*, Daria Słonina2 , Krystyna Borecka1 1 Institute of Environmental Protection and Development, University of Opole, Oleska 22, 45-052 Opole, Poland 2 Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Bolesława Prusa 53/55, 50-317 Wrocław, Poland * Corresponding author’s e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT The assumption of biological land reclamation in the forest direction is to introduce trees and shrubs on the re- claimed area so as to bring it as close as possible to the natural state based on the species characteristic for forest communities. While assessing the concept of biodiversity resulting from the naturalistic approach to the forest as a timeless good, it is necessary to take into account the diversity of plantings used and their multifunctionality. One of the functions is to designate crops for utility purposes, by creating a natural undergrowth, birdhouses, forest fringe plantings and enclaves of edible fruit plants. As part of the research, implementing the biodiversity of mid- forest plantings in the post-mining areas of the “Górażdże” Limestone Mine (Opolskie Voivodeship), the focus was put on the natural renewal of the tree stand with the admixture of fruiting plants. The application of fruit tree and shrub plantings on relatively small areas allowed the creation of areas of high biodiversity on the recultivated monoculture grounds. The results of the research revealed a relatively high efficiency of the planted trees and shrubs regardless of the existing habitat conditions. The following species had the best health status throughout the vegetation period: apple-tree, common pear, briar-rose, blackthorn and singleseed hawthorn. The use of fruit tree and shrub plantings will contribute, on the one hand, to reducing the costs of reclamation, which is a measur- able effect for the mine manager, and strengthening the ecological potential of the new biotope created under the conditions of strong anthropogenic pressure on the other. Keywords: opencast limestone mine, internal dump, forest reclamation, biocenotic species, health condition of trees INTRODUCTION to restore areas to use but also to create entirely new ecosystems. Afforestation or water methods The constantly growing demand for mineral are most frequently used for the post lime quarries resources causes expansive exploitation of depos- areas. While using afforestation, it is important to its, which results in permanent changes to many recreate soils, thanks to the technical and biologi- areas. Drastic changes occur in landscape, natural cal reclamation method. Its first stage is based environment and, most of all, the land morphol- on the melioration/improvement of chemical and ogy [Baran and Turski 1996; Karczewska 2008]. physical characteristics of the soil [Strzyszcz The radical changes result, among others, from 2003; Strzyszcz and Harabin 2004; Pietrzykowski changing areas into open pits as well as the created 2008]. The next stage involves shaping the select- external dumps. The organised activities aiming ed soil generating processes, by using trees. This at reclamation of post-mining areas were initiated results in the emergence of a productive soil layer, already in the mid-1950s. The pioneering form which includes the main component, i.e. humus. of land reclamation was afforestation, which cur- The important element, which conditions the rently covers over 60% of all post-mining areas biological reclamation is the appropriate selec- [Krzaklewski 2017; Dulewski and Madej 2002; tion of tree and bush types, taking into consid- Strzyszcz and Harabin 2004]. The development eration the existing settlement area and microcli- of reclamation methods and techniques allowed mate. While assessing the concept of biodiversity, 24 Journal of Ecological Engineering Vol. 20(3), 2019 which results from the naturalistic approach to Rosa canina, cherry plum Prunus cerasifera, buck- the forest as a timeless benefit, one should also thorn Rhamnus catharicus, rowan Sorbus aucu- emphasise both the importance of plantings as the paria, black elder Sambucus nigra, single-seeded future timber source but also an important bio- hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, common hazel cenotic role. The main assumption of biological Corylus avellana, wild apple Malus domestica, reclamation by afforestation is to introduce trees common pear Pyrus communis. The proposed and bushes to an area in the way most closely tree and bush species are characterised by low resembling a natural forest ecosystem, based on environmental requirements, they are mainly pho- the existing habitat conditions. The new approach tophilous, grow well in dry or moderately moist in the process of selection of the types of plants clay, stone or sandy soils; they are also resistant to introduced during afforestation is the use of fruit- droughts and frost. The main body of the research bearing trees and bushes. The introduced bioce- included the assessment of the suitability of plant- notic types shall have a positive impact on the ings and the condition of trees and bushes after 1, animal fodder accessibility, mainly birds and in- 2, 3 and 5 months from the planting date. sects, considerably increasing the biocenotic im- Additionally, an analysis of the selected phys- portance of the reclaimed areas [Strzyszcz 1995; ical and chemical characteristics of experimental Krzaklewski and Pietrzykowski 2007]. fields was carried out. The soil samples taken in The main aim of the carried out research was the spring of 2016 from the depth of 0–30 cm an attempt to increase the flora diversity in the were brought to air-dry condition, homogenised after-closure areas of the “Górażdże” limestone in a mortar and passed through a 2.0 mm sieve. quarry, by introducing fruit-bearing trees and The material was separated into skeletal (grains bushes within a biological reclamation project. with diameter over 2 mm) and coarse sand (grains with diameter 1.0–2.0 mm). The Soil samples were taken in the summer THE OBJECT OF RESEARCH of 2016 from the depths of 0–10 and 10–30 cm. The samples were dried, homogenized and then The “Górażdże” limestone quarry is located sieved. The samples were also divided into a in the north of Opole province (Poland); 90% few sections: elements larger than 2 mm, ele- of the deposit area is located in the commune ments sized 1.0–2.0 mm. In the section where of Gogolin. The quarry lies in the area of the elements were smaller than 1.0 mm, aerometric state forests holding held by the forest district Casagrand’s method with Proszynski’s modifi- Strzelce Opolskie and the lands of Górażdże cation was used to determine the granulometric village. Three experimental fields with an aver- composition of the sample. The fractions larger age area of 20 ares, situated in external dumps than 0.1 mm were determined granulometirically with various habitat conditions, were selected by using sieve and water method. The following for the study [Mapa Sozologiczna Polski 1996]. chemical characteristics were also determined: Field I was located in a fresh dump made dur- (1) saltiness by conductometric method based on ing technical reclamation work, and there was electrolytic conductivity of water-soil mixture no turf. Field II was established in the older part in weight proportion soil/water 1:5; (2) pH in of the dump (3 years old) with 60% turf made up H2O and KCl by potentiometer (weight propor- mainly of dicotyledonous and monocotyledon- tion soil/water 1 : 2.5); (3) total organic carbon ous plants, whereas field III was located on the spectrophotometrically using the Analyzer Multi 5 years old dump with over 70% of turf. N / C 3100 with a combustion furnace HT 1300; (4) absorbable forms of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium by the methods of Egner-Riehm MATERIALS AND METHODS and Schachtschabel; (5) nitrogen content using the Kjeldahl method. Planting of the selected fruit-bearing plants was carried out in the set out fields in March 2016, in small, mixed clusters, taking into consideration RESULTS the aspect of plants growth and their competition across species. Experimental fields had the same The granulometric composition defines the species composition: sloe Prunus spinosa, rosehip degree of fragmentation of the soil mass, which 25 Journal of Ecological Engineering Vol. 20(3), 2019 considerably influences the soils characteristics. values from 92 to 151 µS.cm-1. The low con- The analysis of granulometric structure of the tent of nutrients (phosphorus, potassium, mag- samples taken from experimental fields (accord- nesium, nitrogen) also indicates the lack of the ing to the PTG 2009 criteria)[Particle size distri- nutrition elements indispensable for growth and bution and textural classes of soils and mineral development (Table 2). materials – classification of Polish Society of Soil The most efficient plantings in field I were Science 2008], showed that initial soils are built achieved in the following species: wild apple Ma- by strongly skeletal forms, in particular in field I lus domestica, cherry plum Prunus cerasifera, and II (Table 1). Mineral clay forms were pres- single-seeded hawthorn Crataegus monogyna ent in all experimental surfaces: light (field II), and rosehip Rosa canina (over 90%) (Fig. 1). sandy-loam (field III) and normal (field I). This Very low efficiency, only 20%, was recorded confirms the occurrence of relatively difficult set- in the case of common hazel Corylus avellana. tling conditions for the development and growth Moreover, little differentiation of plantings ef- of root systems, in particular in field I. ficiency in different months was observed for The analysis results of the material taken single-seeded hawthorn Crataegus monogyna from the studied surfaces show differentiated and wild apple Malus domestica.