Potential for carbon sequestration in reclaimed mine soil on reforested surface mining areas in Poland

Reclaimed mine soils (RMS) which develop on post-mining sites play significant role in Carbon sequestration in new ecosystems, especially in local range on areas disturbed by human activity. This study presents the potential for Carbon sequestration in RMS developing on 3 post sur- face mining areas in Poland (Central Europe) reforested with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L). Research was conducted on waste heaps and quarry which accompany open cast lignite, sul- fur, and sand mining. Control plots were arrang- ed in managed pine forests on natural sites in the surrounding area. The results shows high Carbon accumulation in RMS, estimated on 16.77 Mg?ha-1 in poor (oligotrofic) soils on Quaternary sands on sand quarry and up to 65.03 Mg?ha-1 on external waste heap after Sulfur sur- face mining exploitation on Quaternary sands mixed with Tertiary clays. These results were very similar to natural forest soils on control plots. Potential rate of Carbon sequestration in RMS was estimated on 0.73 (on the poorest sa- ndy soils on quarry) to 2.17 Mg?ha-1?yr-1 (on potentially abundant sandy-clayish soils on Sulfur waste heap), and 5.26 Mg?ha-1?yr-1 (on Tertiary sands substrate soils on lignite mining waste heap). In conslusion the average Carbon accu- mulation in RMS was estimated on 41 Mg?ha-1 and Carbon sequestration rate was 1.45 Mg? ha-1?yr-1. According to the result of this study and range of post-mining areas reclaimed to forestry in Poland (ca 15000 ha) total Carbon accumulation in RMS was estimated on 615 × 103 Mg and potential Carbon sequestration rate in new ecosystems on 21.75 × 103 Mg?ha-1?yr-1. However, the main factors affecting Carbon sequestration and protection in RMS under tree stand were substrate, percentage of clay and silt sized fraction, in order to formulate guidelines for sustainable management of post-mining ec- osystem, further study must be continue for be- tter understanding.

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) ecosystem macronutrients budget on reclaimed mine sites—stand trees supply and stability

The aim of this study was to determine the sources, accumulation rate and relationships between macronutrients in reclaimed mine soils (RMS) and aboveground plant biomass on external slopes of lignite mines in central Poland. The study was conducted on two different types of sites with 10-year-old Scots (Pinus sylvestris L.) pine stands located on Quaternary loamy sands (QLS) and on Tertiary acidic carboniferous sands following neutralisation (TCS). The control plot was located in the same vicinity on an external slope in a natural pine ecosystem on a Haplic Podzol in a young mixed coniferous forest habitat (NPE). The nutrient resources, apart from N, were higher in RMS than in comparable Haplic Podzols, however, N primarily accumulated in the mineral horizons. In forest soils, the main macronutrient resources were accumulated in organic horizons, which in natural soils of coniferous forest habitats constitute the main source of nutrients. The proportion of individual macronutrients accumulated in the biomass vs. pools in soil was much lower on the external slope RMS than in the natural site, which in view of the potential richness of RMS, indicated poorer sorption and utilization of macronutrients in aboveground plant biomass than in natural habitats. Other important linear correlations (p = .05) were found between the sources of nutrients in RMS and elements accumulated in biomass (most clearly in case of K, Ca and Mg), which indicates important relationships between soil and vegetation in the first stages of ecosystem development as stimulated by reclamation.

Ecophysiological aspects of in vitro biotechnological studies using somatic embryogenesis of callus tissue toward protecting forest ecosystems

This review on current biotechnological methods in forestry for in vitro tissue cultures to define the effect of stress conditions on trees,concentrates on somatic embryogenesis.Callus tissue,the key product of somatic embryogenesis,grows over a tree wound under ex vitro conditions.Callus tissue can be used in research in areas such as pathogenic susceptibility at the embryonic level,effect of heavy metals,influence of low temperatures(cryopreservation),production of secondary metabolites and transformation of plants.Callus of arborescent plants can be induced in vitro by fungal elicitors to produce secondary metabolites for pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries and are strongly repellant to herbivores and can thus act to protect forests.Analyses of dual cultures demonstrated that callus tissue exposed to a pathogenic fungus responds by synthesizing low-molecular-mass proteins belonging to an immune protein class.Cryopreservation of embryonic callus tissue also has broad applications,e.g.,for valuable plant genotypes in gene banks.Without strategies to protect forests against stressfactors,forest ecosystems will degrade to the detriment of all life,including humans.In vitro biotechnological research using callus tissue contributes to progress in forestry and the disciplines of ecology,physiology,phytopathology,culture and selection of plants.

Soil quality index as a tool for Scots pine(Pinus sylvestris) monoculture conversion planning on afforested,reclaimed mine land

In Central Europe, a large portion of post-mining sites were afforested with Scots pine, which is characterized by good adaptability and a tolerance for poor habitat at the beginning of forest ecosystem development. Conversion of monoculture on mine sites into more biodi- verse mixed hardwood forests, especially on more fertile deposits, can be an emerging need in this part of Europe in next decades. The ability to classify the forests at these post-mining sites will facilitate proper species selection as well as the management and formation of the developed ecosystem＇s stability. This work describes the guidelines that can be followed to assess reclaimed mine soil （RMS） quality, using the mine soil quality index （MSQI） and a classification of developed forest sites as a basis of tree-stand species selection and conversion of pine monocul- tures. The research was conducted on four post-mining facilities （lignite, hard coal, sulphur, and sand pit mining areas） on different RMS sub- strates dominant in Central Europe. Soil quality assessment takes into account the following features of the soil： texture soil nutrients （Ca, Mg, K, Na, P）; acidity （pH KC1）; and Corg-to-Nt ratio in the initial organic horizon. An analysis was conducted of classification systems using the MSQI validation correlation （at p =0.05） with vegetation features af- fected by succession： aboveground biomass of forest floor and ecological indicators of vascular plants （calculated on the basis of EUenberg＇s （2009） system）. Eventually, in the analysed data set, the MSQI ranged from 0.270 for soils on quaternary sands to 0.720 for a mix of quaternary loamy sands with neogene clays. Potential forest habitat types and the role of the pine in the next generation of tree stands on different RMS parent rock substrate were proposed.

Carbon sink potential and allocation in above-and below-ground biomass in willow coppice

This research estimates carbon sink and allocation in above-and below-ground biomass of a 12-year-old willow coppice plantation on fl uvisol soil near the Vistula River(southern Poland).The plantation showed high C sink potential and sequestration rates.C sequestration by aboveground biomass was estimated at 10.8 Mg C ha^−1 a^−1.Accumulation in coarse roots was estimated at 1.5 Mg C ha^−1 a^−1 and in fi ne roots at 1.2 Mg C ha^−1 a^−1.Total C sequestered(above-ground biomass,coarse roots and fi ne roots)was estimated at 13.5 Mg C ha^−1 a^−1.These results confi rm the potential of fast-growing plantations of willow to mitigate,over a short time span,the eff ects of high CO 2 concentrations.

Preliminary assessment of growth and survival of green alder(Alnus viridis), a potential biological stabilizer on fly ash disposal sites

This paper presents preliminary assessment of seedling survival and growth of green alder（Alnus viridis（Chaix） DC. in Lam. ＆ DC.） planted on fly ash disposal sites. This kind of post-industrial site is extremely hard to biologically stabilize without top-soiling. The experiment started with surface preparation using NPK start-up mineral fertilizer at 60–36–36 kg ha-1followed by initial stabilization through hydro-seeding with biosolids（sewage sludge 4 Mg ha-1dry mass） and a mixture of grasses（Dactylis glomerata L. and Lolium multiflorum Lam.）（200 kg ha-1）. Subsequently, three-years-old green alder seedlings were planted in plots on two substrate variants：the control（directly on combustion waste） and plots with3 dm3 lignite culm from a nearby mine introduced into the planting pit. Five years of preliminary monitoring show good survival seedling rates and growth parameters（height（h）, average increase in height（Dh）, number of shoots（L o）and leaf nitrogen supply in the fly ash disposal habitat.Treatment of the site with a combination of lignite culm in planting pits and preliminary surface preparation by hydroseeding and mineral fertilization had the most positive effect on green alder seedling parameters. The results indicate that it is possible and beneficial to use green alder for biological stabilization on fly ash disposal sites.