Abstract
This study performed on randomly selected seven sample plots in leguminous black locust (Robinia pceudoacacia L.) plantations and five sample plots in umbrella pine (Pinus pinea L.) plantations on coal mine soil/spoils. Soil samples were taken from eight different soil depths (0–1, 1–3, 3–5, 5–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–40, and 40–50 cm) into the soil profile. On soil samples, bulk density, fine soil fraction (Ø < 2 mm), sand, silt and clay rates, soil acidity (pH), organic carbon (Corg), and total nitrogen (Nt) contents were investigated. Also, some forest floor properties (unit mass, organic matter, and total nitrogen) were determined, and results were compared statistically between umbrella pine and black locust. As a result, 17 years after plantations, total forest floor accumulation determined as 6,107 kg ha − 1 under black locust compared to 13,700 kg ha − 1 under umbrella pine. The more rapid transformation of leguminous black locust forest floor creates organic carbon that migrates further into the mineral profile, and rapid accumulation of C and N in the soil profile was registered. Slower transformation processes of forest floor under umbrella pine result in lower soil N ratio and greater quantity of forest floor. Higher soil pH under leguminous black locust was determined significantly than umbrella pine. In conclusion, the composition of symbiotic nitrogen fixation of black locust appears to be a possible factor favoring carbon and nitrogen accumulation and, consequently, soil development. Clearly, both tree species have favorable impacts on initial soil formation. The umbrella pine generates the more forest floor layer; in contrast, black locust forest floor incorporates into the soil more rapidly and significantly increases soil nitrogen in upper soil layers.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dunger, W., & Voigtländer, K. (2005). Assessment of biological soil quality in wooded reclaimed mine sites. Geoderma, 129, 32–44. doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2004.12.028.
Dutta, R. K., & Agrawal, M. (2003). Restoration of opencast coal mine spoil by planting exotic tree species: A case study in dry tropical region. Ecological Engineering, 21, 143–151. doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2003.10.002.
Filcheva, E., Noustorova, M., Gentcheva-Kostadinova, Sv., & Haigh, M. J. (2000). Organic accumulation and microbial action in surface coal-mine spoils, Pernik, Bulgaria. Ecological Engineering, 15, 1–15. doi:10.1016/S0925-8574(99)00008-7.
Kantarci, M. D. (2000). Soil science. Istanbul (in Turkish). ISBN 975-404-588-7.
Kantarci, M. D., Tecimen, H. B., Bulut, G., & Ozturk, B. (1998). The relationships between substrate (soil) materials and growth of forests planted on spoils of Agacli coal mines. In Proceedings of Kasnak Oak and Turkey Flora Symposium, 21–23 September 1998, İstanbul, pp. 458–479 (in Turkish).
Karaoz, O. (1989a). Laboratory analyze methods of some physical soil properties related to water holding capacity. Review of the Faculty of Forestry. University of Istanbul, 39(B2), 133–144 (in Turkish).
Karaoz, O. (1989b). Analyze methods of some chemical soil properties (pH, carbonates, salinity, organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus). Review of the Faculty of Forestry. University of Istanbul, 39(B3), 64–82 (in Turkish).
Karaoz, O. (1992). Analyze methods of leaves/needles and litter. Review of the Faculty of Forestry, University of Istanbul, 42(B1–2), 57–71 (in Turkish).
Keskin, T. (2007). Some forest floor and soil properties of umbrella pine (Pinus pinea L.) and black locust (Robinia pceudoacacia L.) plantations on mine lands in Agacli–Istanbul. Master of Science thesis, Istanbul University, Science Institute, Istanbul (in Turkish with English summary).
Knoche, D. (2005). Effects of stand conversion by thinning and underplanting on water and element fluxes of a pine ecosystem (P. sylvestris L.) on lignite mine spoil. Forest Ecology and Management, 212, 214–220. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2005.03.038.
Li, M. S. (2006). Ecological restoration of mineland with particular reference to the metalliferous mine wasteland in China: A review of research and practice. The Science of the Total Environment, 357, 38–53. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.05.003.
Miao, Z., & Mars, R. (2000). Ecological restoration and land reclamation in open-cast mines in Shanxi Province, China. Journal of Environmental Management, 59, 205–215. doi:10.1006/jema.2000.0353.
Mummey, D. L., Stahl, P. D., & Buyer, J. S. (2002). Soil microbiological properties 20 years after surface mine reclamation: Spatial analysis of reclaimed and undisturbed sites. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 34, 1717–1725. doi:10.1016/S0038-0717(02)00158-X.
Nicolini, F., & Topp, W. (2005). Soil properties in plantations of sessile oak (Quercus petraea) and red oak (Quercus rubra) in reclaimed lignite open-cast mines of the Rhineland. Geoderma, 129, 65–72. doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2004.12.031.
Reintam, L., Kaar, E., & Roma, I. (2002). Development of soil organic matter under pine on quarry detritus of open-cast oil-shale mining. Forest Ecology and Management, 171, 191–198. doi:10.1016/S0378-1127(02)00472-3.
Rumpel, C. H., Knicker, H., Kögel-Knabner, I., Skjemstad, J. O., & Hüttl, R. F. (1998). Types and chemical composition of organic matter in reforested lignite-rich mine soils. Geoderma, 86, 123–142. doi:10.1016/S0016-7061(98)00036-6.
Sever, H. (2007). Some forest floor and soil properties of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton) plantations on mine lands in Agacli–Istanbul. Master of Science thesis, Istanbul University, Science Institute, Istanbul (in Turkish with English summary).
Shrestha, R. K., & Lal, R. (2006). Ecosystem carbon budgeting and soil carbon sequestration in reclaimed mine soil. Environment International, 32, 781–796. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2006.05.001.
Šourková, M., Frouz, J., & Šantrůčková, H. (2005). Accumulation of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus during soil formation on alder spoil heaps after brown-coal mining, near Sokolov (Czech Republic). Geoderma, 124, 203–214. doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2004.05.001.
Tecimen, H. B. (2005). Effects of release cuttings on the nitrogen cycle and tree growth in maritime maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton.) reforestation stands. Doctorate (dissertation) thesis, Science Institute, Istanbul (in Turkish with English summary).
Wong, M. H. (2003). Ecological restoration of mine degraded soils, with emphasis on metal contaminated soils. Chemosphere, 50, 775–780. doi:10.1016/S0045-6535(02)00232-1.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Keskin, T., Makineci, E. Some soil properties on coal mine spoils reclaimed with black locust (Robinia pceudoacacia L.) and umbrella pine (Pinus pinea L.) in Agacli-Istanbul. Environ Monit Assess 159, 407–414 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0638-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0638-2