Abstract
High-intensity mining of coal can seriously influence groundwater resources and the ecological environment of grasslands near the mines and in the mining areas. A soil water flow model was established using field measurements and numerical simulation based on soil water in the Baorixile open-pit mine area to elucidate the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of soil water content in grassland vadose zones in arid and semi-arid climate regions. Soil water content in the grassland area and the waste dump area of the mine were compared under different conditions by changing the soil structure and humus thickness. The soil water content in the study area was higher from April to September, but lower from October to March. After soil reconstruction, the soil water content of the waste dump area of the mine was improved at a burial depth of 0–50 cm, which was more conducive to the growth of plants. The responsiveness of the reconstructed waste dump to atmospheric precipitation and evaporation was less than that of the original grassland due to the water-blocking effect of the clay layer, which hindered the recharge of groundwater by precipitation infiltration. Humus with a thickness of 70 cm in the grassland area had better water retention, while it was 50 cm in the waste dump. These results provide a theoretical basis and technical support for sustainable development and ecological restoration in ecologically fragile areas.
摘要
高强度的煤炭开采会严重影响矿井和矿区附近的地下水资源和草地生态环境。为阐 明干旱-半干旱气候区草地包气带土壤含水量分布特征及其影响因素，以宝日希勒露天矿区 土壤水分为研究对象，采用野外实测和数值模拟相结合的方法，建立了土壤水分流动模 型，比较不同土壤结构和腐殖质厚度条件下矿山草地和排土场土壤含水量。研究区土壤含 水量 4 月~ 9 月较高，10 月 ~次年 3 月较低。土壤重构后，矿山排土场埋深 0 ~ 50 cm 处的 土壤含水量提高，更有利于植物的生长。由于黏土层的阻水作用阻碍了降水入渗对地下水 的补给，重建排土场对大气降水和蒸发的影响小于原本的草地。草地覆盖有厚度为 70 cm 的腐殖质时具有较好的保水性，而排土场覆盖有厚度为 50 cm 的腐殖质时具有较好的保水 性。研究结果为生态脆弱区的可持续发展和生态修复提供了理论依据和技术支撑。
Zusammenfassung
Ein intensiver Kohleabbau kann die Grundwasserressourcen und die ökologische Umwelt von Grünland in Betriebsumfeld und in Bergbaurevieren ernsthaft beeinträchtigen. Mit Hilfe von Feldmessungen und numerischen Simulationen wurde ein Bodenwasserströmungsmodell auf der Grundlage des Bodenwassers im Baorixile-Tagebaugebiet erstellt, um die Verteilungsmerkmale und Einflussfaktoren des Bodenwassergehalts in den vadosen Zonen von Grünland in ariden und semiariden Klimaregionen zu ermitteln. Der Bodenwassergehalt im Grünlandgebiet und im Haldengebiet des Tagebaus wurde unter verschiedenen Bedingungen verglichen, indem die Bodenstruktur und die Humusdicke verändert wurden. Der Bodenwassergehalt im Untersuchungsgebiet war von April bis September höher, von Oktober bis März jedoch niedriger. Nach dem Wiederaufbau des Bodens verbesserte sich der Bodenwassergehalt des Haldengeländes des Tagebaus in einer Tiefe von 0-50 cm, was dem Wachstum der Pflanzen förderlich war. Die Reaktionsfähigkeit der sanierten Halde auf atmosphärische Niederschläge und Verdunstung war geringer als die des ursprünglichen Grünlands, was auf die wassersperrende Wirkung der Tonschicht zurückzuführen war, die die Grundwasserneubildung durch Niederschlagsinfiltration behinderte. Humus mit einer Mächtigkeit von 70 cm auf der Grünlandfläche hatte ein besseres Wasserrückhaltevermögen, gegenüber dem auf der Abraumhalde mit 50 cm. Diese Ergebnisse bieten eine theoretische Grundlage und technische Unterstützung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung und ökologische Wiederherstellung in ökologisch fragilen Gebieten.
Resumen
La minería de carbón de alta intensidad puede influir gravemente en los recursos de agua subterránea y el ambiente ecológico de las praderas cercanas a las minas y de las zonas mineras. Se estableció un modelo de flujo del agua del suelo utilizando medidas de campo y simulaciones numéricas basadas en el agua del suelo en el área de la mina a cielo abierto de Baorixile para dilucidar las características de distribución y los factores que influyen en el contenido de agua del suelo en las zonas vadosas de las praderas en regiones de clima árido y semiárido. Se comparó el contenido de agua del suelo en las zonas de praderas y de escombreras de la mina en diferentes condiciones, cambiando la estructura del suelo y el espesor del humus. El contenido de agua del suelo en la zona estudiada fue mayor de abril a septiembre, pero menor de octubre a marzo. Tras la reconstrucción del suelo, el contenido de agua del suelo en la zona de escombreras mejoró a una profundidad de 0-50 cm, lo que resultó más propicio para el crecimiento de las plantas. La capacidad de respuesta de la escombrera reconstruida a las precipitaciones atmosféricas y a la evaporación fue menor que la de la pradera original debido al efecto de bloqueo de agua de la capa de arcilla, que dificultaba la recarga del agua subterránea por infiltración de precipitaciones. El humus, con un espesor de 70 cm en la zona de pradera tenía una mejor retención de agua, mientras que en las escombreras era de 50 cm. Estos resultados proporcionan una base teórica y un apoyo técnico para el desarrollo sostenible y la restauración ecológica en zonas ecológicamente frágiles.
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The data that support the findings of this study are available, upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the financial support of Green, Intelligent and Safe Mining for Coal Resources (Grant 52121003). We also thank the China Meteorological Data Service Center for providing the 2019 meteorological data for Baorixile and the Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural & Animal Husbandry Sciences for providing the optimum soil water content of the vegetation in Hulunbeier.
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State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, 52121003, Wenfeng Du.
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Fig. S-1 a Pressure heads and b soil water content at different depths of the grassland area. Supplementary file1 (PDF 1247 KB)
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Fig. S-2 a Pressure heads and b soil water content at different depths in the waste dump area. Supplementary file2 (PDF 1266 KB)
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Zhang, S., Du, W., Chen, L. et al. Spatial–Temporal Distribution and Factors Influencing the Soil Vadose Zone Water Content in Mining-Area Grasslands. Mine Water Environ 42, 449–459 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-023-00944-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10230-023-00944-4