Long-Term Vegetation Changes and Socioeconomic Effects of River Engineering in Industrialized Areas (Southern Poland).

The exploitation of mineral resources associated with human mining activities leads to the degradation of both terrestrial and aquatic biocenotic systems. The drastic disturbance of water relations as a result of the relocation of the riverbed of the Biala Przemsza River (southern Poland) for coal and filler sand mining will lead to changes in plant ecosystems. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the diversity and distribution of vegetation in the Biala Przemsza valley in sections of channel straightening with the old riverbed and areas undisturbed by engineering works against the background of land use in temporal and spatial aspects. The results of the ecological and phytosociological studies showed that the composition of flora and vegetation types varied. Within the transformed riverbed, anthropogenic mixed forests with species characteristic of different ecological systems are developing, whereas the non-regulated section of the river is overgrown by an alder riparian forest with an almost complete species composition for this plant community. The highest Simpson's biodiversity index was found in the anthropogenically disturbed section of the river (0.86), and in the undisturbed section, it was 0.83. Both sections of the river were dominated by species of the family Compositae, Poaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Rosaceae and Apiaceae. The diversity of the flora in the transformed sections of the valley is determined by the presence of mosaics and microhabitats, as well as the nature of the surrounding vegetation, which is reflected in the ecological requirements of the flora concerning light preference (moderate light [56.25%]), and almost 90% of the flora from the area of the regulated section of the valley develops on humus-poor and mineral-humus soils. Although this area has lost its original natural function, it is now valuable for selected economic and social functions, especially in highly urbanized regions.

The Perception of Urban Forests in Post-Mining Areas: A Case Study of Sosnowiec-Poland.

Sustainable development policy emphasizes, among other things, the role of green areas in urban space. This remark applies in particular to post-industrial and post-mining cities. One of the elements of shaping the sustainable development of post-mining cities is that forests are often anthropogenic forest ecosystems growing in previously mining areas, one of the most characteristic elements of their spatial development. This article examines the role of urban forests in the post-mining area in Sosnowiec, located in the core of the Katowice conurbation in southern Poland. This article aimed to show the social perception of forests in post-mining areas among the local community and the features of urban forests. The social dimension of the interaction between humans and the environment is related to the issue of urban planning. Research was implemented based on quantitative, qualitative (CATI survey), and cartographic methods. The results indicate the significant role of forests in post-mining areas depending on their location in the settlement areas in a post-industrial city. The research emphasizes that residents perceive forests in post-mining areas of cities as an essential and expected recreational space. Notably, half of them do not see any threats therein. It is also expected that these areas will be better developed for recreational purposes in the future.

Vegetation and Environmental Changes on Contaminated Soil Formed on Waste from an Historic Zn-Pb Ore-Washing Plant.

Post-mining waste from Zn-Pb ore exploitation undergoes processes of spontaneous succession and changes in soil chemical composition. The Zakawie area was industrially transformed by historical mining activity, ore enrichment, and the metallurgical processing of Zn-Pb ore. The subject of the study was to analyse the rate of vegetation succession (from 1999 to 2019), soil chemistry, and the relationships between them in an anthropogenic habitat with high concentrations of potentially toxic metals. Ecological and geochemical studies were carried out in an area contaminated with waste from a disused Zn-Pb ore-washing plant. Between 1999 and 2019, the transformation of grassland and meadow vegetation into scrub and forest-grassland communities was observed. This transformation led to a decrease in the area of Molinietum caeruleae meadow (from 25.8% in 1999 to 10.7% in 2019), whose place was taken by Prunus spinosa and Rhamnus cathartica. The community of xerothermic limestone grasslands completely disappeared, being replaced in favour of the Diantho-Armerietum and Prunus spinosa community. In this period, the share of lifeforms of plants and species composition (46 and 60, respectively) also changed. The Shannon and Simpson biodiversity index reached high values in the second investigation period, and it was 0.893 and 0.86, respectively. The anthrosols had a high content of Zn-85,360 mg kg-1, Pb-28,300 mg kg-1, Cd-340 mg kg-1, and As-1200 mg kg-1. Carbonates, clay minerals, and fe-oxides are predominant in the mineral composition of the rhizosphere; the metal-bearing phases are stable; and hardly soluble minerals include smithsonite, cerussite, monheimite, hemimorphite, and oxides of Fe and Fe-Mn. Mineralisation/crust processes formed on the epidermis, and their influences on root development were found. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy studies on rhizosphere soil components provide information on the type of minerals and their susceptibility to heavy metals release. The identification of some biotic and mineral structures in rhizospheres can be an interesting source of information on pedogenic processes identified in back-scattered electron images.

Vegetation- and Environmental Changes on Non-Reclaimed Spoil Heaps in Southern Poland.

The study focused on the changes in vegetation and soils on an undeveloped area of coal mine spoil heaps. The process of vegetation changes was evaluated on the basis of historical cartographic materials and fieldwork. Changes of vegetation in nearly 200 years are presented herein. The main purpose of this study is to present an analysis of spatio-temporal changes in vegetation and their influence on soil features. The diversity of ecological species in terms of habitat requirements, tendency of hornbeam communities formation, and the relationship between forest communities and soil features was found. The basic soil properties were examined under selected plant communities (pH, Corg, Nt), available forms of elements (P, K, Mg), and as plant nutrients and heavy metal occurrence (Fe, Zn, Mn, Co, Cd, Pb, Sr, Cr, Cu). The soil organic carbon (Corg) content varied from 3.17 ± 0.007% to 17.7 ± 0.21% and significant differences were observed between sites. The highest total nitrogen (Nt) content was recorded in the soils of the sites that were represented by Populus-Betula stands (0.60 ± 0.01%). Soil acidity (pH) varied greatly, ranging from acidic (pH = 4.1) to weakly acidic (pH = 5.9). The highest value for Mgavail (205.43 ± 0.5 mg·kg-1) was noted in the soils under Calamagrostis epegijos (L.) Roth community and for Pavail (184.07 ± 3.77) and Kavail (346.19 ± 2.92 mg·kg-1) under the Quercus-Pinus stand. On all sites, Zn was a dominant element and its concentration ranged from 526.1 to 1060.4 mg·kg-1. Obtained results show how important it is to study the issue of vegetation changes and the formation of the landscape within an industrial city. The described results are important for the management of urban greening issues. Human influence on the disintegration and development of the natural environment is clearly visible. Due to the diversity of former mining areas and their time of creation, the studied area is one of the most important experimental areas for the determination link between vegetation and soil.