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

Marcin Pietrzykowski, Wojciech Krzaklewski

.

DOI: 10.4236/ns.2010.29124                

Abstract

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.

Keywords

Post-Mining Ecosystem; Reclaimed Mine Soils; Reforestation; Carbon Sequestration

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Shrestha, R.K. and Rattan, L. (2006) Ecosystem carbon budgeting and soil carbon sequestration in reclaimed mine soil. Environment International, 32(6), 781-796.
[2]	Paustian, K., Cole, C.V., Sauerbeck, D. and Sampson, N. (1998) CO2 mitigation by agriculture: An overview. Climate Change, 40, 135-162.
[3]	Brown, S. (2002) Measuring carbon in forests: Current status and future challenge. Environmental Pollution, 116, 363-372.
[4]	Mund, M., Kummetz, E., Hein, M., Bauer, G.A. and Sc- hulze, E.D. (2002) Growth and carbon stocks of a spruce forest chronosequence in central Europe. Forest Ecology and Management, 171, 275-296.
[5]	Davis, M., Allen, R. and Clinton, P. (2003) Carbon storage along a stand development sequence in New Zeland Nothofagus forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 177, 313-321.
[6]	Ritson, P. and Sochacki, S.J. (2003) Measurement and prediction of biomass and carbon content of Pinus pinaster trees in farm forestry plantations, south-western Australia. Forest Ecology and Management, 175, 103-117.
[7]	Pietrzykowski, M. (2008) Macronutrient accumulation and relationships in a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) ecosystem on reclaimed opencast lignite mine spoil he- aps in central Poland. Proceedings of 25th Annual Meeting of ASMR and 10th IALR, “New Opportunities to Apply Our Science”, Richmond VA, 856-877.
[8]	Baumann, K., Rumpelt, A., Schneider, B.U., Marschner, P. and Hüttl, R.F. (2006) Seedling biomass and element content of Pinus sylvestris and Pinus nigra grown in sandy substrates with lignite. Geoderma, 136, 573-578.
[9]	Fober, H. (1993) Nutrient supply. In: Bia?obok, S., Boratyński, A. and Buga?a, W., Eds., Scos Pine Biology, PAN Instytut Dendrologii, Sorous Press, Poznań-Kórnik, 182-193.
[10]	Katzur, J. and Haubold-Rosar, M. (1996) Amelioration and Reforetstaion of sulfurous mine soils in Lusatia (Eastern Germany). Water Air and Soil Pollution, 91, 17-32.
[11]	Strzyszcz, Z. (2004) The soil less reclamation method of the after-industrial areas in Silesian Province achievements and threats. Soil Science Annual, 25(2), 405-418.
[12]	Obmiński, Z. (1970) Overview of ecology. In: Bia?obok, S., Ed., Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris L., Monography, PWN Press, Warszawa-Poznań, 152-231.
[13]	De Vos, B., Van Meirvenne, M., Quataert, P., Deckers, J. and Muys, B. (2005) Predictive Quality of Pedotransfer Functions for Estimating Bulk Density of Forest Soils, Division S-7-Forest, Range & Wildland Soils. Soil Science of America Journal, 69, 500-510.
[14]	Jackson, M.L. (1958) Soil chemical analysis. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
[15]	Ostrowska, S., Gawliński, Z. and Szczubia?ka, Z. (1991) Procedures for soil and plants analysis, in Polish. Institute of Environmental Protection, Warsaw.
[16]	StatSoft, Inc. (2008) STATISTICA (data analysis software system), version 8. http://www.statsoft.com
[17]	FAO-Unesco ISSS-ISRIC (1998) World reference base of soil resources. World Soil Resources Report 84, FAO, Rome.
[18]	De Kovel, C.G.F, Van Mierlo, A.(J.) E.M., Wilms, Y.J.O. and Berendse, F. (2000) Carbon and nitrogen in soil and vegetation at sites differing in successional age. Plant Ecology, 149(1), 43-50.
[19]	Bro?ek, S. and Zwydak, M. (2003) Atlas of forest soils in Poland (Atlas Gleb Le?nych Polski, in Polish), CILP Press, Warsaw.
[20]	Anderson, D.W. (1977) Early stages of soil formation of glacial ill mine spoils in a semiarid climate. Geoderma, 19, 11-19.
[21]	Pietrzykowski, M. and Krzaklewski, W. (2007) Soil organic matter, C and N accumulation during natural succe- ssion and reclamation in an opencast sand quarry (southern Poland). Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 53(5), 473-483.
[22]	Wali, M.K. (1999) Ecological succession and the rehabilitation of disturbed terrestrial ecosystems. Plant and Soil, 213, 195-220.
[23]	Rumpelt, C., K?gel-Knabner, I. and Hüttl, R.F., (1999) Organic matter composition and degree of humification on lignite-rich mine soils under a chronosequence of pine. Plant and Soil, 213, 161-168.
[24]	Ellerbrock, R.H, H?hn, A, Gereke, H.H. (1999) Characterization of soil organic matter from a sandy soil in relation to management practice using FT-IR spectroscopy. Plant and Soil, 213, 55-61.
[25]	Schafer, W.M. and Nielsen, G.A. (1979) Soil development and plant succession on 1- to 50-year old strip mine spoils in south-eastern Montana. In: Wali, M.K. Ed., Ecology and Coal Resources Development, Pergamon, New York, 2, 541-649.