Influence of microsites on redevelopment of vegetation on coalmine spoils in a dry tropical environment

Abstract

An age series of mine spoils (5, 10, 12, 16 and 20 years old) in a dry tropical environment was studied to assess the impact of different microsites (substrate conditions) on physico-chemical and biological characteristics of spoils, and on species composition and plant biomass levels. Impact of microsites, even after 20 years of soil and vegetation redevelopment, remained important. Undulating surface and flat surface microsites showed more or less a similar behaviour after 20 years of succession and were better habitats than slope and coalpatch margin microsites for plant growth. The present study indicated that microsite conditions should be taken into consideration in any revegetation programme and desired natural colonizing species of even higher successional order may be used to accelerate the natural revegetation process according to the post-mining land use objectives. © 1992 Academic Press Limited.