Restoration of soil-vegetation cover and soil microbial community at the Pechurki limestone quarry (Leningrad region, Russia)

• Published in: Soil Science Annual
• Main Authors: Dmitrakova Yanina Aleksandrovna, Rodina Oksana Andreevna, Alekseev Ivan Ilych, Polyakov Vyacheslav Igorevich, Petrova Alina Aleksandrovna, Pershina Ekaterina Vladimirovna, Ivanova Ekaterina Andreevna, Abakumov Evgeny Vasilevich, Kostecki Jakub
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Polish
• Published: Soil Science Society of Poland 2018
• Subjects: soil restoration; reclamation; quarries; diversity of microbial communities; technogenic soils; Agriculture; S; taiga
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2478/ssa-2018-0028; https://doaj.org/article/da28800f12f748a5991cb6fea84eeed3

Due to a significant increase in mining activity and subsequent ecosystem disturbances, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how degraded, unproductive quarries can be converted into new, self-sustaining communities that develop into natural environments. Former limestone quarry was investigated with aim to determine the best reclamation practice for surfaces of former lime rock quarries. Effects of spontaneous succession and forestry reclamation restoration approaches on vegetation and soil features were studied. The study was conducted in one of the largest limestone quarries of the Leningrad region, south taiga region. Species composition and vegetation cover were estimated for different plant communities within each ecotype of the quarry. Also soil characteristics were evaluated at each plot. We found that the main differences between plots were due to their position in the landscape; the most similar communities colonize similar ecotypes. On flat landforms, biodiversity is reduced under biological reclamation. At the sites under spontaneous succession, the level of biodiversity increases. In terms of biodiversity conservation and economic benefit, spontaneous succession is preferable to forestry reclamation for the restoration of carbonate substrates. After examining CO2 emissions from the quarry as a result of weathering of carbonates and soil respiration, as well as the level of CO2 sequestration from the atmosphere, we show that the establishment of certain landscape forms within former quarries can help to reduce atmospheric CO2.