Direct and Indirect Effects of Soil Pollution by Lignite Mining |
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Authors: | Wolfgang Schaaf Reinhard F Hüttl |
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Institution: | (1) Chair of Soil Protection and Recultivation, Brandenburg University of Technology, P.O. Box 101344, D-03013 Cottbus, Germany |
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Abstract: | Lignite mining and processing has caused a pronounced impact both directly and indirectly on soils and ecosystems across large
areas of the former GDR. We studied soils of pine forest ecosystems at sites affected by severe alkaline dust and sulphur
deposition, stemming from lignite fired power plant emission, and at dumped sites from lignite mining. In this paper we summarize
our main results and evaluate the long-term impact of lignite mining and combustion on the environment.
The pine ecosystems on naturally developed soils show a clear effect of deposition history along a former deposition gradient
with distinct changes in chemical properties of organic surface layers and mineral soil as well as in element turnover and
cycling rates.
Afforested sites on mining dumps are directly affected by the composition of the dumped substrates. Over a large area (800
km2) these substrates are dominated by Tertiary sediments with varying amounts of lignitic particles and pyrite that result in
phytotoxic site conditions (pH < 3, high salt and metal contents). High amelioration doses of liming material (up to 200 t
ha−1) were applied for restoration purposes. We studied the development of these sites over a period of 60 years using a false-time
series approach. Beside the extreme soil conditions, element budgets of these sites are characterized by very high element
release rates over decades caused by pyrite oxidation and primary mineral weathering. |
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Keywords: | atmogenic pollution deposition disturbance element budgets element stores forest ecosystems mine soil pyrite restoration Scots pine |
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