The Biomass Amount of Spontaneous Vegetation Concerning the Abiotic Habitat Conditions in Coal Mine Heaps as Novel Ecosystems

Abstract

Biomass, primarily derived from photosynthesizing plants harnessing solar energy, is crucial for ecosystem func - tioning and diverse services. This study delved into the unique ecosystem of coal mine heaps, exploring unex - pected relations between abiotic factors and biomass in spontaneous vegetation. Biomass quantity and quality are influenced by such factors as plant photosynthesis efficiency, necessitating an understanding of dynamics on post-mining sites. The conducted investigation focused on diverse spontaneous vegetation on coal mine heaps, analyz - ing abiotic conditions such as soil texture, water holding capacity, pH, electrical conductivity, nitrogen, carbon, magnesium, sodium, and acidity. Contrary to the adopted hypothesis, nitrogen content negatively correlates with soil total nitrogen, carbon, and water holding capacity. However, the biomass of dominant plant species positively correlates with available phosphorus, pH, calcium, and sodium. These unexpected relationships highlight biomass dynamics complexity in novel ecosystems on coal mine heaps, stressing the need to consider spontaneous vegeta - tion biomass as a valuable resource and ecosystem service in urban-industry landscapes. The obtained findings ex - pand scientific inquiry and have practical implications for post-industrial area reclamation. Understanding biomass potential in identified vegetation types provides insights into biomass character on coal mine heaps, crucial for maximizing spontaneous vegetation potential and transforming post-industrial landscape reclamation approaches.