Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
full radiation also induces intensive competition by
grasses and herbs (H. Fischer 1998, 1999). Addition-
ally, fencing may be a need for a certain period in those
cases where large populations of wild ungulates,
mainly roe deer (
Capreolus capreolus
) and red deer
(
Cervus elaphus
), are present.
For afforestation measures in the temperate zone of
central China, the reduction of soil erosion is most
important (Box 12.2). The options as well as the limita-
tions of afforestation there are briefl y outlined.
Although climate, soils, species pools and vegetation
history are rather different compared to central Europe,
the main lesson learned in central China is the same as
in central Europe: preference for native, site-adapted
species for reforestion measures.
and only a few or no soil-dwelling microbes, animals
or
propagules
of plants (e.g. seeds or rhizomes). In
such an extreme case, both vegetation development
and forest management start on sterile material at
'point zero' of ecosystem development (Gerwin
et al
.
2009 ).
Reclamation of open - cast mining land following
mine closure is another example. Mining of course is
an important fi eld of economic activity in many coun-
tries. In Germany alone, mining areas account for
0.5% of the total land area (Pfl ug 1998 ). Devastated
areas, particularly following open-cast mining activi-
ties, among which the states with brown coal conveyor
technology are the most important in Europe, are in
need of rebuilding land and ecosystems (Bradshaw
1983 ; H ΓΌ ttl & Weber 2001 ). Existing ecosystems were
destroyed completely, and the removal of the overbur-
den covering the mineral or coal resource changes the
topography and hydrology on a large scale. Afforesta-
tion is a common practice to improve the ecological
situation and the ability to use such lands (Figure
12.9 ). Fast - growing tree species and alley - cropping
plantations conceived as ' energy forests ' have become
widely used in recent years (Bungart
et al
. 2001 ).
After the newly created landscape structure is
mechanically modelled, often soil amelioration is
needed (Heinsdorf 1996). On substrates with low pH,
12.3.5 Reclamation of post-mining
landscapes: starting at point zero
The concept of
reclamation
in restoration ecology
refers to projects addressing the conversion of land
which is perceived as being unutilizable to - or back to
- a productive condition. In forest management it
includes
afforestation
of completely new land, for
example rough sand or stone material (Figure 12.1)
with little or no recent organic material accumulation
Figure 12.9
Post-mining landscape in Germany. Afforestation with
Pinus sylvestris
. (Photograph by H. Fischer.)
