1. Restoration Ecology
Published on behalf of the Society for Ecological Restoration International
Edited by:
Edith B. Allen
Print ISSN: 1061-2971
Online ISSN: 1526-100X
Frequency: Quarterly
Current Volume: 12
ISI Journal Citation Reports® Ranking: 2003: 75/105 (Ecology)
Impact Factor: 0.842
Table of Contents > Issue > Abstract
Volume 12: Issue 2
An Analysis of Vegetation Restoration on Opencast Oil Shale Mines in Estonia
Margus Pensa
Arne Sellin
Aarne Luud
Ingo Valgma
Abstract
We compared four types of 30-year-old forest stands growing on spoil of opencast oil shale
mines in Estonia. The stand types were: (1) natural stands formed by spontaneous succession,
and plantations of (2) Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine), (3) Betula pendula (silver birch), and (4)
Alnus glutinosa (European black alder). In all stands we measured properties of the tree layer
(species richness, stand density, and volume of growing stock), understory (density and
species richness of shrubs and tree saplings), and ground vegetation (aboveground biomass,
species richness, and species diversity). The tree layer was most diverse though sparse in the
natural stands. Understory species richness per 100-m plot was highest in the natural stand,
but total stand richness was equal in the natural and alder stands, which were higher than the
birch and pine stands. The understory sapling density was lower than 50 saplings/100 m in
the plantations, while it varied between 50 and 180 saplings/100 m in the natural stands.
Growing stock volume was the least in natural stands and greatest in birch stands. The
aboveground biomass of ground vegetation was highest in alder stands and lowest in the pine
stands. We can conclude that spontaneous succession promotes establishment of diverse
vegetation. In plantations the establishment of diverse ground vegetation depends on planted
tree species.
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Article Type: Original Article
Page range: 200 - 206