Selection of tolerant plant species and artificial facilitation for ecological restoration of the abandoned coal mines

In order to realize ecological restoration of the abandoned coal mines, tolerant species to coal mining debris were selected from field survey and experimental study. Tolerant species were selected by dividing into tree, shrub, and herb species by hypothesizing multilayer forest in the future. Plant species that showed high frequency more than 50% in the sites with environmental condition similar to the coal mine spoils such as outcrop, talus, and so on, and were invaded naturally and thereby flourished in the coal mine spoils, were selected as tolerant plant species. Plants composing native pine and oak communities such as Pinus, Quercus, ³À½]" />Betula, Fraxinus, Juniperus, Lindera, Lespedeza, Rhododendron, etc. fall under the category. Experimental study revealed that C₄ plants showed highest tolerance and legumes followed. Organic fertilizer, which was applied for substrate facilitation, functioned in a feasible ameliorator of the coal mining debris by increasing pH, nutrient contents, and plant growth. Dolomite showed different ameliorating effects depending on plant species. Tolerant species, which were selected by field survey and experimental study, showed high survival rate in field. Treatment of organic fertilizer in field increased chlorophyll content of sample plants and coverage of undergrowths. Above mentioned results proved that introduction of tolerant species and application of organic fertilizer could be a promising method to transform the abandoned coal mines as a barren site into a normal forest ecosystem. Based on the ecological information obtained from field survey and experimental study, ecological restoration settings were practiced in field. Such a restoration practice revealed restoration effects by increasing the similarity of species composition to the reference stands and the species diversity, and improving physico-chemical properties of soil.