Analysis of the vegetation condition on the area of the closed Babina mine in 1989-2019 using multispectral satellite images

Abstract

Technical and biological treatments, aiming at granting or restoring use/natural values of lands degraded by mining operations, are carried out already at the stage of mining works and continue after the end of exploitation. As a result of these activities, area of plant cover increases and condition of vegetation in the former mineral extraction is improved. However, monitoring of post-mining areas in various regions of the world indicates that in the sites of former exploitation local degradation of vegetation may occur, despite the completion of the reclamation process. Adverse changes in flora can be caused for example by water penetrating deep into the ground through the system of underground pavements or their collapsing. The purpose of this publication is to present the changes in the condition of plant cover within the Pustkôw mining field, one of the four fields of the closed lignite “Friendship of Nations - Babina Shaft” mine. The analysis of variation in the state of the plant cover health was carried out for the period of 1989-2019 based on NDVI, EVI and GNDVI spectral indices, developed using multispectral images of the Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI missions. The obtained results provide information about systematic improvement of the flora condition in the analysed region and indicate an increase in green areas. In 1989-2019, overgrowing of the shorelines of anthropogenic lakes and heaps was observed, as well as reservoir with a decreasing surface area due to vegetation succession was identified. In 2016, local degradation of the plant cover was also observed in the north-western part of the Pustków field. The obtained results prove the necessity of continuous monitoring of the flora health in the area of the analysed mine, but also in other post-mining areas.