Betula pendula Roth. survival and growth on mine sites of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly

Abstract

The study sites is located in an iron-mining district of European part of Russia, called The Kursk Magnetic Anomaly. Birch tree (Betula pendula Roth) plantation was created in 1972 in two different types of heap dumps (hydraulic-mine dumps and mining dumps). Afforested dumps are mainly consisted of cenomanian and aptian sands with the admixture of mesozoic carbonate rocks. In particular hydraulic-mine dumps are formed with sand material and mining dumps are formed with sandy-lime material. For improving poor properties of sand substrate before the planting birch trees on hydraulic-mine dumps were used the technique of soil transfer. The re-spreading fertile layer of soil varies from 30 to 80 cm. Substrate quality varied considerably. Long-term growth and survival of birch tree were analyzed and volume per ha were calculated in different slope parts. Study results show that double-layer substrate with fertile layer (30-40 cm) on the top would not appear to be the best way to rehabilitate mine ecosystems and it has significant disadvantages. At the age of 38 years, common birch is characterized by sufficiently high growth parameters, but low survival.