Correlation Between Herbaceous Species and Environmental Variables at the Abandoned Haizhou Coal Mining Site

Abstract

The present article attempts to establish relationships between vegetation and environmental variables at the abandoned Haizhou coal mine, in China. Plant community types were analyzed using two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN). The relationships between communities and environmental factors were defined through redundancy analysis (RDA). The results showed that quadrats can be divided into six groups and species into four types. NH4-N, elevation and year (time since abandonment) are the main factors that affect the distribution patterns of plant communities. Organic matter (OM), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), slope and aspect have a less significant effect on plant community distribution. The results of this study may be further exploited and used in forensic investigations providing useful information regarding past mining activities and contamination caused in sites where no accurate historical data is available.