Succession of soil algae on dumps from strip coal-mining in the Most region (Czechoslovakia)

Abstract

In the years 1985–1986, the primary succession of algae on dumps from brown coal mining was studied in the Most region (North Bohemia, Czechoslovakia). The colonization of sterile clayic substrates by algae (several coccal species of chlorophytes and heteroconts) and mosses (protonemata) starts before the first ecesis of higher plants (in deposits about 3 months old). Diatoms and, later, cyanophytes accompany the algal community after 1 year. Filamentous types of heteroconts and green algae occur first on 7 year old dumps. Green algae represent the commonest group throughout the succession. The number of species continuously increases with the age of the dumps and finally reaches about 40 species from the 18th to 30th year. The species composition is similar to that in grassland biotopes in Czechoslovakia.