Question

Explain why reclamation efforts after mining frequently fail to effectively restore natural communities. Include both soil and vegetation in your answer.

Answer 1

Mining Reclamation is a challenging process to restore the ecological balance in the mined areas. A successful reclamation results in restoration of the ecosystems. As the present day world is dependent on mining for various factors like fuel, minerals etc, it causes a serious threat to the environment. Various reclamation strategies are put forward by the scientists to restore biodiversity. However there are many factors that lead to a failure in reclamation efforts in the mined areas.

Restoring natural conditions in soil and vegetation primarily focuses on the following resources: Air, water, soil and microbes.

Vegetation is primarily based on the availability of nutrients for growth of plants.The primary factor that fails the reclamation efforts is the change in the quality and fertility of soil.

The nutrients required for the growth of plants are absorbed from the soil, air, water and through microbes in the form of nutrient cycles. With the level of disturbance in the targeted mined area the soil pH tends to change resulting in acidic rains which directly affects various microorganisms by inhibiting their growth . The microorganisms help the plants to grow by fixation of nutrients through nutrient cycles. The symbiotic relationship of plant and microbes is thus influenced.

The quality of soil also affects the water retention capacity which is highly essential for the growth of plants and survival of animals. The change in soil ph also results in acidic drainage, polluted soil which inhibits seed germination.

Soil erosion, loss of nutrients is another significant barrier in the development of vegetation. The soil requires additional fertilizers to stabilize the ph of the soil. The decrease in vegetation increases the temperature of the barren mining land. With the onset of high temperatures, the level of moisture decreases thus affecting the plant growth.

Stabilizing the physical, chemical and biological disturbances in the mined area can increase the success rate of reclamation.