Space-time analysis of the phytocenotic cover of the mining and industrial landscapes of the right-bank forest-steppe

Abstract

In the proposed article we highlight the peculiarities of the formation of phytocenotic cover within the limits of quarry-dumping complexes of mining and industrial landscapes of Right-Bank Forest-Steppe. It was determined, that the formation of such anthropogenic landscapes depends on the general natural conditions of the territories, production features and the method of mineral extraction. According to the definition of T.A. Rabotnov, within the formed manmade substrates, the emergence of primary succession is possible due to the presence of plant rudiments in the deposits or the ingress of plant diaspores from the outside, which distribution is directly depends on the individual ecotopic conditions within the pits. Therefore, the purpose of our research is to determine the influence of ecotopic conditions on the formation of phytocenotic cover of the mining and industrial landscapes of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe (on the example of the Andriykovetskyy sand quarry). In order to explore the trends and rates of changes in this area, the dynamics with using photos from different years was determined and landscape maps were created. The Andriykovetskyy sand quarry is a part of the deposits of the Sarmatian layer — the lower geological layer of the upper Miocene of the Neogene period. The investigated territory is characterized by sharp differences in altitude compared to the surrounding agro-ecosystems of related agricultural lands. Breaches, which were caused by mineral extraction processes, are marked by the formed man-made accumulative relief. In the structure of the mining landscape, we highlight the next main areas: the hilly monolithic bottom of the sandpit without vegetation; steep (up to 80°) sandy walls of the quarry without vegetation; hilly loamy-sandy surfaces overgrown with cereal vegetation and various herbs; micro-bumpy surface of sandy loam dumps overgrown with ruderal vegetation; slopes of sandy-loam dumps overgrown with ruderal vegetation, trees and bushes; shaft-shaped embankments overgrown with cereal vegetation and bushes; microbumpy ledges of overburden rocks, overgrown with grass-cereal vegetation and single trees; sloping surfaces overgrown with various herbaceous vegetation; low-lying areas with sufficient moisture, overgrown with moisture-loving vegetation; sandy and loamy areas within the quarry, not occupied by developments. Also, we analyze the changes in vegetation and man-made landscape elements that occurred during the study period: during the three-year observation period, the areas of plant cover within the quarry and the number of species were increased. It was found, that the quarry is characterized by the spread of segetal-ruderal vegetation and the process of synanthropization, which can lead to the loss of typical species diversity