Szkoła Eksploatacji Podziemnej

The reclamation of post-mining areas poses a significant ecological challenge, and pioneer tree species such as Betula pendula may play a crucial role in shaping soil conditions and microbial activity, thus influencing soil-forming processes.The aim of this study is to investigate the role of Betula pendula in shaping soil microbial activity and soil-forming processes in coal mining spoil heaps.
The research was conducted on spoil heaps of progressively older ages (15, 40, and 70 years), and samples were collected from the root zone of B. pendula due to its pioneering nature and presence in all locations studied.The study was conducted on an international scale, including sites in Poland (Bytom and Gliwice) and the Czech Republic (Karviná). The results presents soil enzyme activity categorized by four key elements (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus).The analysis revealed significant statistical differences for enzymes related to the cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur.In the case of phosphorus, a growth trend was observed; however, the results were not statistically significant. Furthermore, the study investigated the correlation between microbiological test results and selected physicochemical soil parameters.The findings of this research indicate that the age of the spoil heap significantly impacts changes in microbiological and physicochemical parameters in habitats colonized by B. pendula.