Patterns of Refaunation of Reclaimed Strip Mine Spoils by Nonterricolous Arthropods

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Abstract
Vegetative and arthropod succession was studied in 1976 and 1977 on reclaimed, mixed soilshale, 0 to 5-year-old coal mine spoils in Alabama. A corn field abandoned in 1976 was sampled for comparison (in 1977). Plant density increased with spoil age but was susceptible to slope and growing-season influence. Plant cover, diversity, and species richness were not related to spoil age. Comparison plot plant diversity and cover were slightly higher than that of any mine plot. We collected 1,059 arthropod species in 17 orders and 177 identified families. North-facing spoils usually supported more species than south-facing spoils, and species richness and diversity tended to decline with spoil age. The comparison plot was no more diverse than the mine. On a seasonal basis, density patterns on the comparison and mine plots were similar until October. No correlation of insect density with spoil age was found, but insects were denser on north aspects than on south aspects. Plant and arthropod community parameters were not correlated, but insect herbivore densities were correlated with densities of five common, native plant species. Total insect densities were also negatively correlated with south aspect temperatures but uncorrelated with north aspect temperatures. The seasonal course of this relation was dependent on vegetation type. Trophic structure may stabilize very quickly on newly exposed mine spoils, but species composition and density will probably be unpredictable and dependent on climatic variability, composition of spoil, vagility of surrounding flora, and chance.