Vegetation succession and biological turnover on coal‐mining spoils

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Abstract
This paper describes secondary revegetation and biological turnover development on coal‐mining spoils. Qualitative and quantitative changes in species composition, rate of succession, formation of plant bio‐mass structure and net primary production are described for revegetation stages with an undisturbed meadow system as a reference.The development of biological turnover in grasslands has four stages. The first stage is characterized by the growth of weedy species, high above‐ground standing crop and production and low below‐ground production. The second stage includes the establishment of perennial grasses, a decrease in the above‐ground plant biomass and production, an increase of the below‐ground living and dead root mass, formation of the plant material structure (distribution of plant material among the compartments of the ecosystem) close to steady‐state pattern, the approach to the balance between net primary production and organic matter decomposition. During the third stage a mature species composition is formed and below‐ground production increases up to the steady‐state level. At the fourth stage the humus storage reaches its steady‐state value.