Vegetation Coverage At Sanitary Landfills in Finland

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Abstract
The plant species and vegetation coverage were studied at 40 sanitary landfills in southern Finland, using 1 m wide survey lines. The vegetation coverage averaged 25%, ranging from zero to 57% of the survey line. The total number of plant species was 306. Woody plants were scarce. At least 10 cm of cover soil is needed for herbaceous vegetation. Both the quality of the cover material and the age of the refuse influenced the number of plant species and the coverage. An important factor was disturbance of the vegetation by vehicles and continuous alteration of the substrate by filling with new cover soil and refuse. Conditions for growth can best be improved by careful planning of the operations at the landfill. Completed landfills with suitable and sufficiently deep cover soil will develop a remarkably good spontaneous coverage of herbaceous vegetation in a few years. Bushes and trees need to be planted.

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