Agricultural recultivation of brown coal mining areas - initial soil physical properties after site construction

摘要

We investigated the agricultural recultivation of open cast brown coal mining areas in Lusatia, Eastern Germany. Lignite mining activities lead to large-scale disturbance of soils. Recultivation efforts attempt to regenerate mining areas for new agricultural land use options. The mainly sandy substrate used for recultivation is excavated from depths of several meters and is therefore devoid of recent soil organic matter. However, some lignite fragments are present. The substrate itself has poor soilstructure. During the excavation, deposition and management process the substrate is subjected to strong mechanical stresses. This practice leads to more or less compacted soils/substrates, which may result in reduced yields of agricultural crops. In this context, we investigate the effect of different organic soil additives in combination with different recultivation crop rotations to improve soil structure for enhanced agricultural productivity and land use. Our experimental site was heaped up and levelled off in 2006/2007. On each of the experimental sub plots undisturbed soil samples have been taken to characterise the substrates according to their mechanical and hydraulic parameters before the application of any recultivation measures. We presentresults of the initial soil physical properties of the site.