The Structure of Forest Vegetation on Industrial Landfills of Different Ages

This work is dedicated to examining the soil and forest vegetation characteristics in the landfills of quarries of various ages and climatic conditions (Kuzbass, Mosbass, and Sokolovsky quarry). The work was based on the analysis of the statements for 2001–2021. In the Kuzbass region, pH values were found to have fallen to 5.0. A similar trend was seen in the area of the younger Mosbass and Sokolovsky quarries. The basal soil respiration rate career was extremely low (about 0.3 mg CO 2 /g of soil/h). The CO 2 content in the carbonate ranges from 0.07 to 0.7%, with the higher figures observed in older Kuzbass rather than Mosbass and Sokolovsky quarry. Analysis of soil samples from three quarries revealed four species groups at sites associated with the prevalence of specific fractions, such as gravel, sand, silt, and stony soil. The dominant species present on the gravel substrate were Downy Birch, Common Hornbeam, European Oak, Siberian Spruce, Common Juniper, Siberian Larch, Common Pine, and Siberian Fir. Given that Kuzbass is the oldest open-pit mine, forest vegetation species dominate here in the surveyed areas, which is typical of gravel soils. Mosbass is also characterized by a diversity of similar species, though work on mineral mining there ended in 2009. Stony and sandy soil fractions predominated in the Sokolovsky quarry, although other studied substrates were also encountered.