Coal mining activities change plant community structure due to air pollution and soil degradation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of coal mining activities on the community structures of woody and herbaceous plants. The response of individual plants of community to defilement caused by coal mining was also assessed. Air monitoring, soil physico-chemical and phytosociological analyses were carried around Jharia coalfield (JCF) and Raniganj coalfield. The importance value index of sensitive species minified and those of tolerant species enhanced with increasing pollution load and altered soil quality around coal mining areas. Although the species richness of woody and herbaceous plants decreased with higher pollution load, a large number of species acclimatized to the stress caused by the coal mining activities. Woody plant community at JCF was more affected by coal mining than herbaceous community. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that structure of herbaceous community was mainly driven by soil total organic carbon, soil nitrogen, whereas woody layer community was influenced by sulphur dioxide in ambient air, soil sulphate and soil phosphorus. The changes in species diversity observed at mining areas indicated an increase in the proportion of resistant herbs and grasses showing a tendency towards a definite selection strategy of ecosystem in response to air pollution and altered soil characteristics.

The public health impacts of surface coal mining

“…Ghose and others have conducted a number of studies in India showing elevated levels of particulate matter at surface mines in that country (Ghose, 2007;Ghose and Banerjee, 1995;Ghose andMajee, 2000, 2007;Pandey et al, 2014). Air pollution has also been observed around coal mines in Great Britain (Reynolds et al, 2003), Australia (Higginbotham et al, 2010), and Columbia (Huertas et al, 2012a(Huertas et al, , 2012b.…”

Hydraulic Characterization of a Self-Weight Compacted Coal

“…The difference between G s and G s * is consistent with data from literature. [24] A measurement of suction was performed on a coal block of about 200 cm 3 and with a water content close to 6%, using the filter paper technique. [25] A Whatman (grade 42) filter paper was kept in contact with the coal block for 9 days.…”

“…Although they are now usually protected from rain and wind by storage structures or more simply by coating with tarpaulins, in many old plants in the world these stocks are still exposed to natural climatic conditions such as rain. This climatic condition could allow the air pollution with fine coal particles, as close to mining areas (e.g., [3]), and leaching processes due to rainwater infiltration through the coal mass. In principle, this last phenomenon could transfer some heavy metals to the soil and groundwater below the coal stocks, unless natural geological or artificial barriers are interposed at the bottom of the stocks.…”

Association between residence near surface coal mining and blood inflammation

“…Meanwhile, a second research thread investigated the ecological impacts of coal mining on water quality (Lindberg et al, 2011;Palmer et al, 2010;Pond et al, 2008) and on air pollution (Ghose, 2007;Ghose and Banerjee, 1995;Pandey et al, 2014;Reynolds et al, 2003). Studies in this vein focused on assessments of environmental conditions rather than effects on humans and did not collect measurements specifically to assess conditions in human settlements.…”