Comparison of Flora of Small-Scale Mined and Unmined-Sites in Dunkwa-East Municipality, Ghana

Abstract

The impacts of small-scale mining on the vegetal cover as well the livelihoods of communities in mined areas in developing countries such as Ghana are far-reaching. This study assessed the impacts of small-scale mining on flora of conservation and economic significance through quantification of species richness, and species diversity. Mined and unmined sites were chosen in the Dunkwa East Municipality of Ghana. Five belt transects each (200m × 200m) were constructed in both sites. Each belt transect was divided into 100 quadrats (20m × 20m) and plant species in each of the quadrat were identified in the field and or the herbarium of the School of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Coast. One hundred and fifty seven species distributed in 140 genera and 54 families were identified in the mined area whilst the 209 species identified in the unmined area were in 185 genera and 73 families. Plant families Euphorbiaceae, Rubiaceae and Asteraceae were more diverse whilst Asteraceae, Poaceae and Euphorbiaceae were dominant in the unmined area. In the mined area, however, Poaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Asteraceae were more diverse. Pteridium aquilinum, Tridax procumbens and Waltheria indica in the unmined area and Chromolaena odorata, Sporobolus pyramidalis and Euphorbia hirta in the mined area were the dominant species. Small-scale miming activities have caused reduction in species diversity, richness and economic and commercial values in the area. Higher disturbance of the flora has resulted in more secondary species in the mined area. Restoration is required in the study area.

Mining methods exert differential effects on species recruitment at artisanal small-scale mining sites in Ghana

“…The dominance of Chromolena odorata was expected for the disturbed sites because Chromolena odorata is known to colonise disturbed areas due to their ready availability of seeds and their dispersal mechanisms ( Khare et al., 2018 ; Mandal and Joshi, 2014 ; Zachariades et al., 2009 ). In a similar study, Essandoh et al. (2019) revealed that the colonisation of Chromolena odorata accounted for 54% of the species composition in abandoned ASM sites in Ghana.…”

“…These methods have differentiated impacts on the environment and are predominantly characterised by unfilled pits, landscape disturbance, and destruction of plant cover and community structure ( Mantey et al., 2017 ; Edwards et al., 2014 ). Each of these methods relates vegetation removal with cascading effects on the environment ( Essandoh et al., 2019 ; Bansah et al., 2016 ; Edwards et al., 2014 ).…”

“…Generally, species recruitment on an abandoned goldmine is uncertain because soil structure and hydrology are immensely compromised by mining activities ( Essandoh et al., 2019 ; Liu et al., 2017 ). This situation is greatly confounded by the types of ASM methods used, altering floristic attributes such as species diversity and composition ( Valois-Cuesta and Martínez-Ruiz, 2016 ).…”

“…As the alluvial and chamfi ASM methods soared across many mining communities in Ghana ( Kumi-Boateng and Stemn, 2020 ; Bansah, 2019 ; Essandoh et al., 2019 ), one key question yet to receive enough attention is whether abandoned mined sites could naturally regenerate to drive ecological succession. Succession, therefore, is a major ecological occurrence that underpins species recovery following disturbance ( Prach and Walker, 2011 ).…”