Effects of different fertilization and sowing amounts on vegetation restoration and soil quality in alpine mining areas and comprehensive evaluation

doi:10.11686/cyxb2024302

Abstract

Abstract:

The Muli coal mining area is located in the hinterland of the Qilian Mountains on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. After years of mining activity， excessive open-pit mining activities have encroached on swampy wetlands and a large amount of waste residue from mining has been landfilled. Soil affected by mining activity is infertile， which leads to difficulties in environmental restoration and high restoration costs. Therefore， it is crucial to conduct experiments to identify an efficient and low-cost ecological restoration plan. The experiment conducted forms part of a large-scale restoration program in Qinghai Province and comprised two-factors （fertilization and seeding rates）， and three-levels of each. Specifically， the fertilization rates were： low fertilization， F₁ （sheep manure 165 m³·ha^-1+organic fertilizer 7.5 t·ha^-1+forage special fertilizer 75 kg·ha^-1）； medium fertilization， F₂ （sheep manure 330 m³·ha^-1+organic fertilizer 15 t·ha^-1+forage special fertilizer 150 kg·ha^-1）； and high fertilization， F₃ （sheep manure 495 m³·ha^-1+organic fertilizer 22.5 t·ha^-1+forage special fertilizer 225 kg·ha^-1）. The three seeding rates were： low seeding rate， S₁ （60 kg·ha^-1）； medium seeding rate， S₂ （120 kg·ha^-1）； and high seeding rate， S₃ （180 kg·ha^-1）. A total of nine restoration treatments were formed from the combinations of the three levels of fertilization and seeding rate， namely： low fertilization and low seeding rate （F₁S₁）， low fertilization and medium seeding rate （F₁S₂）， low fertilization and high seeding rate （F₁S₃）， medium fertilization and low seeding rate （F₂S₁）， medium fertilization and medium seeding rate （F₂S₂）， medium fertilization and high seeding rate （F₂S₃）， high fertilization and low seeding rate （F₃S₁）， high fertilization and medium seeding rate （F₃S₂）， and high fertilization and high seeding rate （F₃S₃）. This experiment design therefore comprehensively evaluated the overall effectiveness of different restoration programs by exploring vegetation growth and soil quality changes in mining areas under various restoration treatments. Data were analyzed using grey relational analysis and the entropy weight TOPSIS method. The study results indicate that applying fertilizer and adjusting seeding rates significantly enhances vegetation restoration in the mining area （P<0.05）. With medium and high fertilization treatments， vegetation cover exceeded 70%， vegetation density reached 8826-10447 plants·m^-2， and aboveground biomass significantly increased to 445.51-559.47 g·m^-2. Some restoration treatments also improved soil physical properties significantly （P<0.05）. With medium and high fertilization treatments， soil bulk density averaged 0.94 g·cm^-3. Moreover， increased fertilizer application led to a significant increase in soil moisture content， which reached 39.31% and 38.28% under F₃S₂ and F₂S₃， respectively. Soil saturated capacity and capillary water holding capacity also increased significantly （P<0.05） under high seeding rate treatments， with the highest values of 91.14% and 81.39%， respectively， under the F₃S₃ treatment. In terms of soil nutrient characteristics， medium and high fertilization treatments increased organic matter by an average of 26.23%， and the pH value averaged 7.5， indicating a slightly alkaline soil. Additionally， essential nutrients such as nitrogen， phosphorus， and potassium increased significantly with increasing fertilization （P<0.05）. Through measured plant and soil indicators， grey relational analysis， and entropy weight TOPSIS analysis， it is evident that the restoration program with medium fertilization and high seeding rate （F₂S₃） offers dual advantages in both ecological and economic benefits. In conclusion， this study finds that 330 m³·ha^-1 sheep manure， 15 t·ha^-1 organic fertilizer， 150 kg·ha^-1 specialized forage fertilizer， and a seeding rate of 180 kg·ha^-1 in the Muli mining area of Qinghai Province can be recommended as the optimal combination for ecological restoration.

Key words: ecological restoration, vegetation growth, soil nutrient characteristics, entropy weight TOPSIS analysis, grey relational degree analysis

Wen-jin LIU, Fu-zhen JIANG, Kai-bin QI, Ming-dan SONG, Zheng-peng LI. Effects of different fertilization and sowing amounts on vegetation restoration and soil quality in alpine mining areas and comprehensive evaluation[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2025, 34(5): 27-39.

Figures/Tables 7

References 44

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恢复处理 Recovery processing	羊板粪 Sheepboard manure	有机肥 organic fertilizer	牧草专用肥Special forage fertilizer	草种 Grass seed	机械破碎 Mechanical disruption	机械施肥 Mechanized application	机械旋耕 Mechanical rotary tillage	机械播种 Mechanical seeding	铺设无纺布Lay non-woven fabric	总成本 Total cost
F₁S₁	36300	7875	180	2490	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	65370
F₁S₂	36300	7875	180	4980	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	67860
F₁S₃	36300	7875	180	7470	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	70350
F₂S₁	72600	15750	360	2490	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	109725
F₂S₂	72600	15750	360	4980	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	112215
F₂S₃	72600	15750	360	7470	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	114705
F₃S₁	108900	23625	540	2490	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	154080
F₃S₂	108900	23625	540	4980	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	156570
F₃S₃	108900	23625	540	7470	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	159060

恢复处理 Recovery processing	羊板粪 Sheepboard manure	有机肥 organic fertilizer	牧草专用肥Special forage fertilizer	草种 Grass seed	机械破碎 Mechanical disruption	机械施肥 Mechanized application	机械旋耕 Mechanical rotary tillage	机械播种 Mechanical seeding	铺设无纺布Lay non-woven fabric	总成本 Total cost
F₁S₁	36300	7875	180	2490	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	65370
F₁S₂	36300	7875	180	4980	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	67860
F₁S₃	36300	7875	180	7470	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	70350
F₂S₁	72600	15750	360	2490	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	109725
F₂S₂	72600	15750	360	4980	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	112215
F₂S₃	72600	15750	360	7470	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	114705
F₃S₁	108900	23625	540	2490	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	154080
F₃S₂	108900	23625	540	4980	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	156570
F₃S₃	108900	23625	540	7470	6000	1200	1275	1200	8850	159060

恢复方案 Recovery processing	关联度 Degree of association	排序结果 Sort results
F₃S₂	0.914	1
F₂S₃	0.912	2
F₃S₃	0.910	3
F₂S₂	0.907	4
F₃S₁	0.907	5
F₁S₂	0.904	6
F₂S₁	0.898	7
F₁S₁	0.893	8
F₁S₃	0.883	9

恢复方案 Recovery processing	关联度 Degree of association	排序结果 Sort results
F₃S₂	0.914	1
F₂S₃	0.912	2
F₃S₃	0.910	3
F₂S₂	0.907	4
F₃S₁	0.907	5
F₁S₂	0.904	6
F₂S₁	0.898	7
F₁S₁	0.893	8
F₁S₃	0.883	9

恢复方案 Recovery processing	正理想解释距离 Positive ideal solution distance （D⁺）	负理想解释距离 Negative ideal solution distance （D^-）	相对接近度 Relative proximity （C）	排序结果 Sort results
F₂S₃	0.139	0.255	0.647	1
F₂S₂	0.150	0.228	0.604	2
F₁S₃	0.200	0.238	0.544	3
F₂S₁	0.177	0.195	0.524	4
F₃S₃	0.241	0.260	0.519	5
F₃S₂	0.231	0.228	0.497	6
F₁S₂	0.242	0.230	0.488	7
F₁S₁	0.260	0.240	0.480	8
F₃S₁	0.251	0.188	0.428	9