324 / 2023-10-14 22:44:33

Evaluation and attribution analysis of vegetation restoration effect of open-pit coal mine dumping sites in arid and semi-arid areas.

arid and semi-arid areas,dumping sites,open-pit coal mine,ecological restoration,quantitative remote sensing,NDVI

Dumping sites in arid and semi-arid open-pit mining areas in China have always posed challenges for ecological restoration. Understanding the ecological restoration of vegetation in different dumping sites within these areas and their driving factors is crucial for implementing scientifically and effective restoration measures.This study focuses on the Shengli West No. 2 Mine and Shenyanxiwan Mine located in arid and semi-arid areas.Utilizing long time-series quantitative remote sensing to dynamically monitor and evaluate vegetation restoration in open-pit coal mine dumping sites, as well as attribute and predict vegetation changes. The methodology involved several steps. Firstly, Landsat remote sensing images and high-resolution remote sensing images from different mining years are visually interpreted to identify the boundaries of the mining sites and dumping sites. Secondly, a time-series and trend analysis method was employed to conduct detailed spatial and temporal monitoring of vegetation in the dumping sites throughout the restoration cycle. The ecological restoration effect of the Dumping sites was evaluated by comparing the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) with the pre-disturbance vegetation. Thirdly, a combined multivariate regression residuals analysis was used to quantitatively assess the impacts of climate change and human activities, as the primary driving factors, on vegetation changes in the dumping sites. Finally, future trends of the restored vegetation were predicted.The results indicate that during the ecological restoration period, the NDVI of the dumping sites in both mines significantly increased, indicating overall improvement. However, the evaluation of restoration effect showed that most sections of the Shenyanxiwan Mine's dumping site had been restored to the pre-mining level, demonstrating significant restoration effect. In contrast, only a small portion of the Shengli West No. 2 Mine's dumping sites achieved the same level of restoration.Human activities were identified as the main driving factor for vegetation restoration in the Dumping sites of both mines. The average contribution rate of human activities to vegetation improvement was higher in the Shenyanxiwan Mine compared to the Shengli West No. 2 Mine. The research also predicts that the vegetation in most areas of the two mine dumps will continue to improve. Xiban Mine shows more apparent continuity in vegetation improvement compared to Shengli West No. 2 Mine. Ecological restoration projects, as a form of human activity, will contribute to the sustainable development of vegetation improvement in the mine dumps. The experimental findings of this study provide theoretical and practical guidance for ecological restoration in arid and semi-arid surface mines, particularly in terms of understanding the restoration process, evaluating the restoration effect, attributing driving factors, and predicting future trends.