The role of plants in experimental biological reclamation in a bed of furnace waste from coal-based energy

In the model experiment, an assessment of the role of plants in the reclamation of the bed of combustion waste from coal-based power plants fertilised with compost and sewage sludge. The bed of combustion waste was stored in cylindrical containers with a diameter of 80 cm (0.5 m² of surface) and the height of 100 cm. The first stage of the experiment was carried out in 2006–2007. Then the bed was fertilised with four types of compost and sewage sludge, and then seeded with four species of grasses and white mustard. The second stage was undertaken in 2011–2013. In 2011, mixture of four species of grasses and white mustard was seeded on the same bed. It was assumed that the continuation of research in the second stage, whose results of are presented in this paper, will show a broader spectrum of vegetation changes, what will accurately track the process of biological reclamation of the bed of combustion waste. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of reclamation in the experiment, based on the percentage estimates of the coverage of species and crop yields. During the three-year (second stage) experiment 78 species of self-seeding plants belonging to 19 taxa in the rank of families and 11 syntaxonomic groups were recorded. The most numerous were the families: aster family, grass family, papilionaceous family, goosefoot family and cabbage family. Among the syntaxonomic groups the dominating species belonged to the class Stellarietea mediae, Molinio-Arrhenatheretea and Artemisietea vulgaris. Among the forms of life hemicryptophyte and therophytes were the most represented. Highest total yields of plants were found in model containers with Complex compost and Radiowo compost and the model of sewage sludge. Based on the estimated models in each degree of coverage of species and crop yield, the highest reclamation efficiency was demonstrated in the models of reclamation of composts Complex and Radiowo, as well as in the model of sewage sludge. The lowest efficiency was demonstrated in models of composts ZUSOK and plant composts.