The ability to establish cover using grass and legume species without any soil preparation was studied in a barren materials quarry. The biodiversity indexes (Simpson) during the growing season as well as the vegetation cover and composition were measured. The results showed that the established species had a satisfactory cover (up to ). | Turk J Bot 32 (2008) 361-366 © TÜBİTAK Research Article Herbaceous Plant Cover Establishment in a Barren Materials Quarry Nikolaos ARAMBATZIS1, Kyriaki KITIKIDOU2,* 1 Aristotle University, School of Forestry and Natural Environment, Thessaloniki - GREECE 2 Dimokritos University, Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Orestiada - GREECE Received: Accepted: Abstract: The ability to establish cover using grass and legume species without any soil preparation was studied in a barren materials quarry. The biodiversity indexes (Simpson) during the growing season as well as the vegetation cover and composition were measured. The results showed that the established species had a satisfactory cover (up to ). This means that we can achieve significant soil rehabilitation after mining using herbaceous plant cover and reduce the cost of rehabilitation by cutting the expenses of soil preparation. Key Words: Biodiversity, soil analyses, soil rehabilitation, mining Introduction Mining is an important economic activity, but the reestablishment of the disturbed habitats constitutes a serious problem. Results of research worldwide show that 120 plant species (trees, shrubs, and grasses) are appropriate for plant cover establishment after mining (Fox, 1984). One of the most common plant mixtures used in rehabilitation comprises grasses and legumes. Grasses are regarded as the most appropriate plants for protection from soil erosion, while legumes grow rapidly, particularly in soils with a low concentration of nitrogen. Grasses and legumes contribute to the region’s biodiversity and help the new ecosystem to evolve to more stable vegetation stages (growth of shrubs and trees) (Brook & Bates, 1960). The cost of rehabilitation concerns 2 things: soil preparation and plant culture. Soil preparation (ploughing, fertilization, watering etc.) is the most expensive procedure (Burke, 2008). Tacey (1980) reports that .
