Dynamic monitoring of soil bulk density and infiltration rate during coal mining in sandy land with different vegetation

Abstract

To investigate the effects of coal mining on soil physical properties, sandy lands with three major vegetation types (Salix psammophila, Populus simonii, and Artemisia ordosica) were investigated by the ring knife method and double-ring infiltrometer. Specifically, variations in soil bulk density and water infiltration rate and the influences of coal mining and vegetation type on the properties during different subsidence stages were studied at the Shendong Bulianta mine. The results showed that, in the period before mining, soil bulk density occurred in the order A. ordosica > P. simonii > S. psammophila, with a negative correlation between the initial infiltration rate and steady infiltration rate being observed. In the period during mining and 3 months after mining, there were no significant differences in soil bulk density and water infiltration rate among vegetation types. At 1 year after mining, the soil bulk density occurred in the order A. ordosica > S. psammophila > P. simonii, having a negative correlation with the steady infiltration rate. The water infiltration depths of the S. psammophila, P. simonii and A. ordosica were 50, 60, and 30 cm, respectively. The infiltration characters were simulated by the Kostiakov equations, and the simulated and experimental results were consistent. Linear regression revealed that vegetation types and soil bulk density had significant effects on soil initial infiltration rate during the four study periods, and the infiltration rate of the period 1 year after mining was mainly influenced by the soil bulk density of the period before mining. The results indicated that vegetation types had significant effects on soil bulk density, and that the tree–shrub–grass mode was better than one single plantation for water conversation and vegetation recovery in sandy land subjected to mining.