Lourdes Luna-Ramos

and 3 more

The objective was to know the effect of amendments and mulch (pine woodchips) on three planted autochthonous species in two substrates six years after the beginning of the restoration. But because this kind of mulch contained pine cones, pine seedlings appeared after the first year of the restoration; new objectives were added to the initial one: to know if organic amendments influence pine growth among planted vegetation, and if there were competition among planted species, opportunistic species and pines. Essential soil parameters, plant cover and diversity and pine growth were measured and statistically processed with correlation analyses, ANOVA and Detrended Correspondence Analysis. Six years after restoration organic amendments, applied all over the plots contributed significantly to explain the differences on the tested variables. The combined effects of the two substrates and the two organic amendments effectively enhanced soil properties recovery, but they also facilitated the establishment and entry of new species in addition to planted vegetation, driving a differential plant development. The number of pines, as well as their coverage, depended on the interaction between the amendment and the substrate: a) only one amendment favoured the pines and b) the way the amendment works depended on the substrate. Planted vegetation cover and total plant cover from amended plots doubled that of control plots. Results indicate the potential suitability of organic amendments, pine chips mulch and derived opportunistic species for restoring post-mining areas.