Water and Element Fluxes of Red Oak Ecosystems during Stand Development on Post-Mining Sites (Lusatian Lignite District)

Most spoils in the Lusatian lignite district have been afforested successfully. However, since soil chemical status remains very different compared to unmined locations even after decades it is still unclear if forest ecosystems develop to a self-sustainable status or if restoration will fail in the long term. To clarify this question water and element fluxes of different-aged red oak(Q. rubra L.) stands on both Quaternary pure sands and Tertiary, pyritic loamy sands were investigated and compared to a nearby, unmined location. Due to increasing interception and evapotranspiration, the deep percolation rates of red oak forests decline drastically within30 yr. Annual groundwater recharge is about 300 mm yr^-1(41–46% of precipitation) initially. Deep percolation of the older stands decrease to less than 15% of precipitation, independent of substrate type. Tertiary substrates are characterized by intensive leaching of H, Fe, Al, Mg, Ca, NH₄-N and SO₄-S due to pyrite oxidation and therefore enhanced silicate weathering. Despite of drastically declining output rates with progressing ecosystem development, they remain remarkably higher as compared to Quaternary sands. However, despite differences in soil chemistry, the aged stands act as an almost complete sink for N, P and K. Compared to adjacent oak forests on undisturbed soils the stands on reclamation sites show very similar patterns with regard to N, P, K, Ca and Mg turnover.