Soil and vegetation characteristics associated with mine overburdens of an opencast coalmine area of Burdwan district, West Bengal, India

Soil properties and floristic composition of the overburdens were studied in Ramnagore opencast colliery, Raniganj, West Bengal. Soil characteristics such as pH, specific conductance, concentrations of nitrogen, organic carbon and phosphate showed a gradual increase in age series of overburdens. A total of 64 plant species (59-dicots and 4-monocots) were recorded, out of which 49 were r-strategists and 15 were K-strategists. According to biological spectrum data, plant species were distributed into 14 phanerophytes, 6 chamaephytes, 5 hemicryptophytes and 39 therophytes, and when compared with the Raunkiaer’s normal spectrum revealed to be thero-chamaephytic in nature, thus indicating aridity. Overall both the soil and vegetation properties clearly indicated the occurrence of natural succession process.