Study on Variation in Density of Ground Flora at Two Reclaimed Sites of Sukinda Chromite Mining Region of Odisha, India

Abstract

Background: The present work was designed to analyse the composition of ground flora and  the differences in their density at different aspects of the two age old (2 and 15 years old represented as D2 and D7, respectively) OB dumps in the chromite mining region of Sukinda, Odisha. A second aim of this work was to find out the impact of aspect and age of OB dumps on density values of ground flora on reclaimed overburden sites. Materials and Methods: To achieve the aims of the work sampling of ground flora on selected OB dumps was performed according to the random quadrat method. A total of 216 quadrats were sampled and the sample plots were distributed on each slope i.e. base, middle and top of each aspect in three different seasons for two years. Results: Results of the study indicated that a total of 58 and 56 species of ground flora were recorded at these reclaimed sites D2 and D7, respectively. In comparison of species 36 number of species were found common to both sites. With respect to aspect higher number of species was recorded on east aspect of each site.  Further the recorded species of  ground flora at both the fifteen year and two year old sites was represented by 22 families. Species of family Poaceae, Amaranthaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae were the dominant families at D2 where as families like Mimosaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Poaceae were the dominant  families at D7. Based on density among species Amaranthus viridis and Cynodon dactylon were the dominant species at younger site (D2) and Cynodon dactylon and Evolvulous nummularius at older site (D7). Conclusion: This study emphasized that only a few naturally occurring plant species such as  Amaranthus viridis, Cynodon dactylon and Evolvulous nummularius, Aerva lanata, Croton bonplandianum, Eragrostis cilliaris, Lygodium flexuosum, Elephantopus scaber and Oplismenus burmanii of the Sukinda chromite mining region can adapt to the harsh environmental conditions of OB dumps. These plant species may prove useful in speedy revegetation programs of mine wastes.