Impacts of Ecological Restoration Projects on Ecosystem Carbon Storage of Tongluo Mountain Mining Area, Chongqing, in Southwest China
Surface mining activities cause severe disruption to ecosystems, resulting in the substantial destruction of surface vegetation, the loss of soil organic carbon stocks, and a decrease in the ecosystem’s ability to sequester carbon. The ecological restoration of mining areas has been found to signifi...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Land |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1149 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849431772388917248 |
|---|---|
| author | Lei Ma Manyi Li Chen Wang Hongtao Si Mingze Xu Dongxue Zhu Cheng Li Chao Jiang Peng Xu Yuhe Hu |
| author_facet | Lei Ma Manyi Li Chen Wang Hongtao Si Mingze Xu Dongxue Zhu Cheng Li Chao Jiang Peng Xu Yuhe Hu |
| author_sort | Lei Ma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Surface mining activities cause severe disruption to ecosystems, resulting in the substantial destruction of surface vegetation, the loss of soil organic carbon stocks, and a decrease in the ecosystem’s ability to sequester carbon. The ecological restoration of mining areas has been found to significantly enhance the carbon storage capacity of ecosystems. This study evaluated ecological restoration strategies in Chongqing’s Tongluo Mountain mining area by integrating GF-6 satellite multispectral data (2 m panchromatic/8 m multispectral resolution) with ground surveys across 45 quadrats to develop a quadratic regression model based on vegetation indices and the field-measured biomass. The methodology quantified carbon storage variations among engineered restoration (ER), natural recovery (NR), and unmanaged sites (CWR) while identifying optimal vegetation configurations for karst ecosystems. The methodology combined the high-spatial-resolution satellite imagery for large-scale vegetation mapping with field-measured biomass calibration to enhance the quantitative accuracy, enabling an efficient carbon storage assessment across heterogeneous landscapes. This hybrid approach overcame the limitations of traditional plot-based methods by providing spatially explicit, cost-effective monitoring solutions for mining ecosystems. The results demonstrate that engineered restoration significantly enhances carbon sequestration, with the aboveground vegetation biomass reaching 5.07 ± 1.05 tC/ha, a value 21% higher than in natural recovery areas (4.18 ± 0.23 tC/ha) and 189% greater than at unmanaged sites (1.75 ± 1.03 tC/ha). In areas subjected to engineered restoration, both the vegetation and soil carbon storage showed an upward trend, with soil carbon sequestration being the primary form, contributing to 81% of the total carbon storage, and with engineered restoration areas exceeding natural recovery and unmanaged zones by 17.6% and 106%, respectively, in terms of their soil carbon density (40.41 ± 9.99 tC/ha). Significant variations in the carbon sequestration capacity were observed across vegetation types. Bamboo forests exhibited the highest carbon density (25.8 tC/ha), followed by tree forests (2.54 ± 0.53 tC/ha), while grasslands showed the lowest values (0.88 ± 0.52 tC/ha). For future restoration initiatives, it is advisable to select suitable vegetation types based on the local dominant species for a comprehensive approach. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-759cbf45f7c74783b890659aef69e068 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj-art-759cbf45f7c74783b890659aef69e0682025-08-20T03:27:32ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-05-01146114910.3390/land14061149Impacts of Ecological Restoration Projects on Ecosystem Carbon Storage of Tongluo Mountain Mining Area, Chongqing, in Southwest ChinaLei Ma0Manyi Li1Chen Wang2Hongtao Si3Mingze Xu4Dongxue Zhu5Cheng Li6Chao Jiang7Peng Xu8Yuhe Hu9Observation and Research Station of Ecological Restoration for Chongqing Typical Mining Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources (Chongqing Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources), Chongqing 401120, ChinaObservation and Research Station of Ecological Restoration for Chongqing Typical Mining Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources (Chongqing Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources), Chongqing 401120, ChinaObservation and Research Station of Ecological Restoration for Chongqing Typical Mining Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources (Chongqing Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources), Chongqing 401120, ChinaObservation and Research Station of Ecological Restoration for Chongqing Typical Mining Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources (Chongqing Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources), Chongqing 401120, ChinaObservation and Research Station of Ecological Restoration for Chongqing Typical Mining Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources (Chongqing Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources), Chongqing 401120, ChinaObservation and Research Station of Ecological Restoration for Chongqing Typical Mining Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources (Chongqing Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources), Chongqing 401120, ChinaObservation and Research Station of Ecological Restoration for Chongqing Typical Mining Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources (Chongqing Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources), Chongqing 401120, ChinaSchool of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaSchool of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaSchool of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaSurface mining activities cause severe disruption to ecosystems, resulting in the substantial destruction of surface vegetation, the loss of soil organic carbon stocks, and a decrease in the ecosystem’s ability to sequester carbon. The ecological restoration of mining areas has been found to significantly enhance the carbon storage capacity of ecosystems. This study evaluated ecological restoration strategies in Chongqing’s Tongluo Mountain mining area by integrating GF-6 satellite multispectral data (2 m panchromatic/8 m multispectral resolution) with ground surveys across 45 quadrats to develop a quadratic regression model based on vegetation indices and the field-measured biomass. The methodology quantified carbon storage variations among engineered restoration (ER), natural recovery (NR), and unmanaged sites (CWR) while identifying optimal vegetation configurations for karst ecosystems. The methodology combined the high-spatial-resolution satellite imagery for large-scale vegetation mapping with field-measured biomass calibration to enhance the quantitative accuracy, enabling an efficient carbon storage assessment across heterogeneous landscapes. This hybrid approach overcame the limitations of traditional plot-based methods by providing spatially explicit, cost-effective monitoring solutions for mining ecosystems. The results demonstrate that engineered restoration significantly enhances carbon sequestration, with the aboveground vegetation biomass reaching 5.07 ± 1.05 tC/ha, a value 21% higher than in natural recovery areas (4.18 ± 0.23 tC/ha) and 189% greater than at unmanaged sites (1.75 ± 1.03 tC/ha). In areas subjected to engineered restoration, both the vegetation and soil carbon storage showed an upward trend, with soil carbon sequestration being the primary form, contributing to 81% of the total carbon storage, and with engineered restoration areas exceeding natural recovery and unmanaged zones by 17.6% and 106%, respectively, in terms of their soil carbon density (40.41 ± 9.99 tC/ha). Significant variations in the carbon sequestration capacity were observed across vegetation types. Bamboo forests exhibited the highest carbon density (25.8 tC/ha), followed by tree forests (2.54 ± 0.53 tC/ha), while grasslands showed the lowest values (0.88 ± 0.52 tC/ha). For future restoration initiatives, it is advisable to select suitable vegetation types based on the local dominant species for a comprehensive approach.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1149ecological restorationcarbon sequestration capacitymining arearemote sensingcarbon storagecarbon sink |
| spellingShingle | Lei Ma Manyi Li Chen Wang Hongtao Si Mingze Xu Dongxue Zhu Cheng Li Chao Jiang Peng Xu Yuhe Hu Impacts of Ecological Restoration Projects on Ecosystem Carbon Storage of Tongluo Mountain Mining Area, Chongqing, in Southwest China Land ecological restoration carbon sequestration capacity mining area remote sensing carbon storage carbon sink |
| title | Impacts of Ecological Restoration Projects on Ecosystem Carbon Storage of Tongluo Mountain Mining Area, Chongqing, in Southwest China |
| title_full | Impacts of Ecological Restoration Projects on Ecosystem Carbon Storage of Tongluo Mountain Mining Area, Chongqing, in Southwest China |
| title_fullStr | Impacts of Ecological Restoration Projects on Ecosystem Carbon Storage of Tongluo Mountain Mining Area, Chongqing, in Southwest China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impacts of Ecological Restoration Projects on Ecosystem Carbon Storage of Tongluo Mountain Mining Area, Chongqing, in Southwest China |
| title_short | Impacts of Ecological Restoration Projects on Ecosystem Carbon Storage of Tongluo Mountain Mining Area, Chongqing, in Southwest China |
| title_sort | impacts of ecological restoration projects on ecosystem carbon storage of tongluo mountain mining area chongqing in southwest china |
| topic | ecological restoration carbon sequestration capacity mining area remote sensing carbon storage carbon sink |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1149 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT leima impactsofecologicalrestorationprojectsonecosystemcarbonstorageoftongluomountainminingareachongqinginsouthwestchina AT manyili impactsofecologicalrestorationprojectsonecosystemcarbonstorageoftongluomountainminingareachongqinginsouthwestchina AT chenwang impactsofecologicalrestorationprojectsonecosystemcarbonstorageoftongluomountainminingareachongqinginsouthwestchina AT hongtaosi impactsofecologicalrestorationprojectsonecosystemcarbonstorageoftongluomountainminingareachongqinginsouthwestchina AT mingzexu impactsofecologicalrestorationprojectsonecosystemcarbonstorageoftongluomountainminingareachongqinginsouthwestchina AT dongxuezhu impactsofecologicalrestorationprojectsonecosystemcarbonstorageoftongluomountainminingareachongqinginsouthwestchina AT chengli impactsofecologicalrestorationprojectsonecosystemcarbonstorageoftongluomountainminingareachongqinginsouthwestchina AT chaojiang impactsofecologicalrestorationprojectsonecosystemcarbonstorageoftongluomountainminingareachongqinginsouthwestchina AT pengxu impactsofecologicalrestorationprojectsonecosystemcarbonstorageoftongluomountainminingareachongqinginsouthwestchina AT yuhehu impactsofecologicalrestorationprojectsonecosystemcarbonstorageoftongluomountainminingareachongqinginsouthwestchina |