Wetland vegetation ecology on a reclaimed coal surface mine in southern Illinois, USA

An early successional wetland complex on a reclaimed surface coal mine in southern Illinois was studied 1985-1987. Seasonally, biomass was low, with above-ground values of 10-210g m^-2 and below-ground biomass of 1.5-2435 g m^-2. Biomass peaked in spring and did not vary much throughout the remainder of the growing season. Stem densities were high (179-1467 m^-2) because large numbers of seedlings became established as falling water levels exposed large areas of mudflats. Fluctuating water levels led to a lack of community zonation. Species diversity (H′) was low to moderate over all sites with diversity values ranging between 1.86 and 3.27.