Plant diversity and ecological potential of naturally colonizing vegetation for ecorestoration of fly ash disposal area

• Published in: Ecological engineering 2022-03, Vol.176, p.106533, Article 106533
• Main Authors: Yadav, Swati, Pandey, Vimal Chandra, Kumar, Munesh, Singh, Lal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic plants; Biodiversity; Coal fly ash; Ecorestoration; Environmental restoration; Flowers & plants; Fly ash; Freshwater plants; Phytodiversity; Plant colonization; Plant diversity; Plant species; Plants; Power plants; Restoration; Species richness; Thermal energy; Thermal power; Thermal power plants; Vegetation
• ISSN: 0925-8574; 1872-6992
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2021.106533

Fly ash dump has been noticed as one of the hazardous dumpsites on the earth, which pollutes our environment. Therefore, an affordable and effective approach for the restoration of fly ash dumps is urgently required worldwide. In this direction, to find out potential plant species through the assessment of naturally colonized vegetation is a basic criterion of ecological restoration. With the above vision, the present study was performed to identify potential colonizer plants of fly ash dumps for ecological restoration. The intensive field studies were made during 2019–2020 to gather naturally occurring plants from fly ash disposal area of Koradi Thermal Power Plant, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. Therefore, naturally colonizing plants were assessed on the basis of their dominance, ability of improving the rhizospheric FA, and ecological significance for their ecorestoration potential. Acacia nilotica L., Acmella oleracea L., Bacopa monnieri L., Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., Cyperus rotundus L., Dactyloctenium aegyptium L., Digitaria sanguinalis L., Trianthema portulacastrum L., Typha latifolia L. and Portulaca oleracea L. were recognized as potential plants for ecological restoration of FA dumps. Hence, the characteristics of above identified potential plant species can be used in ecological restoration of newly FA disposal areas. •Natural plant communities were assessed to have insights on ecorestoration potential.•Eco-restoration of fly ash dump via naturally colonized plant species is limited.•Both sites are not similar in features due to change in colonizing species pattern.•Restoration programs on fly ash dump should base on natural colonizer plant species.•Colonizing plant species over fly ash dumps have ecological resilience that governs the response to hash conditions.