Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

M. Huber-Humer and B. Klug-Pümpel:

The vegetation on different top covers of an abandoned solid waste landfill

Summary

In the years 2001/2002, twelve years after the placement of different top covers, an abandoned municipal solid waste landfill (Breitenau, Lower Austria) was investigated: recent physical and chemical soil properties, gas emissions and the vegetation on the top covers of the 3 test cells (comprising seven test fields) were assessed. We found good correlation between the current physical and chemical quality of the top covers and the vegetation. In two fields with thin covers of gravel, gas emissions were still evident also by vegetation gaps. The thicker the (compost) top layer, the more short lived but competitive ruderal species were found, whereas on a top cover with 1.3 m pure gravel a succession towards a dry/mesic turf has already started. Key words: vegetation succession, phytosociological relevés, landfill cover properties, compost, landfill gas emissions.