1. Activity Succession
Click here to play the interactive tutorial on succession.
Click the next button to view the ‘Succession on coal mining spoil heaps’ task.

2. Succession on coal mining spoil heaps
This Powerpoint activity allows you to view the regeneration of plant cover on three spoil heaps of different ages. The spoil heaps are in Pwlldu near Abergavenny.

3. Task
Your task is to analyse the abiotic and biotic data on the three coal mining spoil heaps of different ages. You will then summarise the differences, and describe the changes as succession takes place.
Click the information button for more detailed information about the task.

4. A B C
This map shows 3 spoil heaps at Pwlldu (A, B and C). The waste was dumped at different times in the past, and the age of each is shown in the key.
Click on a thumbnail at the top of the screen to see more detail of the area.

5. Click Home to return to this page.
Soil data
Click on each of the spoil heaps (A, B, C) in turn to analyse the area in detail. Click on the information button to get full instructions.
Click Home to return to this page.
Data entry A B C
Click on the data entry button to enter data into a spreadsheet.
Click on the soil data button to see the abiotic data.

6. 32 years old Quadrat 1 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails
32 years old
Quadrat 1

7. 32 years old Quadrat 2 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails
32 years old
Quadrat 2

8. 32 years old Quadrat 3 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

9. 32 years old Quadrat 4 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

10. 32 years old Quadrat 5 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

11. 60 years old Quadrat 1 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

12. 60 years old Quadrat 2 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

13. 60 years old Quadrat 3 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

14. 60 years old Quadrat 4 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

15. 60 years old Quadrat 5 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

16. 145 years old Quadrat 1 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

17. 145 years old Quadrat 2 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

18. 145 years old Quadrat 3 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

19. 145 years old Quadrat 4 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

20. 145 years old Quadrat 5 Soil data Data entry Key to species
Click on thumbnails

21. Click Esc to enter data Sampling Site Soil data Species Sheep's fescue
Sampling Site A B C
A (32 years)
B (60 years)
C (145 years) 1 2 3 4 5
Species
Sheep's fescue
Heather
Cross-leaved heath
Spagnum moss
Soft Rush
Reindeer Moss
Bilberry

22. Soil data
Sheep’s fescue
Data entry

23. Soil data
Heather
Data entry

24. Soil data
Cross-leaved heath
Data entry

25. Soil data
Sphagnum
Data entry

26. Soil data
Soft rush
Data entry

27. Soil data
Reindeer moss
Data entry

28. Bilberry without leaves
Soil data
Bilberry without leaves
Data entry

29. Soil data
Bilberry with leaves
Data entry

30. Instructions
Soil data
Use the 5 quadrats at each spoil tip site to make estimates of percentage cover of each plant, of plant cover in general, and ‘bare ground’.
Record your results for percentage cover on the downloadable spreadsheet, or on the slide provided in this presentation. Finally, by clicking on the soil data button you can see some information about the soils on each tip.
Use the combined information, this presentation and any additional slides with text and visuals (e.g. graphs and diagrams) you wish to create to summarise the changes to vegetation on the soil tips over time.
Your presentation should answer the question ‘What are the likely changes and timeline for natural restoration of coal mining spoil tips?’
Data entry

31. Soil data A B C Data entry Site A B C Age (years) 32 60 145 pH 6 5
Soil water content
dish (g)
134
176
dish plus soil (g)
324
318
262
soil wet (g)
190
184 86
dish plus soil dry (g)
302
286
213
soil dry (g)
168
152 37
water loss (g) 22 49
% water content 13 19 29
Soil organic content
crucible (g)
9.44
9.32 10
crucible plus soil dry (g)
12.69
10.94
11.73
soil (g)
3.25
1.62
1.73
crucible plus ash (g)
12.35
11.35
humus (g)
0.34
0.38
% organic content
10.46
23.46
21.97 A B C