Rozwój pokrywy roślinnej i glebowej na wyrobiskach po eksploatacji piasku

Strip mine type of exploitations always conducts to totaly elimination of primary vegetation and soil cover. The article shows the relationship between colonizing vegetation and development of soil cover in the initial stages of succession on the sandpits. The investigations were conducted in the area of „Kuźnica Warężyńska” sandpit, which located in the Silesian Upland (southern Poland). The result shows that in the bare area the process of succession and soil development has natural character. In the research area was identified 3 stages of succession (initial, optimal and terminal), which divided into 6 phases. The oldest phase is represented by community form Dicrano‑Pinion union and the duration of succession – oldest surfaces was estimated about 25 year. The soil morphology is different in particular stages of succession. Analyzed soil are characterized slightly acid or alkaline, poor in nutrient components and they are in initial stage of soil development, independently from age of surfaces. The chemical and physical of soil in the area of sand pit conditioned first of all by level of ground water, chemical composition of medium and duration time of succession. The investigation shows that the course of succession conditioned by ground water as well as precipitations. The „Kuźnica Warężyńska” sandpit is characterized vegetation differentiation which conditioned by habitats micromosaic, microrelief and hydrogeological conditions