Ecological Engineering 17 (2001) 199 – 217 Primary succession in post-mining landscapes of Lower Lusatia — chance or necessity Gerhard Wiegleb a, *, Birgit Felinks a,b a Brandenburgische Technische Uniersita ¨t, LS Allgemeine O  kologie, PO Box 101344, D-03013 Cottbus, Germany b Umweltforschungszentrum Leipzig -Halle GmbH, Projektbereich Naturnahe Landschaften und La ¨ndliche Ra ¨ume, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany Accepted 19 August 2000 Abstract Based on a comprehensive 4-year survey the spontaneous vegetation of the Lusatian post-mining landscape is described. Thirteen vegetation types are distinguished and characterized with respect to characteristic species, dominant growth form, and frequency of occurrence. Indirect gradient analysis showed that there is a broad overlap of vegetation types, and that no successional trends can be inferred on the basis of floristic composition alone. The species composition was related to environmental variables by means of direct gradient analysis and canonical correspondence analysis. The multivariate approach showed that variables like pH, organic carbon, phosphate and water capacities have an obvious influence on species composition. However, in some cases it is not clear whether this is cause or consequence of the respective vegetation colonization. The age of the stands can be identified as an important variable, but cannot be distinguished from spatial autocorrelation effects. The univariate approach showed that no threshold values can be detected in important parameters, such as pH. Autocorrelation effects hamper the interpretation of the complex data set. All successional sequences observed or inferred so far are combined to a conceptual model of spontaneous vegetation development. According to the local circumstances, various types of initial vegetation are possible. Initial vegetation is subsequently followed by a large number of stages and types which form a complex network. Some of these stages are stabilized by a dense vegetation layer or competitive power of the dominant species. The direction of succession is influenced to varying portions by neighborhood effects, facilitation, disturbance, and other mechanisms. The duration of the stages and the transition probabilities cannot be exactly predicted in the present state of knowledge. Besides its scientific importance, primary succession is regarded as an adequate means of restoration leading to areas likewise interesting for nature conservation and considerate tourism. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: CCA; Colonization; DCA; Habitat factors; Mechanisms; Primary succession; Restoration; Spatial autocorrelation; Spontaneous vegetation; Vegetation types www.elsevier.com/locate/ecoleng * Corresponding author. Tel.: +49-355-692291; fax: +49-355-692291. E-mail address: wiegleb@tu-cottbus.de (G. Wiegleb). 0925-8574/01/$ - see front matter © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII:S0925-8574(00)00159-2