Assessing the Possibility of Use Waste Rock Dumps as Elements of Ecological Network to Deter Agricultural Land Degradation and Promote Biodiversity in Mining Regions.

The paper considers the methodological approaches to the use of waste rock dumps of mining enterprises as elements of regional ecological networks. Such use of dumps will promote their biological reclamation and application of measures aimed at prevention of erosion and pollution of soil cover of agricultural lands located in the zone of influence of dumps. The aim of the research was to develop a methodology for the selection of waste dumps for their inclusion in the ecological networks of Ukraine. The objects of the research were waste dumps of coal mines of the Donetsk coal basin (Donbas). The main research method is the analysis of space images using Google Earth tools. It is shown that in the conditions of the lack of forest and land resources, waste dumps can be used in the ecological network of coal mining districts and towns not only as "restorable territories", i.e. reserve territories, but also as "interactive elements" of "key territories" ("natural kernels") and ecological corridors. A three-stage scheme for assessing the suitability of waste dumps as elements of the ecological network is proposed, which includes 3 indicators of the suitability of dumps for the requirements of restorable territories, 2 indicators of the suitability for the requirements of kernels, and 2 indicators of the suitability for the requirements of interactive elements. The system of evaluation of dumps in points for their ranking by the order of their inclusion in the schemes of the local ecological network is developed. Biological engineering measures have been proposed to better integrate the dumps into the local ecological network. These measures will result in improved protection of agricultural land from pollution, water and wind erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]