The Impact of Mining and Mineral Processing Industry on Flora Biodiversity and Soil Ecosystems in Metallic Burdened Region of Central Spiš (Slovakia)

The paper is focused on assessment of the level of vegetation diversity and functional biodiversity of the soil microbiological communities in metallic burdened region of Central Spiš (Slovakia), where iron and coper ore has been mined and processed for a long time. The research was carried out in the growing season 2014. In the soils of this area the exceedance of limit values of mercury and copper were found. On the basis of phytocenological records the botanical composition of surveyed sites located in immission field of heaps and tailings was determined. The coverage was determined by seven-scale Braun-Blaunqueta (1964) and species diversity was assessed according to Shannon's H'. To assess the functional diversity of soil microbial communities in fresh soil samples, the metabolic profiles of microbial communities was determined, using Biolog® Eco Plates and diversity was assessed by Shannon's H'. The results showed that the diversity of plant species in studied area was very low 0.9 and low to moderate (2.6) and functional diversity of soil microbial communities was low to moderate (3.2) and medium (3.4).