Correlation between herbaceous species and environmental variables at the abandoned Ηaizhou coal mining siteCorrelation between herbaceous species and environmental variables at the abandoned Ηaizhou coal mining site Peer-Reviewed Journal Publication Δημοσίευση σε Περιοδικό με Κριτές 2015-11-022010enThe present article attempts to establish relationships between vegetation and environmental variables at the abandoned Haizhou coal mine, in China. Plant community types were analyzed using two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN). The relationships between communities and environmental factors were defined through redundancy analysis (RDA). The results showed that quadrats can be divided into six groups and species into four types. NH4-N, elevation and year (time since abandonment) are the main factors that affect the distribution patterns of plant communities. Organic matter (OM), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), slope and aspect have a less significant effect on plant community distribution. The results of this study may be further exploited and used in forensic investigations providing useful information regarding past mining activities and contamination caused in sites where no accurate historical data is available.Δημοσίευση σε επιστημονικό περιοδικό http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Environmental Forensics1-211146-153 Guo Xiangyun Komnitsas Konstantinos Κομνιτσας Κωνσταντινος Li Daoliang Taylor & Francis vegetation-soil relationships ordination redundancy analysis (RDA) forensic investigations