Vegetation Dynamics in Silica Mines Degraded Lands after Thirty Years of Restoration

Silica mining in the Shankargarh region of Prayagraj, India, has caused extensive land degradation and biodiversity loss over four decades. This study evaluates the ecological recovery of these mine spoils thirty years after the initiation of strategic ecorestoration. Using a successional restoration framework, fifteen resilient native species were introduced alongside moisture conservation techniques. Comparative analysis of vegetation dynamics across three strata (herbs, shrubs, and trees) revealed significant ecological uplift. Post-restoration, species richness surged across all layers, with the herbaceous understory showing the most dramatic increase (from 22 to 107 species). True Diversity (D) effectively doubled in the tree layer (from 8.50 to 17.29) and increased nearly five-fold in the herbs (from 16.59 to 75.19). Concomitant improvements in soil health, including a reduction in pH (6.5 to 6.2) and increased Electrical Conductivity (0.13 to 0.18 dS/m), signify the re-establishment of a functional, nutrient-cycling ecosystem. These results provide a robust scientific framework for the sustainable restoration of silica-mined landscapes in tropical dry deciduous regions.