Long-term effects of underground mining on surface soil moisture and vegetation environment: evidence from the Xishan mining area

This research aims to study the prolonged effects of underground mining on the ecological environment, particularly on surface soil moisture (SM) and fractional vegetation cover (FVC). Using 21 years of data (2000–2020) from the Xishan mining area, a novel quantitative relational model was developed to disentangle the effects of mining activities from those of climate, soil type, and topography. The findings reveal that climatic factors, such as precipitation and air temperature, have significant effects on SM and FVC, while soil type and topographic features are important factors affecting SM and FVC. After years of data analysis, when controlling for factors such as climate, soil, and topography, there were no significant differences in the effects of different mining areas and types of mining activities on SM and FVC. This suggests that the disturbance of mining activities themselves on local hydrology and ecological environment did not exceed the impact range of climate change, surface characteristic changes, and their own restoration capacity. These research findings offer a comprehensive perspective for understanding the impacts of underground mining activities on ecological landscapes and provide a scientific basis for developing effective strategies for ecological conservation and rehabilitation.