Overview and first results of ecological monitoring at the artificial watershed Chicken Creek (Germany)

An artificial catchment of 6 ha was established in the Lusatian lignite mining district (Germany). A comprehensive monitoring program was launched immediately after the construction was finished in autumn 2005. The setup of the monitoring and first results of the period 2005–2008 are presented in this paper. From the monitoring measurements it is obvious that the establishing ecosystem is highly dynamic. In addition, important components of the artificially created system are governed by characteristic, often seasonal trends. These observations make clear that the performance of the artificial catchment is generally in agreement with naturally formed watersheds but the system is still in a very initial phase of establishment. Especially, soil properties, hydrological behaviour and vegetation succession illustrate that the development of the system started very close to “point zero”. Even if the construction of the site itself left different initial structures the starting conditions of the catchment can be characterized in general as relatively homogenous in comparison with other close to “point zero” systems. However, new structures emerging at the surface of the site but also in the sub-surface differentiated the system significantly soon after “point zero”.