Soil and rhizosphere microorganisms in amended coal mine spoils
Topsoil is usually respread over strip-mined land during reclamation. In some instances, spoil could be used as a medium for revegetation. The objectives of this study were to compare microbial parameters in spoil and soil and determine the effect of spoil amendment on these microbial parameters.Representataive samples from a topsoil stockpile, a nonvegetated spoil, a reclaimed area, and an adjacent undisturbed surface soil were collected from the San Juan coal mine near Farmington, N. Mex. Additional samples of spoil and stockpiled topsoil were used in a greenhouse pot experiment to determine the influence of spoil amendment on microbial parameters. The treatments include spoil, spoil plus topsoil inoculant, spoil plus alfalfa hay and fertilizer (both with and without topsoil inoculant), and spoil plus gamma-irradiated sewage sludge (both with and without topsoil inoculant). The pots were planted to Bouteloua gracilis and microbial determinations of the spoil made after 5 months. Later the same pots were replanted to Atriplex canescens and microbial determinations made of the rhizosphere 7 months after planting. Microbial parameters measured included numbers of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, Streptomyces, fungi, ammonium oxidizers, and aerobic asymbiotic nitrogen fixers, dehydrogenase activity, and fungal genera distribution.
- Research Organization:
- New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces
- OSTI ID:
- 5721267
- Journal Information:
- Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States) Vol. 46:4; ISSN SSSJD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
010900* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
510500 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALFALFA
BIOMASS
COAL MINES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
FEDERAL REGION VI
FERTILIZERS
GAMMA RADIATION
GROWTH
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LAND RECLAMATION
LEGUMINOSAE
MICROORGANISMS
MINES
MINING
MYCORRHIZAS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDOREDUCTASES
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
RADIATIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
REVEGETATION
ROOTS
SAMPLING
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SLUDGES
SOILS
SPOIL BANKS
SURFACE MINING
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
USA
WASTES