Articles | Volume 1, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-621-2015
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-621-2015
Original research article
 | 
16 Sep 2015
Original research article |  | 16 Sep 2015

Soil biochemical properties in brown and gray mine soils with and without hydroseeding

C. Thomas, A. Sexstone, and J. Skousen

Cited articles

Akala, V. and Lal, R.: Soil organic carbon pools and sequestration rates in reclaimed minesoils in Ohio, J. Environ. Qual., 30, 2098–2104, 2001.
Anderson, J. and Domsch, K.: Ratios of microbial biomass carbon to total carbon in arable soils, Soil Biol. Biochem., 21, 471–479, 1989.
Anderson, J., Ingram, L., and Stahl, P. D.: Influence of reclamation management practices on microbial biomass carbon and soil carbon accumulation in semiarid mined lands of Wyoming, App. Soil Ecol., 40, 387–397, 2008.
Angel, P., Barton, C., Warner, R., Agouridis, C., Taylor, T., and Hall, S.: Tree growth, natural regeneration, and hydrologic characteristics of three loose-graded surface mine spoil types in Kentucky, in: Proceedings, 25th Conference of the American Society of Mining and Reclamation, edited by: Barnhisel, R. I., 28–65, Lexington, USA, 2008.
Bendfeldt, E., Burger, J., and Daniels, W.: Quality of amended mine soils after sixteen years, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 65, 1736–1744, 2001.
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Short summary
Surface coal mining disrupts large areas of land and eliminates valuable hardwood forests. Restoring the land to a sustainable forest ecosystem with suitable soils is the goal of reclamation. Soil microbial activity is an indicator of restoration success. We found hydroseeding with herbaceous forage species and fertilization doubled tree growth and microbial biomass carbon (an indicator of microbial activity) compared to non-hydroseed areas. Hydroseeding is an important component of reclamation.
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