Abstract
It is urgent to restore the ecological function in open-pit mining areas on grassland in Eastern China. The open-pit mines have abundant of mining associated clay, which is desirable for using as a soil source for ecological restoration. The mining associated clay in Hulunbuir district, Inner Mongolia was selected and mixed with a sandy soil at a ratio of 1:1 (S_C soil). Also, effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation on soil functions were studied. The aboveground and underground biomass of maize in S_C soil was 1.49 and 2.41 times higher than that of clay soil, respectively. In the topsoil and S_C soil, the growth hormone (IAA) and cytokinin (CTK) levels of maize were higher than that of clay, while abscission acid (ABA) levels were lower. The inoculation with AMF could significantly improve the biomass of maize and enhance the stress resistance of plants. Through structural equation model (SEM) analyses, it was found that the soil type and AMF inoculation had the most direct impact on maize growth and biomass content. These finds extend our knowledge regarding a low-cost method for physical and biological improvement of mining associated clay, and to provide theoretical support for large-scale application in the future.
Highlights
It is urgent to restore the ecological function in open-pit mining areas on grassland in Eastern China
The inoculation significantly increased the amount of biomass in Top soil, S_C soil, and Sandy soil, and the above-ground part increased by 28.3%, 34.8%, and 24.4%, respectively, while the underground part increased by 37.3%, 20.6%, and 34.8%, respectively
Urease activity is highest in top soil, in S_C soil, which is in agreement with previous studies, because the topsoil contained the highest content of organic matters compared with other soil types
Summary
Through structural equation model (SEM) analyses, it was found that the soil type and AMF inoculation had the most direct impact on maize growth and biomass content. These finds extend our knowledge regarding a low-cost method for physical and biological improvement of mining associated clay, and to provide theoretical support for large-scale application in the future. Mycorrhizal mycelium can enhance the absorption range of roots and improve the resistance of plants to external stress[8,10,11,12,13], especially in the environment of high-pressure open-pit mines, they can promote plant growth and improve the vegetation recovery in the mine reclamation area[14]. Available P (mg kg−1) 13.71 17.04 4.95 bacteria cfu g−1 5.4 × 105 200 3.2 × 105 fungus improvement of mining associated clay, and to provide theoretical support for large-scale application and promotion in the future
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