Relationship of mycorrhizal activity to time following reclamation of surface mine land in western Kentucky. II. Mycorrhizal fungal communities

Abstract

Over a period of 2.5 years, mycorrhizal fungal communities in soils of five abandoned surface coal mine sites in western Kentucky were studied in relation to time following reclamation. These sites were reclaimed at different times and were in varying stages of revegetation. At the seeding stage of reclamation, low populations of mycorrhizal fungal spores of only a few species, notably Glomus microcarpum Tul. & Tul., Glomus aggregatum Schenck & Smith emend. Koske, and Glomus fasciculatum (Thaxter) Gerdemann & Trappe emend. Walker & Koske, were present. Populations of spores of these species increased rapidly during the first 1 or 2 years after reclamation. Other species, notably those with larger spores, appeared with time. Spores of one group of species were a high proportion of the total early after reclamation, then declined in relation to populations of other species. A second group appeared soon after reclamation and maintained a relatively constant proportion of the total population. A third group was inconspicuous for a few years after reclamation but increased in proportion to the total population of spores with time. Species richness was low soon after reclamation, rose slowly and erratically over 5 years, then stabilized at about 10 species. Species dominance, diversity, and evenness were relatively constant after the first 2 years of reclamation.Key words: Glomales mycorrhizal fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, abandoned minespoil, succession, community relations.