Effects of ecological restoration of abandoned coal mine spoils using soil ameliorations on arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

Study sites treated with organic fertilizers and limes for restoration of  in abandoned coal mine spoils in Gangwon were studied to examine the effect of these soil ameliorators on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis. As tolerant plant species in mine spoils, saplings and seedlings of pine trees (Pinus densiflora) and a grass species, Miscanthus sinensis were transplanted to the sites. After one year of treatments, soil and roots of M. sinensis were collected from the each plot. The organic fertilizer and limes were significantly increased total number of spores of AM fungi in both sites, dogye and geumdaebong sites. In seedling plots, the treatment of lime increased total number of spores. However, soil amelioration was not significantly increased spore numbers in sapling plots. The most abundant AM fungal spores were Paraglomus occultum and Glomus clarum. Species numbers and composition of AM fungi in the study sites was not significantly different among treatments, suggesting that soil amelioration was significantly increased AM fungal growth mediated through soil nutrients and hot plant, but not enough time to change AM fungal species composition..