Microbial Biomass‐C in Reclaimed Soil of the Rhineland (Germany) and the North Bohemian Lignite Mining Areas (Czech Republic): Measured and Predicted Values

Abstract

This article compares reclaimed soils in the Rhineland lignite mining area, Germany (RA) and in the north Bohemian brown coal basin, Czech Republic (NBB). Because of highly significant differences of physical and chemical characteristics (RA was characterized by lower content of sand, clay, soil organic carbon, and total nitrogen) between both analyzed areas, the content of microbial biomass carbon (CMB) differs significantly (p < 0.01): RA: 241.17 ± 96.50 μg C/g dry soil; NBB: 424.42 ± 136.23 μg C/g. Extracellular microbial carbon (CEX) was also significantly higher in RA than NBB. The measured CMB values from both mining areas were verified using two empirical mathematical models. Because our former model (used for evaluation of NBB) did not fit soils with low organic carbon content (0.10–0.80%), a new model was proposed. For evaluation of RA reclaimed sites the measured, model‐predicted, and calculated values were used. The best site in RA was Dürwiss Deponie (site 18 near Eschweiler), reclaimed in 1965 and characterized by good soil physical parameters (sand 4%, silt 77%, and clay 19%). In NBB undisturbed soils were the best, together with the site of Úžín (site 2 near Ústí and Labem), reclaimed in 1964, where high‐quality reclamation management resulted in high biological activity. According to biological criteria, the best management practice in NBB was use of high‐quality loam overlaying montmorillonite clayey subsoil. In RA direct reclamation of high‐quality loess with low content of sand also gave good results.

Beneficial Soil Microorganisms of the Jarrah Forest and Their Recovery in Bauxite Mine Restoration in Southwestern Australia

“…In restored coal mines in Germany, the ratio of microbial to total organic C proved to be a reliable parameter for indicating restoration success and was still decreasing even after 50 years, indicating that restoration was continuing to stabilize (Insam & Domsch 1988). A lower ratio of microbial carbon to total carbon seems to indicate ecosystem maturity and hence restoration success (Ruzek et al 2001) although relative comparisons of total organic carbon in restored and natural sites may be a simpler measure.…”

Measurements of the soil microbial community for estimating the success of restoration

“…Ruzek et al . (2001) demonstrated that although there were clear relationships between time since restoration and increases in soil microbial biomass, distinctly different algorithms had to be developed for reclaimed sites in the Czech Republic and Germany.…”

“…A particularly interesting feature of their paper is the link made between soil measurements and setting policy guidelines, in particular the proposed incentive scheme resulting from this work, designed to encourage land owners and topsoil miners to use successful restoration techniques on these sites. Ruzek et al (2001) demonstrated that although there were clear relationships between time since restoration and increases in soil microbial biomass, distinctly different algorithms had to be developed for reclaimed sites in the Czech Republic and Germany. Ruzek and co-workers indicated that this was related to both organic matter content as a starting point in new reclamations and the textural characteristics of the soils reclaimed.…”

Soil microbial population dynamics along a chronosequence of moist evergreen broad-leaved forest succession in southwestern China

“…Many studies have demonstrated the importance of soil microbial communities for the successful establishment and growth of plants and their community development (Zak et al 1990, St. John 1993, Zak et al 1994, Klein et al 1995, Bever et al 1997, van der Heijden et al 1998, Ruzek et al 2001, Chabrerie et al 2003, Antonsen and Olsson 2005. On the other hand, changes in plant diversity, composition, and production during succession (Dzwonko andLoster 1990, Zhu et al 2009) have been found to affect the composition and diversity of soil microbial communities (Wardle et al 1997, Bardgett and Shine 1999, Broughton and Gross 2000, Chabrerie et al 2003 due to the bi-directional exchanges between aboveand belowground communities (Bever 1994).…”