Ecological network analysis to assess the restoration success of disturbed mine soil in Zoucheng, China

Understanding the interactions among soil microbial species and how they respond to land reclamation is essential to evaluate the success of ecological restoration actions in disturbed mine soil. In this study, we strived to reveal the interactions among soil bacterial communities along the reclamation timeline of a coal mine in Zoucheng, China. To do so, we investigated changes in the composition of soil bacterial over time and constructed molecular ecological networks (i.e., microbial network) following mining soil reclamation into agricultural land. The relationships between microbial networks and selected soil attributes (i.e., soil pH, electric conductivity, organic matter, soil nutrients and enzymatic activities) were also analyzed. The results showed that the composition of soil bacteria changed significantly along the reclamation timeline. The microbial network profile revealed that Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes and Proteobacteria were the key microbial populations. Soil pH, soil organic matter content, soil dehydrogenase and urease activities were significantly correlated (0.001 <= p < 0.05) with the microbial network structure, suggesting that the microbial networks found influenced the provision of relevant soil ecological functions after reclamation. The variation in complexity of the microbial networks along the reclamation timeline revealed that microbial development was promoted by the shift in land use from mining into agriculture. Overall, our findings shed light on how soil microbial communities and networks change following mine reclamation into agricultural land. The results presented herein will undoubtedly aid in the establishment of success indicators of ecological restoration activities in disturbed mining soil.

Automated summary

This study investigated the changes in soil bacterial communities during the reclamation of disturbed mine soil into agricultural land, revealing significant shifts in bacterial composition along the reclamation timeline. Key microbial populations such as Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Proteobacteria were identified, and correlations between soil attributes and microbial network structure were found. The results suggest that the microbial networks influence soil ecological functions post-reclamation, and the complexity of these networks increased as land use shifted from mining to agriculture, contributing to microbial development.