Relationship of mycorrhizal activity to time following reclamation of surface mine land in western Kentucky. I. Propagule and spore population densities

The relationships between estimates of mycorrhizal activity, time following reclamation, and soil edaphic factors were investigated over a period of 2.5 years during reclamation of five abandoned surface mine sites in western Kentucky. These sites were reclaimed at different times and were in varying stages of revegetation. At the seeding stage of reclamation and soon thereafter, propagule and spore population densities were low but invariably present. Roots recovered from minespoil during this period were not colonized, and colonization was not observed until a full year following reclamation. During the first 2 years following reclamation, colonization of roots, population densities of propagules and spores, and total spore volume increased rapidly. Thereafter, vegetative and mycorrhizal parameters appeared to stabilize. Each estimate of mycorrhizal activity in minespoil was highly correlated with time following reclamation and all other mycorrhizal parameters. Edaphic factors with positive relationships to mycorrhizal propagule and spore population densities included soil organic matter and calcium.