Theme 1: Grassland Ecology
Description
In view of the general lack of analysis of the ecological restoration effects of underground soil in the desert grassland ecological restoration projects in Inner Mongolia, this study selected the most representative open-pit quarries, open-pit iron mines and open-pit coal mines in the desert steppe. Using high-throughput sequencing technology, nematode community composition, diversity, and function were analyzed to determine the response of nematodes to different ecological restoration methods in damaged areas of coal mines. In open-pit coal mines, for slope rehabilitation, vegetation blanket restoration exhibited more favorable effects than those exhibited by vegetation bag restoration and natural restoration. For rehabilitation of the platform area under the slope, the diversity of soil nematodes and thesoil fauna analysis under alien soil restoration conditions were performed and exhibited similar characteristics to those of the native vegetation. After 7 years of ecological package restoration at an open-pit quarry, two management methods (annual removal of dominant plant genera and annual reseeding of missing plants) achieved the expected outcomes of the restoration project (return to the conditions of the pre-disturbed ecosystem). We also evaluated the soil health status of different ecological package restoration time periods (2 and5 years) at an abandoned desert steppe open-pit iron mine by analysis of the soil properties and nematode communities. We suggest that ecological package restoration for 5 years achieved the expected restoration outcomes in the open-pit iron mine wasteland. Our findings provide a reference for evaluating the reclamation effect of ecological package restoration inopen-pit
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Evaluation of Restoration of Damaged Ecosystems on Soil Nematode Communities and Their Functions in the Desert Steppe Open-Pit Mining Area of Inner Mongolia
In view of the general lack of analysis of the ecological restoration effects of underground soil in the desert grassland ecological restoration projects in Inner Mongolia, this study selected the most representative open-pit quarries, open-pit iron mines and open-pit coal mines in the desert steppe. Using high-throughput sequencing technology, nematode community composition, diversity, and function were analyzed to determine the response of nematodes to different ecological restoration methods in damaged areas of coal mines. In open-pit coal mines, for slope rehabilitation, vegetation blanket restoration exhibited more favorable effects than those exhibited by vegetation bag restoration and natural restoration. For rehabilitation of the platform area under the slope, the diversity of soil nematodes and thesoil fauna analysis under alien soil restoration conditions were performed and exhibited similar characteristics to those of the native vegetation. After 7 years of ecological package restoration at an open-pit quarry, two management methods (annual removal of dominant plant genera and annual reseeding of missing plants) achieved the expected outcomes of the restoration project (return to the conditions of the pre-disturbed ecosystem). We also evaluated the soil health status of different ecological package restoration time periods (2 and5 years) at an abandoned desert steppe open-pit iron mine by analysis of the soil properties and nematode communities. We suggest that ecological package restoration for 5 years achieved the expected restoration outcomes in the open-pit iron mine wasteland. Our findings provide a reference for evaluating the reclamation effect of ecological package restoration inopen-pit
