Insight into the Adaptability of Dominant Plant Indigofera amblyantha Craib for Ecological Restoration of Rock Slopes in Stone Coal Mine

Abstract

The eco-restoration was a very effective measure to solve the problem of environmental pollution caused by the exposed mine surface in the stone coal mine site. In this study, the dominant plant, Indigofera amblyantha Craib, was well adapted to the eco-restoration in stone coal mining area. The changes of nutrient elements, pH, heavy metals in substrate material, the biological concentration/transfer factor, and the distribution and diversity of bacteria and fungi in rhizosphere soil were investigated. The results show that the plant communities help slow down the loss of nutrient elements and the increase of the concentrations of heavy metals in the eco-restoration process. The Indigofera amblyantha Craib had the advantaged ability to enrich and transfer Cd, Cu, Mn, and its diversity index of microbial communities in rhizosphere soils was higher than that of other quadrats. These excellent properties found in this work help reveal the insight into the adaptability of Indigofera amblyantha Craib in the eco-restoration of stone coal mines. It is valuable to evaluate Indigofera amblyantha Craib for eco-restoration engineering of stone coal mine and extend the application in heavy metal contaminated sites.

Remediation of Pb-, Zn-, Cu-, and Cd-Contaminated Soil in a Lead–Zinc Mining Area by Co-Cropping Ilex cornuta and Epipremnum aureum with Illite Application

“…The soil pH and organic matter content are important indicators of soil quality [24,25]. The mobility and availability of heavy metals in soil were significantly affected by soil pH, which can control the adsorption-desorption and precipitation-dissolution of heavy metals in the soil [26,27]. The results revealed that the application of illite significantly raised the soil pH, which is consistent with findings of previous studies [28].…”