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Linkage between root systems of three pioneer plant species and soil nitrogen during early reclamation of a mine site in Lusatia, Germany

  • In 2005, a 7-ha artificial watershed (Chicken Creek) was built on a post mined landscape in Lusatia, Germany from sandy substrates of Pleistocene origin, commonly used in reclamation. The watershed was developed to investigate the initial phase of soil and ecosystem development under natural conditions. At this early stage, mineral nitrogen in young sandy soils is primarily limited and nitrogen fixing legumes become key components of natural succession. Local abundant pioneering legumes Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium arvense and one pioneer grass species Calamagrostis epigeios were investigated 5 years after watershed construction. In this study, we investigated the influence of spatial root and nodule distribution of these species on soil nitrogen accumulation. Soil, including roots, was sampled from field monoliths covered with the aforementioned plant species. Root systems of both legumes were mainly restricted to the upper 20 cm of soil, whereas roots of C. epigeios also developed strongly at greater depths. A positiveIn 2005, a 7-ha artificial watershed (Chicken Creek) was built on a post mined landscape in Lusatia, Germany from sandy substrates of Pleistocene origin, commonly used in reclamation. The watershed was developed to investigate the initial phase of soil and ecosystem development under natural conditions. At this early stage, mineral nitrogen in young sandy soils is primarily limited and nitrogen fixing legumes become key components of natural succession. Local abundant pioneering legumes Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium arvense and one pioneer grass species Calamagrostis epigeios were investigated 5 years after watershed construction. In this study, we investigated the influence of spatial root and nodule distribution of these species on soil nitrogen accumulation. Soil, including roots, was sampled from field monoliths covered with the aforementioned plant species. Root systems of both legumes were mainly restricted to the upper 20 cm of soil, whereas roots of C. epigeios also developed strongly at greater depths. A positive relationship was found, with higher plant densities associated with higher root densities which were associated with higher nodule densities for legumes and which were all associated with significantly higher soil nitrogen content relative to non-vegetated areas. This research provides rare information on the role root systems of pioneer legumes play in soil nitrogen input in the early stage of soil and ecosystem development during revegetation by natural succession.show moreshow less

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Author: Katja Boldt-BurischORCiD, M. Anne Naeth, Bernd Uwe Schneider, Reinhard F. HüttlGND
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.12190
ISSN:1526-100X
Title of the source (English):Restoration Ecology
Document Type:Scientific journal article peer-reviewed
Language:English
Year of publication:2015
Volume/Year:23
Issue number:4
First Page:357
Last Page:365
Faculty/Chair:Fakultät 2 Umwelt und Naturwissenschaften / FG Bodenschutz und Rekultivierung
Institution name at the time of publication:Fakultät für Umweltwissenschaften und Verfahrenstechnik (eBTU) / LS Bodenschutz und Rekultivierung
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