To investigate the effects of coal mining on soil physical properties, sandy lands with three major vegetation types (Salix psammophila, Populus simonii, and Artemisia ordosica) were investigated by the ring knife method and double-ring infiltrometer. Specifically, variations in soil bulk density and water infiltration rate and the influences of coal mining and vegetation type on the properties during different subsidence stages were studied at the Shendong Bulianta mine. The results showed that, in the period before mining, soil bulk density occurred in the order A. ordosica > P. simonii > S. psammophila, with a negative correlation between the initial infiltration rate and steady infiltration rate being observed. In the period during mining and 3 months after mining, there were no significant differences in soil bulk density and water infiltration rate among vegetation types. At 1 year after mining, the soil bulk density occurred in the order A. ordosica > S. psammophila > P. simonii, having a negative correlation with the steady infiltration rate. The water infiltration depths of the S. psammophila, P. simonii and A. ordosica were 50, 60, and 30 cm, respectively. The infiltration characters were simulated by the Kostiakov equations, and the simulated and experimental results were consistent. Linear regression revealed that vegetation types and soil bulk density had significant effects on soil initial infiltration rate during the four study periods, and the infiltration rate of the period 1 year after mining was mainly influenced by the soil bulk density of the period before mining. The results indicated that vegetation types had significant effects on soil bulk density, and that the tree–shrub–grass mode was better than one single plantation for water conversation and vegetation recovery in sandy land subjected to mining.

Carbon storage is affected by photosynthesis (P_n) and soil respiration (R_s), which have been studied extensively in natural and agricultural systems. However, the effects of P_n and R_s on carbon storages in the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in coalfields remain unclear. A field experiment was established in 2014 in Shendong coal mining subsidence area. The treatments comprised two inoculation levels (inoculated with or without 100 g AMF inoculums per seedlings) and four plant species [wild cherry (Prunus discadenia Koebne L.), cerasus humilis (Prunus dictyneura Diels L.), shiny leaf Yellow horn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge L.) and apricot (Armeniaca sibirica L.)]. AMF increased P_n of four species ranging from 15.3% to 33.1% and carbon storage, averaged by 17.2% compared to controls. Soil organic carbon (OC), easily extractable glomalin-relation soil protein (EE-GRSP) and total glomalin-relation soil protein (T-GRSP) were significantly increased by AMF treatment. The effect of AMF on the sensitivity of R_s depended on soil temperature. The results highlighted the exponential models to explain the responses of R_s to soil temperature and for the first time quantified AMF caused carbon sequestration and R_s. Thus, to our knowledge, AMF is beneficial to ecosystems through facilitating carbon conservation in coalfield soils.

Background: Effects on maize were assessed of dual inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and dark septate endophytes (DSE) isolated from other plant species. Methods: Suspensions of DSE isolated from Stipa krylovii were prepared at different densities (2, 4, and 8 × 10⁵ CFU mL^− 1) and inoculated separately (AMF or DSE) or together (AMF + DSE), to explore their effects on maize growth. Results: Inoculation with AMF or medium and high densities of DSE and combined inoculation (AMF + DSE) increased plant above-ground growth and altered root morphology. Differences in plant growth were attributable to differences in DSE density, with negative DSE inoculation responsiveness at low density. AMF promoted plant above-ground growth more than DSE and the high density of DSE promoted root development more than AMF. Combined inoculation might lead to synergistic growth effects on maize at low density of DSE and competitive effects at medium and high DSE densities. Conclusions: AMF and DSE co-colonized maize roots and they had positive effects on the host plants depending on DSE density. These findings indicate the optimum maize growth-promoting combination of AMF and DSE density and provide a foundation for further exploration of potentially synergistic mechanisms between AMF and DSE in physiological and ecological effects on host plants.

Coal mining often cause serious land degradation, soil erosion, and desertification affecting growth of the local vegetation, especially the roots. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation is considered a potential biotechnological tool for mined soil remediation because mycorrhizal fungi could improve plant growth environment, especially under adverse conditions due to their good symbiosis. A field experiment was conducted to study the ecological effects of AMF (Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizophagus intraradices) on the growth of Amygdalus pedunculata Pall. and their root development in the regenerated mining subsidence sandy land. The reclamation experiment included four treatments: inoculation of Funneliformis mosseae (F.m), inoculation of Rhizophagus intraradices (R.i), combined inoculation of F.m and R.i and non-inoculated treatment. Root mycorrhizal colonization, plant height, crown width, soil moisture, root morphology and certain soil properties were assessed. The results showed that AMF improved the shoot and root growth of Amygdalus pedunculata Pall., and significantly increased root colonization after 1 year of inoculation. Available phosphorus content, activities of phosphatase as well as electrical conductivity in soil rhizosphere of all the three inoculation treatments were higher than that of the non-inoculated treatment. AMF increased the quantity of bacteria and fungi in soil rhizosphere compared with the non-inoculated treatment. Our study indicates that revegetation with AMF inoculum could influence plant growth and root development as well as soil properties, suggesting that AMF inoculation can be effective method for further ecological restoration in coal mine subsided areas.