• Mycobiology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.168-172
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• 2012

In this study, the effect of soil ameliorators on ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal communities in coal mine spoils was investigated. Organic fertilizers and slaked lime were applied as soil ameliorators in 3 abandoned coal mine spoils. One year after the initial treatment, roots of Pinus densiflora seedlings were collected and the number of ECM species, colonization rate, and species diversity were assessed. The results showed that the soil ameliorators significantly increased ECM colonization on the roots of P. densiflora. The results suggest that soil ameliorators can have a positive effect on ECM fungi in terms of growth of host plants and show the potential use of soil ameliorator treatment for revegetation with ECM-colonized pine seedlings in the coal mine spoils.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.172-178
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• 2003

This study was conducted to assess the physiological tolerance of native tree species for successful restoration and revegetation of abandoned coal-mine spoils. Study sites were two coal-mine spoils (Sododong and Ssarijae) in Taebaek, Kangwon Province, Korea. Five individuals of Betula costata and of B. schmidtii were analyzed for malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O$$_2$) content, nitrate reductase (NR) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and for carbohydrate concentration in the leaves. Trees in the abandoned coal-mine spoils were influenced by deficiencies expressed by MDA and $H_2O$$_2$ content in the leaves of two species being higher at the coal-mine spoils than in the surrounding forest. Low NR activity indirectly represented nitrogen deficiency in the soil of the coal-mine spoils; an unmanageable SOD activity implied that tolerant functions didn't net against a certain stress of the coal-mine spoils. Decreased glucose and increased starch concentration especially showed the inhibition of the carbohydrate metabolism by inadequate factors. Consequently, low nitrogen content in the real-mine soils might increase damage in trees as a result of inhibiting the expression of tolerance mechanisms against stress. Therefore, trees in coal-mine spoils need ample nitrogen to use as a metabolic energy source in order to prevent damage and increase tolerance against stress.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.102-111
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• 2014

Ecological restoration is regarded as a major strategy for preventing biodiversity loss and thereby enhancing ecosystem service. This study was performed to evaluate ecosystem service value that the restored ecosystem provides. Ecosystem service was evaluated for provisioning and regulating services. The former service was evaluated by comparing similarities in a viewpoint of floristic composition to the reference site between the restored and the unrestored sites. Species composition of the restored site was found to be more similar to the reference site than that of the unrestored site and thereby restoration practice contributed for enhancing the provisioning service. Regulating service was evaluated based on microclimate control, soil amelioration, and improvement of water holding capacity. The value of ecosystem services in terms of microclimate control, soil amelioration, and improvement of water holding capacity was higher in the restored site than in the unrestored site. In consequence, ecological restoration of coal mine spoils contributed for enhancing the ecosystem service value of the corresponding site and thereby is rewarding the cost invested for restoration.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.24-34
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• 2000

The project for rehabilitation and revegetation of the abandoned coal-mine lands is a very important national environmental restoration project in the view point of rehabilitation and revegetation of denuded forest-lands caused by coal mining as well as restoration of disturbed natural environment and control of the variable pollutions. In Korea, because a large number of coal mines had been developed in order to fill up abundantly consumption of coal as a major energy source in the developing period, a lot of denuded forest-lands caused by coal mining had distributed in the whole country. And, due to the absence of effective rehabilitation and revegetation works on the denuded forestlands caused by coal-mining, most of them had been remained with being damaged. In 1990, area of the abandoned coal-mine lands, requiring the rehabilitation and revegetation works, was about 1,437.1 ha. For the past ten years ('90~'99), about 1,081.8 ha out of them had been rehabilitated and revegetated, and the rehabilitation planning area was about 33.0 ha in 2000. So, remaining area out of abandoned coal-mine lands will be about 322.3 ha after 2000. In principle, after abandoning coal-mine, mine owners must carry out the rehabilitation and revegetation works on the abandoned mine lands by themselves. But, most of mine owners were in financial difficulty after abandoning coal-mine, so that principle couldn't have obtained the desired effects. To solve this problem, from 1995, Coal Industry Promotion Board (CIPB) have carried out the rehabilitation and revegetation works on the abandoned coal-mine lands at government budgets, and they have obtained good results in the construction area. However, due to application of the "conventional erosion control measures and techniques" to the rehabilitation and revegetation measures on the abandoned coal-mine lands, the results and effects of the works excuted have not been successful. Therefore, unique measures and techniques for rehabilitation and revegetation of the abandoned coal-mine lands will have to be developed, especially including development of new techniques on the soil-dressing and soil-covering, seed spray and hydro-seeding measures with seed-fertilizer-soil materials as the mechanized measures, and using of new materials for the tree planting and seedling measures.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2006

This study was conducted to identify native ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi colonizing Pinus densiflora for revegetation of abandoned coal mines in Korea. Seedlings of P. densiflora growing on coal mining spoils of a study site in Samcheok were collected. ECM roots were observed under stereomicroscope and their DNA were extracted from each root tip for a seedling for molecular identification. A PCR primer pair specific to fungi, ITS1F and ITS4, was used to amplify fungal DNA. Restriction enzymes, Alul and Hinfl were used for restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Combined with RFLP profiles and sequence analysis, total twenty one taxa were identified from the ECM root tips. Basidiomycetous fungi including Thelephoraceae, Pezizales, Laccaria, Pisolithus and Ascomycetous fungi including ericoid mycorrhizal fungi were identified from this study. Results showed that the most frequently found in the study sites was a species in Thelephoraceae. A possible use of ECM fungi identified in this study for the revegetation of abandoned coal mines with P. densiflora was discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1205-1215
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• 2015

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have great potential for assisting heavy metal hyperaccumulators in the remediation of contaminated soils. However, little information is available about the symbiosis of AMF associated with an antimony (Sb) accumulator plant under natural conditions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the colonization and molecular diversity of AMF associated with the Sb accumulator ramie (Boehmeria nivea) growing in Sb-contaminated soils. Four Sb mine spoils and one adjacent reference area were selected from Xikuangshan in southern China. PCR-DGGE was used to analyze the AMF community composition in ramie roots. Morphological identification was also used to analyze the species in the rhizosphere soil of ramie. Results obtained showed that mycorrhizal symbiosis was established successfully even in the most heavily polluted sites. From the unpolluted site Ref to the highest polluted site T4, the spore numbers and AMF diversity increased at first and then decreased. Colonization increased consistently with the increasing Sb concentrations in the soil. A total of 14 species were identified by morphological analysis. From the total number of species, 4 (29%) belonged to Glomus, 2 (14%) belonged to Acaulospora, 2 (14%) belonged to Funneliformis, 1 (7%) belonged to Claroideoglomus, 1 (7%) belonged to Gigaspora, 1 (7%) belonged to Paraglomus, 1 (7%) belonging to Rhizophagus, 1 (7%) belonging to Sclervocystis, and 1 (7%) belonged to Scutellospora. Some AMF sequences were present even in the most polluted site. Morphological identification and phylogenetic analysis both revealed that most species were affiliated with Glomus, suggesting that Glomus was the dominant genus in this AMF community. This study demonstrated that ramie associated with AMF may have great potential for remediation of Sb-contaminated soils.