Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Reclamation of coalmine spoils with topsoil, grass, and legume: a case study from India

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Accretion of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content in reclaimed mine soil is a major objective to restore mine soil fertility. The present study investigated the impact of grass and legume seeding in fertility enhancement, nutrient accumulation, and accretion of C and N pool during the early stages of reclamation. Four land covers were studied—unreclaimed mine spoil dump, topsoil dump, and 2-year-old coal mine spoil dumps revegetated with legume (Stylosanthes hamata) and grass (Cenchrus ciliaris). Results showed that above- and below-ground biomass of legumes as well as biomass C and N contents were significantly higher than grass. Reclaimed mine soils under legumes cover had greater soil organic matter (SOM) (42%), soil organic carbon (SOC) (66%), available N (79%), and total N (62%) than the applied topsoil. The rates of SOC (1.57 Mg SOC ha−1 year−1) and total N (0.47 Mg N ha−1 year−1) accumulation were higher under legume than the grass. Soil CO2 flux was in the order of legume (2.34 ± 0.27 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1) > grass (2.17 ± 0.19 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1) > topsoil (1.23 ± 0.19 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1). Total cost of reclamation was US$ 6761 ha−1, out of which 59% was contributed by technical reclamation and 41% by biological reclamation which includes aftercare and maintenance for 2 years. Legumes showed advantages over the grass species to restore mine soil fertility. Therefore, this study recommends the application of legumes as an initial colonizer to reclaim coal mine spoils.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agbenin JO, Adeniyi T (2005) The microbial biomass properties of a savanna soil under improved grass and legume pastures in northern Nigeria. Agric Ecosyst Environ 109:245–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahirwal J, Maiti SK (2016) Assessment of soil properties of different land uses generated due to surface coal mining activities in tropical Sal (Shorea robusta) forest, India. CATENA 140:155–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahirwal J, Maiti SK (2018a) Assessment of soil carbon pool, carbon sequestration and soil CO2 flux in unreclaimed and reclaimed coal mine spoils. Environ Earth Sci 77:9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahirwal J, Maiti SK (2018b) Development of Technosol properties and recovery of carbon stock after 16 years of revegetation on coal mine degraded lands, India. CATENA 166:114–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahirwal J, Maiti SK, Reddy MS (2017a) Development of carbon nitrogen and phosphate stocks of reclaimed coal mine soil within 8 years after forestation with Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) Dc. CATENA 156:42–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahirwal J, Maiti SK, Singh AK (2017b) Changes in ecosystem carbon pool and soil CO2 flux following post-mine reclamation in dry tropical environment, India. Sci Total Environ 583:153–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alday JG, Marrs RH, Martínez-Ruiz C (2008) The influence of aspect on the early growth dynamics of hydroseeded species in coal reclamation areas. Appl Veg Sci 11(3):405–412

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alday JG, Marrs RH, Martínez-Ruiz C (2012) Soil and vegetation development during early succession on restored coal wastes: a six-year permanent plot study. Plant Soil 353:305–320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banning NC, Grant CD, Jones DL, Murphy DV (2008) Recovery of soil organic matter, organic matter turnover and nitrogen cycling in a post-mining forest rehabilitation chronosequence. Soil Biol Biochem 40:2021–2031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blake GR, Hartge KH (1986) Bulk density. In: Methods of soil analysis: part 1—physical and mineralogical methods, pp 363–375

  • Boldt-Burisch K, Gerke HH, Schneider BU, Hüttl RF (2013) Root system development of Lotus corniculatus L. in calcareous sands with embedded finer-textured fragments in an initial soil. Plant Soil 368:281–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boldt-Burisch K, Naeth MA, Schneider BU, Huttl RF (2015) Linkage between root system of three pioneer plant species and soil nitrogen during early reclamation of a mine site in Lusatia, Germany. Restor Ecol 23:357–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bond-Lamberty B, Thomson A (2010) Temperature-associated increases in the global soil respiration record. Nature 464:579–582

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burger J, Graves D, Angel P, Davis V, Zipper C (2005) The forestry reclamation approach. In: Adams MB (ed) The Forestry Reclamation Approach: guide to successful reforestation of mined lands. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-169. US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Newtown Square, pp 1–8

  • Cadisch G, Schunke RM, Giller KE (1994) Nitrogen cycling in a pure grass pasture and a grass-legume mixture on a red latosol in Brazil. Trop Grassl 28:43–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandra D (1992) Jharia coalfields. Geological Society of India (GSI), Bangalore, p 149

    Google Scholar 

  • Donahue RL, Miller RW, Shickluna JC (1990) Soils: an introduction to soils and plant growth, 5th edn. Prentice-Hall of India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, India

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubach M, Russelle MP (1994) Forage legume roots and nodules and their role in nitrogen transfer. Agron J 86:259–266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenhauer N, Bebler H, Engels C, Gleixner G, Habekost M, Milcu A, Weigelt A (2010) Plant diversity effects on soil microorganisms support the singular hypothesis. Ecology 91:485–496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fornara DA, Tilman D (2008) Plant functional composition influences rates of soil carbon and nitrogen accumulation. J Ecol 96(2):314–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fustec JF, Lesuffleur S, Mahieu Cliquet JB (2010) Nitrogen rhizodeposition of legumes. A review. Agron Sustain Dev 30:57–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Georgen E, Chambers JC, Blank R (2009) Effects of water and nitrogen availability on nitrogen contribution by the legume Lupinus argenteus Pursh. Appl Soil Ecol 42:200–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzaga MI, Mackowiak C, de Almeida AQ, de Carvalho Junior JI, Andrade KR (2018) Positive and negative effects of biochar from coconut husks, orange bagasse and pine wood chips on maize (Zea mays L.) growth and nutrition. CATENA 162:414–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hattenschwiler S, Tiunov AV, Scheu S (2005) Biodiversity and litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst 36:191–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson ML (1973) Soil chemical analysis. PHI Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Li RS, Daniels WL (1994) Nitrogen accumulation and form over time in young mine soils. J Environ Qual 23:166–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maiti SK (2012) Ecorestoration of the coalmine degraded lands. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Maiti SK, Ahirwal J (2017) Ecological restoration of coal mine degraded lands using a grass-legume mixture—a case study from India. In: Hu Z (ed) Land reclamation in ecological fragile areas. Proceedings of the 2nd international symposium on land reclamation and ecological restoration. CRC Press, p 13

  • Maiti SK, Ghose MK (2005) Ecological restoration of acidic coal mine overburden dumps-an Indian case study. Land Contamin Reclam 13:361–369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maiti SK, Maiti D (2015) Ecological restoration of waste dumps by topsoil blanketing, coir-matting and seeding with grass-legume mixture. Ecol Eng 77:74–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maiti SK, Saxena NC (1998) Biological reclamation of coal mine spoils without topsoil: an amendment study with domestic raw sewage and grass-legume mixture. Int J Surf Min Reclam Environ 12:87–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menyailo OV, Hungate BA, Zech W (2002) The effect of single tree species on soil microbial activities related to C and N cycling in the Siberian artificial afforestation experiment: tree species and soil microbial activities. Plant Soil 242:183–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MOC (2018) Annual report 2017–2018. Ministry of Coal, Government of India

  • Montanez A, Danso SKA, Hardarson G (1995) The effect of temperature on nodulation and nitrogen fixation by five Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains. Appl Soil Ecol 2(3):165–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukhopadhyay S, Maiti SK (2014) Soil CO2 flux in grassland, afforested land and reclaimed coalmine overburden dumps: a case study. Land Degrad Dev 25:216–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukhopadhyay S, Maiti SK, Masto RE (2014) Development of mine soil quality index (MSQI) for evaluation of reclamation success: a chronosequence study. Ecol Eng 71:10–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson DW, Sommers LE (1996) Total carbon, organic carbon, and organic matter. In: Sparks DL et al (eds) Methods of soil analysis. Part 3, chemical methods, 3rd edn. SSSA Book Series 5. ASA and SSSA, Madison, pp 961–1010

  • Olsen SR, Sommers LE (1982) Phosphorus. In: Page AL, Miller RH, Keeney DR (eds) Methods of soil analysis. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp 403–427

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheoran V, Sheoran AS, Poonia P (2010) Soil reclamation of abandoned mine land by revegetation: a Review. Int J Soil Sediment Water 3:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Shrestha RK, Lal R (2006) Ecosystem carbon budgeting and soil carbon sequestration in reclaimed mine soil. Environ Int 32:781–796

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shrestha RK, Lal R (2011) Changes in physical and chemical properties of soil after surface mining and reclamation. Geoderma 3–4:168–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh AN, Zeng DH, Chen FS (2006) Effect of young woody plantations on carbon and nutrient accretion rates in a redeveloping soil on coalmine spoil in a dry tropical environment, India. Land Degrad Dev 17:13–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spehn EM, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Schmid B, Hector A, Caldeira MC, Dimitrakopoulos PG, Schulze ED (2002) The role of legumes as a component of biodiversity in a cross-European study of grassland biomass nitrogen. Oikos 98:205–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Subbiah BV, Asija GL (1956) A rapid procedure for the determination of available nitrogen in soils. Curr Sci 25:259–260

    Google Scholar 

  • Tripathi N, Singh RS, Hills CD (2016) Soil carbon development in rejuvenated Indian coal mine spoil. Ecol Eng 90:482–490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ussiri DA, Lal R (2008) Method for determining coal carbon in the reclaimed minesoils contaminated with coal. Soil Sci Soc Am J 72:231–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WRB (World Reference Base) (2014) World Reference Base for Soil Resources, International soil classification system for naming soils and creating legends for soil maps. World Soil Resources Reports No. 106. 2015, p 192

  • Yang Y, Yang J, Zhao T, Huang X, Zhao P (2016) Ecological restoration of highway slope by covering with straw-mat and seeding with grass–legume mixture. Ecol Eng 90:68–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zipper CE, Burger JA, Skousen JG, Angel PN, Barton CD, Davis V, Franklin JA (2011) Restoring forests and associated ecosystem services on Appalachian coal surface mines. Environ Manag 47:751–765

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The first author is grateful to the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad and Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India for providing research fellowship. We are also grateful to Dr EVR Raju (Deputy General Manager, Environment, HQ), Mr Harish Kumar (Assistant Manager, Environment), and Mr PK Dubey (General Manager), EJ area, BCCL for providing logistic supports during field studies. We also acknowledged the anonymous reviewers for insightful comments on this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecological Restoration laboratory, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Center of Mining Environment, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, 826004, India

    Sneha Kumari & Subodh Kumar Maiti

Authors
  1. Sneha Kumari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Subodh Kumar Maiti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Subodh Kumar Maiti.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kumari, S., Maiti, S.K. Reclamation of coalmine spoils with topsoil, grass, and legume: a case study from India. Environ Earth Sci 78, 429 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-019-8446-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-019-8446-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation