One potential utilization of poultry waste is in the reclamation of su
rface mine soil. However little is known about the persistence of feca
l bacteria in the buried environments of reclaimed mine soil. A labora
tory study was used to determine fecal bacteria mortality during an 8
week incubation in topsoil and subsoil representative of reclaimed sur
face mines in western Kentucky. Manure loading rates equivalent to 37.
5 and 75 Mg ha(-1) were used. Manure loading rates had no effect on mo
rtality rates. Mortality rates were adequately described by a two-stag
e exponential decay model. The rates for the first 2 weeks of incubati
on were significantly greater in subsoil than topsoil for total colifo
rms (0.31 log(10) cells day(-1) vs 0.20 log(10) cells day(-1)), fecal
coliforms (0.33 log(10) cells day(-1) vs 0.22 log(10) cells day(-1)),
and fecal streptococci (0.31 log(10) cells day(-1) vs 0.24 log(10) cel
ls day(-1)). Bacterial cell numbers decreased to, or close to, detecti
on levels (3 colony forming units g(-1) soil) after 8 weeks of incubat
ion. Manure application to this subsoil does not appear to be a greate
r threat to environmental quality, due to fecal bacteria survival in r
eclaimed mine soil, than surface application in the same environment.