RELATIONSHIP OF MYCORRHIZAL ACTIVITY TO TIME FOLLOWING RECLAMATION OFSURFACE MINE LAND IN WESTERN KENTUCKY - II - MYCORRHIZAL FUNGAL COMMUNITIES

Over a period of 2.5 years, mycorrhizal fungal communities in soils of five abandoned surface coal mine sites in western Kentucky were studi ed in relation to time following reclamation. These sites were reclaim ed at different times and were in varying stages of revegetation. At t he seeding stage of reclamation, low populations of mycorrhizal fungal spores of only a few species, notably Glomus microcarpum Tul. & Tul., Glomus aggregatum Schenck & Smith emend. Koske, and Glomus fasciculat um (Thaxter) Gerdemann & Trappe emend. Walker & Koske, were present. P opulations of spores of these species increased rapidly during the fir st 1 or 2 years after reclamation. Other species, notably those with l arger spores, appeared with time. Spores of one group of species were a high proportion of the total early after reclamation, then declined in relation to populations of other species. A second group appeared s oon after reclamation and maintained a relatively constant proportion of the total population. A third group was inconspicuous for a few yea rs after reclamation but increased in proportion to the total populati on of spores with time. Species richness was low soon after reclamatio n; rose slowly and erratically over 5 years, then stabilized at about 10 species. Species dominance, diversity, and evenness were relatively constant after the first 2 years of reclamation.