Rapid de novo establishment of fungal communities on former mine spoil sites. SEREN

In this study we have employed a novel next generation DNA sequencing method of a variable region of the large ribosomal sub unit, to elucidate variations in fungal community composition of former mine spoil sites (woodland and grassland) and a reference grassland site. Ergosterol was measured to determine variation in fungal biomass. All former mine sites were planted or seeded without imported soil but the fungal community had diverged between grassland and woodland within the timeframe of the youngest site (12 years). None of the environmental variables measured had a significant effect on the fungal community indicating the importance of the vegetation as a determinant. Furthermore populations varied as predicted with higher proportions of ectomycorrhizal taxa in woodland soils and higher proportions of “CHEG” grassland fungi on grassland soils. Comparison of former mine spoil grasslands with an upland (U4) grassland show that relative abundance of functional groups do not significantly vary but ergosterol levels were 5 times higher in the reference grassland. This study shows that fungal community structure establishes on very young soils in ways predicted by the vegetation and would be considered functionally normal. This is the first time such an approach has been used on former mine spoil restoration and indicates how fungal populations establish in new habitats.