Soil microbial community’s diversity rehabilitation in Colombian Coal Mine Spoil Dump: a metagenomic survey unravels its metabolic potential

We analyzed the community structure and metabolic potential of soil microbial communities in an open-pit coal mine located in north-eastern Colombia using both GeoChip analysis and targeted sequencing high throughput techniques. Main sites analyzed included a disturbed spoil dump, closed in 2010 with a mixture of planted mesquite trees (Prosopis juliflora) and some other naturally colonizing species typical of dry forest and a native dry- forest next to the mining area.