Microbial Biomass Carbon
The microbial biomass could provide a satisfactory estimate of the soil
microbial population reclamation (Ross et al., 1990). MBC increased with
increase in year of reclamation, similar results were reported by others
(Singh et al., 2015b). Accumulation of labile carbon during reclamation
promotes a rapid increase in MBC and associated soil biological activity
(Mukhopadhyay et al., 2014). In this study, climate, relief and parent
material were the same for all species, therefore, difference of soil
properties (including soil organic carbon) found can ascribe to the
increase in MBC with increase in year of reclamation.
Plant-microbe interaction and C, N cycles also play a major role in soil
carbon sequestration (Macdonald et al., 2011). Microbial biomass, while
a small portion of SOC, mediates the transfer of SOC among inputs, low
fraction organic carbon and organo-mineral high fraction organic carbon.
MBC increased in all plantations during 8 and 25 years of reclamation
indicates soil redevelopment and improvement in restored coal mine soil
after plantation establishment in our study. The MBC and Cstock were
significantly positively correlated with the TOC (p< 0.01).
This suggests with an increase in organic carbon content microbial
activity also improved as organic carbon provides food and energy to
microbes.