INTRODUCTION

Mining wastes vary widely in their physical, chemical, rhizosphere (86). The beneficial aspects that mycorrhizae
biological characteristics, which affect plant estab impart higher plants include the regulation

to

of
and nutrient
lishment, survival, and growth. Site factors that affect and water uptake and the alteration nutrient availability

of
plant establishment include soil moisture, temperature, and the competitive interactions between plants. Levels

of
on
fertility, and microbial activity. Stabilization of mining infection are usually less disturbed sites than on sites
wastes through revegetation usually requires the useof soil with native vegetation (5,93), but many plant species col
amendments to ameliorate the physical and chemical prop onizing coal spoils contain mycorrhizae (30). Application
erties of the waste and to provide a source of energy for on-site (7) field mycorrhizae inoculum has

of

or
cultured’
the reestablishment of a microbial community. These con frequently improved plant growth. Improvements plant

in
by
ditions are necessary to establish a vegetative cover on and growth and yield inoculation with efficient mycorrhizae

be
to stabilize the mining waste. The primary objectives of expected

of
strains can soils that have low number

in

a
mine land reclamation are to minimize environmental deg indigenous mycorrhizae contain less effective mycor

or
radation, to facilitate the reestablishment of a functional rhizae than those selected (36).
plant-soil system, and to develop an aesthetically pleasing mycorrhizae are recognized; however, only

of
Five types
landscape (113).” Tate (113) states that long-term plant mycorrhizae are used

of
two types mine waste stabiliza

in
community stability relies upon the development of a func tion: ectomycorrhizae and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhi
tional soil microbial community. The microbial communi zae (VAM). The other types mycorrhizae are "ericoid,"

of
ty of a given site is composed of numerous species and the Ericaceae family; "orchid,"

to to
restricted some species

in
genotypes that differ in their environmental tolerances, restricted some species the Orchidaceae family; and

in
by
physical requirements, and habitat preferences (87). The ectendomycorrhizae, formed species families other

in
rehabilitation of a disturbed site requires that a tolerant than Ericaceae, but the Ericales.

in

by
microbial community be reestablished. Ectomycorrhizae are characterized

of
the formation
Soil microorganisms are responsible for the decomposi mantle, which surrounds the roots (fig.
or
(64).

1)
sheath
a

tion of plant litter, the mineralization of essential plant the Hartig net,

of
Inside the sheath network hyphae

is

a
nutrients, nutrient cycling, the accumulation of organic extending into the root. The fungal hyphae penetrate and
matter, and beneficial changes in soil physical character the intercellular spaces the root cortical cells,

of
occur
in

istics such as the formation and maintenance of stable soil but do not enter the cells. Outside the sheath network

is
a
structure. One group of soil microorganisms important external hyphae that extend into the soil. Ectomycor
of

on
to the development of long-term plant community struc rhizae associations are generally formed only primary
ture is mycorrhizal fungi. "Mycorrhizae" literally means tissues; roots with secondary thickening remain uninfected.
"fungus-root" and is used to describe the symbiotic asso The presence the Hartig net remains the
of
or

absence
ciation between roots and fungi. These common soil fungi ectomycorrhizal development and

an
of

most reliable index

all

form symbiotic associations with almost higher plants ectomycorrhizae presence (124).
do of

indication
and usually improve plant survival and growth, especially VAM not form fungal sheath. There little

is
a

nutrient-poor soils. symbiotic association because change the gross morphology infected roots, and col
of
in

in
is
It
a

the plant acquires nutrients through the fungus (myco onization not recognizable without staining. Coloniza
is

tion originates from hyphae arising from soil-borne prop

its

trophy); the fungus cannot complete life cycle inde

pendently the host plant, being physiological obligate agules (spores mycorrhizal root fragments)
of

or

or

from
a

a
symbiont (fungal dependency); and the plant mycorrhizal VAM plant growing nearby (10). The fungus may gain
is

by

morphological and physio

by
its

dependent, entry either through penetrating the

or
as

expressed root hair

a

logical characteristics (10). epidermis Jeanmougin suggests (56) that

of

the root.
Mycorrhizae have been used VAM enter host cells, they penetrate the
an

allevi
to
as

amendment when hyphae

of
by

plants established on mine cell wall through enzymatic processes

of

ate stresses encountered combination

a

highly disturbed areas, such and physical pressure. The hyphae VAM occur both
In

of
as

wastes. mine waste

sites, the absence mycorrhizal fungi may account for the intercellularly and extracellularly (fig. (127). The hy
of

2)

poor survival plants used for stabilization.

of

phae grow within and between the epidermal and cortical

high proportion photosynthate
of

cells and extend into the soil. VAM are usually found
to

Plants allocate
in
a

roots, and large amount that photosynthate

or of

the primary cortex very finely

of

of

diverted roots. The formation

is
a

mycorrhizal symbiots exuded into the surrounding branched intracellular structures known as arbuscules and
to

by

parentheses the University Plant Pathology Depart

of

of

*Work done
to

*Italic numbers refer items the list references Minnesota

in

in

this report. ment under Bureau contract JO22500.

of
at

the end