01803naa a2200253 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000180006024501130007826000090019152011060020065000140130665000100132065000100133065000150134065000170135565000090137265300190138165300180140070000180141870000170143670000200145377300760147312795162025-01-16 1987 bl uuuu u00u1 u #d1 aPARKER, L. W. aDecomposition and soil biota after reclamation of coal mine spoils in an arid region.h[electronic resource] c1987 aWe compared soil biota and buried wheat straw decomposition on sites subject to topsoiling plus straw mulch reclamation procedures 1 - 4 years prior to our study and on an unmined site. Rates of straw decomposition were highest on the unmined site. Decomposition rates were higher on the 1- and 2-year- old sites than on the 3- and 4-year-old reclaimed spoil. Microarthropod population densities and number of taxa were greater from decomposing straw on the un- mined site and lowest from straw on the 1- and 2-year- old areas. Soil bacteria, fungi, and protozoan popula- tions on buried straw on the oldest reclaimed sites were generally equal to those on the unmined area. Nematode populations on buried straw in the unmin- ed site and 1- and 2-year-old reclaimed sites were simi- lar. Populations of denitrifying bacteria were larger on recently reclaimed sites than on 3- and 4-year-old sites. Decomposition and nitrogen mineralization varied as a function of the diversity and abundance of soil microarthropods. Soil microfauna can serve as an in- dex of soil development in a disturbed arid soil aBactéria aBiota aFungo aNematóide aProtozoário aSolo aArea degradada aRestauração1 aELKINS, N. Z.1 aALDON, E. F.1 aWHITFORD, W. G. tBiology and Fertility of Soils, New Yorkgv. 4, n. 3, p. 129-135, 1987.