Bioassays for the evaluation of reclaimed opencast coal mining areas

This study aimed to use bioassays (single and multispecies) with organisms from different trophic levels to assess soil quality in reclaimed coal mining areas. Soil samples were collected from four sites: two sites with recent reclaim processes (one using topsoil and other using clayey soil), an natural attenuation site, and a control soil. The evaluated parameters were divided into (1) ecotoxicological tests (avoidance test with Eisenia andrei (earthworms) and Armadillidium vulgare (isopods); germination test with Sinapis alba seeds (mustard); reproduction tests with Folsomia candida (collembolans); bacterial toxicity test); (2) population and community assessments (a fungal count; microbial community analysis using Biolog EcoPlates^TM); (3) microcosms scale evaluation (the MS-3 multispecies system); and (4) chemical analysis (soil parameters, soil metal, and cations and anions in soil leachate). Results pointed to toxicity in the natural attenuation site that compromised of habitat function, probably due to low pH and low nutrient levels. The most recent reclaim process, using topsoil and clay soil, improved soil quality and fertility, with a further increase in habitat quality and heterogeneity. This study shows that some techniques used to reclaim degraded mining areas are effective in rebuilding habitats, sustaining soil biota, and reestablishing ecosystem services.