Addressing the drawbacks of iron-based tailings, such as high salinity and alkalinity, low nutrient content, poor water retention, and difficulty in effective utilization, this study utilize the functional microbial system to improved and restored the ecological function of iron tailings, and alfalfa was chosen as the pioneer plant to study the effect of the composite flora on the improvement and restoration of iron tailings by analysing the growth indexes of the plants. Results from pot experiments indicated that the average height of alfalfa in the treatment groups increased by 63.99% compared with the control group, with a decrease in tailings pH and a significant increase in nutrient elements such as urease enzyme activity, catalase enzyme activity and effective phosphorus. Microbial diversity analysis revealed that the abundance of nitrogen-fixing related microbial groups, such as the Nitrospirae, increased by approximately one-fold compared to the untreated groups. Therefore, the functional microbial system has the potential to regulate the acidity of iron tailings, provide nutrients to promote plant growth, increase the abundance of sterol bacteria microbial communities, enhance metabolic capabilities and nitrogen-fixing potential, and contribute to rehabilitate of iron tailings.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |