5. Conclusions
Dense grass-legume mulch cover formed over 5-years of revegetation
created a buffer zone between soil and atmospheric temperature and helps
retain soil moisture content. Legume with low biomass C:N ratio favor
rapid N mineralization conversely, high C:N ratio of grass biomass
reduces N leaching by enhancing microbial N uptake and synergistically
contributing balanced mineralization of N in the soil. Soil fertility in
terms of SOM, SOC, N, microbial biomass, and enzyme activity was
significantly increased after 5-years of grass-legume revegetation that
are close to the natural forest soils. Growth of grass-legume mixture
also enhanced the microbial activity, SOC and N stocks, and doubling the
rate of CO2 flux in 5-years. Field-scale reclamation of
waste dumps requires a massive amount of mulch and often impractical to
import. Therefore, we recommend grass-legume revegetation, as they
provide sufficient shoot and root biomass and subsequent mulch stock
over time. In conclusion, this study shows that legume (S.
hamata ) is compatible with grass (P. pedicellatum ) species
affecting above and below ground soil systems during revegetation,
increase nutrient concentrations, and accelerates recovery of soil
fertility.