New soil science study findings recently were reported by D. Elhottova and co-researchers.

"The impact of pioneer plant species Tussilago farfara on structural, functional, and growth characterization of microbial community colonizing the spoil colliery substrate was studied in a laboratory microcosm experiment. Microcosms consisting of spoil substrate (0.7dm3 of tertiary alkaline clay sediment from Sokolov brown-coal mine area) from a pioneer site (without vegetation, 5 years after heaping) were cultivated in a greenhouse with one plant of this species," scientists writing in the journal Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis report.

"Plant roots substantially increased microbial diversity and biomass after one season (7 months) of cultivation. …