Abstract

Mining operations frequently produce tailing dams, which when left uncontained contain harmful residues and are a cause of pollution. Phytostabilization, a containment technique, calls for the development of a plant community over the tailings. Acacia farnesiana, Brickellia coulteri, Baccharis sarothroides, and Gnaphalium leucocephalum are only a few examples of the plants that naturally colonise mine tailings. However, no local adaptation has been found in any of these species. Using the 16S rRNA gene and metagenomic shotgun sequencing, we investigated the role of rhizosphere microorganisms in plant establishment and documented the variety of rhizospheric bacteria in situ and that can be cultured. From the mining tailings, we created a synthetic population of culturable rhizosphere bacteria.