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authorities every 4 years to discuss, debate, and propose new and emerging reclamation <br />strategies to enhance mine land restoration. Eighteen years ago, Depuit (1984) <br />identified various topsoiling strategies aimed at increasing vegetation diversity rather <br />than productivity. Foremost, among his recommendations were directly hauling <br />salvaged topsoil and varying the quality and quantity of replaced topsoil. Since this <br />1984 symposium an increasing number of soil scientists and researchers have proposed <br />similar arguments in regard to soils - if you want to increase vegetation diversity, you <br />must reduce soil homogeneity. Unfortunately until just recently, most mine <br />reclamation regulations required uniform redistribution of topsoil materials that <br />prevented the mine operator from replacing soil at varying depths across the reclaimed <br />landscape. Lack of variation in reconstructed mine soils promotes uniformity of <br />vegetation cover. Operationally at various surface mines, soil homogeneity has <br />occurred through the practice of mixing topsoil and subsoil. <br />Reconstructed soil homogeneity is only one of several significant problems caused <br />through the salvage practice of mixing topsoil and subsoil. Organic materials are <br />concentrated in the A soil horizon and they act as a major nutrient pool and recycling <br />center. In association with this organic material and nutrient sink is found the majority <br />of a soil's microbial and biologic population. By mixing approximately 4 inches of <br />topsoil with 20 or more inches of subsoil the "living" topsoil is effectively diluted and <br />the microbial component severely reduced or even eliminated. The living organisms <br />within the topsoil represent the most integral component of a functioning soil system. <br />One cup of soil may contain more than a billion bacteria and a thousand yards of fungal <br />mycelium. These organisms have repeatedly been shown to be concentrated in the <br />topsoil with a relatively minor fraction occurring in lower subsoil horizons <br />(Munshower, 2000). These organisms range from the small bacteria and fungi to <br />animals as large as earthworms and rodents. The larger animals initiate the <br />decomposition process by pulverizing, granulating, and incorporating plant and animal <br />Appendix G 2 07/01/02 <br />