Assessment of Seasonal and Site Specific Variations in Soil Physical, Chemical and Biological Properties around Opencast Coal Mines

Coal mining activities adversely affect the soil quality around open cast coal mines. Therefore, a study was conducted to assess the seasonal and site specific variations in physical, chemical and biological properties of soil collected at different distances from mining areas in Jharia coal field, India. Sites near coal mines showed significantlyhigherbulk density, soil temperature, electrical conductivity, sulphate and heavy metalcontentsand significantly lower water holding capacity, porosity, moisture content, soil pH, total nitrogen and available phosphorus contents in soil compared to distant sites throughout the year. However,biological properties showed site specific as well as seasonal pattern. Soil microbial biomass C andN, microbialbiomass C/N ratio and soil respiration were highest during rainy and lowest during summer season with minimum values in soil near coal mining areas. Soil quality index showed significant influence of heavy metal contents on biological properties of soil