Impact of compost amendments and Morus alba L. on soil restoration, microbial communities, and crop yield in rare-earth tailings.

Key Points

• The research aims to evaluate the effects of compost amendments and Morus alba on soil health, microbial communities, and crop yield in rare-earth tailings.
• Functional prediction models were employed to assess microbial potential.
• Random forest and structural equation modeling analyzed the relationship between nitrogen, organic matter, and crop yield over time.
• The study incorporated organic fertilization and phytoremediation techniques.
• The primary driver of crop yield transitioned from nitrogen availability in early stages to organic matter in later stages.
• Microbial potential for carbon and nitrogen cycling was significantly enhanced with compost amendments.
• Combining organic fertilization with phytoremediation improved overall soil health and restoration in mine tailings.