Potential for synergy in soil inoculation for nature restoration by mixing inocula from different successional stages

Soil inocula were created by mixing different proportions of arable, grassland and heathland soil. These mixed inocula were used to inoculate an ex-arable soil (9 years post-cultivation) in experimental mesocosms (1:9 by dryweight).

Subsequently 3 ruderal and three late-successional target species were planed (2 individuals per species) and allowed to grow for 7 weeks. Subsequently shoot biomass of all plants was recorded after drying (48h, 72C). For each of the nine sites that were used to provide the inocula soil abiotic conditions were also measured.