Abstract: Coal mining has destroyed the original natural attributes of land, leading to a series of ecological and environmental problems and forming a large number of abandoned mining lands. Restoring the damaged soil and vegetation is the key to the ecological reclamation of abandoned mining lands. Based on the relevant research results at home and abroad, we review the current research progress of vegetation restoration and existing problems in opencast coal mine areas in northern China. We then point out that longterm field monitoring and in situ research of soilvegetation systems are the important part of the future research, aiming to provide a scientific basis for reasonable management of opencast coal mine areas.

Key words: socio-microbiology, bacterial communication, social evolution, public goods, stabilization of population