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Rondina Gomes A, Antão A, Santos CH, Rigobelo EC, Scotti MR. Assessing the reclamation of a contaminated site affected by the Fundão dam tailings trough phytoremediation and bioremediation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOREMEDIATION 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38391288 DOI: 10.1080/15226514.2024.2315471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The rupture of the Fundão dam (Brazil) spread tailings contaminated with sodium and ether-amine into the Doce River Basin. Aiming at rehabilitating a contaminated riparian site, phytoremediation with native species of the Atlantic Forest was performed under four treatments: ES-1: physical remediation (sediment scraping) + chemical remediation (organic matter) + bioremediation (double inoculation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Rhizophagus irregularis and the plant growth-promoting bacteria Bacillus subtilis); ES-2: chemical remediation + bioremediation; ES-3: physical remediation + chemical remediation; ES-4: chemical remediation. Ether-amine and sodium contents, plant growth and, soil quality parameters were compared among treatments and relative to preserved and degraded sites. Two years after planting, the outstanding plant growth was attributed to the phytoremediation of ether-amine and ammonium, followed by a significant increase in soil microbial biomass (Phospholipid fatty acids-PLFAs), particularly the Gram+ bacteria and total fungi but not AMF, whose response was independent of the inoculation. While sodium and ether-amine declined, soil K, P, NO3- contents, dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase activities, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and soil aggregation increased, especially in ES-1. Thus, such remediation procedures are recommended for the restoration of riparian areas affected by the Fundão tailings, ultimately improving sediment fertility, aggregation and stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arthur Antão
- Department of Botany/ICB, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Carlos Henrique Santos
- Department of Plant Production, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Everlon C Rigobelo
- Department of Plant Production, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - Maria Rita Scotti
- Department of Botany/ICB, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Villafuerte AB, Soria R, Rodríguez-Berbel N, Zema DA, Lucas-Borja ME, Ortega R, Miralles I. Short-term evaluation of soil physical, chemical and biochemical properties in an abandoned cropland treated with different soil organic amendments under semiarid conditions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 349:119372. [PMID: 37890303 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluate the effects of four organic soil amendments on soil. Physical, chemical and biochemical properties were compared to untreated and natural (not cultivated) soils in a semiarid region (Andalusia, Spain). A large set of physical, chemical biochemical properties and, the composition of bacterial communities; and overall soil quality index (SQI) were evaluated on soils treated with organic soil amendments of animal origin (compost from sheep and cow manure [CS] or chicken manure, [CK], vegetal origin (greenhouse crop residues [CC]), and vermicompost (CV). Immediately after application, the animal origin compost significantly increased pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and total nitrogen (TN) as well as the enzymatic activities associated with the carbon (C) cycle but decreased the richness and evenness of bacterial communities. After 3 months of treatment, all measured properties recovered except for EC, TN and dehydrogenase activity (whose increase was stable over time), as did bacterial richness, which remained lower. The vegetal-originating compost increased EC and pH whereas the other effects were not significant throughout the monitoring period. CV application did not affect soil properties. The SQI was the highest for soils treated with CK compost, both immediately after application and over time. The soil treatments with the other organic amendments did not result in a significantly different SQI over time compared to both untreated and natural sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana B Villafuerte
- Department of Agronomy & Centre for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri Food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almería, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - Rocío Soria
- Department of Agronomy & Centre for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri Food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almería, E-04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Natalia Rodríguez-Berbel
- Department of Agronomy & Centre for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri Food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almería, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - Demetrio Antonio Zema
- AGRARIA Department, Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria, Località Feo di Vito, I-89127, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Manuel Esteban Lucas-Borja
- Department of Agroforestry Technology, Science and Genetics, School of Advanced Agricultural and Forestry Engineering, Campus Universitario S/n, Castilla La Mancha University, E-02071, Albacete, Spain
| | - Raúl Ortega
- Department of Agronomy & Centre for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri Food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almería, E-04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Isabel Miralles
- Department of Agronomy & Centre for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri Food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almería, E-04120, Almería, Spain.
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Soria R, Rodríguez-Berbel N, Sánchez-Cañete EP, Villafuerte AB, Ortega R, Miralles I. Organic amendments from recycled waste promote short-term carbon sequestration of restored soils in drylands. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 327:116873. [PMID: 36470184 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Soils are considered as a major reservoir for terrestrial carbon and it can act as a source or sink depending upon the land management activities. In semi-arid areas, the natural recovery of soils degraded by mining activities is complicated. A possible solution to recover soil quality and functionality, plant cover and carbon sequestration capacity could be the application of organic amendments. This work focuses on a restoration carried out in 2018 by applying with different composted organic amendments (stabilized sludge, gardening and greenhouse waste) in a limestone quarry under semi-arid climate (SE Spain). The objective was to evaluate the effects of different organic amendments on net CO2 exchange in two microcosms: soil-Stipa tenacissima and soil-spontaneous vegetation. Soil physical and chemical properties, environmental and ecological variables and their interrelationship were studied in amended and unamended soils. The results obtained under soil-forming factors in the study area showed an increase in soil organic carbon and nitrogen content, improved moisture and plant growth, and plant canopy development in amended soils. Soil moisture, soil temperature and plant cover significantly influenced net CO2 exchange. In general, microcosms with S. tenacissima showed higher carbon sequestration rates than soils with only spontaneous plant cover. Soils treated with a vegetable-only amendments showed higher plant cover and CO2 fixation rates after significant rainfall. On the other hand, the plots treated with sludge compost presented more soil respiration than photosynthesis, especially in the wet seasons. Soils with sludge and greenhouse compost mixed had higher CO2 fixation rates than soils restored with a mixture of sludge and garden compost. Soils with greenhouse waste compost showed CO2 fixation in the microcosm with plants in all campaigns, being the best treatment to promote atmospheric CO2 sequestration in soil restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Soria
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - Natalia Rodríguez-Berbel
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - Enrique P Sánchez-Cañete
- Department of Applied Physics, University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain; Inter-University Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA-CEAMA), Granada, Spain
| | - Ana B Villafuerte
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - Raúl Ortega
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Isabel Miralles
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain.
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Soria R, González-Pérez JA, de la Rosa JM, San Emeterio LM, Domene MA, Ortega R, Miralles I. Effects of technosols based on organic amendments addition for the recovery of the functionality of degraded quarry soils under semiarid Mediterranean climate: A field study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 816:151572. [PMID: 34774628 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the effects of technosols made with different organic amendments to restore degraded soils in a semiarid limestone quarry. The effects on soil quality, functionality and organic matter dynamics of the technosols amended with waste of gardening, greenhouse horticultural, stabilized sewage sludge and two mixtures of sludge with both vegetable composts were assessed. Several physical and chemical properties, humus fractions, soil respiration and molecular composition was performed after 6 and 18 months. Un-amended soils, and nearby natural undegraded soils served as reference. Amended technosols increased water retention capacity, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon and nitrogen, respect to not amended and natural soils. Humus fraction composition was not altered over time. Un-amended soils, very poor in organic matter, did not show any pyrolyzable compounds or labile soil organic matter by thermogravimetry. In contrast, the pyrochromatograms of natural soils showed lignocellulosic materials, polypeptides and a noticeable presence of alkylic compounds. In technosols with both types vegetable compost, the organic matter structure was more complex, showing compounds from lignin-derived and long-chain alkyl, polysaccharides, chlorophyll isoprenoids and nitrogen. In sludge technosol, a set of sterols was outstanding. The mixtures showed a molecular fingerprint of materials derived from the decomposition of the organic amendments that formed them. These signs of the contribution of different organic matter forms derived from the amendments were also reported by the series exothermic peaks found in the calorimetry. This short-term study indicates a clear effect of the amendments on the recovery of soil organic matter and presumably of its functionality. After the amendments application, microbial activity and soil respiration rates increased rapidly but ceased 18 months later. The molecular composition of the organic matter of the soils amended with plant compost was very similar to that of natural, non-degraded soils in nearby areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Soria
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120 Almería, Spain
| | - José A González-Pérez
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNAS-CSIC), MOSS Group, Av. Reina Mercedes 10, 41012 Seville, Spain
| | - José Mª de la Rosa
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNAS-CSIC), MOSS Group, Av. Reina Mercedes 10, 41012 Seville, Spain
| | - Layla M San Emeterio
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IRNAS-CSIC), MOSS Group, Av. Reina Mercedes 10, 41012 Seville, Spain; Med_Soil Research Group, University of Seville, C/ Profesor García González, 1, 41012 Seville, Spain
| | - Miguel A Domene
- Experimental Station Cajamar, Department of Food and Health, E-04710 El Ejido, Almería, Spain
| | - Raúl Ortega
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120 Almería, Spain
| | - Isabel Miralles
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120 Almería, Spain.
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Rodríguez-Berbel N, Soria R, Ortega R, Lucas-Borja ME, Miralles I. Benefits of applying organic amendments from recycled wastes for fungal community growth in restored soils of a limestone quarry in a semiarid environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:151226. [PMID: 34717990 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Applying organic amendments to recover physical, chemical, and biological qualities of soil may enable recovery of soils degraded by mining in semiarid climates. This study's aim was to investigate the development and changes in the composition of fungal communities in restored soils with five different types of organic amendments (two types of vegetable compost and sewage sludge compost, and a mixture of both) compared with unamended soils and surrounding natural soils and to examine the relationships between the fungal taxa, the new physico-chemical and biological soil properties of technosoils after 18 months of restoration, and natural soils. Restoration improved soil quality and fungal diversity, placing these soils in an intermediate position between unrestored soils (with no fungi present) and undisturbed reference soils, which were the most fungal diverse. Sewage-treated soils and their mixtures showed high nitrogen and carbohydrate content as well as high basal respiration and fatty acid content, suggesting that they provided readily biodegradable organic matter. In contrast, greenhouse compost-treated soils showed high total organic carbon and polyphenol content, whereas garden compost-treated soils showed intermediate values. The biological soil properties of both composts showed were similar to those of the reference soils, suggesting that composts contained more resilient organic matter. Organic amendments of dissimilar origin caused significantly different fungal soil communities at the genus level among the restored soils. Results indicated that soil pH, electrical conductivity, total nitrogen content, soil basal respiration, fungi/bacteria-PLFA ratio, and dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase activities, together with Pearson's correlations, revealed that these properties and nutrient content (total organic carbon, C/N ratio, carbohydrates, and polyphenols) influenced 40 soil fungal taxa. Therefore, the organic amendments led to changes in soil properties that favoured plant cover by promoting the soil fungal community growth beneficial to the carbon cycle and symbiotic with plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Rodríguez-Berbel
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120 Almería, Spain
| | - R Soria
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120 Almería, Spain
| | - R Ortega
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120 Almería, Spain
| | - M E Lucas-Borja
- Higher Technical School of Agricultural and Forestry Engineering, Castilla-La Mancha University, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain
| | - I Miralles
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120 Almería, Spain.
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Functional and Taxonomic Effects of Organic Amendments on the Restoration of Semiarid Quarry Soils. mSystems 2021; 6:e0075221. [PMID: 34812648 PMCID: PMC8609970 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00752-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of organic amendments to mining soils has been shown to be a successful method of restoration, improving key physicochemical soil properties. However, there is a lack of a clear understanding of the soil bacterial community taxonomic and functional changes that are brought about by these treatments. We present further metagenomic sequencing (MGS) profiling of the effects of different restoration treatments applied to degraded, arid quarry soils in southern Spain which had previously been profiled only with 16S rRNA gene (16S) and physicochemical analyses. Both taxonomic and functional MGS profiles showed clear separation of organic treatment amendments from control samples, and although taxonomic differences were quite clear, functional redundancy was higher than expected and the majority of the latter signal came from the aggregation of minor (<0.1%) community differences. Significant taxonomic differences were seen with the presumably less-biased MGS-for example, the phylum Actinobacteria and the two genera Chloracidobacterium (Acidobacteria) and Paenibacillus (Firmicutes) were determined to be major players by the MGS and this was consistent with their potential functional roles. The former phylum was much less present, and the latter two genera were either minor components or not detected in the 16S data. Mapping of reads to MetaCyc/BioCyc categories showed overall slightly higher biosynthesis and degradation capabilities in all treatments versus control soils, with sewage amendments showing highest values and vegetable-based amendments being at intermediate levels, matching higher nutrient levels, respiration rates, enzyme activities, and bacterial biomass previously observed in the treated soils. IMPORTANCE The restoration of soils impacted by human activities poses specific challenges regarding the reestablishment of functional microbial communities which will further support the reintroduction of plant species. Organic fertilizers, originating from either treated sewage or vegetable wastes, have shown promise in restoration experiments; however, we still do not have a clear understanding of the functional and taxonomic changes that occur during these treatments. We used metagenomics to profile restoration treatments applied to degraded, arid quarry soils in southern Spain. We found that the assortments of individual functions and taxa within each soil could clearly identify treatments, while at the same time they demonstrated high functional redundancy. Functions grouped into higher pathways tended to match physicochemical measurements made on the same soils. In contrast, significant taxonomic differences were seen when the treatments were previously studied with a single marker gene, highlighting the advantage of metagenomic analysis for complex soil communities.
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Zhang S, Fang Y, Luo Y, Li Y, Ge T, Wang Y, Wang H, Yu B, Song X, Chen J, Zhou J, Li Y, Chang SX. Linking soil carbon availability, microbial community composition and enzyme activities to organic carbon mineralization of a bamboo forest soil amended with pyrogenic and fresh organic matter. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 801:149717. [PMID: 34425443 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Despite fresh and pyrogenic organic matter have been widely used as amendments to improve soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, mineralization that links to C quality and soil temperature, microbial community composition and enzyme activity remain poorly understood. This study aims to explore the effects of amendments (bamboo leaves and its biochar) and incubation temperature on mineralization, and disentangle the relationships of SOC mineralization with chemical composition of SOC, labile organic C, microbial community composition, and activities of enzymes in a subtropical bamboo forest soil. Results showed that cumulative soil CO2 emissions ranked as bamboo leaf (Leaf) > bamboo leaf biochar (Biochar) > Control, regardless of the incubation temperature. Compared to the control, the Leaf treatment markedly increased, whereas the Biochar treatment decreased, the temperature sensitivity of SOC mineralization (P < 0.05). The cumulative soil CO2 emission was positively correlated (P < 0.05) with water-soluble organic C (WSOC), microbial biomass C (MBC), O-alkyl C and alkyl C contents, and activities of β-glucosidase and dehydrogenase, but negatively correlated (P < 0.01) with aromatic C content, regardless of the incubation temperature. This indicated that the lower SOC mineralization rate and lower temperature sensitivity in the Biochar (cf. Leaf) treatment were intimately associated with the lower WSOC, MBC, O-alkyl C content, and β-glucosidase and dehydrogenase activities, and higher aromatic C content in the Biochar. The high relative abundance of bacteria relating SOC mineralization included Rhizobiales, Sphingobacteriales and JG30-KF-AS9, whereas that of fungi included Eurotiales, Sordariales, Agaricales and Helotiales. Our results revealed that the application of pyrogenic organic matter, as compared to the application of fresh organic matter, can reduce SOC mineralization and its temperature sensitivity in a subtropical forest soil by limiting the availability of C and microbial activity, and thus has a great potential for maintaining soil carbon stock in subtropical forest ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaobo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Yunying Fang
- Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Menangle, NSW 2568, Australia
| | - Yu Luo
- College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yongchun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Tida Ge
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Yixiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Hailong Wang
- School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Bing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Xinzhang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Junhui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Jiashu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Yongfu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China.
| | - Scott X Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E3, Canada
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Soria R, Rodríguez-Berbel N, Ortega R, Lucas-Borja ME, Miralles I. Soil amendments from recycled waste differently affect CO₂ soil emissions in restored mining soils under semiarid conditions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 294:112894. [PMID: 34119984 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Drylands affected by serious disturbances such as mining activities lose their vegetation cover and organic soil horizons, becoming CO2 emissions sources. Applications of organic amendments could be a good restoration solution that favours vegetation establishment and soil carbon sequestration; however, they are also associated with CO₂ emissions. Experimental plots with different organic amendments (sewage sludge, garden and greenhouse vegetable composts, and mixtures of both) and unamended soils were installed in a quarry in southeast Spain. The aim of this study was: i) to evaluate the magnitude and changes of in situ CO₂ emission from each experimental plot during a year and a half, and ii) to assess the effects of several physical-chemical (total organic carbon, total nitrogen, water retention, pH and electrical conductivity) and environmental parameters (moisture and temperature) in CO2 emissions. The results showed an initial CO2 emission (priming effect), produced from all restored plots just after the application of the organic amendment, which was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in soils with sewage sludge and their mixtures in comparison to vegetable compost. Garden compost had low emission rates, similar to soils without amendment and showed lower CO2 emission rates than the rest of the restoration treatments. Nevertheless, CO2 emissions decreased in each field campaign over time, showing that all restored soils had lower emissions than natural soils at the end of the sampled period. The different composition of organic amendments had a different effect on soil CO2 emissions. DistLM analysis showed that soil properties such as total organic carbon, total nitrogen, pH and soil moisture, associated with rainfall periods, strongly influenced CO₂ emissions, whereas temperature did not affect the CO2 flow. In conclusion, the compost from plant remains could serve better as treatment to restore degraded soils in drylands than sewage sludge because of its lower CO2 emissions and concomitant effect on climate warming and carbon balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Soria
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - N Rodríguez-Berbel
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - R Ortega
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain
| | - M E Lucas-Borja
- Department of Agroforestry Technology and Science and Genetics, School of Advanced Agricultural Engineering, Castilla La Mancha University, Campus Universitario S/n, E-02071, Albacete, Spain
| | - I Miralles
- Department of Agronomy & Center for Intensive Mediterranean Agrosystems and Agri-food Biotechnology (CIAIMBITAL), University of Almeria, E-04120, Almería, Spain.
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