Response of an agricultural soil to pentachlorophenol (PCP) contamination and the addition of compost or dissolved organic matter

The response of a fresh, agricultural soil when contaminated with pentachlorophenol (PCP) and supplemented with compost (C) or dissolved organic matter (DOM) was studied in the laboratory. The concentration of PCP and the changes in various functionally related properties (i.e. microbial biomass, basal respiration, soil hydrolase and oxidoreductase activity) were measured over 150 d. Variations in the main physical and chemical properties of the soils were also monitored. Two different doses of compost (C1 = 0.27% and C2 = 0.83%, corresponding to 10 and 30 t ha⁻¹, respectively) or DOM (D1 = 0.07% and D2 = 0.2%) equivalent to the carbon content of the two compost doses C1 and C2 were used and the following five systems were investigated: soil (S), soil–compost (S-C1 and S-C2) and soil–DOM (S-D1 and S-D2). PCP concentrations declined progressively and significantly with time. This effect was most pronounced for the soils amended with the lower compost dose C1 (S-C1) and with the two DOM (S-D1 and S-D2) amounts. Significantly reduced amounts of PCP were extracted after its 500-d residence in the various systems. Higher amounts of the residual PCP were extracted from the humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA) and humin–mineral (HU) fractions of the 500 d aged samples than from the same unfractionated samples, indicating that the residual PCP preferentially accumulated in the organic fractions of soil. The soil showed an endogenous microbial activity as indicated by basal respiration, microbial biomass and all the enzymatic activities tested (dehydrogenase, glucosidase, phosphatase, arylsulphatase and urease). Addition of the PCP severely depressed some of the tested biochemical properties suggesting an inhibitory effect on microbial activity. Conversely, higher basal respiration, and similar β-glucosidase and phosphatase activities were measured in comparison with the controls. No significant effects were observed following the addition of two doses of the compost or the DOM. Fungal colonies belonging to the taxonomic group of Ascomycetes and identified as Byssochlamys fulva developed with time in all the PCP-contaminated samples. Growth of B. fulva in vitro in the presence of PCP showed that the isolate was tolerant to 12.5 and 25 mg l⁻¹ PCP and degraded 20% of its initial concentration in 8 d. Overall, the results indicate that many complex processes occurred in the contaminated soil and combinations of these determined the response to PCP contamination. The sorption of PCP to the soil matrix (which increased with time) and its degradation/transformation by indigenous soil microbial activity were likely involved. Both the processes appeared to be favoured by the presence of dissolved organic matter.     

土壤食细菌线虫对菲降解的影响

以菲作为多环芳烃污染物的代表,通过室内培养试验研究了在菲降解菌恶臭假单胞菌存在与否的条件下,接种食细菌线虫对未灭菌土壤中菲去除的影响。析因设计包括4个处理:单独接种恶臭假单胞菌(B),单独接种食细菌线虫(N),同时接种食细菌线虫和恶臭假单胞菌(BN)以及未接种线虫和细菌的对照(CK);分别在培养后第0、5、14、28天进行破坏性采样,测定土壤中菲的残留量,食细菌线虫和恶臭假单胞菌的数量,土壤FDA(荧光素二乙酸酯)水解酶、过氧化氢酶的活性。结果显示,相比CK,在培养前期(0~14天),处理N提高土壤中菲的去除率;而在培养后期(14~28天),BN处理降解菲的优势逐渐显现出来。在培养结束(28天)时,各处理菲的去除率依次为BN(48.2%)B(45.1%)N(44.4%)CK(43.5%)。试验结果还表明,接种食细菌线虫能显著(p0.05)促进细菌以及土壤酶活性。总之,食细菌线虫和细菌的交互作用可能促进土壤中菲的降解。     

菲在黑麦草种植土壤中的降解及其对土壤酶的影响

研究了种植黑麦草对土壤中3环多环芳烃菲的动态降解作用。结果表明,黑麦草可以促进土壤中菲的降解,在75 d的盆栽试验里,种植黑麦草土壤中菲的可提取浓度明显低于不种植土壤（p<0.05）。在菲浓度为5 mg kg^-1、50 mg kg^-1、200 mg kg^-1的3种处理中,种植黑麦草壤中菲的降解率分别为81.07%、90.35%、84.94%,而不种植土壤中菲的降解率分别为75.34%、86.62%、67.60%。种植黑麦草增强了土壤中多酚氧化酶、脱氢酶和过氧化氢酶的活性以及增加土壤中微生物生物量碳的含量,即提高了土壤中生物活性,从而促进了土壤中菲的降解率。不同浓度菲处理,土壤中生物活性存在明显差异,高浓度菲(200 mg kg^-1)对土壤中生物活性产生较强的抑制作用,影响土壤中生物对菲的降解作用,从而揭示了植物促进菲降解的生物学及酶学机理。黑麦草对土壤中多环芳烃有较强的忍耐性,但过高的菲浓度对黑麦草的生长有影响。     

Changes in biological properties and antioxidant capacity of an agricultural soil amended with sewage sludge

The effects of applying sewage sludge (SS) to agricultural soil (at low rate of 22.5, LRS, and at high rate of 45 t ha^?1 dry basis, HRS) were monitored over a 120-d experimental period. Total organic carbon (TOC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), alkali-soluble phenols, basal respiration, specific enzyme activity, dehydrogenase activity (DH-ase), metabolic potential (MP) and FDA-hydrolytic activity (FDA) were strongly increased by both rates of SS applications. In the SS amended soil, about 70% of the organic C added with the material remained at the end of the experiment. Basal respiration increased with increasing SS doses. The specific enzyme activity and the MP indicate an increase in the enzyme activity in soil.

The addition of SS led to higher values than the control of all the tested parameters up to the end of the experimental period. The antioxidant capacity (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC) was influenced by SS addition only when applied at HRS. After 120 days only HRS value of TEAC (5.13 mM g^?1) was higher than control (4.09 mM g^?1). The pattern of TEAC did not enable any link to be established between antioxidant capacity and both alkali-soluble phenols and basal respiration in soil.     

水稻强化栽培对稻田土壤生物学特性的影响

采用田间试验,对强化栽培(SRI)和常规水作(TF)条件下稻田土壤微生物数量、微生物量、土壤酶活性及相关养分含量进行了研究。结果表明:与常规水作相比,强化栽培增加了土壤细菌、放线菌、真菌数量,分别提高了53.1%～173.8%、61.7%～229.4%、10.0%～55.9%,统计差异显著(p<0.05)。强化栽培土壤微生物量碳、微生物量氮比常规水作提高了12.2%～43.6%,22.7%～175.4%,统计差异显著(p<0.05)。与常规水作比较,强化栽培提高了分蘖期土壤脲酶、碱性磷酸酶、转化酶、过氧化氢酶活性,分别为12.6%、30.0%、15.1%、13.8%;强化栽培也显著增加了土壤碱解氮含量,但有效磷含量差异不显著。     

水稻连续免耕抛栽对土壤理化和生物学性状的影响

于2005~2007年在双季稻田以翻耕处理为对照,研究了水稻连续免耕抛栽对土壤理化和生物学性质的影响。结果表明,稻田免耕1年(2季),有利于土壤物理性状的改善,随着免耕时间(3年6季)的延长,土壤物理性质变差。但免耕2年后,采用紫云英和稻草还田能降低免耕稻田的土壤容重,提高总孔隙度和非毛管孔隙度。免耕有利于土壤养分在表层土壤富集。土壤中三大类微生物总量免耕处理小于翻耕处理,免耕土壤细菌的数量增加,而放线菌和真菌的数量减少。土壤中脲酶活性增加,而过氧化氢酶和过氧化物酶的活性均降低。脲酶、过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶的活性均与土壤有机质、全氮含量呈极显著相关,而过氧化物酶活性则与土壤全氮和速效钾含量呈极显著相关。该结果有水稻免耕抛秧栽培技术的推广应用的参考意义。     

A soil quality index based on the equilibrium between soil organic matter and biochemical properties of undisturbed coniferous forest soils of the Pacific Northwest

Recent studies have suggested that the organic matter contents of undisturbed soils (under natural vegetation) are in equilibrium with biological and biochemical properties. Accordingly, we hypothesised that such equilibria should be disrupted when soils are subjected to disturbance or stress, and that measurement of this disruption can be expressed mathematically and used as a soil quality index. In this study, we evaluated these hypotheses in soils from the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon. Both O and A horizons were sampled from nine sites in Spring 2005 and Fall 2006. Soil samples were analyzed for enzyme activities (phosphatase, β-glucosidase, laccase, N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, protease and urease), and other biological and chemical properties including N-mineralization, respiration, microbial biomass C (MBC), soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen content. In addition, soil samples from one old-growth site were manipulated in the laboratory to either simulate chemical stresses (Cu addition or pH alteration) or physical disturbances (wet-dry or freeze-thaw cycles). The results showed variation in biological and biochemical soil properties that were closely correlated with SOC. Multiple regression analysis of SOC levels against all soil properties showed that a model containing only MBC and phosphatase activity could account for 97% of the SOC variation among the sites. The model fit was independent of spatial and temporal variations because covariates such as site, stand age, sampling date, and soil horizon were found to be not statistically significant. Although the application of stress/disturbance treatments inconsistently affected most of the individual biochemical properties, in contrast, the ratio of soil C predicted by the model (C_p), and soil C measured (C_m) was consistently reduced in soils submitted to at least one level of stress and disturbance treatments. In addition, C_p/C_m was more affected in soils submitted to wet-dry cycles and Cu contamination than to freeze-thaw cycles or shifts in soil pH. Our results confirm previous evidence of a biochemical balance in high quality undisturbed soils, and that this balance is disrupted when the soil is submitted to disturbances or placed under stress conditions. The C_p/C_m ratio provides a simple reference value against which the degrading effects of pollutants or management practices on soil quality can be assessed.     

施用秸秆堆腐肥对黑土农田养分及玉米产量的影响研究

试验研究表明应用秸秆腐解剂可快速堆腐秸秆 ,黑土农田施用充分腐熟的秸秆肥配施NPK化肥 ,耕层土壤平均年提高有机质 0 .4g/kg ,全N 0 .18g/kg ,速效氮 9.93mg/kg ,速效磷 1.8mg/kg ,速效钾 4mg/kg ,土壤容重年降低0 .0 2g/cm3 ,玉米增产 15 .7%。     

Effects of biological soil crusts on soil enzyme activities in revegetated areas of the Tengger Desert,China

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) cover up to 70% of the sparsely-vegetated areas in arid and semiarid regions throughout the world and play a vital role in dune stabilization in desert ecosystems. Soil enzyme activities could be used as significant bioindicators of soil recovery after sand burial. However, little is known about the relationship between BSCs and soil enzyme activities. The objective of this study was to determine whether BSCs could affect soil enzyme activities in revegetated areas of the Tengger Desert. The results showed that BSCs significantly promoted the activities of soil urease, invertase, catalase and dehydrogenase. The effects also varied with crust type and the elapsed time since sand dune stabilization. All the soil enzyme activities tested in this study were greater under moss crusts than under cyanobacteria–lichen crusts. The elapsed time since sand dune stabilization correlated positively with the four enzyme activities. The enzyme activities varied with soil depth and season, regardless of crust type. Cyanobacteria–lichen and moss crusts significantly enhanced all test enzyme activities in the 0–20 cm soil layer, but negatively correlated with soil depth. All four enzyme activities were greater in the summer and autumn than in spring and winter due to the vigorous growth of the crusts. Our study demonstrated that the colonization and development of BSCs could improve soil quality and promote soil recovery in degraded areas of the Tengger Desert.     

The effect of urban refuse compost and different tractors tyres on soil physical properties, soil erosion and maize yield

Application of urban refuse compost to agricultural soil could help to solve municipalities' problems related to the increasing production of waste only if soil property improvement and environmental conservation can be demonstrated. The use of low-pressure tractor tyres is another proposal in modern agriculture for reducing soil compaction. This study thus aimed to detect the effects of both compost and low-pressure tractor tyres on soil loss, runoff, aggregate stability, bulk density, penetrometer resistance and maize (Zea mays L.) yield. A 3-year field experiment was carried out on a hilly (15% slope) clay loam soil in central Italy. Twelve plots (200 m² each) were monitored with tipping-pot devices for runoff and soil erosion measurement. Treatments were: compost addition (64 Mg ha⁻¹), mineral fertilisation, use of low-pressure tyres, use of traditional tyres, with three replicates, in a fully randomised block design. Compost was applied once at the beginning of the experiment. Runoff reduction due to compost ranged between 7 and 399 m³ ha⁻¹ during seasons, while soil erosion was reduced between 0.2 and 2.4 Mg ha⁻¹. Mean weight diameter (MWD) of stable aggregates, measured on wheel tracks, increased by 2.19 mm, then progressively decreased. Compost significantly increased bulk density by 0.08 Mg m⁻³ due to its inert fraction content. This effect was less evident in the second and third year, probably due to harrowing. Maize yields were slightly, but significantly, reduced in composted plots by 1.72 Mg ha⁻¹ in the third year. Low-pressure tyres significantly reduced soil loss in the third year by 1 Mg ha⁻¹. Furthermore, they did not significantly influence runoff volumes and soil structural stability. Low-pressure tyres or compost addition were singly able to prevent an increase in penetrometer resistance due to agricultural machinery traffic. Low-pressure tyres increased the maize yield during the 3 years and the difference (0.4 Mg ha⁻¹) became significant in the third year. In conclusion, results show the positive lasting effect of compost in ameliorating soil physical properties and reducing runoff and soil erosion. Low-pressure tyres appear justifiable both for the observed increase of grain production and reduction of soil compaction. This latter effect is, nevertheless, masked by compost addition which is also able to reduce penetrometer resistance. Further research is required to explain the causes of the slight inhibition of grain yield observed when compost was compared with mineral fertilisation.     

Effects of municipal solid waste compost amendments on soil enzyme activities and bacterial genetic diversity

Municipal solid waste (MSW) composts have been used to maintain the long-term productivity of agroecosystems and to protect the soil environment from overcropping, changes in climatic conditions and inadequate management; they also have the additional benefit of reducing waste disposal costs. Since MSW may contain heavy metals and other toxic compounds, amendments cannot only influence soil fertility, but may also affect the composition and activity of soil microorganisms. The effects of MSW compost and mineral N amendments in a 6-year field trial on some physical-chemical properties, enzyme activities and bacterial genetic diversity of cropped plots (Beta vulgaris-Triticum turgidum rotation) and uncropped plots were investigated. The compost was added at the recommended and twice the recommended dosage (12, 24 t ha⁻¹). Amendments of cropped plots with MSW compost increased the contents of organic C from 13.3 to 15.0 g kg⁻¹ soil and total N from 1.55 to 1.65 g kg⁻¹ soil. There were significant increases in dehydrogenase (9.6%), β-glucosidase (13.5%), urease (15.4%), nitrate reductase (21.4%) and phosphatase (9.7%) activities. A significant reduction in protease activity (from 3.6 to 2.8 U g⁻¹ soil) was measured when a double dose of compost was added to the cropped plots. No dosage effect was detected for the other enzymes. Changes in the microbial community, as a consequence of MSW amendment, were minimal as determined using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, rDNA internal spacer analysis and amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis of bacteria, archaea, actinomycetes, and ammonia oxidizers. This indicates that there was no significant variation in the overall bacterial communities nor in selected taxonomic groups deemed to be essential for soil fertility.     

Effects of a cadmium-contaminated sewage sludge compost on dynamics of organic matter and microbial activity in an arid soil

 An incubation experiment lasting 120 days was carried out to ascertain the effect on the soil microbial activity and organic matter mineralization of adding a sewage sludge compost contaminated with two different levels of Cd to an arid soil. Two composts, with a low (2 mg kg^–1) and high (815 mg kg^–1) Cd content, respectively, were used in this experiment. Both composts increased the total organic C, humic substance and water-soluble C contents, the beneficial effects still being noticeable after 120 days of incubation. The most labile C fraction (water-soluble C) was the most sensitive to the high Cd content. The high Cd concentration decreased soil microbial biomass C and stimulated the metabolic activity of the microbial biomass, the metabolic quotient (qCO₂) revealing itself to be a very sensitive index of the stress that the incorporation of a Cd-contaminated sewage sludge compost causes in a soil. The effect of Cd contamination on enzyme activities (urease, protease that hydrolyse N-α-benzoil-l-arginamide, phosphatase, and β-glucosidase) depended on the enzyme studied. Received: 10 September 1997     

宁南山区土壤酶活性特征及其与肥力因子的关系

分析了黄土丘陵区土壤酶活性与土壤肥力因子之间的关系。相关分析结果表明,土壤有机质与全N、速效磷、速效钾等密切相关,同时与土壤几种酶活性有较好的相关性。土壤酶活性依赖于有机质,当有机质含量增加时,酶积极参与其转化分解过程,活性提高。脲酶、蔗糖酶活性与土壤N、P、K含量关系最大,土壤速效钾与蔗糖酶活性关系最大。通径分析结果表明:土壤肥力因子对脲酶活性的直接作用顺序为有机质>速效钾>速效氮>阳离子交换量>全N>速效磷>物理性黏粒>土壤pH。有机质是影响土壤脲酶活性、碱性磷酸酶活性的主要因素,速效钾是影响蔗糖酶活性的最主要因素。     

地下水浅埋区重度盐碱地滴灌不同种植年限对土壤酶活性的影响

为了解在地下水浅埋区重度盐碱地上长期覆膜咸水滴灌对土壤酶活性的影响,文章通过时空转化的方法研究了覆膜咸水滴灌种植枸杞1年、2年和3年的盐碱地土壤碱性磷酸酶、脲酶和蔗糖酶活性的变化及土壤酶活性在0～40 cm土壤剖面上的分布特征,并利用数学方法探求土壤酶活性与土壤环境因子之间的相关分析,同时以试验地附近未种植的盐碱荒地作为对照。结果表明3种土壤酶活性均随土壤利用年限的增加而增大,经过3年种植后,土壤碱性磷酸酶、脲酶和蔗糖酶活性分别从未经滴灌种植时的1.29、0.73和7.23μg/(g.h)增加到14.5、4.48和158.1μg/(g.h);在水平和垂直方向上,土壤碱性磷酸酶和脲酶活性在覆膜滴灌种植后均随水平距离和土层深度的增加而减小,蔗糖酶在各方向波动性较大,没有明显规律;土壤酶活性在滴头下方的空间分布表明,在作物生育期结束时,各年限处理土壤酶活性在剖面均呈以滴头为圆心的椭圆形分布,自滴头向外径向减小;土壤酶活性与土壤环境因子之间的相关性随着土壤利用年限的增加而提高,可以作为土壤环境指标表征盐碱土土壤质量,覆膜滴灌3年后,影响土壤酶活性的主要是土壤养分。     

Effects of two beet vinasse forms on soil physical properties and soil loss

Two beet vinasse forms (fresh (BV) and composted with a cotton gin crushed compost (CV)) have been applied for 4 years on a Typic Xerofluvent under dryland conditions near to Sevilla city (Guadalquivir River Valley, Andalusia, Spain) and their effect on soil physical, chemical and biological properties and their repercussion on soil loss was studied. BV and CV were applied at rates of 5000, 7500, and 10,000 kg ha^− 1 organic matter ha^− 1, respectively. The application of CV to the soil resulted in improved some soil properties and soil loss decreased. However, when BV was applied soil physical properties deteriorated and soil loss increased. We think that the high amounts of monovalent cations, particularly Na⁺, and of fulvic acids in BV destabilized soil structure. These results show that the addition of soil organic matter not always prevents soil loss, and they suggest the preferential use of composted beet vinasse versus fresh vinasse under dryland conditions.     

林分密度对马尾松林下土壤养分及酶活性的影响

以退化马尾松林下土壤为对象,通过调查我国红壤丘陵区典型林分密度的马尾松人工林,研究林分密度对土壤养分和土壤酶活性的影响。3种林分密度中,1 560株/hm2 左右中等林分密度的马尾松土壤有机质、全氮、全钾、速效钾、全磷、交换性钙和交换性镁等较高,但土壤酸化也较严重;同时,1 560株/hm2 左右马尾松林的土壤转化酶活性、脲酶活性和多酚氧化酶活性均较高,但过氧化氢酶活性表现最低;林分密度对马尾松土壤酸性磷酸酶活性影响不明显。因此,适宜林分密度的马尾松人工林一定程度上可改善该区林下土壤肥力及生化强度。     

不同土壤管理方式对梨园土壤微生物及养分含量的影响

通过田间试验研究不同土壤管理方式对梨园表层（0 ~ 20 cm）和亚表层土壤（20 ~ 40 cm）细菌、真菌、放线菌数量和土壤养分含量的影响。结果表明：梨园土壤微生物数量具有垂直分布的特征,土壤微生物数量随土层的加深而递减。梨园表层和亚表层土壤中微生物数量均细菌最多,放线菌次之,真菌最少。与覆草1年相比较,覆草3年的梨园土壤除表层土壤细菌含量无显著差异外,表层和亚表层土壤中真菌和放线菌数量均显著增加。与自然生草、覆膜、常规灌溉处理相比较,覆草与覆膜结合能最大限度地增加土壤微生物数量。连续覆草3年显著提高了梨园土壤有机质、碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾含量,而覆膜处理使土壤速效养分含量下降,覆膜结合覆草处理能显著提高土壤有机质、速效磷、速效钾含量。     

Restoration of giant cardon cacti in barren desert soil amended with common compost and inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense

Barren desert soil that otherwise could not support perennial plant growth was amended with six levels of common agricultural compost. Seedlings of the giant cardon cactus, one of the primary plant species responsible for soil stabilization in the southern Sonoran Desert, were inoculated with the plant-growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense Cd, planted, and grown for 18 months under nursery conditions typical for slow-growth cacti. Control plants were grown without compost amendment, without inoculation (negative control), or in fertile, rare “resource island” soil preferred by cardon seedlings (positive control). During the prolonged growth period, the decisive factor in seedling growth in barren soil was the addition of small amounts of common compost; 6 to 25% of the growth substrate volume gave the best growth response and, to a lesser extent, so did inoculation with A. brasilense Cd. Although the bacteria significantly affects plant growth when amended with “resource island” soil and added to barren soil, its effect on plant growth was far smaller than when compost alone was added. Compost added to barren soil significantly increased the dry weight parameters of the plant to almost similar levels obtained by the “resource island” soil; however, the compost amendment supports a more voluminous and greener plant with elevated pigment levels. This study shows that barren soil supplemented with compost can replace the rare “resource island” soil for cardon nurseries destined to abate soil erosion in the desert.     

生物质炭负载解钾菌对土壤酶活性与微生物群落结构的影响

为探究生物质炭负载解钾菌对土壤微生物特性的影响,基于5个处理即空白（CK）、施用化学钾肥（KCl）、接种解钾菌（KSB）、施用生物质炭（BC）、施用生物质炭负载解钾菌（BC-KSB）的黑麦草盆栽耗竭试验,分析不同处理下土壤酶和微生物群落结构的响应特征。结果表明,BC-KSB相比其余施肥处理更有利于提高土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶、酸性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶的活性,同时也提高了土壤细菌的物种多样性与菌群丰富度,并提高了土壤有益菌群（绿弯菌门、放线菌门、芽孢杆菌属和慢生根瘤菌属）的丰度,抑制了土壤致病菌群（变形菌门和罗河杆菌属）的繁殖。各施肥处理相比CK均显著提升了黑麦草干物质量,且以BC-KSB处理对黑麦草干物质量的提升最为显著。与CK和KCl相比,BC-KSB能显著提高土壤微生物生物量碳、微生物生物量氮、有机质、全氮和速效钾的含量（P <0.05）。冗余分析表明,土壤有机质、速效钾、酸性磷酸酶、脲酶和微生物生物量氮是影响细菌群落结构的主要因子,黑麦草的生长主要受伯克氏菌属和罗河杆菌属的影响较大。可见,BC-KSB对黑麦草产量、土壤养分、土壤酶活性和细菌群落结构均产生了积极的影响,对于改良土壤生态...     

Short-term effects of olive mill waste water (OMW) on chemical and biochemical properties of a semiarid Mediterranean soil

Olive mill waste water (OMW), a by-product of the olive mill industry, is produced in large amounts in Mediterranean countries. Olive mill waste water contains a high organic load, substantial amounts of plant nutrients but also several compounds with recognized toxicity towards living organisms. Moreover, OMW may represent a low cost source of water. Thus, the use of OMW for soil fertigation is a valuable option for its disposal, provided that its impact on soil chemical and biochemical properties is established. Investigations were performed on the short-term influence of OMW on several chemical and biochemical properties of a soil from a continental semi-arid Mediterranean region (Morocco). The soil was amended with 0, 18 and 36 ml 100 g⁻¹ soil of OMW (corresponding to a field rate of 0, 40 and 80 m³ ha⁻¹, respectively) and changes in various functionally related properties such as microbial biomass, basal respiration, extractable C and N, and soil hydrolases and oxido-reductases activities were measured over time. The variations of the main physical and chemical properties as well as the residual phytotoxicity of OMW amended and non-amended soils as assessed by tomato seed germination tests were also monitored. Temporary and permanent changes in several chemical and biochemical soil properties occurred following OMW application, thus being these properties varied in sensitivity to the applied disturbance. A sudden increase of total organic C, extractable N and C, available P and extractable Mn and Fe contents were measured. Simultaneously, a rapid increase of soil respiration, dehydrogenase and urease activities and microbial biomass (at 14 day incubation) of OMW amended soils occurred. In contrast, the activities of phosphatase, β-glucosidase, nitrate reductase and diphenol oxidase decreased markedly. The soil became highly phytotoxic after OMW addition (large decline of soil germination capability), mainly at 80 m³ ha⁻¹ OMW. After 42 days' incubation, however, a complete recovery of the soil germination capability and a residual phytotoxicity of about 30% were observed with 40 and 80 m³ ha⁻¹ OMW, respectively. These findings indicate that the impact of OMW on soil properties was the result of opposite effects, depending on the relative amounts of beneficial and toxic organic and inorganic compounds present. The toxic compounds contained in OMW most likely counteracted the beneficial effect of organic substrates provided, which promoted the growth and activity of indigenous microorganisms.