Reclamation of colliery mine spoil founded on natural succession

Reclamation of derelict land is of great concern for industrial countries. Technically produced and biologically inactive soils are called to be hostile to plants. Therefore, great effort is applied, in order to reintegrate them into the landscape. Ordinarily plant settlement starts with pioneer plants, especially herbs. Reafforestation, in this case, is an ecological misunderstanding. A method of mimicking natural succession including its ecological and economic advantages is described. The results of an applied experiment on virgin mine spoil with respect to species number, plant cover degree, and above ground phytomass production in the course of six years are reported in this paper.     

The use of soil in colliery spoil reclamation

Abstract. Field trials measured the benefits of using soil in the reclamation of colliery spoil. Increasing the thickness of the soil cover increased grass yield, particularly on a site with potentially acidic spoil materials. Mixing soil with the underlying spoil increased yield slightly compared to using the same amount of soil as a cover. From these and earlier results, we conclude that: the use of soil as a cover is essential on sites with acidic, or potentially acidic, spoil; to be effective in the short-term, the thickness of soil can be as little as 15 cm; the use of soil on sites with non-acidic spoil is beneficial in terms of physical conditions, such as improved water-holding capacity and better root penetration; the benefits of incorporating the soil on such sites are probably insufficient to justify the additional effort involved.     

Determination of the nitrogen composition of colliery spoil

Freshly exposed unameliorated spoil and vegetated spoil were analysed for their nitrogen constituents using methods devised for soils. The main components found were non-exchangeable ammonium (25%), hydrolysable nitrogen (33%) and unidentified non-hydrolysable nitrogen (62%). Summation of these exceeded 100% because hydrolysis with 6 M HCI extracted much of the non-exchangeable ammonium. Ammonium in the hydrolysate accounted for over 90% of hydrolysable nitrogen in freshly exposed unameliorated spoil and 70% of hydrolysable nitrogen in vegetated spoil. Correction for this ammonium in the hydrolysate allowed estimates of ‘recent organic’ nitrogen accumulation to be made. These estimates were significantly correlated with spoil mineralizable nitrogen levels. The nature of the nitrogen constituents of colliery spoil and the use of ‘recent organic’ nitrogen estimates in assessing site fertility are discussed.     

Sugarcane by-products used as soil amendments on a sandy soil: Effects on sugarcane crop nutrition and yield

Agricultural by-products applied as soil amendments have the potential to improve crop production on low organic matter (OM) soils. This two-year study investigated the use of two readily available sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) milling by-products, mill mud, and mill ash, as soil amendments to improve first sugarcane crop (plant cane) and subsequent crop (first ratoon) grown on a sandy Spodosol. Sugarcane was grown in lysimeters receiving mill mud, mill ash, and a 50:50 (v:v) mill mud to mill ash mix. Amendments were applied at low, medium, and high application rates (5, 10, and 15 cm depths, respectively) and then incorporated 30 cm deep. Amendment effects on plant nutrition, soil characteristics, and crop yield were determined. High rate applied mill mud and mill ash had the highest soil OM content for both years and soil OM did not significantly change between crops for all treatments except for high rate mill mud, which increased the second year (ratoon crop). Leaf nutrient levels for nitrogen (N), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu) for all treatments both years were insufficient; nutrient levels for magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), and silicon (Si) were within marginal to sufficient range for all treatments both years. All amendments produced significantly higher biomass and sucrose yields for plant cane and first ratoon crops compared to the control. Mill ash treatments produced the greatest increase in sucrose and biomass yields from plant cane to ratoon crops, which corresponded with an increase in potassium (K) in leaf tissue. However, mid and high rates of mix produced the highest sugarcane biomass and sucrose yields for the both the plant cane and ratoon crops.     

Changes in active microbial biomass by earthworms and grass amendments in agricultural soil

The influence of the earthworm Aporrectodea caliginosa on the biomass and the proportion of active and dormant soil microorganisms after the addition of cut perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) to upper soil from agricultural field was studied in a microcosm experiment. During a 2-month period, soil samples were taken 1, 8, 22, 36, 50, and 64 days after cut grass addition. A substrate-induced respiration (SIR) method was used to analyse the samples for total microbial biomass and the distribution of active and dormant microbial biomass. It was found that the addition of grass increased the microbial biomass (SIR) because of an increase in the active microbial biomass. After the initially high values, the active microbial biomass decreased slowly, and at day 64, it was still higher in the grass-amended soils than in the control treatment without grass addition. After 1 day, the active microbial biomass was higher in the soil with A. caliginosa than without the earthworm. At the subsequent samplings, there were no differences in microbial biomass or the proportion of dormant vs active microorganisms between the grass-amended soils. The average from all sampling occasions of SIR was higher in earthworm-treated soil.     

不同盐碱地改良剂对土壤理化性质、紫花苜蓿生长及产量的影响

为明确国产化盐碱地改良剂在重度盐碱地的施用效果,采用田间试验和室内分析相结合的方法,以牧草和绿肥兼用型紫花苜蓿为供试作物,研究重度盐碱地施用国产1号(2 250 kg·hm-2)、国产2号(7 960kg·hm-2)和脱硫石膏(22 500 kg·hm-2)3种改良剂对土壤理化性质、紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa L.)出苗率和鲜草产量的影响,以及施用脱硫石膏对土壤(0~20 cm)和紫花苜蓿茎、叶中重金属含量的影响。结果表明,与对照(不施改良剂)相比,施用改良剂处理的紫花苜蓿出苗率提高18.4%~31.7%,3茬鲜草总产量提高18.9%~43.5%;土壤pH下降0.11~1.46,容重降低0.01~0.06 g·cm-3、孔隙率提高1.15%~10.15%,土壤理化性状得到改善;施用脱硫石膏和含有脱硫石膏的国产2号使土壤和紫花苜蓿中汞、铅和铬含量有显著提高,但土壤重金属含量未超过国家《农业土壤环境质量标准》GB15618—2001规定的二级土壤使用标准,紫花苜蓿中汞、镉、铅和铬的含量检测符合国家饲料卫生指标(GB13078—2001)的规定。本研究表明,3种盐碱地改良剂以国产2号的施用效果最好,可在同类型盐碱地大力推广应用。     

Adaptation of some introduced eragrostis species to calcareous soil and acid mine spoil

Abstract

Plant growth is frequently limited by Fe‐related chlorosis on calcareous soils and by mineral toxicities on strongly acid soils and mine spoils. Better adapted varieties are needed for both soil situations, which are not always economically correctable. In a search for such geraplasm, 4 species (20 accessions) of Eragrostis were grown in greenhouse pots of a calcareous soil at pH 7.3. Two species were also compared on acid mine spoil at pH 3.5 and 4.7.

Species, and accessions within species, differed significantly in tolerance to the calcareous soil, as measured by susceptibility to chlorosis and yield of plant tops. The range in top yield was 11‐fold for accessions of Eragrostis capensis, 3‐fold for Eragrostis lehmanniana, and 1.7‐fold for Eragrostis superba. Eragrostis plana (P.I. 364340) was more tolerant to acid mine spoil (pH 3.5) but less tolerant to calcareous soil (pH 7.3) than Eragrostis superba (P.I. 364833).

Chlorosis and poor growth of certain accessions on calcareous soil (pH 7.3) were not explained by specific mineral deficiencies or toxicities. However, the tops of chlorosis‐susceptible accessions had lower ratios of Fe/Mn, Fe/Zn, and Fe/Cu than those of chlorosis‐resistant accessions. This imbalance is believed to interfere with Fe metabolism in plant tops.

Results suggested that superior strains of Eragrostis species can be selected for adaptation to calcareous or acid soils and that certain accessions characterized in these studies can be useful in studying the physiological mechanisms of mineral stress resistance in plants.     

The effect of growth regulator on dry matter yield and some chemical components in selected grass species and cultivars

The work reported here was undertaken to determine the effect of the biostimulant Kelpak SL on some chemical components in selected grass. The experiment was a split-split-plot arrangement with three replicates. It was set up at the experimental facility of the Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities (Poland), in late April 2009. The following factors were examined: Kelpak SL applied at the rate of 2 dm³ ha^?1 vs. non-treated control (0 dm³ ha^?1), pure sown grass species and cultivars grown in monoculture: Dactylis glomerata L., cv. Amila and Tukan as well as Festulolium braunii (K. Richt.) A. Camus cv. Felopa and Agula. The results demonstrated that grass yield and nitrogen content in dry matter increased significantly following an application of Kelpak. The biostimulant significantly reduced fiber NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber) and ADF (Acid Detergent Fiber) regardless of the remaining factors. Festulolium braunii cv. Agula had the highest nutritional value. Grass yields and concentration of the components examined clearly varied during the growing season.     

Effects of two grass species on the composition of soil fungal communities

Many studies have shown effects of plants species on fungal communities, but these are often confounded with soil effects. Thus, the specific role of plant species in structuring rhizospheric and soil fungal communities is poorly described. Our study used microcosms in which plants were grown under artificial conditions to bridge this gap. Two perennial grasses dominating subalpine grasslands, Festuca paniculata and Dactylis glomerata, were grown at two levels of fertilization on standard soil. Fungal communities were determined by 454 pyrosequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 1 region. Among the fungal communities characterized by the primers used, original communities were associated to each plant species and also diverged between rhizosphere and bulk soils within each plant species, though there were no significant fertilization effects. Differences regarded global composition of the fungal communities and abundant molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs). Both plant species and location effects were reflected more in the abundance than in the composition of MOTUs. The observed differences in fungal communities coincide with differing strategies of plant root growth, with D. glomerata having greater root mass, length, and area than F. paniculata. Our study, by dissociating soil effects from plant effects, demonstrated that plant species exert a key control on soil fungi. We suggest that such effects may be linked to inter-specific differences in root traits and their consequences on nitrogen uptake.     

不同土壤改良剂处理对连作西洋参根际微生物数量、土壤酶活性及产量的影响

以北京地区连作西洋参为研究对象, 通过3种土壤改良剂(熟石灰、EM菌剂、沼液)随机区组试验对其土壤理化性状、酶活性、根际微生物区系及产量进行了系统研究。结果表明: 低浓度熟石灰、中浓度EM菌剂及高浓度沼液处理最有利于提高西洋参产量; 施加熟石灰处理后, 土壤微生物主要类群数量显著减少, 土壤pH显著升高, 并对土壤脲酶活性有明显抑制作用; 施加沼液和EM菌剂处理后, 土壤有效微生物菌群显著增加(P<0.05), 土壤有机质和营养物质含量也显著增加(P<0.05), 并对土壤脲酶和多酚氧化酶活性有一定的促进作用。相关性分析发现, 土壤微生物主要类群的数量与蔗糖酶、脲酶、多酚氧化酶活性均有一定的相关性, 其中, 土壤细菌数量与蔗糖酶、多酚氧化酶活性呈极显著正相关(r分别为0.895^**和0.808^**), 土壤真菌和放线菌数量与蔗糖酶、脲酶、多酚氧化酶活性呈极显著正相关(r分别为0.932^**、0.769^**、0.840^**和0.837^**、0.891^**、0.797^**)。另外, 土壤细菌数量与有机质含量呈极显著正相关(r=0.863^**)。表明连作西洋参根际微生物区系及土壤酶活性与土壤理化性状之间紧密联系, 通过施加不同土壤改良剂, 可以为耐连作种植西洋参提供适宜的土壤环境。     

Long-term effects of organic and synthetic soil fertility amendments on soil microbial communities and the development of southern blight

The effects of tillage and soil fertility amendments on the relationship between the suppressiveness of soils to southern blight and soil physical, chemical and biological factors were examined in experimental station plots in North Carolina. Main plots were either tilled frequently or surface-mulched after one initial tillage. Organic soil amendments including composted cotton gin trash, composted poultry manure, an incorporated rye-vetch green manure, or synthetic fertilizer were applied to subplots in a split-plot design experiment. Incidence of southern blight was lower in surfaced-mulched than tilled soils. Incidence of southern blight was also lower in soils amended with cotton gin trash than those amended with poultry manure, rye-vetch green manure or synthetic fertilizer. Soil water content was negatively correlated with the incidence of disease in both years. Disease incidence was negatively correlated with the level of potassium, calcium, cation exchange capacity (CEC), base saturation (BS) and humic matter in 2002, and net mineralizable nitrogen in 2001. Although, populations of thermophilic organisms were significantly higher in soils amended with cotton gin trash than the other three fertility amendments in each year, there was no significant correlation between the populations of thermophiles and incidence of the disease. Bacterial community diversity indices based on community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) were significantly higher in soils amended with cotton gin trash than those amended with poultry manure, green manure or synthetic fertilizer. There was a significant negative correlation between the incidence of southern blight, and CLPP and DGGE diversity indices. Greater differences in the richness of bacterial functional groups than genotypes were observed. These results demonstrate that organic soil fertility amendments and cotton gin trash in particular, reduced the development of the disease and affected soil physical, chemical and biological parameters.     

在含盐新成土上施加有机肥和化学改良剂对土壤性质和作物产量的影响

A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years in a farmer‘s field at Haji Mora Village, Dera Ismail Khan (D.I. Khan) in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan to compare various management practices, such as the effect of various organic manures and gypsum in a rice-wheat cropping system on a saline-sodic Entisol (Zindani soil series). The treatments consisted of 1) a control (rice-wheat), 2) gypsum, 3) farmyard manure (FYM), 4) berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) as green manure (GM), and 5) dhancha (Sesbania sp.) as GM. All treatments increased yields of both rice and wheat significantly (P (0.01) over the control, with the green manure treatments proving more economical than the others; while they decreased pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of the soil. Saturation percentage and available water of the soil were raised for all treatments due to an increase in organic matter content of the soil.     

高聚物土壤改良剂的研究进展

本文综述了高聚物土壤改良剂的分类及其改良土壤的作用机理 ,以及在提高土壤肥力 ,减少水土流失 ,改良干旱土壤 ,盐碱地和污染土壤的再生等方面的应用     

不同改良剂对冬水田水稻产量、养分吸收和土壤还原性物质总量的影响

针对冬水田影响水稻生长的土壤障碍因子,研究了不同土壤改良剂对冬水田水稻产量、养分吸收和土壤还原性物质总量的影响。两年试验结果表明:所有处理中鸡粪和硅钙肥增产效果较好,2011年较对照分别增产11.3%和10.7%,2012年较对照分别增产9.4%和13.0%;在还原性物质总量上,鸡粪处理较对照增加5.7%,在一定程度上提高了土壤有害物质增加的风险,不宜长期在冬水田中施用,而硅钙肥处理则比对照降低19.6%。石灰的效果不稳定,可能与两年遇到的极端天气(第一年严重干旱,第二年涝灾)有关,其效果还需要继续验证;锌肥的效果较差。因此,对长期淹水、地势较低的冬水田来说,硅钙肥是比较理想的土壤改良剂,施用后能保证水稻健壮生长和获得高产。     

Corn and soybean grain yield responses to soil amendments and cover crop in upland soils

A field study was conducted on upland soils for six years to determine interactive effects of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cover crop, organic and inorganic soil amendments on grain yields and nutrient utilizations in a no-till corn (Zea mays)-soybean (Glycine max) rotation. Experimental design was a split-plot arrangement with four replicates. Cover crops were the main plots and fertilization treatments used as sub-plot. Fertilization treatments included an unfertilized control, poultry litter, poultry litter (PL) plus flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum and inorganic N fertilizer applied every other year to corn. Corn grain yield and grain N and P uptake were greater with PL than inorganic fertilizer in 2014 and 2016. Addition of FGD gypsum to PL significantly increased corn grain yield by 15% in 2016. Cover crop increased corn and soybean grain yields in a year with less seasonal rainfall possibly by conserving soil moisture.     

不同肥料/改良剂对冷泥田水稻生长、养分吸收及土壤性质的影响

【目的】西南地区冷泥田的水稻生长不良可归因于多种障碍因子,包括土壤物理、化学和生物因子。本文针对冷泥田影响水稻生长的土壤化学障碍因子,研究了不同肥料或改良剂对冷泥田水稻生长、养分吸收和土壤性质的影响,旨在为这类土壤的培肥、改良利用和水稻高产提供科学依据和实用技术。【方法】试验地点选在四川省东南地区冷泥田集中的泸县,试验历时2年。试验设无肥对照(CK)、全量化肥(NPK)、NPK+泥炭(NPK+Pe)、NPK+商品有机肥(NPK+COF)、NPK+鸡粪(NPK+CM)、NPK+硅肥(NPK+Si)、NPK+石灰(NPK+L)、NPK+硅钙肥(NPK+Si Ca),NPK+锌肥(NPK+Zn)9个处理。在水稻收获前采集代表性植株样,调查水稻农艺性状,分析水稻对氮、磷和钾的吸收量;水稻收获后采集土壤样品,测定不同处理的土壤p H、全氮、有效磷、速效钾、有机质、还原性物质总量、活性还原物质以及亚铁和亚锰含量。【结果】结果表明,在所有处理中,NPK+L和NPK+Si Ca处理可改善水稻的产量构成因子,稻谷产量比NPK处理显著提高15.40%和10.64%;而其他处理的增产效果则均不显著。NPK+L和NPK+Si Ca处理的土壤p H明显高于其他处理,土壤还原性物质总量和活性还原物质(含Fe2+和Mn2+)含量显著降低;NPK+L和NPK+Si Ca处理可增加土壤养分的有效性,促进水稻对氮、磷、钾养分的吸收,改善土壤的化学性质。同时,土壤分析结果表明,该试验土壤的有效钙和有效硅均缺乏,而NPK+L和NPK+Si Ca处理增加了土壤的有效钙和有效硅,对提高水稻产量有重要贡献。有机肥对土壤相关性质的影响与石灰和硅钙肥相反,特别是鸡粪。施用锌肥对水稻有一定的增产效果,但差异不显著。水稻收获后土壤中氮、磷、钾养分残留量与施肥量和水稻吸收携出量密切相关。【结论】对长期淹水地势低洼的酸性冷泥田来说,石灰和硅钙肥是比较理想的土壤改良剂,能同时起到改善土壤性质和提高作物产量的效果;而有机肥,特别是未腐熟的有机肥或有机物料,则不宜在冷泥田中施用或大量施用。     

Cyanobacteria in alkaline soil and the effect of cyanobacteria inoculation with pyrite amendments on their reclamation

The succession of cyanobacteria was studied in a usar (alfisol, solonetz, alkaline) soil, located in a tropical region of upper Gangetic plain, following the first rainfall for a period of 10 months (i.e., July–April). A dozen cyanobacteria were identified to grow on the soil surface and their appearance was in the following order: Microcoleus sp., Calothrix brevissima, Scytonema sp., Cylindrosprmum licheniformae, Cylindrosprmum fertilissima, Nostoc calcicola, Nostoc punctiformae, Aphanothece parietina, Nostoc commune, Aulosira fertilissima, Phormidium sp., and Oscillatoria sp. Among these cyanobacteria, N. calcicola was the dominant species. N. calcicola was inoculated on the alkaline soil and incubated under ambient conditions in the light for 2 years in the laboratory. Changes in soil properties were more rapid after the incorporation of pyrite (FeS₂). Recovery was monitored by using a filamentous heterocystous cyanobacterium N. calcicola and its bicarbonate-resistant (HCO₃^–R) mutant. The mutant strain showed better response to modification of soil pH following growth in soil.     

The effect of subsoiling on soil resistance and cotton yield

Soil compaction occurs due to heavy wheeling or repetitive tillage in the field. Soil compaction changes the soil physical parameters and water infiltration that cause reduction in the crop yield. Proper subsoiling alleviates the negative effect of soil compaction. The objectives of the research was to examine the effects of subsoiling on the resistance of the soil and to find out deep tillage effects on the cotton yield and the convenient time for applying subsoil treatment for reducing the soil compaction. One-pass (B) and two-passes (C) subsoil treatments were applied in the fields where wheat, silage maize (Zea mays L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) crops were grown by 2 years rotation. The experiment was started in 1998 and carried out for 4 years. Soil penetrations were measured during the experiments years at thaw conditions of silty-clay soil (43% clay, 50% silt, 7% sand) before seedbed preparation in autumn seasons. According to the results, the subsoiling treatments created statistically significant effects on the soil resistance (P<0.05) comparing the control plots (A). The initial disruption in subsoiled plots has almost disappeared after 2 and 4 years in B and C plots, respectively. The soil resistance in C plots was lower than in B plot. The percentage of decrease in the soil resistance from A to B and A to C plots was calculated as 13.3 and 26.2%, respectively, in the first year. In the effective subsoiling area from 0.20 to 0.50 m depth, the ratio of penetration decrease in both plots was about 7–8% per year. The difference of penetration decrease between B and C plots was found to be about 15.8% level. Cotton yields at each subsoiled plots increased slightly comparing with control plots (A) where subsoiling was not applied. However, these increments were found to be statistically insignificant. It may be concluded that the subsoiling treatments does not affect the crop yield in intensive and fully irrigated field conditions.     

Nematode assemblages indicate soil restoration on colliery spoils afforested by planting different tree species and by natural succession

Soil nematodes were studied in 28 afforested sites on clay colliery spoil from opencast mining in the Czech Republic. The afforestations had four replicate sites and were represented by 20–33-year-old plantations of oak, alder, linden, spruce, larch, pine, and sites left to natural succession. The total abundance of nematodes in deciduous plantations plus natural successions was 1156 × 10³ ind/m² and in coniferous plantations 1236 × 10³ ind/m². The abundance of plant parasites and omnivores was significantly greater in deciduous than in coniferous plantations. The abundance of root–fungal feeders dominated by Filenchus was greater in spruce and pine plantations than in deciduous plantations. Bacterivorous Plectus predominated in larch plantations. Nematode assemblages in deciduous plantations had significantly greater numbers of species and genera, H’gen, MI, ΣMI, EI and SI values, and greater proportions of omnivores plus predators to other trophic groups than the assemblages in coniferous plantations. The nematode fauna indicated most advanced soil restoration on spoils under oak and alder plantations, intermediate under linden and spruce, and least under pine and larch. Nevertheless, some nematodes typical for developed forests were either found in low population densities (e.g. Teratocephalus) or were missing (e.g. Malenchus).     

Changes in dissolved organic carbon of soil amendments with aging: effect on pesticide adsorption behavior

The effect of aging in the soil of three organic amendments (OAs), one liquid (LF) and two solid ones (SF and AL), has been investigated and related to changes in soil adsorption of metalaxyl and tricyclazole. LF and AL have very high dissolved organic carbon (DOC) contents with low humification index values, whereas SF has a low DOC content but the highest amounts of highly humified material. All OAs increased the adsorption of tricyclazole, whereas adsorption of metalaxyl decreased in soils amended with LF and AL, due to competition with DOC for mineral adsorption sites. With aging, DOC from SF amended soils is not significantly affected and neither is adsorption behavior. On the contrary, the great reduction of DOC from LF and AL with aging has been shown to affect adsorption of metalaxyl and tricyclazole, and this effect is dependent on the pesticide, the nature of the DOC, and the type of soil, in particular its clay mineralogy.