Influence of biosolids and fertilizer amendments on physical, chemical and microbiological properties of copper mine tailings

2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 571-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.C. Gardner ◽  
K. Broersma ◽  
A. Naeth ◽  
D. Chanasyk ◽  
A. Jobson
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
South Central ◽  
Physical Chemical ◽  
Water Holding ◽  
Wilting Point ◽  
Microbiological Properties

A 3-yr field study was conducted on two texturally different tailings sites at the Highland Valley Copper Partnership mine in south-central British Columbia to determine the effects of fertilizer and biosolids amendments on selected soil physical, chemical and microbiological properties. Soil bulk density and penetration resistance decreased in the upper 15 cm of tailings with increasing dry biosolids application rates of 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 Mg ha-1. The addition of biosolids increased gravimetric water retention at field capacity and wilting point, but no significant changes occurred in the gravimetric water-holding capacity as both field and wilting point increased proportionally. Increasing biosolids decreased volumetric water-holding capacity on the silt loam, but had no effect at the sandy site because of decreased bulk density. Soil pH was not impacted by the treatments while electrical conductivity, soil organic matter, total carbon and cation exchange capacity increased with increasing levels of biosolids applied. Biosolids enhanced biological activity by increasing total aerobic, total anaerobic, iron reducing, sulfate reducing and denitrifying microorganisms near the surface. The fertilizer amendment did not alter soil physical or chemical properties from those of the control. The addition of biosolids was more effective at enhancing properties related to soil quality and fertility and therefore more effective for building soil organic matter on reclaimed tailings sites than the traditional use of inorganic fertilizer.

Land Use Change Effects on Soil Quality in Prince Edward County, ON

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey Watts
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Prince Edward County ◽  
Effects Of Land Use ◽  
Water Holding

Soils play a critical role to society as a medium that facilitates crop production and also contributes to the energy and carbon balance of the Earth System. Land-use change and improper land-use is one of the dominant factors affecting soil erosion and nutrient loss in soils. We examined the effects of land-use change on an Elmbrook clay/clay-loam soil on a farm in Ameliasburg on the northern part of Prince Edward County. Three cover types were examined: a sod field (established for over 10 years), a wheat field (part of a wheat/corn/soybean rotation for 30 years) and an undisturbed deciduous forest. Under each land-use type, cores to a depth of 40 cm were collected along three random 30 m transects (at 8, 16 and 24 m), then divided them into 10 cm increments, combining all similar depth increments along one transect. Soil quality was assessed by analyzing various soil physical and chemical properties. Bulk density of the soil was much higher (1.55 vs. 0.95 g/cm3) in both agricultural ecosystems compared to the forest, but only in the 0-10 cm layer. Soil moisture at 60% water holding capacity was much greater for the forest than the sod and wheat soils. Soil pH was slightly lower in the forest compared to the sod and wheat fields. The sod and wheat fields showed losses of ~52% and ~53% organic matter, respectively, in contrast to the forested area. The greatest differences in organic matter and total carbon were found in the top 10 cm, likely due to the greater accumulation of litter at the ground surface in the forest compared to the agricultural sites. It appears that long-term (10 year) agricultural production has led to a decline in some, but not all, soil quality measures, particularly soil organic matter, bulk density and water holding capacity. These findings are consistent with much of the literature concerning the effects of land-use change on soil quality, and highlight the need to develop improved management systems to minimize losses in soil quality that can lead to declines in the productivity potential of soils over time.

Developing reservoir sediment ceramsite as a novel growing medium: I low temperature and anaerobic production

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Hsiang Liu ◽  
Yi-Hao Chu ◽  
Chih-Hsin Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Sintering Temperature ◽  
Nutrient Retention ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Anaerobic Conditions ◽  
Reservoir Sediment ◽  
Growing Medium ◽  
Water Holding ◽  
Organic Matter Addition

<p>Ceramsite is a typical substrate used in soilless culture systems. It is clean and durable but usually shows poor performance in water and nutrient retention capacity. In this study, we used reservoir sediment as the material to produce ceramsite to use as a growing medium. We sintered it under relatively low temperature (600°C, 800°C, and 1000°C) and anaerobic conditions with and without organic matter addition (5%, 10%, and 15%). We examined their water holding capacity, bulk density, mechanic strength, and pH, which were related to the essential characteristics using the growing media. The results showed that organic matter addition decreased bulk density and mechanic strength but increased water holding capacity and pH. The sintering temperature has less influence on bulk density and water holding capacity but increased mechanic strength and pH with the increasing sintering temperature. Compared with the commercial high-temperature ceramsite and lava rock, the water holding capacity in our ceramsite can be three times higher than those. The microstructure from scanning electronic microscopy indicated the rough surface in ceramsite at 600°C and 800°C but became glassy surface at 1000°C which was similar to the commercial ceramsite and lava rock that showed more glassy and non-porous surface. The addition of organic matter maintained rough surfaces at 1000°C, which can be the mechanism to have higher water and nutrient retention. Our results suggest that the ceramsite produced from reservoir sediment under lower temperature and anaerobic conditions with organic matter addition can be used as a growing medium to replace commercial ceramsite with its better water retention capability.</p><p> </p>

scholarly journals Impacts of Controlled Forest Fires on Soil Properties in Gadchiroli Forest Circle, Central India

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul Kamble
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Forest Fire ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Central India ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Water Holding

Forest is an important ecosystem service to human beings. In recent decades the forest is facing tremendous pressure from anthropogenic activities. One of the activities is the burning of forest floor for easy collection of non-timber forest produce. As a result of this number of incidences of forest fires has increased in the tribal-dominated area of the world. These forest fires have adverse impacts on soil properties which will ultimately in the long term have impacts on the forest ecosystem. Taking into consideration this fact this study was attempted to assess the impacts of controlled forest fires on the physicochemical properties of forest soil in the Gadchiroli forest circle of Central India. To assess the impacts six sampling sites from the forest where identified from the study area where no previous forest fire history was recorded in that season. Initial soil sampling before controlled forest fire was carried out in summer 2019 by quartering method in the topsoil layer (1-5 cm). A controlled forest fire was carried out in the same area. The soil was prepared for soil analysis and analysed by adopting standard methods for bulk density, water holding capacity, pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, and organic matter. Results revealed that forest fires increase the bulk density of soil, at 50% (n = 3) sampling locations water holding capacity got reduced down; whereas, at other half increased in capacity was observed. In the case of soil pH 66% (n = 4) sample reported increased in soil pH and at other reduction in soil pH was recorded. Except at one sampling location electrical conductivity was reduced. A similar trend was also noticed for organic carbon and organic matter. Bulk density and water holding capacity will have long term impacts; whereas, pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon and organic matter will have short term impacts. Furthermore, in those sampling locations where forest fire does not occur in the last 2-3 years organic carbon and organic matter content of the soil is high. Thus, measures to be taken to reduce forest fires activities by incorporating an effective forest fire management system at a place by incorporating fire load management subsystem and fire suppression subsystem.  

Small-sized platinum nanoparticles in soil organic matter: Influence on water holding capacity, evaporation and structural rigidity

2019 ◽  
Vol 694 ◽  
pp. 133822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renata Komendová ◽  
Jan Žídek ◽  
Michal Berka ◽  
Marta Jemelková ◽  
Veronika Řezáčová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Platinum Nanoparticles ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Structural Rigidity ◽  
Water Holding

scholarly journals Soil Water Holding Capacity Mitigates Downside Risk and Volatility in US Rainfed Maize: Time to Invest in Soil Organic Matter?

PLoS ONE ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. e0160974 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alwyn Williams ◽  
Mitchell C. Hunter ◽  
Melanie Kammerer ◽  
Daniel A. Kane ◽  
Nicholas R. Jordan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Downside Risk ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Soil Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Water Holding

scholarly journals Geochemical Properties of Peat Soil in Sarawak - A Review

2015 ◽  
Vol 773-774 ◽  
pp. 1417-1421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teong Ing Tong ◽  
Felix Ngee Leh Ling
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Total Nitrogen ◽  
Peat Soil ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Engineering Properties ◽  
The North ◽  
Geochemical Properties

In geotechnical field, peat soil is defined as soil which is formed by accumulation of purely one hundred percent organic matter and which the distinction between soil and vegetative accumulation is not clear. The main objectives of this review paper are to summarize and compare the geochemical properties of peat soil in different districts of Sarawak. Case studies that have been chosen covered central of Sarawak up to the North of Sarawak. Geochemical properties of peat soil that being observed are pH, total carbon, organic matter, bulk density and the total nitrogen. Geochemical properties are found to be governed by the types of material inside the soil and also strongly correlated with the engineering properties of soil. Notably showed that the types of organic matter, namely fibre and/or humidified organic inside the soil will influence the soil porosity. The findings of the studies showed that geochemical properties of the peat soil in different districts of Sarawak is site dependent and could be affected by the different land use or land activities. The differences in land use and land activities affected the bulk density, pH and types of organic matter in the soil. The result indicated that peat soil land in different district can categorized as acidic soil because of the pH range is between 3.3-3.75. For the bulk density, the lowest value is recorded at the Dalat sago plantation site, which is 0.14 g/cm3. For the value of the total carbon, peat soil from the Laogan Bunut National Park is the lowest, 47.6%. Furthermore, total carbon is related to the soil organic matter, coincidentally the value of soil organic matter in Miri found to be the lowest which is 74.59%. Result for the total nitrogen, there are little difference between the district. Range of the total nitrogen is from 0.9% to 2.4%, Sibu site is getting the lowest value in this case.

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