Bio-Based Waste’ Substrates for Degraded Soil Improvement—Advantages and Challenges in European Context

The area of degraded sites in the world is constantly expanding and has been a serious environmental problem for years. Such terrains are not only polluted, but also due to erosion, devoid of plant cover and organic matter. The degradation trends can be reversed by supporting remediation/reclamation processes. One of the possibilities is the introduction of biodegradable waste/biowaste substrates into the soil. The additives can be the waste itself or preformed substrates, such composts, mineral-organic fertilizers or biochar. In EU countries average value of compost used for land restoration and landfill cover was equal 4.9%. The transformation of waste in valuable products require the fulfillment of a number of conditions (waste quality, process conditions, law, local circumstances). Application on degraded land surface bio-based waste substrates has several advantages: increase soil organic matter (SOM) and nutrient content, biodiversity and activity of microbial soil communities and change of several others physical and chemical factors including degradation/immobilization of contaminants. The additives improve the water ratio and availability to plants and restore aboveground ecosystem. Due to organic additives degraded terrains are able to sequestrate carbon and climate mitigate. However, we identified some challenges. The application of waste to soil must comply with the legal requirements and meet the end of use criteria. Moreover, shorter or long-term use of bio-waste based substrate lead to even greater soil chemical or microbial contamination. Among pollutants, “emerging contaminants” appear more frequently, such microplastics, nanoparticles or active compounds of pharmaceuticals. That is why a holistic approach is necessary for use the bio-waste based substrate for rehabilitation of soil degraded ecosystems.

Management of Village Treasury Land Based on Bamboo Agroforestry

Village land is widely used for agricultural cultivation activities. However, if it is not managed properly, it can turn into critical land that eventually needs to be rehabilitated to function optimally. The agroforestry approach to land restoration is becoming increasingly popular. This study aims to determine the management of village treasury lands and the application of bamboo agroforestry in managing village treasury lands. The research was conducted in November 2015 and February 2021. The methods used were interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGD), observations and surveys of farmers’ land. The data obtained were processed and analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the management of the village treasury land was given to tenants with a rental system, where farmers who worked on farmers’ land were required to pay rent to the village government. The pattern of village land use is dominated by monoculture agriculture with seasonal crops such as corn, peanuts, red potatoes, and coffee. To optimize the land management of the village treasury, it also carried out activities through various programs such as reforestation, planting fruit and timber, but did not achieve success. The development of bamboo agroforestry is an alternative for managing village treasury land while still accommodating economic and ecological interests.

Cutivation of grasses as the basis for arable farming biologization and forage production optimization under various conditions of the south of Central Siberia

На примере трёх агроэкологических районов Хакасии показано влияние почвенно-климатических и ландшафтных особенностей территории на структуру растениеводства и развитие животноводства. Основные посевные площади в республике занимают зерновые и кормовые культуры. За период 2000–2019 годов относительно 1990 года произошло уменьшение посевных площадей по республике в 2,6 раза, по агроэкологическим районам — соответственно в 2,3; 2,3 и 1,6 раза. Доля кормовых культур в структуре посевов по Хакасии за 2000–2019 годы составляет 51,9%, в сухостепном — 79,5%, степном и лесостепном районах — 48,3 и 48,5%. Показатели плодородия почвы по содержанию гумуса показывают, что в республике в целом почвы пашни содержат 4,7% гумуса, наименьшее содержание — в сухостепном районе (3,5%). В настоящее время 84,6% пахотных земель характеризуются низкой и средней обеспеченностью подвижным фосфором. Поэтому переход земледелия на биологическую основу предусматривает восстановление деградированных агроландшафтов и сохранение плодородных свойств почв за счёт широкого внедрения травосеяния. Среди кормовых культур за период 2000–2019 годов на однолетние травы приходится по республике 27,6% и по районам — 18,0, 29,8, 36,3%; на многолетние травы — соответственно 63,1, 82,0, 52,5, 56,3%. В республике в 2019 году естественные сенокосы составили 160,4 тыс. га (8,3%), пастбища — 1019,8 тыс. га (53,3%). Их состояние требует проведения комплекса мероприятий, включающих использование технологий поверхностного и коренного улучшения. Для увеличения посевов трав необходимо существенное улучшение состояния семеноводства. Для повышения эффективности семеноводства однолетних и многолетних трав в республике необходим комплекс мер по совершенствованию форм его организации и специализации для создания единой системы размножения, начиная с питомника первичного семеноводства суперэлитных, элитных и репродукционных семян. The effect of the environment of three districts in Khakassia was tested on crop production and animal husbandry. Most farm lands are occupied by grain and forage crops in the Republic of Khakassia. In comparison to 1990 farm land area decreased by 2.6 times there for 2000–2019 as well as by 2.3, 2.3 and 1.6 times — in the districts studied, respectively. Forage crop proportion amounted to 51.9% for 2000–2019, in the dry steppe — 79.5%, steppe and forest steppe — 48.3 and 48.5%. Farm lands contained 4.7% of humus, the lowest concentration being in the dry steppe (3.5%). Currently 84.6% of farm lands show average to low content of soluble phosphorus. Biologization of arable farming will be focused on land restoration and maintaining soil fertility via the introduction of wide range of grasses. The proportion of annual forage grasses totally amounted to 27,6% for 2000–2019, in the districts — 18.0, 29.8, and 36.3%; perennial grasses — 63.1, 82.0, 52.5, 56.3%, respectively. In 2019 the acreage of natural haylands amounted to 160.4 thousand ha (8.3%), pastures — 1019.8 thousand ha (53.3%). The poor condition of farm lands requires the complex of effective tillage techniques. To increase the area of grass cultivation improved seed production is needed. Optimization of seed production includes the development of a unified reproduction technology starting from a nursery of primary seed growing.

Pongamia: A Possible Option for Degraded Land Restoration and Bioenergy Production in Indonesia

Indonesia has 14 million ha of degraded and marginal land, which provides very few benefits for human wellbeing or biodiversity. This degraded land may require restoration. The leguminous tree Pongamia pinnata syn. Milettia pinnata (pongamia) has potential for producing biofuel while simultaneously restoring degraded land. However, there is limited information on this potential for consideration. This paper aims to address the scientific knowledge gap on pongamia by exploring its potential as a biofuel and for restoring degraded land in Indonesia. We applied a literature review to collect relevant information of pongamia, which we analyzed through narrative qualitative and narrative comparative methods with careful compilation and scientific interpretation of retrieved information. The review revealed that pongamia occurs naturally across Indonesia, in Sumatra, Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara and Maluku. It can grow to a height of 15–20 m and thrive in a range of harsh environmental conditions. Its seeds can generate up to 40% crude pongamia oil by weight. It is a nitrogen-fixing tree that can help restore degraded land and improve soil properties. Pongamia also provides wood, fodder, medicine, fertilizer and biogas. As a multipurpose species, pongamia holds great potential for combating Indonesia’s energy demand and restoring much of the degraded land. However, the potential competition for land and for raw material with other biomass uses must be carefully managed.

Impacts of large-scale landscape restoration on spatio-temporal dynamics of ecosystem services in the Chinese Loess Plateau

Context From 1999 onwards, China has initiated a large-scale landscape restoration project in the Chinese Loess Plateau, which has had profound but variable impacts on the local ecosystem services supply. The dynamics of ecosystem services throughout the restoration process remain poorly understood. Objectives To analyze the spatial and temporal dynamics in ecosystem services before and after the implementation of the land restoration project, and to understand trade-offs and synergies between multiple ecosystem services. Methods We used the InVEST model and statistical yearbook data to quantify the ecosystem services over the period 1990–2018 for the Yan’an area and applied the concept of ecosystem service bundles to understand the dynamics of 11 ecosystem services over its 13 constituent counties. Results A significant increase of fruit production, sediment retention, habitat quality, aesthetic landscape value, and learning and inspiration value was found over time in the Yan’an area, while a decrease of timber production and water yield was also observed. The majority of the county-level ecosystem service bundles were transformed from having a focus on timber production to aesthetic landscape value. The dynamics of ecosystem services change induced by land restoration was discovered to start with increasing regulating services at the expense of provisioning services, while cultural services exceeded regulating services and occupied the main proportion subsequently. Conclusion Both trade-offs and synergies were found between provisioning, regulating and cultural services. Implementation of the large-scale restoration project is recognized as a key driving force inducing change of ecosystem services, starting with an improvement of regulating services followed by a gradually evolving prominence of cultural services.