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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Application of two organic amendments on soil restoration: effects on the soil biological properties.

One method for recovering degraded soils in semiarid regions is to add organic matter to improve soil characteristics, thereby enhancing biogeochemical nutrient cycling. In this paper, we studied the changes in soil biological properties as a result of adding a crushed cotton gin compost (CCGC) and a poultry manure (PM) for 4 yr to restore a Xerollic Calciorthid located near Seville (Guadalquivir Valley, Andalusia, Spain). Organic wastes were applied at rates of 5, 7.5, and 10 Mg organic matter ha(-1). One year after the assay began, spontaneous vegetation had appeared in the treated plots, particularly in that receiving a high PM and CCGC dose. After 4 yr, the plant cover in these treated plots was around 88 and 79%, respectively, compared with 5% for the control. The effects on soil microbial biomass and six soil enzymatic activities (dehydrogenase, urease, BBA-protease, beta-glucosidase, arylsulfatase, and alkaline phosphatase activities) were ascertained. Both added organic wastes had a positive effect on the biological properties of the soil, although at the end of the experimental period and at high dosage, soil microbial biomass and soil enzyme activities were generally higher in the PM-amended soils compared to the CCGC-amended soils. Enzyme activity from the PM-amended soil was 5, 15, 13, 19, 22, 30, and 6% greater than CCGC-amended soil for soil microbial biomass, urease, BBA-protease, beta-glucosidase, alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase, and dehydrogenase activities, respectively. After 4 yr, the percentage of plant cover was > 48% in all treated plots and 5% in the control.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed1997

[Microbiologic/hygienic evaluation of the risk potential of bacteria from soil and water sources in combination with biotechnologic risks of soil restoration].

Biological cleanup-processes removing contaminations from soil and ground-water can be carried out "ex-situ" or "in situ". The pollutants are mineralized (totally or partly) by microorganisms. The successful application of bioremediation techniques often leads to an increase of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria in soil and/or groundwater, a fact that triggered discussions about a potential biological risk originating from these microorganisms. In this study the identification results of 10,200 microorganisms isolated from 109 ground-water- and 152 soil-samples of different sites contaminated with mineral oil or chlorinated aromatics are evaluated with respect to a possible biological risks originating from these microorganisms. According to their biological risk potential, 19.2% (1958) of the isolated organisms can be grouped into risk-groups II, that means they they are able o cause human disease but it is unlikely that they are spread to the community and there is effective prophylaxis or treatment available. The majority of isolates (81.8%) are grouped into risk group I, meaning that it is very unlikely that they cause a human disease. All these microorganisms are either adsorbed to the soil-matrix or within a closed system of a water-treatment-plant, so that the risk of infection is very unlikely for healthy individuals (regarding possible pathways of infection). The risk potential in waste-water-treatment-plants is regarded to be significantly higher than in biological soil-cleanup processes, because of the specific origin of the bacteria and the possible formation of aerosols.

Bacteria, Aerobic↗
PubMed2006

Ecotoxicological evaluation of the short term effects of fresh and stabilized textile sludges before application in forest soil restoration.

The short term (eco)toxicity potential of fresh and stabilized textile sludges, as well as the short term (eco)toxicity of leachates obtained from both fresh and stabilized textile sludges, was evaluated by a battery of toxicity tests carried out with bacteria, algae, daphnids, fish, earthworms, and higher plants. The (eco)toxicological results showed that, after 120 d of stabilization, the experimental loading ratio of 25% sludge:75% soil (v/v) (equivalent to 64.4 ton/ha) did not significantly increase toxicity effects and increased significantly the biomass yield for earthworms and higher plants. The rank of biological sensitivity endpoints was: Algae approximately Plant biomass > Plant germination approximately Daphnids > Bacteria approximately Fish > Annelids. The lack of short term toxicity effects and the stimulant effect observed with higher plants and earthworms are good indications of the fertilizer/conditioner potential of this industrial waste, which after stabilization can be used in the restoration of a non-productive forest soil.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol by a specialized organism and by indigenous soil microflora: bioaugmentation and self-remediability for soil restoration.

A selected mixed culture and a strain of Alcaligenes eutrophus TCP were able to totally degrade 2,4,6,-TCP with stoichiometric release of Cl-. In cultures of Alc. eutrophus TCP, a dioxygenated dichlorinated metabolite was detected after 48 h of incubation. Experiments conducted with soil microcosms gave evidence that: the degradative process had a biotic nature and was accompanied by microbial growth; the soil used presented an intrinsic degradative capacity versus 2,4,6-TCP; the specialized organism used as inoculum was effective in degrading 2,4,6-TCP in a short time. These results could be utilized for the adoption of appropriate remediation techniques for contaminated soil.

Alcaligenes↗
PubMed2001

Genetic diversity of indigenous Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae isolates nodulating two different host plants during soil restoration with alfalfa.

A total of 360 Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae strains was isolated from three brown-coal mining restoration fields of different age and plant cover (without and in the first and second year of alfalfa, Medicago sativa, cultivation) using two host species (Vicia hirsuta and Pisum sativum) as capture plants. The strains were genetically typed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-generated 16S-23S ribosomal DNA intergenic spacer regions (IGS-RFLP) and characterized by plasmid profiles and RFLP analysis of amplified nodABC genes. The R. leguminosarum bv. viciae population was dominated by the same group of strains (irrespective of the trap plant used). According to type richness, the genetic diversity of indigenous R. leguminosarum in the second year of restoration was lower than in the first year and it resembled that of the fallow field, except for plasmid types, in which it was higher than that of the fallow field. Some of the less frequent nodABC genotypes were associated with distinct chromosomal IGS genotypes and symbiotic plasmids (pSyms) of different sizes, indicating that horizontal transfer and rearrangements of pSym can occur in natural environments. However, the dominant pSym and chromosomal genotypes were strictly correlated suggesting a genetically stable persistence of the prevailing R. leguminosarum bv. viciae genotypes in the absence of its host plant.

DNA, Bacterial↗
PubMed2005

Bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated saline-alkaline soils of the former Lake Texcoco.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as phenanthrene, anthracene and Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) are toxic for the environment. Removing these components from soil is difficult as they are resistant to degradation and more so in soils with high pH and large salt concentrations as in soil of the former lake Texcoco, but stimulating soil micro-organisms growth by adding nutrients might accelerate soil restoration. Soil of Texcoco and an agricultural Acolman soil, which served as a control, were spiked with phenanthrene, anthracene and BaP, added with or without biosolid or inorganic fertilizer (N, P), and dynamics of PAHs, N and P were monitored in a 112-day incubation. Concentrations of phenanthrene did not change significantly in sterilized Acolman soil, but decreased 2-times in unsterilized soil and >25-times in soil amended with biosolid and NP. The concentration of phenanthrene in unsterilized soil of Texcoco was 1.3-times lower compared to the sterilized soil, 1.7-times in soil amended with NP and 2.9-times in soil amended with biosolid. In unsterilized Acolman soil, degradation of BaP was faster in soil amended with biosolid than in unamended soil and soil amended with NP. In unsterilized soil of Texcoco, degradation of BaP was similar in soil amended with biosolid and NP but faster than in the unamended soil. It was found that application of biosolid and NP increased degradation of phenanthrene, anthracene and BaP, but to a different degree in alkaline-saline soil of Texcoco compared to an agricultural Acolman soil.

Alkalies↗
PubMed2003

Ecological restoration of mine degraded soils, with emphasis on metal contaminated soils.

This paper reviews the ecological aspects of mined soil restoration, with special emphasis on maintaining a long-term sustainable vegetation on toxic metal mine sites. The metal mined soils are man-made habitats which are very unstable and will become sources of air and water pollution. Establishment of a vegetation cover is essential to stabilize the bare area and to minimize the pollution problem. In addition to remediate the adverse physical and chemical properties of the sites, the choice of appropriate vegetation will be important. Phytostabilization and phytoextraction are two common phytoremediation techniques in treating metal-contaminated soils, for stabilizing toxic mine spoils, and the removal of toxic metals from the spoils respectively. Soil amendments should be added to aid stabilizing mine spoils, and to enhance metal uptake accordingly.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed2005

[Natural vegetation restoration and soil nutrient dynamics of abandoned farmlands in forest-steppe zone on Loess Plateau].

To understand the relationship between plant community succession and soil nutrient dynamics is crucial in intervening vegetation succession. This paper reported the results from a study carried out in a forest-steppe zone on the Loess Plateau, with emphasis on the vegetation characteristics and soil nutrient dynamics duringvegetation restoration on abandoned farmlands of this area. The results showed that under zonal habitat conditions, natural vegetation succession would turn toward the original vegetation communities, but the expected shrub or trees communities didn't occur after 40 approximately 50 years, and Stipa bungeana, Artemisia sacrorum, Bothriochloa ischaemun, Stipa grandis and Lespedeza davurica communities were still the widely distributed communities. Vegetation restoration had a significant effect on soil nutrient dynamics. In general, soil nutrient contents increased with restoration time, and extremely significant changes occurred in soil organic matter, total N, available N, and available K (P< 0.001),while only significant changes in available P (0.05 < P < 0.01) and no significant change in total P (P > 0.05). Moreover, the changes were also found in soil profile. Statistical analysis showed that from surface layer (0 approximately 20 cm) to deeper layer (to 60 cm), extremely significant changes occurred in soil organic matter, total N, available N, available K and available P (P < 0.001), and significant change in total P (P< 0.05). Soil nutrients intended to accumulate in surface layer. Further linear correlation analysis showed that soil organic matter, total N, available N and available K were significantly correlated each other ( P< 0.001), but didn't show correlation with soil total P and available P.

China↗
PubMed2003

Use of sewage sludge compost as the restoration agent on the degraded soil of Tatarstan.

One of the characteristics of soils in Tatarstan is their low organic matter content. The decrease in soil organic matter is paralleled by declines in soil fertility. One method to reverse this degradation in soil quality is the addition of organic matter. The use of sewage sludge on soils intended for growing of plant seedlings provides an alternative for sewage sludge disposal. Therefore, the evaluation of the feasibility of using compost from the municipal sewage sludge produced in Kazan for the soil restoration and growth of Pinus silvestris seedlings was carried out. The grey forest soil (Haplic Greyzem) was amended with compost at application rate 30, 60 and 90 Mg ha(-1) on a dry matter basis. Organic matter content increased with the increase in sludge amendment. The concentrations of individual heavy metal were below the current limits established for Russia and European countries. Sludge amendments enhanced the germination and the number of the seedlings and the increase were more obvious for the soil with highest sludge treatment. The application of composted sludge to soil was followed by the increase in microbial biomass and basal respiration.

Biomass↗
PubMed2004

[Effects of land use and vegetation restoration on soil quality in a small catchment of the Loess Plateau].

Soil quality improvement plays an important role in sustaining global biosphere. This paper studied the changes of soil quality after 25 years' land use and vegetation restoration at the Anjiapo catchment of western Loess Plateau. The analyses of soil characteristics of wasteland, almond land, farmland, pineland, shrub land and fallow land showed that different land use and vegetation restoration had different effects on soil integrated fertility index. Soil organic matter content was increased due to planting shrubs and forests. Both vegetation restoration and fallow could improve soil quality. Cultivation practice could decrease soil nutrient levels, and cropland soil was degraded. Shrub soil formed "fertile island" in the semi-arid region. Fallow could improve soil fertility to some extent. Human activities and vegetation restoration could affect soil nutrient contents after land use pattern was changed. With the launch out into the "Grand development of Western China", "Grain for Green Project" and ecological restoration, both shrub planting and fallow (natural restoration) should be the optional choices to restore soil fertility, as they could decrease soil erosion and improve soil condition at catchment scale, especially in the hilly and gully loess area. Integrative control of small catchment may be the best way for the sustainable development of the semi-arid hilly area of Loess Plateau.

China↗
PubMed2006

Plant- and microbial-based mechanisms to improve the agronomic effectiveness of phosphate rock: a review.

Deficiency in plant-available phosphorus is considered to be a major limiting factor to food production in many agricultural soils. Mineral resources are necessary to restore soil phosphorus content. In regions where conventional fertilizers are not used due to cost limitations or to mitigate adverse environmental effects, local sources of phosphate rock are being increasingly recognized for potential use as alternative phosphorus fertilizers. The main obstacle associated with using directly applied ground phosphate rock is that the phosphate released is often unable to supply sufficient plant-available phosphorus for crop uptake. Plantand microbial-based mechanisms are low-cost, appropriate technologies to enhance the solubilization and increase the agronomic effectiveness of phosphate rock. Common mechanisms of phosphate rock dissolution including proton and organic acid production will be reviewed for both plants and microorganisms. This review will also address possibilities for future research directions and applications to agriculture, as well as highlight ongoing research at the University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2006

Progress in assisted natural remediation of an arsenic contaminated agricultural soil.

A contaminated soil was collected in a field adjacent to a derelict As((III)) smelter in Reppel (Bocholt, Belgium). A single soil treatment (% by soil weight) based on either iron grit (SS, 1%), beringite (B, 5%), or iron grit (1%) + beringite (5%) (BSS) was applied. Untreated and treated Reppel soils and a control soil were placed in lysimeters inside a greenhouse and cropped annually. The efficiency of soil treatments in decreasing As and metals in exposure sources and restoring soil functions was assessed 6 years after the treatments commenced. Decreases in extractable Cd, Mn, Zn and As occurred in the BSS soil. Only BSS treatment reduced both As and metal concentrations in leachates. BSS treatment produced best growth of lettuce and cabbage, the highest shoot and pod yields for dwarf bean, the lowest As, Cd and Zn concentrations in plant tissues, and partly restored Rhizobium nodulation on bean roots. The epigeic earthworm (Dendrobaena octaedra) could only survive in the BSS soil. Depurated living worms from the BSS soil had Cd concentration similar to those in control worms, but higher As, Ca, Fe, and Zn concentrations. Based on physiologically based extraction test (PBET), As bioaccessibility was reduced from 12% (untreated soil) to 7.4% (BSS) and 3% (SS), but only the SS treatment decreased the bioaccessibility of Cd (-30%) and Pb (-35%). The range of chemical and biological indicators suggested that BSS amendment was the most effective treatment for restoration of normal soil functions 6 years after initial treatment of the Reppel soil.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2026

Dynamics of soil fungal communities restored with biochar from a quarry site.

Quarrying activities have intensified due to population expansion, leading to landscape degradation and ecological destruction. Quarry restoration is usually mandatory in Hong Kong, China. Although biochar is used for sustainable soil amendment, its effectiveness in restoring quarry soil with poor properties has rarely been investigated. A 24-month field study was conducted to evaluate the ecological feasibility of restoring a quarry site by using native species (that is, Castanopsis fissa and Cyclobalanopsis edithiae) and biochar amendment. The results revealed that after 24 months, the application of biochar increased the organic carbon, phosphorus and potassium of the vegetated soil by at least 120 %, 31 % and 12 %, respectively, due to higher cation exchange capacity and better plant growth. The relative abundance of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota increased by 24 % and 47 % with biochar application when C. fissa was planted, which was likely associated with the improved nutrient cycling and soil fertility. Even though adding biochar to bare soil was found to increase the complexity of fungal co-occurrence networks, biochar application only increased fungal diversity in vegetated quarry soil but usually reduced its fungal richness. Moreover, fungal co-occurrence networks in vegetated soil became less complex, suggesting that biochar potentially helped plants to assemble specific, beneficial fungal communities. This effect is most pronounced in the soil planted with C. edithiae, where the structure of fungal communities after 24 months was significantly different from that at other restoration times. This study identifies key fungal phyla enhanced by biochar in quarry soil and provides an effective strategy for facilitating the restoration and management of degraded lands, especially quarry sites.

Charcoal↗
PubMed2005

Land-cover change trajectories in northern Ghana.

Land-cover change trajectories are an emergent property of complex human-environment systems such as the land-use system. An understanding of the factors responsible for land change trajectories is fundamental for land-use planning and the development of land-related policies. The aims of this study were to characterize and identify the spatial determinants of agricultural land-cover change trajectories in northern Ghana. Land-cover change trajectories were defined using land-cover maps prepared from Landsat Thematic Mapper dataset acquired in 1984, 1992, and 1999. Binary logistic regression was used to model the probability of observing the trajectories as a function of spatially explicit biophysical and socioeconomic independent variables. Population densities generally increased along the continuum of land-use intensity, whereas distance from market and roads generally decreased along this continuum. Apparently, roads and market serve as incentives for settlement and agricultural land use. An increase in population density is an important spatial determinant only for trajectories where the dominant change process is agricultural extensification. A major response to population growth is an increase in cultivation frequency around the main market. Agricultural intensification is highly sensitive to accessibility by roads. The increase in land-use intensity is also associated with low soil quality. These results suggest the need for policies to restore soil fertility for agricultural sustainability. The models also provide a means for identifying functional relationships for in-depth analyses of land-use change in Ghana.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2006

Time-dependent sorption of norflurazon in four different soils: use of beta-cyclodextrin solutions for remediation of pesticide-contaminated soils.

High pesticide concentrations in soil from spills or discharges can result in point-source contamination of ground and surface waters. Cost-effective technologies are needed for on-site treatment that meet clean-up goals and restore soil function. Remediation is particularly challenging when a mixture of pesticides is present. beta-Cyclodextrins (BCD) solutions are employed to enhance the aqueous solubility of a hydrophobic organic compound. The interaction of norflurazon (NFL) with BCD yielded the formation of inclusion complexes at a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio in solution. The change of the sorption parameter K(d) as affected by the time, and desorption studies of NFL previously adsorbed on four different soils with different characteristics have been performed in the presence of 0.01 M BCD or 0.01 M Ca(NO(3))(2) acting as extractant solutions. NFL sorption increased with the residence time in soil, making it more resistant to be desorbed. Likewise, leaching experiments were performed in packed soil columns eluting initially with distilled water, with the aim to simulate the herbicide drainflow losses because of rainfall, approaching to a more realistic environment, and later with 0.01 M BCD solutions to extract the residual NFL bound. The results showed that removal efficiencies of the different flushing systems were significantly influenced by their affinity and selectivity for the contaminants in the soil matrix as well as BCD adsorption on soils, since this could act like a bridge between pesticide molecule and soil particles increasing the stay of NFL in soil. These results are further information to be in condition to predict the potential effect of the BCD solutions on soil chemical decontamination in the field situation assessing the likelihood for bioremediation of a pesticide contaminated-soil, since the increasing in hydrosolubility of the contaminants means the first step before microorganism uptaken.

Environmental Restoration and Remediation↗
PubMed2006

[Application and effectiveness of soil bioengineering in ecological restoration of stream bank].

Soil bioengineering is a kind of engineering by using living plant materials to construct the structures with some engineering and ecological functions, which can provide an effective means for the slope stabilization and site restoration of stream banks. In this paper, the principles of soil bioengineering, basic planting methods, live stakes, live fascines, brush layering, and integrated technologies were discussed in brief, and the first demo project of soil engineering in ecological restoration of stream bank in our country was introduced. After 10-month project implementation, significant effectiveness was obtained on slope stability, habitat improvement, and ecological restoration of stream banks. It was concluded that the approach could be widely applied in ecological restoration of all kinds of slopes in China.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2026

Isolation and genomic characterization of Bacillus X32: a potent phosphate-solubilizing bacterium with growth-promoting effects on navel orange seedlings.

Phosphorus is an essential element for plant growth. However, in nature, most phosphorus exists in the form of insoluble compounds that plants cannot directly absorb, leading to phosphorus deficiency in agricultural systems. With increasing demand for economic crops such as citrus and the decline in soil fertility due to current management practices, there is a growing need for environmentally friendly fertilizers to improve and restore soil conditions. In this study, a highly efficient phosphate&#x2011;solubilizing strain X32 was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of Gannan navel oranges. Systematic genomic analysis identified it as a putative novel species within the genus Bacillus, showing the closest phylogenetic relationship to Bacillus spizizenii. However, both the average nucleotide identity (ANI&#x2009;=&#x2009;93.18%) and digital DNA&#x2011;DNA hybridization (dDDH&#x2009;=&#x2009;50.4%) values fell below the established thresholds for species delineation, indicating significant genomic differentiation. Whole&#x2011;genome sequencing further revealed that strain X32 harbors multiple functional genes potentially related to phosphorus metabolism, including inorganic phosphate&#x2011;solubilizing genes (e.g., gdh and gltA), phosphate transport genes (e.g., glpT, pstA, pstB, pstC), and phosphorus mineralization genes (e.g., phoA, phoD). Pot experiment results demonstrated that inoculation with strain X32 significantly promoted the growth of navel orange seedlings, as evidenced by marked increases in both aboveground and belowground fresh and dry weights, as well as plant height. Additionally, strain X32 significantly enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, POD) and regulated the content of chlorophyll b in seedling leaves, these changes suggest that strain X32 may enhance stress resistance in plants and influence photosynthetic pigment composition, though direct measurements of photosynthetic performance are needed for confirmation. This study provides a theoretical basis for developing microbial fertilizers with efficient phosphorus solubilization and plant growth-promoting functions, which may help reduce dependence on phosphorus fertilizers and promote sustainable agricultural development.

Phosphates↗