TITLE:
Effect of Wood Compost on Extreme Soil Characteristics in the Lusatian Lignite Region
AUTHORS:
Wael Nada, Oswald Blumenstein, Sarina Claassens, Leon van Rensburg
KEYWORDS:
Coal spoil; Mining; Reclamation; Revegetation
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Soil Science,
Vol.2 No.4,
December
31,
2012
ABSTRACT: Open-cast
lignite mining operations result in a loss of soil quality. Soils associated
with coal mining are usually characterised by poor physical and chemical
parameters. Low pH and heavy metal toxicity are of the main concerns. The lignite
and pyrite content of the dump materials of the Lusatian open-cast mining
district in Eastern Germany resulted in high
acidification potential and low organic matter content of soils. These extreme
conditions require considerable amounts of alkaline materials like compost to
enable revegetation. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of
different application rates of wood compost on soil physico-chemical properties
in two representative soil substrates (tertiary and quaternary) and on some
plant growth parameters. Soil in each site was mixed with wood compost and sown
with a grass mixture. The data of both studied soils showed an improvement in
physical properties such as water holding capacity and bulk density in soil
ameliorated with compost. Most soil chemical properties were increased significantly
with the increase of compost application rates, particularly organic matter
content, total nitrogen and cation exchange capacity. Compared to the control
treatment in each site, the treated soil with compost showed a significant
increase in grass biomass (fresh and dry matter yield). The results of these
experiments revealed that addition of wood compost had significant positive
effects on the soil physical and chemical properties, which affected the response
of plant growth and can facilitate the revegetation of substrates contaminated
with coal spoil.