A method for evaluating the effects of gentle remediation options (GRO) on soil health: Demonstration at a DDX-contaminated tree nursery in Sweden
Journal article, 2024

Healthy soils provide valuable ecosystem services (ES), but soil contamination can inhibit essential soil functions (SF) and pose risks to human health and the environment. A key advantage of using gentle remediation options (GRO) is the potential for multifunctionality: to both manage risks and improve soil functionality. In this study, an accessible, scientific method for soil health assessment directed towards practitioners and decision-makers in contaminated land management was developed and demonstrated for a field experiment at a DDX-contaminated tree nursery site in Sweden to evaluate the relative effects of GRO on soil health (i.e., the ‘current capacity’ to provide ES). For the set of relevant soil quality indicators (SQI) selected using a simplified logical sieve, GRO treatment was observed to have highly significant effects on many SQI according to statistical analysis due to the strong influence of biochar amendment on the sandy soil and positive effects of nitrogen-fixing leguminous plants. The SQI were grouped within five SF and the relative effects on soil health were evaluated compared to a reference state (experimental control) by calculating quantitative treated-SF indices. Multiple GRO treatments are shown to have statistically significant positive effects on many SF, including pollutant attenuation and degradation, water cycling and storage, nutrient cycling and provisioning, and soil structure and maintenance. The SF were in turn linked to soil-based ES to calculate treated-ES indices and an overall soil health index (SHI), which can provide simplified yet valuable information to decision-makers regarding the effectiveness of GRO. The experimental GRO treatment of the legume mix with biochar amendment and grass mix with biochar amendment are shown to result in statistically significant improvements to soil health, with overall SHI values of 141 % and 128 %, respectively, compared to the reference state of the grass mix without biochar (set to 100 %).

Ecosystem services

Soil health

Contaminated land

Multifunctionality

Soil functions

Gentle remediation options (GRO)

Author

Paul Drenning

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Yevheniya Volchko

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Anja Enell

Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI)

Dan Berggren Kleja

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)

Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI)

Maria Larsson

Örebro University

Jenny Norrman

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Geology and Geotechnics

Science of the Total Environment

00489697 (ISSN) 18791026 (eISSN)

Vol. 948 174869

Evaluation of innovative and gentle in situ remediation strategies to manage risks and improve ecosystem services (PILOT-GRO)

Formas (2021-01428), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI) (1.1-2104-0303), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

COWI A/S (APE/knl/C-147.01), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Nordvästra Skånes Renhållnings AB (NSR), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Subject Categories

Forest Science

Environmental Sciences

DOI

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174869

More information

Latest update

8/9/2024 9