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

Författare

Paul Drenning

Chalmers, Arkitektur och samhällsbyggnadsteknik, Geologi och geoteknik

Yevheniya Volchko

Chalmers, Arkitektur och samhällsbyggnadsteknik, Geologi och geoteknik

Anja Enell

Statens Geotekniska Institut (SGI)

Dan Berggren Kleja

Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU)

Statens Geotekniska Institut (SGI)

Maria Larsson

Örebro universitet

Jenny Norrman

Chalmers, Arkitektur och samhällsbyggnadsteknik, Geologi och geoteknik

Science of the Total Environment

00489697 (ISSN) 18791026 (eISSN)

Vol. 948 174869

Utvärdering av innovativa och skonsamma in situ behandlingar för att hantera risker och förbättra ekosystemtjänster (PILOT-GRO)

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

Statens Geotekniska Institut (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.

Sveriges Geologiska Undersökning (SGU), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Ämneskategorier

Skogsvetenskap

Miljövetenskap

DOI

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174869

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2024-08-09