Soil organic carbon in rehabilitated coal mine soils as an indicator for soil health (original) (raw)
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Soil carbon development in rejuvenated Indian coal mine spoil
The impact of mine spoil on the landscape is significant, as excavated rock-debris is commonly disposed in heaps that blanket the original land surface. Spoil heaps destroy the original soil habitat releasing soil-bound carbon, which is difficult to re-estate when mining operations cease and restoration begins. The present work follows the development of vegetative cover on a coalmine spoil tip in India over a period of 19 years following restoration. The potential of re-vegetated the mine spoil to imbibe carbon is examined through the development of above-and below-ground biomass development. It was observed that the soil organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) significantly increased with re-vegetation age, with above ground biomass increasing by 23 times, and belowground biomass increased by 26 times during the period of study. Soil organic carbon and MBC increased by 4× and 6.6× times, respectively. The average calculated annual carbon budget was 8.40 T/ha/year, of which 2.14 T/ha was allocated to above ground biomass, 0.31 T/ha to belowground biomass, 2.88 T/ha to litter mass and 1.35 T/ha was sequestered into the soil. This work has shown that the development of biomass following the restoration of mine spoil was significant and that considerable quantities of carbon were stored in above and below ground plant matter, and in the soil itself. It is concluded that appropriate restoration strategies can be used to rapidly establish a viable, healthy and sustainable ecosystem that imbibes carbon into former mine-impacted land.
Assessing fossil and new carbon in reclaimed mined soils
2008
Soil organic carbon (SOC) pool in the reclaimed minesoils (RMS) is the mixture of coal C originating from mining and reclamation activities and recent plant-derived organic carbon (OC). Accurate estimates of OC pools and sequestration rates in the RMS are limited by lack of standard ...
Sustainability
Organic wastes have a positive impact on soil physical and chemical properties in the agroecosystems. However, its main effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) or total organic carbon, TOC (SOC and coal-C) contents as well as their effects on soil physico-chemical properties are still unclear. Two types of organic wastes (maize straw and manure) were utilized in dryland affected by mining activities to quantify their relative effect on soil physico-chemical properties. Regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between the soil physical properties, SOC, and TOC as well as their respective contributions to improving these properties. Treatments included control (CK), straw (S), low manure (LM), medium manure plus straw (S-MM), and high manure plus straw (S-HM). The results showed that SOC, soil bulk density, mean weight diameter (MWD), soil total porosity, soil penetration resistance, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and soil infiltration rate were strongly influenced by t...
Soil Use and Management, 2006
Abstract. Organic indices and aggregate stability were measured in soils of similar texture on two restored opencast coal sites and on adjacent, undisturbed land in South Wales, UK. The aim was to assess rates of soil change over time, to relate these changes to conditions in undisturbed land and to evaluate organic-aggregation relationships across these range of soils. Several management factors were included in the comparisons.Organic matter accumulated at the surface (0–7.5 cm) of restored soils, contents being greater than undisturbed soils after 21 years. However, this increase in total organic matter did not result in proportionate increases in carbohydrates and microbial biomass, nor did aggregate stability increase to the degree expected. Between 7.5 and 15 cm depth, rates of change were slower. Microbial metabolic quotient and respiration relative to total soil C were highest in recently (9 years) restored soils, intermediate in 21 year old restored soils and least for undisturbed soils.Sewage (100t/ha) applied at reinstatement improved clay stability but had little effect on other parameters when measured 9 years later. Drainage of soils restored in 1972 reduced total organic content but its influence on other organic indices was more complex. Carbohydrate contents had the closest association with aggregate stability and microbial biomass.Although the productivity of restored land may recover more quickly, findings suggest that rehabilitation of normal soil processes following surface mining may take much longer than the normal five year aftercare period.
Sustainability, 2019
The soil organic carbon (SOC) pool in farmland is changing rapidly due to human activities, thereby greatly affecting the regional and global environment, as well as influencing soil fertility and crop yields. The present study investigated the effects of underground coal mining on the regional SOC pool in farmland in the Jiuli Mining Area of Xuzhou City in China as a typical coal mining region based on field sampling, chemical analysis, model construction, and spatial analysis using the software of ArcGIS. The results showed that in the mining subsidence area, spatial variations in the SOC content and soil bulk density were mainly caused by structural factors (mining subsidence, subsidence waterlogging, and other structural factors due to coal mining) at a regional scale. SOC storage in farmland soil decreased sharply in non-waterlogged subsidence farmland and seasonally waterlogged subsidence farmland in the areas with mining, whereas the SOC storage increased in waterlogged wetla...
Influence of management on maintenance and dynamics of carbon in the soil
Revista Ibero-Americana de Ciências Ambientais
This work aimed to analyze the dynamics of soil carbon in agricultural areas under different soil management systems and natural ecosystems with Cerrado vegetation. The study was carried out in a grain production area equivalent to soybeans and corn located in the Western region of Bahia State with the adoption of conventional and no-tillage + Brachiaria and vegetable production in the southernmost tip of Piauí State under organic cultivation and vegetable cultivation + no-tillage, besides the native area of the Cerrado. Total organic C content, light organic matter, and soil organic matter were evaluated. Furthermore, the C stock and light organic matter were assessed at four depths (0.0-0.05, 0.05-0.10, 0.10-0, 20, and 0.20-0.40 m). The systems under vegetable cultivation and native area presented the highest levels of C, organic matter, and soil carbon stocks in the superficial layers. However, the NTS + B2 showed higher levels in depth, except for light organic matter. Thus, t...
Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration in Reclaimed Minesoils
Land disturbance during mining results in loss of soil organic carbon (SOC). Reclamation of minelands can lead to recuperation and sequestration of SOC. The SOC thus accumulated, not only replenishes SOC losses but may also offset additional carbon di-oxide (CO2) emission. The assessment of the above was done on a chronosequence of reclaimed minesoils comprising pasture with topsoil application. The chronosequence consisted of reclaimed mine sites, 0 to 25 years old, keeping 1997 as the base year. The data show that there was a drastic loss of SOC during mining, and minesoil reclamation over time enhanced SOC pools to original levels. The SOC dynamics in soil macro and micro-aggregate fractions and its effect on long-term carbon (C) sequestration are discussed.