The effects of fertilization with anaerobic, composted and pelletized sewage sludge on the amount of soil organic matter in a silvopastoral system under Fraxinus excelsior L. (original) (raw)
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Global climate change caused by rising levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases is currently recognized as a serious environmental issue of the twenty-first century. The establishment of silvopastoral systems, a type of agroforestry system promoted by EU through the European Rural Development Council regulation 1698/2005, has been highlighted as a strategy for soil C sequestration under the Kyoto Protocol. In silvopastoral systems, the application of lime and the fertilisation with sewage sludge could increase tree growth and pasture production as well as have a considerable influence on carbon storage in soils (Mosquera-Losada et al., 2011a). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of liming and two sewage sludge doses (50 and 100 kg total N ha-1) on the amount of total carbon stored at four soil depths (0-25, 25- 50, 50-75, and 75-100 cm) compared to control treatment (no fertilisation) in a silvopastoral system under Pinus radiata D. Don.
In Europe, sewage sludge has to be stabilized before being used as fertilizer in agriculture. Depending on the stabilization process that is used, sewage sludge has different characteristics, nutrient contents and soil nutrient incorporation rates. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of municipal sewage sludge stabilized using anaerobic digestion, composting and pelletization on saturation percentage of cations in the soil exchange complex and pasture production compared with control treatments (mineral and no fertilization) in a silvopastoral system established under Quercus rubra L. in Galicia (Spain). The application of the dose of pelletized sewage sludge in several times implied an increase of pasture production in the understory which reduced the Ca saturated percentage in the soil exchange complex and therefore increased the Al saturated percentage compared with the other types of sewage sludge evaluated.
Agriculture accounted for an estimated emission of 10-12% of total global anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) (Smith et al, 2007). The use of sewage sludge must increase pasture production to be a profitable option from the farmers’ point of view; and on the other hand, it should be contribute to mitigation climate change. This study aims to estimate carbon sequestration from the pasture production obtained with the use of different sewage sludge (anaerobically, pelletized and composted sewage sludge) in agricultural systems established in NW Spain.
The silvopasture has been recognized as a possible greenhouse gas mitigation strategy under the Kyoto Protocol due to the potential for carbon storage in multiple plant species and in the soil. Soil organic matter (SOM) represents the most important pool of carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems and can be modify among other factor by the fertilisation. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate during five years the evolution of SOM in a silvopastoral system established with Eucalyptus nitens Maiden in Galicia (NW Spain) and fertilised with sewage sludge that has been stabilised using anaerobic digestion, composting, and pelletisation. The results showed that the SOM gradually decreased from the second year of the study probably due to the fertilisation and the ploughing of the soil but also due to a negative effect of the trees on the biological activity in the soil. Therefore, the afforestation with Eucalyptus not served its task to soil carbon sequestration compared with other tree species established in silvopastoral systems in the same area and it is necessary to continue our study to properly evaluate the effect of Eucalyptus on the SOM.
International Journal of Environmental Research, 2013
This work investigates the effect of the application rate and type of sludge throughout the soilcarbon cycle in a semiarid Mediterranean agro-ecosystem. We study the two-year evolution of the variouspools of soil organic and inorganic carbon and their influence on soil respiration. We applied three rates (40, 80 and 160 Mg/ha) of two types of sludge –aerobically and anaerobically digested sewage sludge– in a calcareous Mediterranean soil. The study area is located in the southeast of Madrid (Spain) and is characterised by a Mediterranean climate with a marked seasonal and daily contrast. We analysed soil organic carbon, CO2 emissions, organic carbon fractions, soluble carbon, and inorganic carbon forms. Measurements were madeat three times over two years, and bimonthly for organic carbon and CO2.The results show that sludge type and rateof applicationexerta significant influence throughout the soil carbon cycle. Aerobic sludge has a greater effect over the short-term. Anaerobic slud...
In silvopastoral systems, tree growth and the composition and productivity of pasture can be modified by management practices such as initial fertilization when tree seedlings are more sensitive to understorey competition. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of fertilization with different types of sewage sludge (anaerobic sludge, composted sludge and pellet-ized sludge), using different rates of incorporation and mineralization with traditional treatments (with and without mineral fertilizers) on the growth of newly established ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) and on pasture development, to obtain sustainable management practices that enhance the growth of both components. Soil characteristics, tree growth, sward composition and pasture development were modified differently according to the type of sewage sludge used, and for similar total nitrogen inputs. Anaerobic sludge had a higher initial effect on both tree and pasture productivity. Pelletized sludge sustained better tree and pasture production. Composted sludge was found to be the most appropriate treatment for improving soil characteristics over the long term on sandy soils. It was concluded that pelletized sludge should be promoted because it enhances productivity, allows for better nutrient recovery and is less costly to store and apply compared with anaerobic sludge and composted sludge. No toxic concentrations of Zn or Cu were found in plants or in the soil despite higher concentrations being present in the applied sludge than in soil.
Agroforestry systems have been recognized as a potential greenhouse gas mitigation strategy under the Kyoto Protocol because of their ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store carbon mainly in the soil. Soil particle size and land management practices are known to have a considerable influence on carbon storage in soils. This study evaluated changes in soil chemical and physical properties , and quantified and compared the amount of C stored in the bulk soil and in three different soil fractions (250e2000, 53e250 and <53 mm) at each of four soil depths (0e25, 25e50, 50e75 and 75 e100 cm) in a silvopastoral system located on an acidic forest soil under Pinus radiata D. Don. Areas of this system were subjected ten years ago to one of nine fertilization treatments: three different doses of sewage sludge or no fertilization, all with or without the addition of lime, and mineral fertilizer with no liming. Seventeen years after reforestation and seven years after canopy closure, strong gradients with soil depth were found regarding soil bulk density, pH and carbon storage. Intense soil management (high doses of sewage sludge and liming) generally reduced soil carbon storage, mainly in coarse aggregates, but this could be compensated by the increase in tree and pasture development observed in soils subject to intermediate sewage sludge doses.