Comparison of compost and humic fertiliser effects on growth and trace elements accumulation of native plant species in a mine soil phytorestoration experiment

• Published in: Ecological engineering Vol. 73; pp. 588 - 597
• Main Authors: Martínez-Fernández, D., Arco-Lázaro, E., Bernal, M.P., Clemente, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.12.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Dittrichia viscosa; Environment and pollution; Environmental degradation: ecosystems survey and restoration; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Nicotiana glauca; Pore water; Silybum marianum; Soil amendments; Soil remediation; Soil remediation; Pore water; Dittrichia viscosa; Silybum marianum; Soil amendments; Nicotiana glauca; Growth; Pollution control; Organic acids; Accumulation; Interstitial water; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Solanaceae; Native species; Compost; Nicotiana; soil treatment; Soil management; Fertilizers; Phytoremediation; Trace element; Soils; Vegetation; Spermatophyta; Humic substance; Rehabilitation; Mine soil
• ISSN: 0925-8574; 1872-6992
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2014.09.105

•The use of three native species in mine soils phytostabilisation was studied.•Compost from pig slurry and a humic fertiliser (HF) were used as soil amendments.•Compost reduced plants’ trace elements concentrations and increased plant biomass.•HF increased the TEs concentrations in N. glauca leaves and limited its growth.•S. marianum and D. viscosa restricted TEs transfer from the soil to the leaves. During the phytorestoration of a soil contaminated by trace elements (TEs), the most appropriate combination of plant species and soil amendments has to be evaluated in order to increase the biomass production of plants and thus, the efficacy of the process. The response of three native species (Dittrichia viscosa, Nicotiana glauca and Silybum marianum), and the applicability of a compost made from pig slurry and a humic fertiliser (HF) prepared from it, were assessed in a mesocosm pot-experiment through the plant growth and composition. The compost reduced the TEs concentrations in the plants to a greater extent than the HF and increased plant biomass of the three studied species, whereas HF increased the TEs concentrations in the leaves of N. glauca and limited its growth. S. marianum showed a high biomass response and was able to regulate the uptake of As and Zn from the soil solution and their transport to the harvestable parts. Similarly, D. viscosa restricted the transfer of As from the soil to the leaves. Therefore, the use of compost and D. viscosa or S. marianum can be considered a good combination for the remediation by phytostabilisation of TEs contaminated soils under semiarid conditions.