Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Soil solution chemistry of two reclamation sites in the Lusatian lignite mining district as influenced by organic matter application

  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Due to a large reclamation (recultivation) demand in the Lusatian lignite mining district, efficient strategies for the rehabilitation of abandoned mine sites are needed. A field study was conducted for comparing the effects of three different fertilizer treatments (mineral fertilizer, sewage sludge and compost) on soil solution chemistry of both a lignite and pyrite containing spoil as well as a lignite and pyrite free spoil. The lignite and pyrite containing spoil was ameliorated with fly ash from a lignite power plant (17–21 t ha−1 CaO), whereas the lignite and pyrite free site received 7.5 t ha−1 CaO in form of limestone. Fertilizer application rates were: mineral fertilizer 120 N, 100 P and 80 K kg ha−1. 19 t ha−1 sewage sludge and 22 t ha−1 compost were applied. Soil solution was sampled in 20, 60 and 130 cm depth for the period of 16 months. Solution was collected every fortnight and analysed for pH, EC, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, Fen+, Aln+, Mn2+, Zn2+, NO3 −, NH4 +, SO4 2−, Cl−, PO4 3−, Cinorg and DOC. Lignite and pyrite containing spoil differed clearly from lignite and pyrite free spoil regarding soil solution concentrations and composition. Acidity (H+) produced by pyrite oxidation led to an enhanced weathering of minerals and, therefore, to at least 10 fold higher soil solution concentrations compared to the lignite and pyrite free site. Major ions in solution of the lignite and pyrite containing site were Ca2+, Mg2+, Fen+, Aln+ and SO4 2−, whereas soil solution at the lignite and pyrite free site was dominated by Ca2+, Mg2+ and SO4 2−. At both sites application of mineral fertilizer led to an immediate but short term (about 1 month) increase of NO3 −, NH4 + and K+ concentrations in soil solution down to a depth of 130 cm. Application of sewage sludge caused a long term (about 16 months) increase of NO3 3 − in the topsoil, whereas NO3 − concentrations in the subsoil were significantly lower compared to the mineral fertilizer plot. Compost application resulted in a strong long-term increase of K+ in soil solution, whereas NO3 − concentrations did not increase. Concentrations of PO4 3− in soil solution depend on solution pH and were not correlated with any treatment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allison F E 1973Soil Organic Matter and its Role in Crop Production. Elsevier, Amsterdam.

  • Barnhisel R I, Powell J L, Akin G W and Ebelhar M W 1982Characteristics and reclamation of 'acid sulphate' mine spoils. In Acid Sulphate Weathering. pp 225–234. Soil Sci. Soc. Am., Madison, USA.

  • Bergstroem L and Johansson R 1991Leaching of nitrate from monolith lysimeters of different types of agricultural soils. J. Environ. Qual. 20, 801–807.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blechschmidt R, Schaaf W and Hüttl R F 1999Soil microcosm experiments to study the effects of waste material application on nitrogen and carbon turnover lignite mine spoil in Lusatia (Germany). Plant Soil. 213, 23–30.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brockway D G, and Urie D H 1983Determing sludge fertilization rates for forests from nitrate-N in leachate and groundwater. J. Environ. Qual. 12, 487–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dancer W S 1975Leaching losses of ammonium and nitrate in the reclamation of sand spoils in Cornwall. J. Environ. Qual. 4, 499–504.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dent D 1992Reclamation of acid sulphate soils. In Advances in Soil Science, Vol 17. Eds R Lal and B A Stewart. pp 79–122. Springer Verlag Inc., New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evangelou V P 1995Pyrite Oxidation and its Control. pp 95–103. CRC Press, Boca Raton, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giusquiani P L, Marucchini C and Businelli M 1988Chemical properties of soils amended with compost of urban waste. Plant Soil 109, 73–78.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hons F M and Hossner L R 1980Soil nitrogen relationships in spoil material generated by the surface mining of lignite coal. Soil Sci. 129, 222–228.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hüttl R F 1998Ecology of post strip-mining landscapes in Lusatia, Germany. Environ. Sc. and Policy 1, 29–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karathanasis A D, Evangelou V P and Thompson Y L 1988Aluminum and iron equilibria in soil solution and surface waters of acid mine watersheds. J. Environ. Qual. 17, 534–543.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Katzur J 1998Melioration schwefelhaltiger Kippböden. In Braunkohlentagebau und Rekultivierung. Ed. W Pflug. pp 559–573. Springer Verlag, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marschner B, Renger M and Stahr K 1991Effects of limestone and fertilizer application on soil solution composition in an acid sandy forest soil. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sc. 154, 343–348.

    Google Scholar 

  • Medalie L, Bowden W B and Smith C T 1994Nutrient leaching following land application of aerobically digested municipal sewage sludge in a northern hardwood forest. J. Environ. Qual. 23, 130–138.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer J P, Morgan A L and Williams P J 1985Determination of the nitrogen composition of colliery spoil. J. Soil Sci. 36, 209–217.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer M E 1976Acidity and nutrient availability in colliery spoil. In Waste Disposal and the Renewal and Management of Degraded Environments. Eds G T Goodman and M J Chadwick. pp 85–126. Noordhoff, Leyden, NE.

  • Pietz R I, Carlson Jr C R, Peterson J R, Zenz D R and Lue-Hing C 1989Application of sewage sludge and other amendments to coal refuse material: III, Effects on percolate water composition. J. Environ. Qual. 18, 174–179.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richter G M, Baumann K and Richter J 1996Modelling nitrate leaching during the winter halfyear from sandy arable soil under intensive cultivation. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sc. 159, 279–288.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaaf W, Weißdorfer M and Huettl RF 1995Soil solution chemistry and element budgets of three Scots pine ecosystems along a deposition gradient in north-eastern Germany. Water, Air and Soil Pollut. 85, 1197–1202.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaaf W, Gast M, Wilden R, Scherzer J, Blechschmidt R and Hüttl R F 1999Temporal and spatial development of soil solution chemistry and element budgets in different mine soils of the Lusatian lignite mining area. Plant Soil. 213, 169–179.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seaker E M and Sopper W E 1984Reclamation of bituminous strip mine spoil banks with municipal sewage sludge. Reclam. Rev. Res. 3, 87–100.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Serna M D and Pomares F 1992Indexes of assessing N availability in sewage sludges. Plant Soil. 139, 15–21.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Springob G and Mohnke M 1995N mineralization in sandy soils of the 'Fuhrberg well field' (Hannover) during winter. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sc. 158, 243–249.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strzyszcz Z 1996Recultivation and landscaping in areas after browncoal mining in middle-east European countries. In Minesite Recultivation. Eds R F Hüttl, T Heinkele and J Wisniewski. pp 145–157. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tester C F 1990Organic amendments effects on physical and chemical properties of a sandy soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 54, 827–831.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Topper K F and Sabey B R 1986Sewage sludge as a coal mine spoil amendment for revegetation in Colorado. J. Environ. Qual. 15, 44–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Breemen N and Harmsen K 1975Translocation of iron in acid sulphate soil: I. Soil morphology and the chemistry and morphology of iron in a chronosequence of acid sulphate soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 39, 1140–1148.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vetterlein D, Heinkele T, Schaaf W, Waschkies C, Meyer G, Weiss U und Hüttl R F 1997Initiale Prozesse der Stoffumsetzung auf reststoffmeliorierten Kippstandorten a.) Zielsetzung des Gesamtprojektes, Hypothesen, Standorte, Versuchsanlage. Mitteilgn. Deutsch. Bodenk. Gesell. 83, 223–226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waschkies C and Hüttl R F 1999Microbial degradation of geogenic organic C and N in mine spoils. Plant Soil, 213, 221–230.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wildhagen H, Larcher P and Meyer B 1987Modell-Versuch 'Goettinger-Komposttonne': N-, P-und K-Duengewirkung des Biomuell-Kompostes zu Getreide im Feldversuch. Mitteilgn. Deutsch. Bodenk. Gesell. 55, 667–672.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams P J and Cooper J E 1976Nitrogen mineralization and nitri-fication in amended colliery spoils. J. Appl. Ecol. 13, 533–543.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. R. Wilden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. W. Schaaf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. F. Hüttl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wilden, R., Schaaf, W. & Hüttl, R.F. Soil solution chemistry of two reclamation sites in the Lusatian lignite mining district as influenced by organic matter application. Plant and Soil 213, 231–240 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004421501867

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004421501867

Search

Navigation