| Title | Microbiological indicators for assessing ecosystem soil quality and changes in it at degraded sites treated with compost. |
| Abstract | Research Institute, Rome, Italy
Soil quality is defined as the capacity of a soil to function as a vital system, within natural or managed ecosystem
boundaries, sustain plant and animal health and productivity, maintain or enhance air and water environment
quality and support human health and habitation. Soil organisms are extremely diverse and contribute to a wide
range of ecosystem services that are essential to the sustainable functioning of natural and managed ecosystems.
In particular, microbial communities provide several ecosystem services, which ensure soil quality and fertility. In
fact, they adapt promptly to environmental changes by varying their activity and by increasing the reproduction of
populations that have favourable skills.
The structure (e.g. cell abundance) and functioning (e.g. viability and activity) of natural microbial communities
and changes in them under different environmental conditions can be considered useful indicators of soil quality
state.
In this work we studied the quality state of three different soils, located in Taranto Province (Southern Italy),
affected by land degradation processes, such as organic matter depletion, desertification and contamination (PCB
and metals). Moreover, compost, produced from selected organic waste, was added to the soils studied in order to
improve their quality state.
Soil samples were collected before and after compost addition and both microbial and chemical analyses were performed
in order to evaluate the soil quality state at each site at different times. For this purpose, the microbiological
indicators evaluated were bacterial abundance (DAPI counts), cell viability (Live/Dead method), dehydrogenase
activity (DHA) and soil respiration. At the same time, the main physico-chemical soil characteristics (organic
carbon, available phosphorous, total nitrogen, carbonate and water content, texture and pH) were also measured.
Moreover, in the contaminated soil samples PCB and inorganic (e.g. Pb, Se, Sn, Zn) contaminants were analysed
respectively by GC-MS and ICP-MS.
The overall results showed that the bacterial structure and functioning were affected in different ways by the
organic carbon availability and quality, and contaminant occurrence (organic or inorganic compounds). The
compost treatment contributed to improve soil fertility and to increase cell number and activity after 7 months in
the two low organic carbon content soils. At the polluted site a general increase in bacterial activity after compost
addition was also observed and this might be related to a decrease in inorganic and organic contamination levels. |
| Source | EGU General Assembly 2014, Vienna, 27th April - 2th MayGeophysical research abstracts (Online) |
| Journal | Geophysical research abstracts (Online) |
| Editor | Copernicus GmbH, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germania |
| Year | 2014 |
| Type | Abstract in atti di convegno |
| Authors | Ancona V., Barra Caracciolo A., Grenni P., Di Lenola M., Calabrese A., Campanale C., Uricchio V.F. |
| Text | 299930 2014 Microbiological indicators for assessing ecosystem soil quality and changes in it at degraded sites treated with compost. Ancona V., Barra Caracciolo A., Grenni P., Di Lenola M., Calabrese A., Campanale C., Uricchio V.F. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque UoS di Bari Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque Roma EGU General Assembly 2014 Vienna 27th April 2th May Internazionale Contributo Research Institute, Rome, Italy Soil quality is defined as the capacity of a soil to function as a vital system, within natural or managed ecosystem boundaries, sustain plant and animal health and productivity, maintain or enhance air and water environment quality and support human health and habitation. Soil organisms are extremely diverse and contribute to a wide range of ecosystem services that are essential to the sustainable functioning of natural and managed ecosystems. In particular, microbial communities provide several ecosystem services, which ensure soil quality and fertility. In fact, they adapt promptly to environmental changes by varying their activity and by increasing the reproduction of populations that have favourable skills. The structure e.g. cell abundance and functioning e.g. viability and activity of natural microbial communities and changes in them under different environmental conditions can be considered useful indicators of soil quality state. In this work we studied the quality state of three different soils, located in Taranto Province Southern Italy , affected by land degradation processes, such as organic matter depletion, desertification and contamination PCB and metals . Moreover, compost, produced from selected organic waste, was added to the soils studied in order to improve their quality state. Soil samples were collected before and after compost addition and both microbial and chemical analyses were performed in order to evaluate the soil quality state at each site at different times. For this purpose, the microbiological indicators evaluated were bacterial abundance DAPI counts , cell viability Live/Dead method , dehydrogenase activity DHA and soil respiration. At the same time, the main physico chemical soil characteristics organic carbon, available phosphorous, total nitrogen, carbonate and water content, texture and pH were also measured. Moreover, in the contaminated soil samples PCB and inorganic e.g. Pb, Se, Sn, Zn contaminants were analysed respectively by GC MS and ICP MS. The overall results showed that the bacterial structure and functioning were affected in different ways by the organic carbon availability and quality, and contaminant occurrence organic or inorganic compounds . The compost treatment contributed to improve soil fertility and to increase cell number and activity after 7 months in the two low organic carbon content soils. At the polluted site a general increase in bacterial activity after compost addition was also observed and this might be related to a decrease in inorganic and organic contamination levels. Abstract in atti di convegno Copernicus GmbH 1607 7962 Geophysical research abstracts Online Geophysical research abstracts Online Geophys. res. abstr. Online Geophysical research abstracts. Online angelantonio.calabrese CALABRESE ANGELANTONIO claudiacampanale CAMPANALE CLAUDIA vitofelice.uricchio URICCHIO VITO FELICE anna.barracaracciolo BARRA CARACCIOLO ANNA paola.grenni GRENNI PAOLA valeria.ancona ANCONA VALERIA TA.P04.005.005 Gestione integrata delle informazioni ambientali |
