Larney, F. J. and Angers, D. A. 2012. The role of organic amendments in soil reclamation: A review. Can. J. Soil Sci. 92: 19–38. A basic tenet of sustainable soil management is that current human activities are not detrimental to future generations. Soils are degraded by natural events (erosion) or industrial activity. A prevalent feature of degraded or disturbed soils is lack of organic matter compared with adjacent undisturbed areas. Organic amendments, such as livestock manure, biosolids, pulp and paper mill by-products, wood residuals and crop residues, are produced in abundance in Canada and could be widely used in soil reclamation. Biosolids production is ∼0.5 Tg yr−1(dry wt.); paper mill sludge generated in the province of Quebec was ∼2 Tg (wet wt.) in 2002. This review paper examines mechanisms through which organic amendments affect soil properties (physical, chemical, biological) and describes the role of organic amendments in reclamation, with emphasis on amendment types and application rates for soil amelioration and biomass production. Single large applications of organic amendments can accelerate initial reclamation and lead to self-sustaining net primary productivity. Readily decomposable organic amendments may provide immediate, but transient, effects, whereas stable, less decomposable materials may provide longer-lasting effects. Using organic amendments for reclamation is mutually beneficial wherein waste products from agriculture, forestry and urban areas help other sectors meet their land reclamation goals.

Larney is a brilliant scientist; a leader in Reclamation. This is a good overview of the role of organic amendments in reclamation

    • Track_Shovel@slrpnk.netOPMEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      Why?

      I mean, microplastics are no bueno, but I can’t really see how organic amendments (apart from those related to agriculture) might spread plastics.

      I had a project last year where they used for degraded/composted wood mulch from a nearby cutblock to reclaim a legacy mine without stockpiled soil. Its coming back pretty good this year, compared to the last decade or more where it sat unvegetated.

      Microplastics scare the fuck out of me, but given the choice between no ecosystem establishment (or rather very delayed; multidecade timelines before colonization) I’ll take the plastics. Not if I can avoid it, obviously, but they seem like a smaller issue on a landscape. Further, there is the potential for them to become weathered or degraded through biotic processes once the land has been revgetated.

      Not trying to go off on you (you glorious Ozzie), just trying to explain my way of thinking about things.

        • Track_Shovel@slrpnk.netOPMEnglish
          2·
          1 year ago

          I’ve got a strong background in amendment and just learned about the aminopyralids thing form a local permaculture group of all places. I say that last bit about permaculture because I like to poop (hah, amendment pun) on their weird stuff like electroculture.

          Aminopyralids and their potential impact on rec is yet another avenue to explore.

          If only I got paid to chase whims