Effect of solid waste compost on microbiological and physical properties of a burnt forest soil in field experiments

• Published in: Biology and fertility of soils 2000, Vol.32 (5), p.410-414
• Main Authors: GUERRERO, C, GOMEZ, I, MATAIX SOLERA, J, MORAL, R, MATAIX BENEYTO, J, HERNANDEZ, M. T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Environmental degradation: ecosystems survey and restoration; Forest and land fires; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Weather damages. Fires
• ISSN: 0178-2762; 1432-0789
• DOI: 10.1007/s003740000270

The restoration of soil microbial activities is a basic step in the reclamation of burnt soils. For this reason, the ability of municipal solid waste compost to accelerate the re-establishment of bacterial and fungal populations, as well as to re-establish physical properties in a burnt soil, was evaluated in a field experiment. Four treatments were performed by adding different doses of compost (0, 0.5, 1 and 2 kg compost m super(-2) soil) to a burnt Calcic Rodoxeralf soil, and the changes in microbial populations, salt content, aggregate stability and bulk density were evaluated for 1 year. Initially, the addition of compost had a negative effect on soil microbial populations, but 3 months after compost addition, the number of viable fungal propagules increased in all the amended soils. This positive effect lasted until the end of the experiment. From 30 days onwards, all the amended soils showed a greater total number of bacterial cell forming units than the unamended burnt soil. Organic amendment increased the percentage of 2- to 4-mm aggregates, although the effect on the stability of the 0.2- to 2-mm aggregates and on bulk density was less noticeable.