Abstract
The aim of the study was to assess the effect of bottom sediments on the selected properties of the light soil and the content of trace elements in the plant test. The bottom sediments collected from the Besko reservoir was added to the soil in the amount of 5, 10, 30 and 50% of air-dried sediment in relation to dry soil mass. The pot experiment was conducted on a light soil with weak loamy sand grain size composition and slightly acid reaction, which was enriched by a supplement of bottom sediment. The test plant was maize, Bora c.v. An applied bottom deposit revealed in its composition a considerable share of clay fractions, alkaline reaction and low total heavy metal content, therefore it may be applied as an admixture to light soils to improve their productivity. The addition of sediment to light soil resulted to the improvement of soil indicators of acidification: increased soil pH and reduced the value of hydrolytic acidity, improved sorption properties of the soil. A not uniform effect of bottom sediment admixture on trace elements contents in maize was determined. The sediment added to the soil increased the contents of copper, nickel, chromium and, whereas decreased the contents of zinc and cadmium in shoots. No excess of the permissible content of metals in plants used as animals forage were fund in the maize biomass.
Highlights
Bottom sediment is a very important part of water systems
The authors found that the bottom sediment supplement to light soil significantly decreased the content of zinc, lead and manganese as available forms extracted with 1 mol HCl ∙ dm−3 and bioavailable forms of cadmium, manganese and iron extracted with 0.01 mol CaCl2 ∙ dm−3 (Baran et al 2010)
We found that bottom sediment added to the soil significantly increased the total content and soluble forms of copper, nickel and chromium and decreased the content of cadmium, lead and zinc
Summary
Bottom sediment is a very important part of water systems. Chemical, physical and biological properties of sediments are important indicators of anthropopressure (Jasiewicz et al 2011, Baran & Tarnawski 2013). If the dredged material from the bottom of reservoirs does not pose a hazard for the environment, reasonable methods of such sediment management include their use for structure and soil forming material on soilless grounds and wastelands (Kostecki 2007). Bottom sediments, these having neutral or alkaline reaction and high contents of silt and clay fractions, may be used for improving physicochemical properties of light and acid soils to improve their productivity (Wiśniowska-Kielian & Niemiec 2007a, 2007b, Jasiewicz et al 2010, Baran et al 2010, 2011, 2012)
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