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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #391416
Research Project: Innovative Manure Treatment Technologies and Enhanced Soil Health for Agricultural Systems of the Southeastern Coastal Plain

Location: Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research

Title: Data submission for: microbial response to phytostabilization in mine impacted soils using maize in conjunction with biochar and compost

Author
item Ducey, Thomas
item Sigua, Gilbert
item Novak, Jeffrey
item IPPOLITO, JAMES - Colorado State University
item Spokas, Kurt
item JOHNSON, MARK - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Submitted to: Data Science Journal
Publication Type: Database / Dataset
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/29/2021
Publication Date: 9/29/2021
Citation: Ducey, T.F., Sigua, G.C., Novak, J.M., Ippolito, J.A., Spokas, K.A., Johnson, M.G. 2021. Data submission for: microbial response to phytostabilization in mine impacted soils using maize in conjunction with biochar and compost. Data Science Journal. https://doi.org/10.11922/sciencedb.01185.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11922/sciencedb.01185

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt was home to one of the largest lead mining operations in the United States. Remediation has removed mining waste material, as well as the contaminated top-soil, leaving behind a landscape inhospitable to plant growth, while also containing residual amounts of cadmium and zinc. To gain a better understanding of how manure-derived biochars and compost impact microbial community structure and function during phytostabilization with maize, we utilized a combination of phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis, and enzymatic assays. Results indicate that microbial biomass is significantly increased, over untreated mining impacted soils, upon addition of compost and poultry litter biochar. Additionally, both biochar type, rate of application, and addition of compost had noticeable impacts on microbial community structure. These shifts in community structure correlated with pH, EC, and soil Mg concentrations. Lastly, poultry litter biochar at both application rates (2.5% and 5%), further amended with compost, had the highest esterase activity rates, while other enzyme activities varied based on biochar type, amendment rate, and compost addition. These results suggest that using a combination of biochar and compost can be utilized as a management tool to support phytoremediation efforts in mining impacted soils of the Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt.