Börjesson, Gunnar and Kirchmann, Holger and Kätterer, Thomas
(2014).
Four Swedish long-term field experiments with sewage sludge reveal a limited effect on soil microbes and on metal uptake by crops.
Journal of soils and sediments (Online). 14
:1
, 164–177
[Journal article]
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- Accepted Version
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11368-013-0800-5
Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to study the effect of sewage sludge amendment on crop yield and on microbial biomass and community structure in Swedish agricultural soils. Materials and methods Topsoil samples (0-0.20 m depth) from four sites where sewage sludge had been repeatedly applied during 14-53 years were analysed for total C, total N, pH and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). Heavy metals were analysed in both soil and plant samples, and crop yields were recorded. Results and discussion At all four sites, sewage sludge application increased crop yield and soil organic carbon. Sludge addition also resulted in elevated concentrations of some heavy metals (mainly Cu and Zn) in soils, but high concentrations of metals (Ni and Zn) in plant materials were almost exclusively found in the oldest experiment, started in 1956. PLFA analysis showed that themicrobial community structure was strongly affected by changes in soil pH. At those sites where sewage sludge had caused low pH, Gram-positive bacteria were more abundant. However, differences in community structure were larger between sites than between the treatments. Conclusions: At all four sites, long-term sewage sludge application increased the soil organic carbon and nitrogen content, microbial biomass and crop yield. Long-term sewage sludge application led to a decrease in soil pH. Concentrations of some metals had increased significantly with sewage sludge application at all sites, but the amounts of metals added to soil with sewage sludge were found not to be toxic for microbes at any site.
Authors/Creators: | Börjesson, Gunnar and Kirchmann, Holger and Kätterer, Thomas | ||||||
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Title: | Four Swedish long-term field experiments with sewage sludge reveal a limited effect on soil microbes and on metal uptake by crops | ||||||
Series/Journal: | Journal of soils and sediments (Online) (1614-7480) | ||||||
Year of publishing : | 2014 | ||||||
Volume: | 14 | ||||||
Number: | 1 | ||||||
Page range: | 164–177 | ||||||
Number of Pages: | 14 | ||||||
Publisher: | Springer | ||||||
Associated Programs and Other Stakeholders: | SLU - Environmental assessment > Programme Agricultural landscape | ||||||
ISSN: | 1614-7480 | ||||||
Language: | English | ||||||
Publication Type: | Journal article | ||||||
Refereed: | Yes | ||||||
Article category: | Scientific peer reviewed | ||||||
Version: | Accepted version | ||||||
Full Text Status: | Public | ||||||
Subjects: | (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 4 Agricultural Sciences > 405 Other Agricultural Sciences > Other Agricultural Sciences not elsewhere specified (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 1 Natural sciences > 106 Biological Sciences (Medical to be 3 and Agricultural to be 4) > Microbiology (Microbiology in the medical area to be 30109) (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 4 Agricultural Sciences > 401 Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries > Soil Science | ||||||
Keywords: | Heavy metals, Long-term field experiments, Microbial community structure, Mycorrhiza, Phospholipid fatty acids | ||||||
URN:NBN: | urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-e-2157 | ||||||
Permanent URL: | http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-e-2157 | ||||||
Additional ID: |
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ID Code: | 11507 | ||||||
Faculty: | NJ - Fakulteten för naturresurser och jordbruksvetenskap | ||||||
Department: | (NL, NJ) > Dept. of Soil and Environment (S) > Dept. of Soil and Environment (NL, NJ) > Dept. of Economics | ||||||
Deposited By: | SLUpub Connector | ||||||
Deposited On: | 08 Oct 2014 06:25 | ||||||
Metadata Last Modified: | 01 Jan 2015 00:15 |
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