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Temporal response of soil biochemical properties in a pastoral soil after cultivation following high application rates of undigested sewage sludge

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Abstract

Soil biochemical properties were measured annually between 1995 and 1999 in soil from an 8-ha site that had received over 1,000 wet tonnes ha−1 undigested sewage sludge, 1–4 years earlier. Basal respiration generally declined with time and was usually greatest in the untreated control area. This trend was attributed to a similar trend in soil moisture content. In contrast, microbial biomass C increased with time and also generally increased with sludge treatment age. Microbial biomass C, and to a lesser extent sulphatase activity, accurately predicted the order of sludge application to the site. This was perceived as a function of time since tillage and pasture establishment, with activities increasing in parallel to the build up of C residues in the soil, and not an effect of sludge or its composition. Except immediately after sludge application, there was no effect on N mineralisation and nitrification. None of the biochemical properties was strongly correlated with heavy metal concentrations. Our results suggest that there was little effect on soil biochemical properties, either adverse or beneficial, of adding raw sewage sludge to this site. Although a companion study showed considerable mobility and plant uptake of heavy metals, this difference could mainly be attributed to a different sampling strategy and the effects of intensive liming of the site.

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Acknowledgements

We thank staff of New Plymouth District Council for provision of data and other information and the landowner, Bruce Pease, for allowing us to use his farm over the 4 years of this experiment. We also thank SpectraChem Analytical for heavy metal analyses, and technical staff at ESR Ltd and Landcare Research Ltd for the provision and compilation of analytical data. Statistical advice and analyses were provided by Nick Garrett and Kylie Gilmore, both formerly of ESR. This project was funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.

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  1. H. A. Kettles

    Present address: Department of Conservation, Southland Conservancy, PO Box 743, Invercargill, New Zealand

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd, PO Box 50348, Porirua, New Zealand

    T. W. Speir & A. P. van Schaik

  2. Landcare Research Ltd, PO Box 40, 8152, Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand

    A. R. Lloyd-Jones

  3. Landcare Research Ltd, Private Bag 3127, Hamilton, New Zealand

    H. A. Kettles

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  1. T. W. Speir
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  2. A. P. van Schaik
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  3. A. R. Lloyd-Jones
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  4. H. A. Kettles
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Correspondence to T. W. Speir.

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Speir, T.W., van Schaik, A.P., Lloyd-Jones, A.R. et al. Temporal response of soil biochemical properties in a pastoral soil after cultivation following high application rates of undigested sewage sludge. Biol Fertil Soils 38, 377–385 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-003-0656-8

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