Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of combination of vetiver grass cultivation and fertilization on soil restoration in spoil ground along expressways

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Soil degradation of the spoil ground generated during the construction of expressways is a serious concern, which affects the surrounding ecological environment. In this study, the combination of vetiver grass cultivation and fertilization was used to repair the soil in spoil ground. Therefore, 12 treatments were set up to evaluate the effects of ecological restoration, including no fertilization (CK), nitrogen fertilizer only (N1:150 kg/ha, N2:300 kg/ha, and N3:450 kg/ha), phosphorus fertilizer only (P1:350 kg/ha and P2:700 kg/ha), and a chemical fertilizer combination (NP: N1P1, N2P1, N3P1, N1P2, N2P2, N3P2). Compared with the CK, the fertilization treatments significantly increased the contents of soil ammonia nitrogen, soil total nitrogen, soil total phosphorus, and soil available phosphorus in rhizosphere soil increased by 6.91–48.49%, 1.36–153.81%, 63.40–333.44%, and 3.22–138.12%, respectively; the activity of β-xylosidase and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase increased significantly by 41.25–119.84% and 13.54–128.45%, respectively; and the Chao1 and observed species microbial diversity indices increased by 19.98–55.62% and 16.49–53.29%, respectively. In addition, NP treatment had a higher path coefficient for plant traits [NP (0.897) > P (0.767) > N (0.373)] and enzyme activities [NP (0.807) > N (0.703) > P (− 0.993)]. Furthermore, N2P2 had the highest comprehensive score (34), indicating that N2P2 could be used as an effective fertilizer combination. These results indicate that combined fertilization treatment (NP) improved the path coefficient of soil physicochemical properties to plant traits and soil enzyme activities, and thus better restored the habitats of spoil ground.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Datasets used in the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

  • Akhzari D, Alipoor N (2019) Studying the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides L.) under different compost and zeolite treatments. Environ Resour Res 7(2):137–146

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali A, Guo D, Mahar A, Wang Z, Muhammad D, Li R, Wang P, Shen F, Xue QH, Zhang Z (2017) Role of Streptomyces pactum in phytoremediation of trace elements by Brassica juncea in mine polluted soils. Ecotox Environ Saf 144:387–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Attinti R, Barrett KR, Datta R, Sarkar D (2017) Ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS) enhances phytoextraction of lead by Vetiver grass from contaminated residential soils in a panel study in the field. Environ Pollut 225:524–533

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Averill C, Turner BL, Finzi AC (2014) Mycorrhiza-mediated competition between plants and decomposers drives soil carbon storage. Nature 505(7484):543–545

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Azhar U, Ahmad H, Shafqat H, Babar M, Munir HMS, Sagir M, Arif M, Hassan A, Rachmadona N, Rajendran S, Mubashir M, Khoo KS (2022) Remediation techniques for elimination of heavy metal pollutants from soil: a review. Environ Res. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.113918

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhaduri D, Sihi D, Bhowmik A, Verma BC, Munda S, Dari B (2022) A review on effective soil health bio-indicators for ecosystem restoration and sustainability. Front Microbiol 13:938481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Dong Z, Song S, Li C, Cui X (2019) Characteristics of the soil and vegetation along the Yulin-Jingbian desert expressway in China. Sustainability-Basel 11(3):606

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen XW, Wong JTF, Wang JJ, Wong MH (2021) Vetiver grass-microbe interactions for soil remediation. Crit Rev Env Sci Tec 51(9):897–938

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Danh LT, Truong P, Mammucari R, Tran T, Foster N (2009) Vetiver grass, Vetiveria zizanioides: a choice plant for phytoremediation of heavy metals and organic wastes. Int J Phytoremediat 11(8):664–691

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • el Zahar HF, Santaella C, Heulin T, Achouak W (2014) Root exudates mediated interactions belowground. Soil Biol Biochem 77:69–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrell CA, Aronson J, Daily GC, Hein L, Obst C, Woodworth P, Stout JC (2022) Natural capital approaches: shifting the UN decade on ecosystem restoration from aspiration to reality. Restor Ecol 30(7):e13613

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feng S, Zhao W, Zhan T, Yan Y, Pereira P (2022) Land degradation neutrality: a review of progress and perspectives. Ecol Indic 144:109530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghosh D, Maiti SK (2021) Biochar-assisted eco-restoration of coal mine degraded land to meet United Nation Sustainable Development Goals. Land Degrad Dev 32(16):4494–4508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han YH, Liu X, Rathinasabapathi B, Li HB, Chen Y, Ma LQ (2017) Mechanisms of efficient As solubilization in soils and As accumulation by As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata. Environ Pollut 227:569–577

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hashmi MZ, Kaleem M, Farooq U, Su X, Chakraborty P, Rehman SU (2022) Chemical remediation and advanced oxidation process of polychlorinated biphenyls in contaminated soils: a review. Environ Sci Pollut R 29(16):22930–22945

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He Y, Lan Y, Zhang H, Ye S (2022) Research characteristics and hotspots of the relationship between soil microorganisms and vegetation: a bibliometric analysis. Ecol Indic 141:109145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holanda FSR, Dias KLLD, Santos LDV, de Medeiros Brito CR, de Melo JCR, Santos LS (2021) Development and morphometric characteristics of Vetiver grass under different doses of organic fertilizer. Rev Caatinga 34(1):20–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IUSS Working, Group, W.R.B, (2006) IUSS Working, Group, W.R.B., World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2006. World Soil Resources Reports No 103, FAO, Rome

  • Janngam J, Anurakpongsatorn P, Satapanajaru T, Techapinyawat S (2010) Phytoremediation: vetiver grass in remediation of soil contaminated with trichloroethylene. Sci J UBU 1:52–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiiskila JD, Sarkar D, Panja S, Sahi SV, Datta R (2019) Remediation of acid mine drainage-impacted water by vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides): a multiscale long-term study. Ecol Eng 129:97–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiiskila JD, Li K, Sarkar D, Datta R (2020) Metabolic response of Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides) to acid mine drainage. Chemosphere 240:124961

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiiskila JD, Sarkar D, Datta R (2021) Differential protein abundance of Vetiver grass in response to acid mine drainage. Physiol Plantarum 173(3):829–842

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim K, Riley S, Fischer E, Khan S (2022) Greening roadway infrastructure with vetiver grass to support transportation resilience. CivilEng 3(1):147–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Q, Zhang D, Cheng H, Ren L, Jin X, Fang W, Yan D, Wang Q, Cao A (2022) Organic fertilizers activate soil enzyme activities and promote the recovery of soil beneficial microorganisms after dazomet fumigation. J Environ Manag 309:114666

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lv J, Xie Y, Luo H (2020) Erosion process and temporal variations in the soil surface roughness of spoil heaps under multi-day rainfall simulation. Remote Sens-Basel 12(14):2192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma X, Zarebanadkouki M, Kuzyakov Y, Blagodatskaya E, Pausch J, Razavi BS (2018) Spatial patterns of enzyme activities in the rhizosphere: effects of root hairs and root radius. Soil Biol Biochem 118:69–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mao Z, Liu B, Fang X, Ma J, Liu D, Gao Z, Castillo M, Ye Z (2022) Effects of different fertilizer treatments on AC electric field–assisted phytoremediation efficiency of Cd-contaminated soil by willow and Sedum. J Soil Sediment 22(5):1460–1468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra J, Singh R, Arora NK (2017) Alleviation of heavy metal stress in plants and remediation of soil by rhizosphere microorganisms. Front Microbiol 8:1706

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mo W, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Zhuang D (2017) Impacts of road network expansion on landscape ecological risk in a megacity, China: a case study of Beijing. Sci Total Environ 574:1000–1011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oshunsanya SO (2013) Crop yields as influenced by land preparation methods established within Vetiver grass alleys for sustainable agriculture in Southwest Nigeria. Agroecol Sust Food 37(5):578–591

    Google Scholar 

  • Oshunsanya SO, Li Y, Yu H (2019) Vetiver grass hedgerows significantly reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses from fertilized sloping lands. Sci Total Environ 661:86–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paz-Alberto AM, De Dios M, Johanna J, Alberto RT, Sigua GC (2011) Assessing phytoremediation potentials of selected tropical plants for acrylamide. J Soil Sediment 11(7):1190–1198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pidatala VR, Li K, Sarkar D, Wusirika R, Datta R (2018) Comparative metabolic profiling of Vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides) and maize (Zea mays) under lead stress. Chemosphere 193:903–911

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prasad MNV, Nakbanpote W, Phadermrod C, Rose D, Suthari S (2016) Chapter 13—mulberry and vetiver for phytostabilization of mine overburden: cogeneration of economic products. In: Prasad MNV (ed) Bioremediation and bioeconomy. Elsevier, Oxford, pp 295–328

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2011) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna. http://www.R-project.org

  • Ren C, Liu K, Dou P, Shao X, Zhang D, Wang K (2022) Soil Nutrients drive microbial changes to alter surface soil aggregate stability in typical grasslands. J Soil Sci Plant Nut 22:4943–4959

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shi P, Li Z, Li P, Zhang Y, Li B (2021) Trade-offs among ecosystem services after vegetation restoration in China’s Loess Plateau. Nat Resoure Res 30:2703–2713

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shi P, Li P, Li Z, Sun J, Wang D, Min Z (2022) Effects of grass vegetation coverage and position on runoff and sediment yields on the slope of Loess Plateau, China. Agr Water Manag 259:107231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Su J, Ding L, Xue K, Yao H, Quensen J, Bai S, Wei W, Wu J, Zhou J, Tiedje J, Zhu Y (2015) Long-term balanced fertilization increases the soil microbial functional diversity in a phosphorus-limited paddy soil. Mol Ecol 24(1):136–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tale KS, Ingole S (2015) A review on role of physico-chemical properties in soil quality. Chem Sci Rev Lett 4(13):57–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Truong P, Van TT, Pinners E (2008) Vetiver system applications technical reference manual. The Vetiver Network International, p 89

    Google Scholar 

  • Urrutia C, Rubilar O, Tortella G, Castillo JM, Romero E, Azcón R, Diez M (2015) Influence of the rhizosphere in a biopurification system on the dissipation of a pesticide mixture. J Soil Sci Plant Nut 15(4):914–927

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang L, Pang X, Li N, Qi K, Huang J, Yin C (2020) Effects of vegetation type, fine and coarse roots on soil microbial communities and enzyme activities in eastern Tibetan plateau. CATENA 194:104694

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu CH, Li L, Lei C, Chen T, Yan B, Xiao XM (2017) Research and application of silicate passivation agent in remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil: a review. Soils 49(3):446–452 (In Chinese with English Abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu L, Yoon S, Ye K (2021a) Modeling contractors’ ecological protection efforts determination for expressway construction projects. Environ Impact Asses 91:106669

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu Z, Leung A, Boldrin D, Ganesan S (2021b) Variability in root biomechanics of Chrysopogon zizanioides for soil eco-engineering solutions. Sci Total Environ 776:145943

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu B, Li J, Peng D, Wang Z, Xu H (2022) Cadmium exposure alters rhizospheric microbial community and transcriptional expression of vetiver grass. Front Plant Sci 13:808844

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xia HP (2004) Ecological rehabilitation and phytoremediation with four grasses in oil shale mined land. Chemosphere 54(3):345–353

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao WD, Ye XZ, Xu HZ, Yao GH, Wang JW, Li D, Zhang Q, Hu J, Gao N (2017) Intensification of phytoremediation of Cd contaminated soil with direct current field and soil amendments in addition to hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii. Acta Pedol Sinica 54(4):927–937 (In Chinese with English Abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Xiao J, Shen J, Bai M, Gao Q, Wu Y (2021) Reuse of construction spoil in China: current status and future opportunities. J Cleaner Prod 290:125742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xie F, Zhang G, Zheng Q, Liu K, Yin X, Sun X, Saud S, Shi Z, Yuan R, Deng W, Zhang L, Cui G, Chen Y (2020) Beneficial effects of mixing Kentucky Bluegrass with red fescue via plant-soil interactions in black soil of Northeast China. Front Microbiol 11:556118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu Y, Hua T, Chen L, Zhang Z, Pereira P (2023) Divergent changes in vegetation greenness, productivity, and rainfall use efficiency are characteristic of ecological restoration towards high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin, China. Engineering-PRC (in press). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2023.07.012

  • Yue K, Peng Y, Fornara D, Van K, Vesterdal L, Yang W, Peng C, Tan B, Zhou W, Xu Z, Ni X, Zhang L, Wu F, Svenning J (2019) Responses of nitrogen concentrations and pools to multiple environmental change drivers: a meta-analysis across terrestrial ecosystems. Global Ecol Biogeogr 28(5):690–724

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao X, Xie Y, Jing M, Liu X, Xu J (2013) Types and characteristics of spoilbank in development construction project. Sci (in Chinese) Soil Water Conserv 11:88–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao S, Li K, Zhou W, Qiu S, Huang S, He P (2016) Changes in soil microbial community, enzyme activities and organic matter fractions under long-term straw return in north-central China. Agr Ecosyst Environ 216:82–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Project of Creating Ordos National Sustainable Development Agenda Innovation Demonstration Zone (Grant 2022EEDSKJXM005), Project of Shaanxi Provincial Transport Department (2015-11K), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 42077073), Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China (2022KJXX-62), and the Project of Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group Co., Ltd (2022SMHKJ-A-J-07-02, 2992022SMHKJ-B-J-54).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, 710048, China

    Lulu Bai, Peng Shi, Zhanbin Li & Wen Wang

  2. Key Laboratory of National Forestry Administration on Ecological Hydrology and Disaster Prevention in Arid Regions, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, 710048, China

    Lulu Bai, Peng Shi, Zhanbin Li & Wen Wang

  3. Shaanxi Transportation Holding Group Co., Ltd., Xi’an, 710065, China

    Tao Wu

  4. The Hi-Tech College of Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, 713700, China

    Mingxing Ren

  5. Shaanxi Coalbed Methane Development Co., Ltd., Xi’an, 710000, China

    Hongbo Niu

  6. Shaanxi Ecological Industry Co., Ltd., Xi’an, 710118, China

    Pengju Zu, Manhong Cao & Qiguang Dong

  7. College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, China

    Lingzhou Cui

Authors
  1. Lulu Bai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tao Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Peng Shi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mingxing Ren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zhanbin Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Wen Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Hongbo Niu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Pengju Zu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Manhong Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Qiguang Dong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Lingzhou Cui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

LB, TW, PS, MR, ZL, WW, and LC conceived and designed this study; LB, HN, PZ, MC, and QD collected and tested plant and soil samples; LB analyzed data and wrote this paper; PS revised the manuscript; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Peng Shi or Lingzhou Cui.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical approval

Not applicable.

Consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bai, L., Wu, T., Shi, P. et al. Effect of combination of vetiver grass cultivation and fertilization on soil restoration in spoil ground along expressways. Environ Earth Sci 83, 79 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-11244-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-11244-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation