Abstract
Summary Contamination of soils with oilfield brines is a significant environmental problem in many oil‐production areas. This study tested the feasibility of using different salt‐accumulating halophyte species to remediate brine‐contaminated soils at a site in south‐eastern Ohio, USA, and tested whether planting season affected the germination, yield and sodium uptake of selected species. Atriplex prostrata , Hordeum jubatum , Salicornia europaea , Spergularia marina and Suaeda calceoliformis were sown in October 1992 (autumn sowing) and March 1993 (spring sowing). For A . prostrata and Spergularia marina , spring‐sowing produced greater germination and survival, while H. jubatum exhibited greater germination and survival in autumn sowings. Germination and survival of Salicornia europaea and Suaeda calceoliformis were not significantly affected by sowing season, but Salicornia europaea germinated and survived poorly in both seasons. Spring‐sown A. prostrata and Suaeda calceoliformis and autumn‐sown H. jubatum and Spergularia marina produced the greatest yields. High soil conductivities negatively affected the survival and yield of spring‐sown A . prostrata , H . jubatum and Spergularia marina , but did not significantly affect autumn sowings. Root biomass allocation was greater in autumn‐sown H . jubatum , Spergularia marina and Suaeda calceoliformis . We hypothesized that autumn‐sown seeds of these species have earlier root development that facilitates avoidance of extreme salinity and moisture fluctuations found at the soil surface. All species accumulated higher amounts of Na + and Cl − than other ions. Autumn‐sown A . prostrata and Suaeda calceoliformis accumulated significantly more Na + than when spring‐sown. Ash content (a measure of accumulated inorganic matter) ranged from 15% to 35% in the various plant tissues. Hordeum jubatum had significantly more Na + in its roots than in its shoots, making it less suitable for site remediation than A . prostrata or Suaeda calceoliformis . With the exception of Salicornia europaea , all species reduced soil salinity significantly compared with paired control plots, ranging from 4% in H . jubatum to 17% in A . prostrata . Leaching following precipitation resulted in a 44% reduction in Na + from control plots over a 4‐year period. However, there was a 59% reduction in Na + from plots vegetated with halophytes over the same period. The results indicate that establishment of salt‐accumulating halophytes on salt‐affected sites can sufficiently remediate the soil to the point where it can be returned to agricultural productivity or where native plants can invade and become established. The phytoremediation process can be facilitated by tailoring plant selection to site conditions, using inputs of fertilizer and water to enhance the growth of the halophytes, and by harvesting the plants on a regular basis.
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Claims 20
Claim · model-written summary
Spring sowing improved Atriplex prostrata germination and survival.
- Taxon
- A . prostrata
Atriplex prostratae0 - Treatment
- spring‐sowinge0
- Outcome
- germination and survivale0
- Direction
- greatere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“For A . prostrata and Spergularia marina , spring‐sowing produced greater germination and survival”
Claim · model-written summary
Spring sowing improved Spergularia marina germination and survival.
- Taxon
- Spergularia marina
_-_geograph.org.uk_-_215994.jpg?width=60)
Spergularia marinae0 - Treatment
- spring‐sowinge0
- Outcome
- germination and survivale0
- Direction
- greatere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
_-_geograph.org.uk_-_215994.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“For A . prostrata and Spergularia marina , spring‐sowing produced greater germination and survival”
Claim · model-written summary
Autumn sowing improved Hordeum jubatum germination and survival.
- Taxon
- H. jubatum
.jpg?width=60)
Hordeum jubatume0 - Treatment
- autumn sowingse0
- Outcome
- germination and survivale0
- Direction
- greatere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“H. jubatum exhibited greater germination and survival in autumn sowings.”
Claim · model-written summary
Sowing season did not significantly affect Salicornia europaea germination or survival.
- Taxon
- Salicornia europaea
_01.jpg?width=60)
Salicornia europaeae0 - Treatment
- sowing seasone0
- Outcome
- Germination and survivale0
- Direction
- not significantly affectede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
_01.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“Germination and survival of Salicornia europaea and Suaeda calceoliformis were not significantly affected by sowing season”
Claim · model-written summary
Sowing season did not significantly affect Suaeda calceoliformis germination or survival.
- Taxon
- Suaeda calceoliformis
.jpg?width=60)
Suaeda calceoliformise0 - Treatment
- sowing seasone0
- Outcome
- Germination and survivale0
- Direction
- not significantly affectede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“Germination and survival of Salicornia europaea and Suaeda calceoliformis were not significantly affected by sowing season”
Claim · model-written summary
Salicornia europaea germinated and survived poorly in both seasons.
- Taxon
- Salicornia europaeaSalicornia europaeae0
- Outcome
- germinated and survived poorlye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Salicornia europaea germinated and survived poorly in both seasons”
Claim · model-written summary
Spring-sown A. prostrata and Suaeda and autumn-sown H. jubatum and Spergularia produced the highest yields.
- Taxon
- A. prostrataAtriplex prostratae0
- Outcome
- yieldse0
- Direction
- greateste0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Spring‐sown A. prostrata and Suaeda calceoliformis and autumn‐sown H. jubatum and Spergularia marina produced the greatest yields.”
Claim · model-written summary
High soil conductivity reduced survival and yield of spring-sown A. prostrata, H. jubatum and Spergularia.
- Taxon
- A . prostrataAtriplex prostratae0
- Outcome
- survival and yielde0
- Direction
- negatively affectede0
- Setting
- soile0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“High soil conductivities negatively affected the survival and yield of spring‐sown A . prostrata , H . jubatum and Spergularia marina”
Claim · model-written summary
High soil conductivity did not significantly affect autumn sowings.
Not reportedSetting
Verbatim
e0“but did not significantly affect autumn sowings.”
t0“halophytes”
Claim · model-written summary
Autumn sowing increased root biomass allocation in H. jubatum, Spergularia and Suaeda.
- Taxon
- H . jubatumHordeum jubatume0
- Outcome
- Root biomass allocatione0
- Direction
- greatere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Root biomass allocation was greater in autumn‐sown H . jubatum , Spergularia marina and Suaeda calceoliformis”
Claim · model-written summary
All tested species accumulated more sodium and chloride than other ions.
Verbatim
e0“All species accumulated higher amounts of Na + and Cl − than other ions.”
t0“halophytes”
Claim · model-written summary
Autumn-sown A. prostrata accumulated significantly more sodium than spring-sown plants.
- Taxon
- A . prostrataAtriplex prostratae0
- Outcome
- Na +e0
- Direction
- moree0
- Comparator
- spring‐sowne0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Autumn‐sown A . prostrata and Suaeda calceoliformis accumulated significantly more Na + than when spring‐sown.”
Claim · model-written summary
Autumn-sown Suaeda accumulated significantly more sodium than spring-sown plants.
- Taxon
- Suaeda calceoliformisSuaeda calceoliformise0
- Outcome
- Na +e0
- Direction
- moree0
- Comparator
- spring‐sowne0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Autumn‐sown A . prostrata and Suaeda calceoliformis accumulated significantly more Na + than when spring‐sown.”
Claim · model-written summary
Plant tissue ash content ranged from 15% to 35%.
Verbatim
e0“Ash content (a measure of accumulated inorganic matter) ranged from 15% to 35% in the various plant tissues.”
t0“halophytes”
Claim · model-written summary
Hordeum jubatum roots contained significantly more sodium than shoots.
- Taxon
- Hordeum jubatumHordeum jubatume0
- Outcome
- Na +e0
- Direction
- moree0
- Comparator
- shootse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Hordeum jubatum had significantly more Na + in its roots than in its shoots”
Claim · model-written summary
Halophytes other than Salicornia significantly reduced soil salinity by 4% to 17% versus controls.
Verbatim
e0“With the exception of Salicornia europaea , all species reduced soil salinity significantly compared with paired control plots, ranging from 4% in H . jubatum to 17% in A . prostrata .”
t0“halophytes”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaching reduced control-plot sodium by 44% over four years.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“Leaching following precipitation resulted in a 44% reduction in Na + from control plots over a 4‐year period.”
Claim · model-written summary
Vegetated plots lost 59% sodium over four years.
- Taxon
- halophytese0
- Treatment
- vegetated with halophytese0
- Outcome
- Na + from plotse0
- Direction
- reductione0
- Value
- 59%e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“there was a 59% reduction in Na + from plots vegetated with halophytes over the same period.”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors judged halophyte establishment capable of restoring salt-affected sites to agricultural or native-plant use.
Verbatim
e0“establishment of salt‐accumulating halophytes on salt‐affected sites can sufficiently remediate the soil to the point where it can be returned to agricultural productivity or where native plants can invade and become established.”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors recommend matching plants to site conditions, fertilizer and water inputs, and regular harvest.
- Taxon
- plantsViridiplantaee0
- Outcome
- tailoring plant selection to site conditionse0
Verbatim
e0“The phytoremediation process can be facilitated by tailoring plant selection to site conditions, using inputs of fertilizer and water to enhance the growth of the halophytes, and by harvesting the plants on a regular basis.”