Abstract
Poor soil health is a critical problem in many urban landscapes. Degraded soil restricts plant growth and microorganism activity, limiting the ability of urban landscapes to perform much needed ecosystem services. Incorporation of approximately 33% compost by volume into degraded soil has been proven to improve soil health and structure over time while avoiding the financial and environmental costs of importing soil mixes from elsewhere. However, additions of high volumes of compost could potentially increase the risk of nutrient loss through leaching and runoff. The objective of our study was to consider the effects of different compost amendments on soil health, plant health and susceptibility to nutrient leaching in order to identify ranges of acceptable compost characteristics that could be used for soil remediation in the urban landscape. A bioassay was conducted with Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean) to measure the effect of nine composts from different feedstocks on various plant health parameters. Leachate was collected prior to planting to measure nutrient loss from each treatment. All compost amendments were found to improve soil health. Nutrient-rich, manure-based composts produced the greatest plant growth, but also leached high concentrations of nitrate and phosphorus. Some treatments provided sufficient nutrients for plant growth without excess nutrient loss. When incorporating as much as 33% compost by volume into a landscape bed, the optimal compost will generally have a C:N ratio of 10-20, P-content <1.0% and a soluble salt content between 1.0 and 3.5 mmhos/cm. These recommendations should ensure optimal plant and soil health and minimize nutrient leaching.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
All compost amendments improved soil health in the bean bioassay.
- Taxon
- Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)
Phaseolus vulgarist0 - Treatment
- compost amendmentse0
- Outcome
- soil healthe0
- Direction
- improvee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“All compost amendments were found to improve soil health.”
t0“Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)”
Claim · model-written summary
Manure-based composts produced the greatest bean growth.
- Taxon
- Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)Phaseolus vulgarist0
- Treatment
- manure-based compostse0
- Outcome
- plant growthe0
- Direction
- greateste0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Nutrient-rich, manure-based composts produced the greatest plant growth, but also leached high concentrations of nitrate and phosphorus.”
t0“Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)”
Claim · model-written summary
Manure-based composts leached high nitrate concentrations.
- Taxon
- Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)Phaseolus vulgarist0
- Treatment
- manure-based compostse0
- Outcome
- nitratee0
- Direction
- highe0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Nutrient-rich, manure-based composts produced the greatest plant growth, but also leached high concentrations of nitrate and phosphorus.”
t0“Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)”
Claim · model-written summary
Manure-based composts leached high phosphorus concentrations.
- Taxon
- Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)Phaseolus vulgarist0
- Treatment
- manure-based compostse0
- Outcome
- phosphoruse0
- Direction
- highe0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Nutrient-rich, manure-based composts produced the greatest plant growth, but also leached high concentrations of nitrate and phosphorus.”
t0“Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)”
Claim · model-written summary
Some treatments supported plant growth without excess nutrient loss.
- Taxon
- Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)Phaseolus vulgarist0
- Treatment
- Some treatmentse0
- Outcome
- sufficient nutrients for plant growth without excess nutrient losse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Some treatments provided sufficient nutrients for plant growth without excess nutrient loss.”
t0“Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)”
Claim · model-written summary
For up to 33% compost in landscape beds, the authors recommend C:N 10-20, P below 1.0%, and soluble salts 1.0-3.5 mmhos/cm.
- Taxon
- Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)Phaseolus vulgarist0
- Treatment
- 33% compost by volumee0
- Outcome
- optimal composte0
- Qualifier
- C:N ratio of 10-20, P-content <1.0% and a soluble salt content between 1.0 and 3.5 mmhos/cme0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“When incorporating as much as 33% compost by volume into a landscape bed, the optimal compost will generally have a C:N ratio of 10-20, P-content <1.0% and a soluble salt content between 1.0 and 3.5 mmhos/cm.”
t0“Phaseolus vulgaris (Bush Bean)”
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