Soil functioning and ecosystem services: using trees to remediate contaminated soils

Ecosystem services are the direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to human well-being. Despite the importance of soil services, they are often underestimated and largely unrecognized. We introduce briefly the framework recently proposed by Schwilch et al. (2016), and present some results of the potential use of different tree species to remediate contaminated soils on Mediterranean conditions. Disruptions of biogeochemical cycles by human activities act as a direct driver of global change. The Guadiamar Green Corridor (Seville, Spain), is an example of extensive soil contamination by trace elements originated by mining activities. In the large-scale remediation and restoration plan, soil was cleaned-up, amendments were added, and trees of several native species were planted (Domínguez et al. 2008). We present some approaches to study tree-soil interactions, soil functioning and the provided ecosystem services. 1) Potential of trees for the phytostabilization of soil contaminants. The immobilization of contaminants by plant roots, litter decomposition and their associated microbes means an improvement of soil quality and therefore a regulation service. We measured the effects of different tree species (Marañón et al. 2015). 2) Carbon storage in soil. We assessed the effectiveness of different tree species in providing this regulation service. 3) Promoting soil biodiversity. We evaluated the colonization by mycorrhizal fungi of roots of Quercus ilex planted on different soil conditions of acidity and contamination level. References: Domínguez MT et al. (2008). Environmental Pollution, 152: 50-59. Marañón T et al. (2015). Web Ecology, 15: 45-48. Schwilch G et al. (2016). Ecological Indicators, 67: 586-597.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Marañón, Teodoro, Domínguez, María Teresa, Madejón, Paula, Navarro-Fernández, Carmen M., Gil Martínez, Marta, López-García, A., Murillo Carpio, José Manuel
Other Authors:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España)
Format:	comunicación de congreso biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	2017-02-01
Subjects:	Soil remediation, Guadiamar, Trace elements, Phytostabilization, Ecosystem services, RECARE project,
Online Access:	http://hdl.handle.net/10261/143499 http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003329
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