Biochar, Compost, and Effective Microorganisms: Evaluating the Recovery of Post-Clay Mining Soil

Amanda Varela (), Juan Camilo Pineda Herrera, Jennifer Vanegas, Jonathan Soler, Javier Peña, Paula Pérez and Janis Pinilla
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Amanda Varela: Laboratorio de Ecología de Suelos y Hongos Tropicales (LESYHT), Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática (UNESIS), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá D.C. 110311, Colombia
Juan Camilo Pineda Herrera: Laboratorio de Ecología de Suelos y Hongos Tropicales (LESYHT), Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática (UNESIS), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá D.C. 110311, Colombia
Jennifer Vanegas: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca, Calle 28 # 5 B-02, Bogotá D.C. 110311, Colombia
Jonathan Soler: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad ECCI, Calle 51 # 19-12, Bogotá D.C. 111311, Colombia
Javier Peña: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca, Calle 28 # 5 B-02, Bogotá D.C. 110311, Colombia
Paula Pérez: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca, Calle 28 # 5 B-02, Bogotá D.C. 110311, Colombia
Janis Pinilla: Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca, Calle 28 # 5 B-02, Bogotá D.C. 110311, Colombia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-14

Abstract: Exploiting clay for brick production results in soil damage. There are no field evaluations for its recovery with organic amendments comprising biochar. We conducted a small-scale experiment to assess the recovery effects of soil using biochar, both alone and in combination with compost. On a remnant of soil from clay mining, we applied the following to plots of 2.25 m 2 in a randomized complete block design: (1) biochar + efficient microorganisms (EMs), (2) compost + EMs, (3) compost + biochar + EMs, and (4) a control group without amendments. Composite soil samples from each plot were collected at the beginning of the experiment and at 30, 120, and 210 days. We analyzed some physicochemical properties of the soil and recorded the number and morphotypes of seedlings. We found that biochar + EMs and biochar + compost + EMs had positive effects in the short term, particularly in reducing bulk density. No synergistic effect was observed between biochar and compost, contrary to what was expected, which may be due to the short term of the experiment and prevailing low temperatures. The compost + EM treatment resulted in greater seedling diversity. In conclusion, bulk density can be used as an early indicator of soil improvement when biochar alone or combined with compost is used. Biochar may be a striking solution for promoting sustainable soil management after clay mining in high-elevation conditions.

Keywords: biochar; compost; mining; soil properties; effective microorganisms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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