Biological Restoration of Urban Soils after De-Sealing Interventions

Anita Maienza, Fabrizio Ungaro, Silvia Baronti, Ilaria Colzi, Laura Giagnoni, Cristina Gonnelli, Giancarlo Renella, Francesca Ugolini and Costanza Calzolari
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Anita Maienza: Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (IBE CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10 Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Firenze, Italy
Fabrizio Ungaro: Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (IBE CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10 Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Firenze, Italy
Silvia Baronti: Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (IBE CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10 Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Firenze, Italy
Ilaria Colzi: Department of Biology, University of Firenze, Via Micheli 1, 50121 Firenze, Italy
Laura Giagnoni: Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics (DICATAM), University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Cristina Gonnelli: Department of Biology, University of Firenze, Via Micheli 1, 50121 Firenze, Italy
Giancarlo Renella: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Francesca Ugolini: Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (IBE CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10 Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Firenze, Italy
Costanza Calzolari: Institute of BioEconomy, National Research Council (IBE CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10 Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Firenze, Italy

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Most urban greening interventions involve soil de-sealing and management to enhance fertility. Management typically requires translocating fertile topsoil to the site, which comes at great environmental costs. We hypothesized that de-sealed urban soils would undergo an increase of their fertility without exogenous topsoil application. We assessed experimental plots with de-sealed soil with topsoil, and de-sealed soil without topsoil. Both treatments were vegetated with two ornamental shrub species and irrigated. Soil fertility was analyzed by chemical (total and organic carbon) and biological indicators of soils (biological quality index and microbial activities). Since metal contamination is related to urban de-sealed soil, we also monitored the concentration of Zn, Cu and Pb in soil and detected it in plant leaves. The results demonstrate that de-sealed urban soils rapidly restore their biological quality and fertility. Restoration of de-sealing soils can contribute to the recent growing interest reclamation of urban soils for improving the urban environment quality through the restoration of soil functions and related ecosystem services. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate that de-sealed soils can improve their functionality and can contribute to the recent growing interest in reclamation of urban soils for improving the urban environment quality.

Keywords: QBS; soil biological quality; soil enzymes; de-sealing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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