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Applied Sciences
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Soil Rehabilitation Due to Land Uses
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Soil Rehabilitation Due to Land Uses

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2025 | Viewed by 6064

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Itzhak Katra

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental, Geoinformatics, and Urban Planning Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheba 8410501, Israel
Interests: geomorphology; soil erosion; aeolian processes; dust sources and emissions; arid soils under human activities; sand transport and land formation; boundary-layer wind tunnel experiments; dust storms and air pollution
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Meni Ben-Hur

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Soil, Water, and Environmental Sciences, ARO, Volcani Center, Rishon Lezion 7505101, Israel
Interests: soil and water conservation; soil structure and aggregates stability; irrigation with various water qualities; surface runoff and soil erosion; soils salinity; sodicity and contamination
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rapid growth of the global population, with an increase in food demand leads to extensive uses of the soil resource in agriculture, mining, deforestation, infrastructure development, and urbanization. This extensive use could cause changes in the physical, chemical, hydraulic, and biological properties of the soils, injurious the degraded bio-productivity and fertility, and increase their contamination, salinization, and disaggregation. Consequently, soil erosion by water and wind could increase. There is high concern regarding these processes also because of the expected climate changes. Therefore, there is a strong interest in improvement, rehabilitation, reclamation, and modification of abandoned and degraded soils. This Special Issue on soil rehabilitation invites novel and original articles based on physical and chemical theories, field and laboratory experiments, soil analyses, and/or statistical and mathematical modeling that can advance our knowledge on these important issues.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  • Mechanisms responsible for soil structure stability and destruction;
  • Monitoring and improving the soils health, fertility, and productivity;
  • Preventing soil erosion by water and/or wind forces;
  • Indicators for soil rehabilitation;
  • Soil ecosystem services;
  • Geodiversity in soil management;
  • Organic and mineral waste recycling;
  • Sustainable soil management.

Prof. Dr. Itzhak Katra
Prof. Dr. Meni Ben-Hur
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • climate change
  • desertification
  • ecosystem
  • erodibility
  • land use
  • soil aggregates
  • soil erosion
  • soil quality
  • sustainability
  • subsoil
  • topsoil

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 6378 KiB  
Article
The Potential for Restoring the Activity of Oxidoreductases and Hydrolases in Soil Contaminated with Petroleum Products Using Perlite and Dolomite
by Jadwiga Wyszkowska, Agata Borowik, Magdalena Zaborowska and Jan Kucharski
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 3591; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14093591 - 24 Apr 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 808
Abstract
The research focused on assessing the response of oxidoreductases (dehydrogenases and catalase) and hydrolases (urease, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase, and β-glucosidase) to diesel oil (DO) and gasoline (G) contamination of soils subjected to phytoremediation with Zea mays. The activity of [...] Read more.
The research focused on assessing the response of oxidoreductases (dehydrogenases and catalase) and hydrolases (urease, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, arylsulfatase, and β-glucosidase) to diesel oil (DO) and gasoline (G) contamination of soils subjected to phytoremediation with Zea mays. The activity of enzymes constitutes one of the fundamental mechanisms for the removal of contaminants from soil, which have the potential to contaminate not only the soil but also groundwater and water reservoirs. Additionally, correlations between enzyme activity and the basic physicochemical properties of the soil were determined. The interaction of perlite and dolomite with soil enzymes and the cultivated plant was also tested. The study was carried out in a pot experiment, where soil contaminated with DO or G was artificially treated at doses of 0, 8 cm3, and 16 cm3 kg−1. Perlite and dolomite were applied for remediation at doses of 0 and 10 g kg−1 of soil. Zea mays was found to respond to the tested pollutant with a reduction in biomass. DO affected the growth of this plant more than G. DO reduced the yield of aerial parts by 86% and G by 74%. The negative effects of these pollutants on the growth and development of Zea mays were mitigated by both perlite and dolomite. DO exerted greater pressure than G on the activity of oxidoreductases and hydrolases, as well as on the physicochemical properties of the soil. DO enhanced the activity of oxidoreductases and most hydrolases, whereas G inhibited them. The implementation of dolomite intensified the activity of all enzymes, except AcP (acid phosphatase) and Glu (ß-glucosidase), in soil contaminated with DO and G, and also improved its physicochemical properties. Perlite induced less significant effects than dolomite on soil enzymes and the physicochemical properties of the soil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Rehabilitation Due to Land Uses)
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13 pages, 2430 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Influence of Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution on Water Quality in Central Kentucky’s Headwater Streams
by Jarod Jones, Buddhi R. Gyawali, Shikha Acharya, Richard Cristan and Maheteme Gebremedhin
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 2679; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14072679 - 22 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1052
Abstract
This study addresses the pressing issue of nonpoint source water pollution in Kentucky, particularly associated with large-scale agriculture. Centered on the outer bluegrass region of Central Kentucky, the research examines the water quality of headwater streams during the agricultural season. The approach involves [...] Read more.
This study addresses the pressing issue of nonpoint source water pollution in Kentucky, particularly associated with large-scale agriculture. Centered on the outer bluegrass region of Central Kentucky, the research examines the water quality of headwater streams during the agricultural season. The approach involves geospatial land cover classification using aerial imagery. Water quality data were collected during the agricultural growing season from May to October 2018. Land cover classification utilized ERDAS Imagine 2016 and ESRI ArcGIS 10.6 GIS software, while conventional water quality parameters were measured with a YSI ProDSS® multiparameter water probe and a Marsh-McBirney Flo-Mate 2000 flow meter. Statistical analyses show significant differences in stream water chemistry, suggesting the impact of agricultural nonpoint source pollution. Forested streams exhibited more varied conditions, indicating a potentially better environment. As agricultural land percentage increased, water chemistry variation suggested a measurable threshold for changes. Significant differences in water quality between agricultural and forested streams highlight the potential benefits of expanding riparian zones beyond regulations. Enlarging these zones is proposed as a strategy to mitigate nonpoint source pollution in Kentucky’s waterways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Rehabilitation Due to Land Uses)
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13 pages, 906 KiB  
Article
Soil Quality in Rehabilitated Coal Mining Areas
by Angela D. Bosch-Serra, Javier Cruz and Rosa M. Poch
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(17), 9592; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13179592 - 24 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1707
Abstract
In arid and semiarid environments, the sustainability of rehabilitation actions in degraded areas is a matter of concern. It has not been extensively researched. In a Spanish coal mining area, new soils to support vegetation were created (Technosols) using mine spoils and different [...] Read more.
In arid and semiarid environments, the sustainability of rehabilitation actions in degraded areas is a matter of concern. It has not been extensively researched. In a Spanish coal mining area, new soils to support vegetation were created (Technosols) using mine spoils and different organic wastes. Eight years after the establishment of rehabilitation measures, the quality of the works was assessed. Soil properties (organic matter, microbial biomass, structural stability and porosity) were evaluated as quality indicators. Thermogravimetric analysis differentiated between organic-C and other mineral-C sources. The degree of aggregation and the presence of interconnected pores and organic matter with different degrees of decomposition were identified by micromorphological techniques. Microbial biomass and water-stable aggregates satisfactorily traced the early pedogenesis of mine spoils, resulting in good indicators of the quality of new Technosols. Substrates prepared with sludges promoted soil development better than those created using pig slurries, primarily by favoring a higher porosity and organic matter content. Despite that, both treatments demonstrated, after 8 years, their ability to support the ecosystem services of biomass production, carbon sequestration, and organic matter recycling they were planned for, therefore ensuring their sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Rehabilitation Due to Land Uses)
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Review

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16 pages, 890 KiB  
Review
Trends of Global Scientific Research on Reclaimed Coal Mine Sites between 2015 and 2020
by Marko Spasić, Ondřej Drábek, Luboš Borůvka and Václav Tejnecký
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(14), 8412; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148412 - 20 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1494
Abstract
Open-cast coal mining is one of the most often-debated industries in the world. Due to the significant environmental and health issues it causes, many of these sites have been reclaimed over the years, and many scientific publications and research has followed. In this [...] Read more.
Open-cast coal mining is one of the most often-debated industries in the world. Due to the significant environmental and health issues it causes, many of these sites have been reclaimed over the years, and many scientific publications and research has followed. In this paper, we have tried to assess the trends in recent research performed on reclaimed coal mining sites (RMS) by analyzing the publications visible on Web of Science (WoS) between 2015 and 2020 and dividing the research into six categories. The results show that there is a trend of rapid increase in research that deals with carbon and its pooling, nutrients, vegetation, and microbiology, and a significant decline in research on RMS soil physical properties, whereas other categories have shown an increasing but relatively steady trend. The application of modern technologies is also discussed. China, the USA, and India are the countries that quantitatively take the lead in coal RMS research, with India slowly overtaking the US in more recent years. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Rehabilitation Due to Land Uses)
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