The relative merits of dolomitic and calcitic limestone in detoxifying and revegetating acidic, nickel- and copper-contaminated soils in the Sudbury mining and smelting region of Canada
- Laurentian Univ., Sudbury, Ontario (Canada)
Soils in the Sudbury mining and smelting region have been rendered phytotoxic and barren by acidification and Particulate metal contamination, but can be detoxified revegetated by the surface application of an growth is better on soil treated ground limestone. On certain barren sites, plant growth is better on soil treated with dolomitic limestone than with calcitic limestone and greenhouse experiments using mung beans (Vigna radiata) have shown superior root and shoot growth on certain contaminated soils when the limestone is dolomitic rather than calcitic. Results of experiments with species used in revegetation (Agrostis gigantea and Lotus corniculatus) suggest that leguminous species are more sensitive to Ca:Mg ratio than grasses, that the plant response to this ratio is greater at lowering liming levels, and that the response is more marked on more toxic soils. The effects of calcium:magnesium ratio of the limestone used in revegetating acidic, metal-contaminated soils are clearly complex, interactive and difficult to interpret. Further studies are needed, but meanwhile it is recommended that the practice of using dolomitic limestone to detoxify barren Sudbury soils be continued, since there is a risk of induced magnesium deficiency at certain sites when calcitic limestone is used.
- OSTI ID:
- 588826
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9605286-; TRN: 98:001296-0042
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 13. annual meeting of the American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation (ASSMR), Knoxville, TN (United States), 18-23 May 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Successes and failures: Applying research results to insure reclamation success; Daniels, W.L.; Burger, J.A.; Zipper, C.E. [Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (United States). Depts. of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences and Forestry] [eds.]; PB: 889 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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