Exploring the potential of topsoil pellets to improve native seedling establishment on degraded agricultural land

TitleExploring the potential of topsoil pellets to improve native seedling establishment on degraded agricultural land
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2024
AuthorsMunro T.P, Erickson T.E, Nimmo D.G, Dadzie F.A, Munoz-Rojas M., Price J.N
JournalPlant and Soil
Pagination16
Date Published2024 Mar
Type of ArticleArticle; Early Access
ISBN Number0032-079X
Accession NumberWOS:001177767000001
KeywordsAgriculture, Fresh topsoil, Grassland, GRASSY WOODLANDS, microbes, microbial communities, old-fields, patterns, Plant Sciences, productivity, PROFILES, recruitment, responses, Seed enhancement technologies, soil, woodland restoration
Abstract

Background and aimsAgricultural activities can degrade soils and promote weeds, posing challenges to native species restoration. In agricultural restoration, removing contaminated topsoil is a method designed to reduce elevated soil nutrients caused by fertilisation. This strategy targets weed control by eliminating both aboveground weeds and their soil seed bank before direct seeding. However, it also diminishes native soil seed banks and beneficial soil microbes. We investigated the potential of fresh topsoil pellets containing seeds to improve seedling performance in a degraded grassy woodland where topsoil had been removed.MethodsWe tested various pellet recipes, including one using commercial ingredients and three with different topsoil proportions (30%, 50%, and 70%). The study was conducted in a degraded grassy woodland in southeastern Australia, where topsoil was removed for restoration. We explored the effect of these pellet varieties on seedling emergence and growth of six native species common in this community, as well as microbial activity in the soil surrounding the seedlings.ResultsPellets significantly improved the emergence of Chrysocephalum apiculatum, providing evidence of their effectiveness. However, pellets significantly reduced Arthropodium milleflorum and Glycine tabacina emergence. Linum marginale and Rytidosperma caespitosum emergence remained unaffected by pellets. One species, Bothriochloa macra, had insufficient emergence for analysis. The microbial activity of the soil surrounding Rytidosperma caespitosum seedlings was significantly improved by pellets, with no significant effects observed for other species.ConclusionOur results demonstrate that topsoil pellets improved the emergence of one native species, but reduced emergence for two others, indicating species-specific responses to pelleting.

Short TitlePlant SoilPlant Soil
Alternate JournalPlant Soil
stdClass Object
(
    [vid] => 900
    [uid] => 11
    [title] => Exploring the potential of topsoil pellets to improve native seedling establishment on degraded agricultural land
    [log] => 
    [status] => 1
    [comment] => 0
    [promote] => 1
    [sticky] => 0
    [nid] => 718
    [type] => biblio
    [language] => und
    [created] => 1718019135
    [changed] => 1718019135
    [tnid] => 0
    [translate] => 0
    [revision_timestamp] => 1718019135
    [revision_uid] => 11
    [biblio_type] => 102
    [biblio_number] => 
    [biblio_other_number] => 
    [biblio_sort_title] => Exploring the potential of topsoil pellets to improve native see
    [biblio_secondary_title] => Plant and Soil
    [biblio_tertiary_title] => 
    [biblio_edition] => 
    [biblio_publisher] => 
    [biblio_place_published] => 
    [biblio_year] => 2024
    [biblio_volume] => 
    [biblio_pages] => 16
    [biblio_date] => 2024 Mar
    [biblio_isbn] => 0032-079X
    [biblio_lang] => English
    [biblio_abst_e] => Background and aimsAgricultural activities can degrade soils and promote weeds, posing challenges to native species restoration. In agricultural restoration, removing contaminated topsoil is a method designed to reduce elevated soil nutrients caused by fertilisation. This strategy targets weed control by eliminating both aboveground weeds and their soil seed bank before direct seeding. However, it also diminishes native soil seed banks and beneficial soil microbes. We investigated the potential of fresh topsoil pellets containing seeds to improve seedling performance in a degraded grassy woodland where topsoil had been removed.MethodsWe tested various pellet recipes, including one using commercial ingredients and three with different topsoil proportions (30%, 50%, and 70%). The study was conducted in a degraded grassy woodland in southeastern Australia, where topsoil was removed for restoration. We explored the effect of these pellet varieties on seedling emergence and growth of six native species common in this community, as well as microbial activity in the soil surrounding the seedlings.ResultsPellets significantly improved the emergence of Chrysocephalum apiculatum, providing evidence of their effectiveness. However, pellets significantly reduced Arthropodium milleflorum and Glycine tabacina emergence. Linum marginale and Rytidosperma caespitosum emergence remained unaffected by pellets. One species, Bothriochloa macra, had insufficient emergence for analysis. The microbial activity of the soil surrounding Rytidosperma caespitosum seedlings was significantly improved by pellets, with no significant effects observed for other species.ConclusionOur results demonstrate that topsoil pellets improved the emergence of one native species, but reduced emergence for two others, indicating species-specific responses to pelleting.
    [biblio_abst_f] => 
    [biblio_full_text] => 0
    [biblio_url] => 
    [biblio_issue] => 
    [biblio_type_of_work] => Article; Early Access
    [biblio_accession_number] => WOS:001177767000001
    [biblio_call_number] => 
    [biblio_notes] => ISI Document Delivery No.: KC5F5
Times Cited: 0
Cited Reference Count: 78
Munro, Thomas P. Erickson, Todd E. Nimmo, Dale G. Dadzie, Frederick A. Munoz-Rojas, Miriam Price, Jodi N.
Muñoz-Rojas, Miriam/AAB-5578-2020
Muñoz-Rojas, Miriam/0000-0002-9746-5191
Cooperative Research Centre for Transformations in Mining Economies
We would like to acknowledge Sue Schilg and Judy Frankenberg from the Wirraminna Environmental Education Centre for providing the research site and supplying seeds to use in both the pilot study and the field trial. We would also like to acknowledge Emily Flint for assisting with the installation of the field trial.

4
Springer
Dordrecht
1573-5036 [biblio_custom1] => [biblio_custom2] => [biblio_custom3] => [biblio_custom4] => [biblio_custom5] => [biblio_custom6] => [biblio_custom7] => [biblio_research_notes] => [biblio_number_of_volumes] => [biblio_short_title] => Plant SoilPlant Soil [biblio_alternate_title] => Plant Soil [biblio_original_publication] => [biblio_reprint_edition] => [biblio_translated_title] => [biblio_section] => [biblio_citekey] => 718 [biblio_coins] => [biblio_doi] => [biblio_issn] => [biblio_auth_address] => [Munro, Thomas P.; Nimmo, Dale G.; Price, Jodi N.] Charles Sturt Univ, Gulbali Inst, Albury, NSW, Australia. [Erickson, Todd E.] Univ Western Australia, Ctr Engn Innovat Agr & Ecol Restorat, Sch Agr & Environm, Perth, WA, Australia. [Erickson, Todd E.] Dept Biodivers Conservat & Attract, Kings Pk Sci, Perth, WA, Australia. [Dadzie, Frederick A.; Munoz-Rojas, Miriam] UNSW Sydney, Sch Biol Earth & Environm Sci, Ctr Ecosyst Sci, Sydney, NSW, Australia. [Dadzie, Frederick A.] UNSW Sydney, Evolut & Ecol Res Ctr, Sch Biol Earth & Environm Sci, Sydney, NSW, Australia. [Munoz-Rojas, Miriam] Univ Seville, Dept Plant Biol & Ecol, Seville, Spain. New South Wales Sydney; University of New South Wales Sydney; University of Sevilla
Munro, TP (corresponding author), Charles Sturt Univ, Gulbali Inst, Albury, NSW, Australia.
thomasmunro17@gmail.com [biblio_remote_db_name] => [biblio_remote_db_provider] => [biblio_label] => [biblio_access_date] => [biblio_refereed] => [biblio_md5] => 90c29b62ad9c4690ceeab804e3cc1b58 [biblio_formats] => Array ( [biblio_abst_e] => full_html [biblio_abst_f] => full_html [biblio_notes] => full_html [biblio_research_notes] => full_html [biblio_custom1] => full_html [biblio_custom2] => full_html [biblio_custom3] => full_html [biblio_custom4] => full_html [biblio_custom5] => full_html [biblio_custom6] => full_html [biblio_custom7] => full_html [biblio_coins] => full_html [biblio_auth_address] => full_html ) [biblio_type_name] => Journal Article [biblio_contributors] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [nid] => 718 [vid] => 900 [cid] => 2118 [auth_type] => 1 [auth_category] => 1 [rank] => 0 [merge_cid] => 0 [aka] => 0 [alt_form] => 0 [drupal_uid] => [name] => Munro, T. P. [lastname] => Munro [firstname] => T. [prefix] => [suffix] => [initials] => P. [affiliation] => [literal] => 0 [md5] => 4459253a38d6e9ce6bb0dd240f8b85a6 ) [1] => Array ( [nid] => 718 [vid] => 900 [cid] => 2080 [auth_type] => 1 [auth_category] => 1 [rank] => 1 [merge_cid] => 0 [aka] => 0 [alt_form] => 0 [drupal_uid] => [name] => Erickson, T. E. [lastname] => Erickson [firstname] => T. [prefix] => [suffix] => [initials] => E. [affiliation] => [literal] => 0 [md5] => 41a70884677c8a5c0bd40d0fdbf2ea42 ) [2] => Array ( [nid] => 718 [vid] => 900 [cid] => 2119 [auth_type] => 1 [auth_category] => 1 [rank] => 2 [merge_cid] => 0 [aka] => 0 [alt_form] => 0 [drupal_uid] => [name] => Nimmo, D. G. [lastname] => Nimmo [firstname] => D. [prefix] => [suffix] => [initials] => G. [affiliation] => [literal] => 0 [md5] => 8a3c43fc00e38c430bda233a524ca6a0 ) [3] => Array ( [nid] => 718 [vid] => 900 [cid] => 2078 [auth_type] => 1 [auth_category] => 1 [rank] => 3 [merge_cid] => 0 [aka] => 0 [alt_form] => 0 [drupal_uid] => [name] => Dadzie, F. A. [lastname] => Dadzie [firstname] => F. [prefix] => [suffix] => [initials] => A. [affiliation] => [literal] => 0 [md5] => 014e1f9a509d18a0528f4a5a4b735809 ) [4] => Array ( [nid] => 718 [vid] => 900 [cid] => 2039 [auth_type] => 1 [auth_category] => 1 [rank] => 4 [merge_cid] => 0 [aka] => 0 [alt_form] => 0 [drupal_uid] => [name] => Munoz-Rojas, M. [lastname] => Munoz-Rojas [firstname] => M. [prefix] => [suffix] => [initials] => [affiliation] => [literal] => 0 [md5] => b6bf3e9bc23005d6a3b0eaf90f0aa1df ) [5] => Array ( [nid] => 718 [vid] => 900 [cid] => 2120 [auth_type] => 1 [auth_category] => 1 [rank] => 5 [merge_cid] => 0 [aka] => 0 [alt_form] => 0 [drupal_uid] => [name] => Price, J. N. [lastname] => Price [firstname] => J. [prefix] => [suffix] => [initials] => N. [affiliation] => [literal] => 0 [md5] => ace2a3e51e3935d8a8a74bf9726219cc ) ) [biblio_keywords] => Array ( [421] => Agriculture [2458] => Fresh topsoil [483] => Grassland [516] => GRASSY WOODLANDS [1094] => microbes [29] => microbial communities [2461] => old-fields [38] => patterns [954] => Plant Sciences [1109] => productivity [530] => PROFILES [2462] => recruitment [16] => responses [2459] => Seed enhancement technologies [83] => soil [2460] => woodland restoration ) [body] => Array ( ) [rdf_mapping] => Array ( [rdftype] => Array ( [0] => sioc:Item [1] => foaf:Document ) [title] => Array ( [predicates] => Array ( [0] => dc:title ) ) [created] => Array ( [predicates] => Array ( [0] => dc:date [1] => dc:created ) [datatype] => xsd:dateTime [callback] => date_iso8601 ) [changed] => Array ( [predicates] => Array ( [0] => dc:modified ) [datatype] => xsd:dateTime [callback] => date_iso8601 ) [body] => Array ( [predicates] => Array ( [0] => content:encoded ) ) [uid] => Array ( [predicates] => Array ( [0] => sioc:has_creator ) [type] => rel ) [name] => Array ( [predicates] => Array ( [0] => foaf:name ) ) [comment_count] => Array ( [predicates] => Array ( [0] => sioc:num_replies ) [datatype] => xsd:integer ) [last_activity] => Array ( [predicates] => Array ( [0] => sioc:last_activity_date ) [datatype] => xsd:dateTime [callback] => date_iso8601 ) ) [name] => clare.cameron [picture] => 0 [data] => a:13:{s:16:"ckeditor_default";s:1:"t";s:20:"ckeditor_show_toggle";s:1:"t";s:14:"ckeditor_width";s:4:"100%";s:13:"ckeditor_lang";s:2:"en";s:18:"ckeditor_auto_lang";s:1:"t";s:19:"biblio_show_profile";i:0;s:19:"biblio_my_pubs_menu";i:0;s:21:"biblio_contributor_id";s:1:"0";s:22:"biblio_id_change_count";s:1:"0";s:17:"biblio_user_style";s:6:"system";s:18:"biblio_baseopenurl";s:0:"";s:18:"biblio_openurl_sid";s:0:"";s:19:"biblio_crossref_pid";s:0:"";} [entity_view_prepared] => 1 )