Coffee Waste as a Soil Amendment on Tree Seedling

Growth in Nursery Production at the National

Conservation Training CenterCasey W. Johnson

Shepherd UniversityInstitute for Environmental Studies

The National Conservation Training Center (NCTC)

• The NCTC is the Flagship Training Facility of the Department of the Interior.

• NCTC's environmental mission:• seek and employ sustainable practices• provide a wide scope of environmentally friendly services

and products

Photo credit: Ryan Hagarty

Introduction:NCTC’s Reforestation Projects• Reforestation of previously

agricultural fields• Previous pasture or agriculture

soils typically show– moderate pH– moderate to low phosphorus– lowered total nitrogen levels

(Hooper, 2002)• Agricultural fields will

generally have lower levels of nutrients compared to previously untouched areas. (Fraterrigo, 2005)

NCTC Reforestation

• 1938 Aerial photo

• Pre-NCTC

Credit: training.FWS.gov

NCTC - The Coffee Waste Dilemma

• Potential use as a soil amendment for nursery operations– Black Walnut (Juglans nigra L.)– Black Oak (Quercus velutina Lam.)– Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum

Marsh.)– Black Cherry (Prunus serotina

Ehrh).

Introduction

• Objective:– Determine effects of coffee grounds on seedling

growth.

• Null hypothesis:– Waste coffee grounds will have no effect on

native tree seedling height when used as a soil amendment in local topsoil.

Materials & Methods: Experimental Design

• Experimental design– Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)

• blocked by species type– One plant per pot– Nine pots per tray– Eighteen replicates per treatment

• 54 trees of each species for a total of 216 trees

• Each seedling received an addition of coffee waste in three amounts (by volume).– zero percent (control)– ten percent– thirty percent Photo credits:

Stuewe and Sons, Inc.

Materials & Methods• Coffee ground collection

– Collected from facility break stations

– Collected over a year and a half period

– Sent to a soil testing lab• pH• Total Magnesium• Total Calcium• Total Potassium• Total Phosphorus

• Topsoil tested for same parameters

Materials & Methods: Species

• Four Species Used– Black Walnut

(Juglans nigra L.)– Black Oak

(Quercus velutina Lam.)– Sugar Maple

(Acer saccharum Marsh.)– Black Cherry

(Prunus serotina Ehrh.)

Materials & Methods

• Tree seedling choice:– Availability– Popularity– Range of preferred

growing conditions– Geographic range

• Mid Atlantic region of the United States

• Black walnut was started from seeds collected locally this past winter

• Other species obtained from the J.S. Ayton Forest Tree Nursery

Materials & Methods• Watering schedule

– Frequency:

• Twice a week (May and June)

• Three times a week (July and August)

• Received enough water to drain out through the bottom of the container

• A plastic polymer water tank was used to store and deliver tap water.

Materials & Methods• Study period

– Growth was observed over the 2010 summer growing season

• Growth Measurements– Used to determine relative

growth rates – Four week intervals– Tree height – Trunk diameter

• Herbivory prevention– Deer exclusion fence

Results• Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

– Many hebivivores– Smaller climbing mammals not excluded

– All planted walnuts harvested within one week– No results for black walnut

Photo credit: picturevue.net

Results: Soil Test Report

Results: KS Test

• Tree heights normally distributed– KS test (df=54, p=0.2)

• Tree diameter non-normal– KS test (df=54)– Q. velutina (p=0.001)– A. saccharum p=0.005– P. serotina p=0.029

Results• Coffee grounds had no effect on tree height.

Discussion & Conclusion• I accept my null hypothesis that waste coffee grounds have no

effect on native tree seedling height when used as a soil amendment in local topsoil.

• Coffee grounds up to 30% as a soil amendment does not affect mean tree height.

• Effects on tree height using soil amended with >30% coffee grounds were not determined.

Discussion & Conclusion• Study was performed during one

of the hottest and driest summers on record.

• Test did not fully investigate the effects of adding increased amounts of coffee waste in order to study the bioassay of used coffee grounds on seedling mortality.

• Study also does not take into account the long-term effects of growing tree seedlings in coffee wastes.

Discussion & Conclusion• Any subsequent

experimental designs– must be used in conjunction

with small animal exclosures

• Would consider having extra testing done on– treatment– topsoil– water used to irrigate plants– Soil fauna– Soil structure

• Plant transpiration• Bacterial/Fungal decomposition

Photo credits (top to bottom): cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu waterwisetech.net,findalismonkeyinthemiddle.blogspot

Acknowledgements• US Fish and Wildlife Service• The National Park Service• The National Conservation

Training Center• Phil Pannill• Andrea Stevenson• Karin Christensen• Gary Schetromph• Dr. Mark Madison• Dr. Jim Siegel

• Shepherd University• Dr. Clarissa Mathews• Dr. Ed Snyder• Dr. Tracy Leskey• Dr. Peter Vila

• Professional Landscaping & Management Service Participants: – Andrew Valois (Supervisor), Ryan

K.G. Sanders, and Sam Canby.• Civilian Conservation Corps of

West Virginia Participants: – Mike Grove and John Jenyez.

• Youth Conservation Corps of America Participants: – Ian Dantzler, Sarah Shadle,

Tyler Chaney, Lauren Silveous, and Dalton Mendiola.