Soil Restoration Using Composted Plant Residues Effects on Soil Properties

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Soil restoration using composted plant residues: Effects on soil properties

M. Tejada a,*, M.T. Hernandez b, C. Garcia b

a Departamento de Cristalograf a, Mineralog a y Qu mica Agr cola, E.U.I.T.A. Universidad de Sevilla, Crta de Utrera km. 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spainb Departamento de Conservacion de Suelos y Agua y Manejo de Residuos Organicos, Centro de Edafolog a y Biologa Aplicada del Segura, CEBAS-CSIC, P.O. Box 4195,

30080 Murcia, Spain

1. Introduction

Soil degradation is a major environmental concern. For this

reason, the application of materials with a high organic matter

content, such as fresh andcompostedurbanwastes (Rosetal.,2003),

shredded and composted plant materials derived from municipal

landscape (Walker, 2003), cotton gin compost and poultry manure

(Tejada et al., 2006a), and beet vinasse composted with a crushed

cottongin compost(Tejada et al.,2007) tosemiarid soils has become

a common environmental practice for soil restoration, maintaining

soil organic matter, reclaiming degraded soils, and supplying plant

nutrients.

The application of plant residues to soil is considered a good

management practice because it stimulates soil microbial growth

and activity, with the subsequent mineralization of plant nutrients

(Eriksen, 2005; Randhawa et al., 2005), and increases soil fertility

and quality (Doran et al., 1988). For this reason, their use in the

restoration of degraded zones is promising. However, the influence

of organic matter on soil properties depends on the amount, type

and size of the added organic materials. The effect of a particular

plant residue on soil properties depends on its dominant

component (Clement et al., 1998; Chaves et al., 2004).

Since many enzymes respond to changes in soil fertility status,

they canbe used as potential indicators of soil quality (Garciaet al.,

2000). Enzymes may also react to changes in soil management

more quickly than other physical or chemical variables and there-

fore be usefulas early indicators of biological changes (Bandick and

Dick, 1999).

In view of the above, the objective of this study was to evaluate

the effects of plant residues on soil restoration, comparing their

effect on some physical (structural stability and soil bulk density),

chemical (C/N ratio) and biological soil properties such as soil

Soil & Tillage Research 102 (2009) 109117

A R T I C L E I N F O

Article history:Received 10 December 2007

Received in revised form 12 June 2008

Accepted 10 August 2008

Keywords:

Composted plant residues

Soil enzymatic activities

Soil restoration

A B S T R A C T

Organic soil amendments are increasingly being examined for their potential for soil restoration. In thispaper, different composted plant residuesconsistingof leguminous (redclover, Trifolium pratense L.)(TP)

and non-leguminous (rapeseed, Brassica napus L.) (BN) plants and the combination of both plant residues

(red clover + rapeseed, Trifolium pratense L. + Brassica napus L. at a ratio 1:1) (TP + BN) were applied

duringa periodof 4 years forrestoringa Xelloric Calciorthidsoil locatednear Seville(GuadalquivirValley,

Andalusia, Spain). The effect of the organic soil amendments on plant cover, soil physical (structural

stability, bulk density), chemical (C/N ratio), and biological properties (microbial biomass, soil respiration

and enzymatic activities (dehydrogenase, urease, b-glucosidase, phosphatase and arylsulfataseactivities)) were determined. Organic amendments were applied at rate of 7.2 and 14.4 t organic

matter ha1. All composted plant residues had a positive effect on soil physical properties. At the end of

the experimental period and at the high rate, soil structural stability was highest in the BN (28.3%)

treatment, followed by the TP + BN (22.4%) and the TP (14.5%) treatments and then the control. Soil bulk

densitywas higher in the BN (30.9%),followed by TP + BN (26.2%) and TP (16.1%) treatments with respect

to the control. However, soil biological properties (biomass C and the enzymatic activities) were

particularly improved by the TP + BN treatment, followed by TP, BN and the control. After 4 years, the

percentage of plant cover increased 87.2% in the TP + BN amended soil with respect to the control,

followed by TP (84.1%) and BN (83.8%). These differences were attributed to the different chemicalcomposition of the composts appliedto the soils and their mineralization, controlledby the soil C/N ratio.

The application of TP + BN compost with a C/N ratio of 18, resulted a more favourable soil biological

properties and plant cover thanthe application of TP (C/N ratio = 8.8) and BN (C/N ratio = 47.7) composts.

2008 Published by Elsevier B.V.

* Corresponding author.

E-mail address: [email protected] (M. Tejada).

Contents lists available atScienceDirect

Soil & Tillage Research

j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w . e l s e v i e r . c o m / l o c a t e / s t i l l

0167-1987/$ see front matter 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V.

doi:10.1016/j.still.2008.08.004
mailto:[email protected]://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01671987http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2008.08.004http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2008.08.004http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01671987mailto:[email protected]


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microbial biomass, soil respiration and soil enzymatic activities

(dehydrogenase, urease,b-glucosidase, phosphate and arylsulfa-tase) in a semiarid Mediterranean agro-ecosystem.

2. Materials and methods

2.1. Study area

The study was conducted from October 2000 to October 2005

near Sevilla (Guadalquivir Valley, Andalusia, Spain) on a Xerollic

Calciorthid (Soil Survey Staff, 1987). The main soil characteristics

(025 cm) are shown in Table 1. Soil pH was determined in

distilled water with a glass electrode (soil:H2O ratio 1:2.5). Soil

electrical conductivity was determined in distilled water with a

glass electrode (soil:H2O ratio 1:5). Soil texture was determined by

the Robinsons pipette method (SSEW, 1982) and dominant clay

types were determined by X-ray diffraction. Soil total N was

determined by the Kjeldahl method (MAPA, 1986). Total CaCO3was measured by estimating the quantity of the CO2produced by

HCl addition to the soil (MAPA, 1986). Soil organic carbon was

determined by oxidizing organic matter in soil samples with

K2Cr2O7 in sulphuric acid (96%) for 30 min, and measuring the

concentration of Cr3+ formed (Yeomans and Bremner, 1988).

The climate is semiarid with an average annual precipitation of

400 mm for the 3 experimental years, concentrated in the spring

and autumn months. The mean annual temperature of the 3

experimental years was 17.3 8C and mean potential evapotran-

spiration was 700 mm year1. Thus the long-term water deficit,

calculated by the Thorntwaite method, is 436 mm. July andAugust

are the driest months.

The area is a fragile environment strongly marked by erosion.

Harsh physical conditions and inadequate soil uses by man have

resulted in a dissected landscape where furrows, rills and gullies

scour both the hill slopes and the weak deposits which fill the low-

lying regions.

2.2. Properties of plant residues

Plant residues consisting of leguminous (red clover, Trifolium

pratense L.) and non-leguminous (rapeseed, Brassica napus L.)

plants and the combination of bothresidues (red clover + rapeseed,

Trifolium pratense L. +Brassica napus L. at a ratio 1:1) were

composted. For composting, the residues (Trifolium pratense L.,

Brassica napusL. andTrifolium pratenseL. + Brassica napusL.) were

shredded and composted in trapezoidal piles (2 m high by 2 m

width by 3 m length). During the thermophilic phase, the piles

were watered regularly to maintain moisture contents at around

55%, in accordance with McKinley et al. (1985). The piles were

turned every 10 days in order to improve the O2 level inside the

pile. The composting process lasted 179 days forTrifolium pratense

L. residues, 210 days for Brassica napusL. residues and 201 days forthe mix of Trifolium pratense L. +Brassica napus L. residues.

Composting was considered complete when the C/N ratio and

temperature became constant. The general properties of the

composted plant residues at the end of the composting process are

shown inTable 2.

Organic matter (OM) was determined by dry combustion

(MAPA, 1986). To determine humic and fulvic acids-C, composted

plant residues were extracted with a mixture of 0.1 M sodium

pyrophosphate and 0.1 M sodium hydroxide at pH 13 (Kononova,1966). The supernatant was acidified to pH 2 withHCl and allowed

to stand for 24 h at room temperature. To separate humic acids

from fulvic acids, the solution was centrifuged and the precipitate

containing humic acids was removed. This precipitate was later

redissolved with sodium hydroxide (Yeomans and Bremner, 1988).

After the removal of humic acids, the acidic filtrate containing the

dissolved fulvicacid fraction was passedthrough a column of XAD-

8 resin. The adsorbed fulvic was then recovered by elution with

0.1 M NaOH, desalted using Amberlyst 15-cation-exchange resin,

and finally freeze-dried. The carbon content of humic acid and

fulvic acids was determined by the method of Yeomans and

Bremner (1988). Structural carbohydrates were determined

sequentially as neutral detergent and acid detergent fibres and

lignin was determined by permanganate oxidation (Goering andvan Soest, 1970). The neutral detergent procedure gives the total

fibre content of cell walls. The acid detergent fibre is mainly

composed of lignin, cellulose and insoluble minerals (Goering and

van Soest, 1970). The hemicellulose fraction was calculated by

subtracting the acid detergent fibre from the neutral detergent

values. The acid detergent fibre and neutral detergent values were

corrected for residual ash.

2.3. Experimental layout and treatments

The experimental layout was a randomized complete block

with a total amount of 35 plots, with each plot measuring

9 m 9 m. Seven treatments were used (five replicates per

treatment):

(1) C, control soil (no organic amendment).

(2) TP1, fertilized with 10 t ha1 of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.)

compost (TP) (dry weight) (7.2 t OM ha1).(3) BN1, fertilized with 8.8 t ha1 of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

compost (BN) (dry weight) (7.2 t OM ha1).

(4) (TP + BN)1, fertilized with 5.3 t ha1 of a compost from a red

clover + rapeseed (Trifolium pratense L. +Brassica napusL.) (1:1)

mixture (TP + BN) (dry weight) (7.2 t OM ha1).

(5) TP2, fertilized with20 t ha1of TP (dry weight)(14.4 t OM ha1).

(6) BN2, fertilized with 17.7 t ha1 of BN (dry weight)

(14.4 t OM ha1).

(7) (TP + BN)2, fertilized with 10.5 t ha1 of the mixing TP + BN

(dry weight) (14.4 t OM ha

1

).

Table 1

Initial soil characteristics (mean of 4 samples with standard error in parentheses)

pH 7.6 (0.14)

Electrical conductivity (dS m1) 0.23 (0.04)

Clay (g kg1) 313 (15)

Silt (g kg1) 259 (22)

Sand (g kg1) 428 (31)

Texture Clay loam

Dominant clay types Illite, illite-montmorillonite (interstratified)

CaCO3(g kg1) 351 (25)

Total N (g kg1) 0.91 (0.03)

Total C (g kg1) 5.4 (0.09)

C/N ratio 5.9 (0.3)

Table 2

Characteristics of the plant residue composts (mean of 7 samples with standard

error in parentheses)

TP BN TP + BN

Dry weight (%) 16.8 (0.6) 30.4 (1.4) 21.7 (1.0)

Organic matter (g kg1 DM) 358.9 (1.7) 405.8 (3.6) 680.4 (2.1)

Total N (g kg1 DM) 40.8 (1.7) 8.5 (0.9) 37.4 (0.8)

C/N ratio 8.8 (1.1) 47.7 (4) 18.2 (2.6)

Humic acid-C (g kg1) 1.3 (0.1) 63.6 (1.4) 59.5 (2.8)Fulvic acid-C (g kg1) 51.4 (1.2) 2.5 (0.2) 53.8 (2.1)

Lignin (g kg1 DM) 5.3 (0.6) 27.8 (1.1) 29.8 (0.9)

Cellulose (g kg1 DM) 4.7 (0.5) 20.4 (1.6) 18.3 (0.5)

Hemicellulose (g kg1 DM) 9.8 (0.6) 34.6 (1.4) 30.5 (1.0)

DM: dry matter.

M. Tejada et al. / Soil & Tillage Research 102 (2009) 109117110


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The composted plant residues were spread on the soil surface

on10 October 2001, 2 October 2002, 7 October 2003 and 6 October

2004, and incorporated to a 25-cm depth by chisel plowing and

disking the day after application. Control plots received the same

tillage treatments as the plots subjected to residue addition. The

chemical composition of the used composts was the same for the

entire experimental time. To accomplish this, the composted plant

residues were stored at 0 8C after their application the first year to

avoid mineralization.

2.4. Soil sampling and analytical determinations

Plant cover, or percentage of soil covered by the octagonal

projection of the aerial part of each plant, was determined by

the lineal intercept method (Canfield, 1941). Plant cover was

determined on 15 May 2002, 19 May 2003, 17 May 2004 and 20

May 2005.

Soil samples (025 cm) were collected from each plot with a

gauge auger (30-mmdiameter) on 1 October 2002, 6 October 2003,

5 October 2004, and 8 October 2005. Three subsamples were

collected from each plot. After air drying, the soil samples were

grounded to pass a 2-mm sieve and stored for 10 days in sealed

polyethylene bags at 4 8C before analysis.Soil structural stability was determined by the Henin and

Monnier method (1956)and classified according toBaize criteria

(1988). The aggregate size fraction


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the soils amended with composted plant residues with higher

humic acid concentration. These results are in agreement with Kay

and VandenBygaart (2002)andTejada et al. (2006a).

At the end of the experimental period, the lowest soil C/N

ratio values were observed for control soil, followed by TP,(TP + BN) and BN amended soils (Fig. 1). Optimum C/N ratio (10

12) was observed for TP + BN (at both rates) and TP2 amended

soils. TP1 amended soils had slightly lower C/N values, whereas

BN amended soils (at both rates) showed higher C/N ratios. In

our opinion, this is why mineralization prevails over immobi-

lization in the TP + BN and TP treatments. Soil microbial biomass

and soil enzymatic activities were also higher in these soils than

in BN (at both rates) treatments (C/N ratio not optimal). Thus

immobilization prevails over mineralization and soil microbial

biomass and soil enzymatic activities are lower. These results

reflect those of Tejada and Gonzalez (2006), who observed a

high degree of mineralization of a crushed cotton gin compost

after its application to soil, the soil C/N ratio presenting values

around 1012.

3.2. Soil biological properties

Soil respiration and soil microbial biomass-C increased pro-

gressively during the experimental period with compost addition

(Fig. 2). The general increase in biomass-C and soil respirationcan be attributed to the incorporation of easily degradable

materials, which stimulate the zymogeneous microbial activity

of the soil, and to the incorporation of exogenous microorgan-

isms (Blagodatsky et al., 2000; Schaffers, 2000). These results are

in agreement withTejada et al. (2006a,b), who found an increase

in soil microbial biomass carbon and soil respiration after the

application to the soil of diverse organic wastes such as cotton

gin compost, beet vinasse composted with a crushed cotton

gin compost and poultry manure. Also, soil microbial biomass-C

of the fourth experimental season was higher than those of the

third, second and first experimental seasons, respectively, due

to the residual effect of the organic matter of each compost

after their application in the third, second and first experimental

seasons.

Fig. 1.Instability index (log10Is), bulk density (Mg m3) and C/N ratio in soils to which composted plant residues were applied. Error bars represent the standard error of

means. Structural stability (log10Is) (Baize, 1988), very stable 1.0; stable = 1.01.3; slightly stable = 1.31.7; unstable = 1.72.0; very unstable 2.0. Different letters

following the figures indicate a significant difference at p


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It has been suggested that the improvement in the physical

properties of soil, particularly structural stability and porosity,

may affect its biological and biochemical activities (Giusquiani

et al., 1995; Tejada et al., 2006a). Our results showed that the

treated soils, in which an increase in soil microbial biomass was

observed, showed a low soil instability index (log10Is), due

perhaps to the large amounts of organic matter added. Several

studies have indicated that soil microbial processes are directly

and indirectly influenced by soil structure. The presence of small

pores reduces accessibility of organic materials to decomposers,

leading to physical protection of C and a reduction in N

mineralization (VanVeen and Kuikman, 1990; Tejada et al., 2006a).

However, soil respiration and soil microbial biomass-C depends

on the quality of organic inputs as well as on the quantity. The factthat soil microbial biomass and soil respiration were higher in the

soils amended with composted plant residues with a higher fulvic

acid concentration maybe due to a greater labilefractionof organic

matterin these residues. The labile fraction of organic matter is the

most degradable and therefore the most susceptible to miner-

alization (Cook and Allan, 1992), acting as an immediate energy

source for microorganisms.

Curves representing cumulative CO2C with time (Fig. 2) show

that the slope at the outset was higher in the soils amended with

composted plant residues with a higher fulvic acid concentration

(TP and TP + BN composts), which suggests that in these

treatments carbon substrates are mineralised more rapidly; and

that the greater microbial biomass derived from these treatments

is able to degrade a greater quantity of substrates.

The increase in soil microbial biomass and soil respiration

affects positively soil enzymatic activity. In this respect and at the

end of the experimental period, soil enzymatic activities generally

increased in the treated soils in the following order:

(TP + BN)2>TP2>(TP + BN)1>TP1>BN2>BN1 (Figs. 3 and

4). Several authors have reported that the addition of organic

amendments activates microorganisms to produce enzymes

related to the cycle of the most important nutrients. In this

respect, Tejada et al. (2006a,b) found an increase of urease, b-glucosidase, alkaline phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities after

the application to the soil of diverse organic wastes such as cotton

gin compost, beet vinasse composted with a crushed cotton gin

compost and poultry manure.

Dehydrogenase activity typically occurs in all intact, viablemicrobial cells. Thus, its measurement is usually related to the

presence of viable microorganisms and their oxidative capability

(Trevors, 1984). According toGarcia et al. (1994) dehydrogenase

activitycan be used as an indicatorof microbial activity in semiarid

soils. All treated soils showed higher dehydrogenase activity than

the control (Fig. 3). The greater dehydrogenase activity detected at

the high doses suggests that the added organic matter did not

include compounds toxic for this activity (Pascual et al., 1998). The

high dehydrogenase activity exhibitedby the treated soils suggests

the existence of a high quantity of biodegradable substrates in

these soils, which is in agreement with their high content of labile

C, which will stimulate microbial activity.

Measurement of soil hydrolases provides an early indication of

changes in soil fertility since they are related to the mineralization

Fig.2. CumulativeCO2Cand microbialbiomass-C insoilsto whichcompostedplantresidues were applied. Errorbarsrepresent thestandard errorof means.NS,*, **,***,non-

significant or significant at p


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ofsuch important nutrientelements as C,N, P and S (Ceccanti et al.,

1994). Urease catalyses the hydrolysis of urea to carbon dioxide

and ammonium, and it is widely distributed in microorganisms,

plants and animals (Nannipieri et al., 2002). The observed

stimulation of urease activity was higher in the soils amended

with composted plant residues with higher fulvic acid concentra-tion (TP + BN and TP) (Fig. 3), probably due to the higher microbial

biomass produced in response.

b-Glucosidase activity reflects the state of the organic matterand the processes occurring therein (Garciaet al., 1994). Thehigherb-glucosidase activity in organically amended soils (Fig. 3) can beexplained by the positive effect of the organic amendment on the

activity of this enzyme, probably due to the higher microbial

biomass produced in response (Tejada et al., 2006a).

Soil phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities were also higher in

the soils amended with composted plant residues with higher

fulvic acid concentration (Fig. 4). The high activity detected in

amended soils suggests either the existence in organic wastes of

phosphorus and sulphate compounds that can act as substrate for

the enzyme, or the existence of microbial populations which need

inorganic phosphorus for their own development, stimulating the

enzyme synthesis.

The stimulation of these hydrolase activities in the treated soils

suggests either that the amendments used did not contain

compounds toxic for these activities or they increased soil

microbial growth, or additional microbial cells and/or enzymescounteracts any inhibitory effect of the toxic compounds. Soil

enzymatic activities at the end of the experimental period were

highest than those of the third, second and first experimental

seasons, respectively, due to the residual effect of the organic

matter added to the soil.

3.3. Plant cover

One year after the application of the composted plant residues

to soil, the spontaneous vegetation growth increased in the

treated soils with respect to the control. The most abundant

species were Borago officinalis, Chrysanthemum coronarium,

Diplotaxis muralis, Moricandia arvensis, Paronychia argentea and

Silene colorata.Fig. 5shows the evolution of percentage of plant

Fig. 3. Dehydrogenase, urease andb-glucosidaseactivities in soils to which compostedplantresidues were applied. Error bars representthe standarderrorof means. INTF:2-

p-iodo-3-nitrophenyl formazan; PNP: p-nitrophenol. Different letters following the figures indicate a significant difference at p


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cover after theapplication of composted plant residuesduring the

experimental period. After 4 years, the percentage of plant coverincreased with respect to the control soil in the following order:

plot treated with (TP + BN)2 (87.2% plant cover)>plot treated

withTP2 (86.8% plant cover)>plot treatedwith (TP + BN)1(86.7%

plant cover)> plot treated with TP1 (85.9% plant cover) >plot

treated with BN2 (85.2% plant cover)>plot treated with BN1

(83.8% plant cover).

Like soil microbial biomass-C and soil enzymatic activities, the

plant cover of the fourth experimental season was higher thanthose of the third, second and first experimental seasons,

respectively, due to the residual effect of the organic matter of

each compost applied to the soil.

Since soil enzymatic activities are responsible for important

cycles such as C, N, P and S, plant cover increased significantly

when a higher dose of composted plant residues was applied to the

Fig. 4. Phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities in soilsto whichcompostedplant residues wereapplied. Errorbars representthe standard errorof means. PNP:p-nitrophenol;

PNF: p-nitrophenyl. Different letters following the figures indicate a significant difference at p


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soil. It must be emphasized that the highest density of plant cover

was found in those soils showing the highest values of the

biochemical parameters studied. A suitable soil C/N ratio after the

application of composted plant residues, as is the case of TP + BN

and TP treated soils, favours the mineralization of organic matter

and therefore, favours a higher plant cover. Plant cover density at

the fourth year was higher than that at the third, second and firstyear, respectively, due to the residual effect of the organic matter

added with the composts after their application in the first, second

and third experimental seasons. These results are very important,

principally in the arid zones where the risk of desertification and

loss of soil is a great problem (Garcia et al., 1994).

Inordertopredicttheparametersmostdecisivelyinfluencingsoil

restoration, thevariableswere subjected to factoranalyses (Table 3).

The factors selected (i.e., instability index and bulk density) were

those having a greater-than-unity eigenvalue according to Kaiser

(1960). In this respect, the cumulation of these two factors were

found to account for 89.181% of the overall variance. Upon rotate

factor varimax, the factor 1 was found to encompass the variables

biomass-C, dehydrogenase, urease b-glucosidase, phosphatase

and arylsulfatase activities and plant cover.The factor 2 encompasses the variables instability index

(log10Is) and bulk density (both with negative sign), and C/N ratio.

As regards the results of the varimax rotated factor matrix, the

studied properties were grouped into two factors; one of them

containing all the biological properties (factor 1), which respond

rapidly and sensitively, and the other containing all the physical

and chemical properties (factor 2), whichneed a long time to affect

the soil properties. According toGarcia et al. (2000)biological and

biochemical properties indicators of a soils microbial activity will

be the most sensitive to the changes which occur in a soil.

Since the factor analysis indicated that plant cover is related to

the soil biological properties studied, a linear regression analysis

was performed, considering the plant cover as the dependent

variable. The result was:Plant cover 11:57 0:022 biomass-C 0:29 dehydrogenase

0:13urease 0:341b-glucosidase

0:85 phosphatase 0:349 arylsulfatase R2%

95:78

The high correlation coefficient found indicates a strong

correlation between the plant cover and soil biological properties.

4. Conclusions

The application of composted plant residues had a positive

effect on soil physical, chemical and biological properties, and also

favours the appearance of spontaneous vegetation, which will

protect the soil against erosion and will contribute to its

restoration. Therefore the addition of this type of organic waste

may be considered a good strategy for recovering semiarid areas.

However, the extent of these improvements depend on the

chemical composition of the composts applied to the soil, humic

acid content favouring soil structural stability and porosity, and

fulvic acid content favouring soil microbial size and activity. It canalso be concluded that the C/N ratio of the composted organic

materials, exercises an important effect on the soil C/N strongly

influencing soil biological properties and organic matter miner-

alization, and consequently soil restoration. The application of

TP + BN composts, with a C/N ratio around of 18, originated a more

favourable soil C/N evolution and therefore more favourable soil

biological properties, which had a more positive effect on plant

cover than the application of TP (C/N = 8.8) and BN (C/N = 47.7)

composts. Since plant cover is directly related to the soil biological

properties evolution, the study of soil enzymatic activities might

be a good indicator of the plant cover evolution.

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Table 3

Factor analysis for all parameters analyzed and for all treatments studied

Variable Eigenvalue % Variance % Cumulative variancea Factor matrix Varimax rotated factor

matrix

Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 1 Factor 2

Instability index 7.297 72.973 72.973 0.599 0.714 0.249 0.920

Bulk density 1.621 16.208 89.181 0.528 0.761 0.177 0.909

C/N ratio 0.661 6.613 95.793 0.445 0.542 0.188 0.676Biomass-C 0.145 1.450 97.243 0.908 0.240 0.928 0.146

Dehydrogenase 0.094 0.945 98.188 0.969 0.174 0.960 0.231

Urease 0.068 0.680 98.867 0.962 0.189 0.956 0.215

b-Glucosidase 0.040 0.404 99.271 0.974 0.156 0.955 0.250Phosphatase 0.032 0.318 99.589 0.977 0.155 0.957 0.252

Arylsulfatase 0.024 0.238 99.827 0.958 0.140 0.933 0.258

Plant cover 0.017 0.173 100 0.976 0.083 0.926 0.318

a Is calculated by adding the % variance of each parameter and the % variances of the parameters above.

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