Utilization of recycled solid waste as ecological reclamation materials based on plant growth experiments and soil quality analysis

During the highway construction,a large number of spoil areas will be generated while a large amount of waste slag and soil could not be rationally utilized.Besides,the vegetation recovery is slow in the spoil areas due to the soil depletion.Aiming at recycling the solid waste,the sieved engineering waste slag with local red clay and corn straw biochar was supplied to solve the problem of insufficient nutrients in engineering waste slag and soil.In addition,planting experiments of alfalfa(Medicago sativa L.)and Amorpha fruticosa L.combined with physical and chemical experiments were carried out to prove the feasibility of the novel improved substrate for the reclamation of spoil areas.The results show that the substrate's improvement effect is mainly affected by the soil to slag ratio and the biochar content.The improvement effect of soil matrix in highway spoil area decreases with the increase of the waste slag content,especially when the soil-slag ratio is less than 3,and the promotion of plants is limited.On the contrary,the improvement effect is proportional to the biochar content(3%-8%).But it is noted that the Cu and Pb in the soil will exceed the clean limit corresponding to the Nemero soil pollution index level when the biochar content is 8%.Therefore,it is recommended that the soil-slag ratio should be≥3,and the biochar content should reach 3%-5%.This research provides experimental basis and technical support for utilizing solid waste resources in the reclamation of highway spoil areas.

Calcium carbonate promotes the formation and stability of soil macroaggregates in mining areas of China

We studied changes in the concentrations of aggregate-cementing agents after different reclamation times and with different fertilization regimes,as well as the formation mechanism of aggregates in reclaimed soil,to provide a theoretical basis for rapid reclamation of soil fertility in the subsidence area of coal mines in Shanxi Province,China.In this study,soil samples of 0–20 cm depth were collected from four fertilization treatments of a longterm experiment started in 2008:no fertilizer (CK),inorganic fertilizer (NPK),chicken manure compost (M),and50%inorganic fertilizer plus 50%chicken manure compost (MNPK).The concentrations of cementing agents and changes in soil aggregate size distribution and stability were analysed.The results showed that the formation of>2 mm aggregates,the aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD),and the proportion of>0.25 mm water-stable aggregates (WR_(0.25)) increased significantly after 6 and 11 years of reclamation.The concentration of organic cementing agents tended to increase with reclamation time,whereas free iron oxide (Fed) and free aluminium oxide(Ald) concentrations initially increased but then decreased.In general,the MNPK treatment signi?cantly increased the concentrations of organic cementing agents and CaCO_(3),and CaCO_(3) increased by 60.4%at 11 years after reclamation.Additionally,CaCO_(3) had the greatest effect on the stability of aggregates,promoting the formation of>0.25 mm aggregates and accounting for 54.4%of the variance in the proportion and stability of the aggregates.It was concluded that long-term reclamation is bene?cial for improving soil structure.The MNPK treatment was the most effective measure for increasing maize grain yield and concentration of organic cementing agents and CaCO_(3).

Discussion on Land Use Mode Reform in Coal Opencast Mining

The existing land supply mode of opencast mining is"land requisition first,then transfer",which lacks an effective recovery and withdrawal mechanism,and the reclaimed mining land is difficult to withdraw.According to the regular rules of coal opencast mining and the periodic characteristics of land use,this paper puts forward a new mode of temporary land use for coal opencast mining.It is conducive to im-proving the quality and scale of land use and reclamation utilization of opencast coal mining,and is of great significance for exploring and for-mulating reasonable land use policies for mineral resources development projects.

Impact of estuarine reclamation projects on saltwater intrusion and freshwater resource

Estuarine projects can change local topography and influence water transport and saltwater intrusion.The Changjiang(Yangtze)River estuary is a multichannel estuary,and four major reclamation projects have been implemented in the Changjiang River estuary in recent years:the Xincun Shoal reclamation project(RP-XCS),the Qingcao Shoal reclamation project(RP-QCS),the Eastern Hengsha Shoal reclamation project(RP-EHS),and the Nanhui Shoal reclamation project(RP-NHS).The effects of the four reclamation projects and each project on the saltwater intrusion and water resources in the Changjiang River estuary were simulated in a 3D numerical model.Results show that for a multichannel estuary,local reclamation projects change the local topography and water diversion ratio(WDR)between channels and influence water and salt transport and freshwater utilization in the estuary.During spring tide,under the cumulative effect of the four reclamation projects,the salinity decreases by approximately 0.5in the upper reaches of the North Branch and increases by 0.5-1.0 in the middle and lower reaches of the North Branch.In the North Channel,the salinity decreases by approximately 0.5.In the North Passage,the salinity increases by 0.5-1.0.In the South Passage,the salinity increases by approximately 0.5 in the upper reaches and decreases by 0.2-0.5 on the north side of the middle and lower reaches.During neap tide,the cumulative effects of the four reclamation projects and the individual projects are similar to those during spring tide,but there are some differences.The effects of an individual reclamation project on WDR and saltwater intrusion during spring and neap tides are simulated and analyzed in detail.The cumulative effect of the four reclamation projects favors freshwater usage in the Changjiang River estuary.

Coastline changes and tidal current responses due to the large-scale reclamations in the Bohai Bay

China’s Bohai Bay has experienced large-scale land reclamation since 2000.These reclamation projects create a nearshore ecological imbalance and shift sediment transport by changing the tidal current.However,these tidal current changes are not comprehensively understood.In this paper,the coastline changes in Bohai Bay due to reclamation are investigated and the responses of the tidal current are calculated through numerical methods.The results show that the coastline length of the bay increases by more than 500 km from 2000 to 2015 with the largest reclamation rate of 150.9 km^(2)/a.Consequently,the current velocity changes with an uneven distribution near the reclamation due to construction masking and dike protrusion.The tidal symmetry also changes in most nearshore areas,with opposite variations in the current velocity at peak flood and ebb tide.In addition,the tide direction deflects to bypass the reclamation and is usually consistent with the coastline.Harmonic analysis of the dominant M2 tidal constituent shows that the range of the reciprocating current is widely extended.The total influence of the reclamation can reach the-8-m isobaths in Bohai Bay.Changes in the tidal current are the main causes of water environment deterioration.Therefore,the arrangement and structural optimization of reclamation projects should be considered in the future.

Reclamation of CO_(2) sodium silicate used sands by steam leaching

The bond film on the surface of the CO_(2) sodium silicate used sands is not easy to decompose,therefore,it is difficult to reclaim used sands.A new reclamation method of CO_(2) sodium silicate used sands was developed by steam leaching,which can reduce the water consumption of reclamation and improve the removal effect of sodium silicate bond film.Firstly,the leaching effect of the sodium silicate sands after 20/200/400/600/800/1,000°C heat preservation treatment was simulated.Furthermore,the influence of the leaching time on the removal effect of the sodium silicate bond film was studied.Finally,the casting properties of the reclaimed sands after the leaching reclamation treatment were tested.The results show for simulated used sands after 30 min of steam leaching,the removal ratio of the alkali exceeds 84.1%,the removal ratio of silicate is 86.2%,and the removal ratio of carbonate is 93.6%.The removal rate of alkali,silicate and carbonate is relatively low in the leaching time of 30-50 min.Considering the reclamation effect and cost,the leaching time is controlled in 30 min.Water consumption is only 60%of the mass of used sands for 30 min steam leaching,while it is 200%for wet reclamation.Morphological analysis shows that most of the hazardous substances in the used sands are removed in 30 min steam leaching,and the reclaimed sands surface after steam leaching in 50 min is as smooth as new sands.After 30 min of steam leaching,the alkali removal effect of the factory used sands can reach 81.5%,the water consumption by the steam leaching reclamation is 58%of the mass of the used sand,which is similar to the result of simulated used sands.The performance of reclaimed sands obtained after 30 min steam leaching is better than that of new sands when the amount of sodium silicate added is 6%of the mass of the reclaimed sands and the CO_(2) blowing time is 15 s:the 24 h ultimate compressive strength of reclaimed sands is 5.6 MPa(equated with new sands),and the collapsibility compressive strength is 5.2 MPa,which is lower than the collapsibility compressive strength of new sands(7.7 MPa).This indicates that the reclamation of CO_(2) sodium silicate used sands by steam leaching is a feasible method.

Remote sensing monitoring of the recent rapid increase in cultivation activities and its effects on desertification in the Mu Us Desert, China

The recent ecological improvement in the Mu Us Desert of China, largely attributed to large-scale afforestation projects, has created new opportunities for cultivation activities. However, the subsequent rapid increase in reclamation on desertification land and its impact on desertification have raised concerns. In this study, we first extracted data on cultivated land and desertification land in 1975,1990, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 through the human-computer interaction visual interpretation method. By overlaying the cultivated land dynamics and desertification land, we subsequently explored the effect of cultivation activities on desertification in the Mu Us Desert during the six periods from 1975 to 2020(1975–1990, 1990–2000, 2000–2005, 2005–2010, 2010–2015, and 2015–2020). The results showed that cultivated land in the Mu Us Desert showed a fluctuating and increasing trend from 3769.26 km~2 in 1975 to 4865.73 km~2 in 2020, with 2010 as the turning point for the recent rapid increase. The main contributors included the large and regular patches distributed in Yuyang District and Shenmu of Shaanxi Province, and relatively smaller patches concentrated in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The increased cultivated land from the reclamation on desertification land was dominated by moderate and severe desertification lands, and the decreased cultivated land that was transferred into desertification land as abandoned cultivated land was dominated by slight and moderate desertification lands. The effect of cultivation activities on desertification reversal(average area proportion of 10.61% for reversed desertification land) was greater than that of the development of desertification(average area proportion of 5.82% for developed desertification land). Nevertheless, compared to reversed desertification land,both the significant increase of developed desertification land during the periods of 2000–2005 and 2005–2010 and the insignificant decrease during the periods of 2005–2010, 2010–2015, and 2015–2020 implied a potential remobilization risk. Therefore, this study provides a significant theoretical reference for the formulation of ecological restoration projects and regional macroeconomic development policies by considering the influence of cultivation activities, to ensure the overall environmental stability and sustainability in desertification land where reclamation and abandonment activities have taken place.

GIS-Based Assessment of Soil Chemical and Physical Properties as a Basis for Land Reclamation in Toshka Area, Aswan, EGYPT

The accurate assessment of soil properties is a crucial factor for composing and implementing reclamation plans. The main objective of this study was to evaluate soil chemical and physical properties and calculate the chemical and fertility index for assisting land reclamation in Toshka area. The Toshka area is located between latitudes 31°32'N and 31°36'N and longitudes 32°40'E and 32°60'E. GIS was used to select 16 sites. The results revealed the soil has undesirable characteristics. The soil pH ranged from slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline. Furthermore, it was characterized as saline (with a ECe of 4.65 - 11.45 dS⋅m−1) and moderately calcareous soil (with CaCO3 at 11.85% - 17.20%). The soil had a low soil organic matter content which did not exceed 0.18%. The soil was dominated by a sandy loam texture (62.50%) followed by a sandy clay loam texture (18.75%). The bulk density, total soil porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity values varied with 1.38 - 1.55 Mg⋅cm−3, 41.85% - 48.45% and 1.20 - 3.34 cm⋅h−1, respectively. The chemical index ranged from low to moderate quality. The correlations between the parameters osculated between negative and positive. Therefore, the soil may be reclaimed if the soil properties are improved and crop selection is optimized for this soil.

Restoration Planning of Mining Wastelands:A Case Study

Mining plays an important role in the economic development of a country.But the consequences of the mining can be seen in the form of degradation of soil,water,and native vegetation,which ultimately results in the disturbance of the local ecosystem.The ecological restoration of such disturbed ecosystems involves the reclamation of soil,conservation of water,erosion control,and re-vegetation of native vegetation.This can be achieved by improving the physical properties of soil,enhancing the nutrient status of soil,selecting appropriate plant species for re-vegetation,providing provision of irrigation facilities for re-vegetated mining wasteland,and so on.The present study was conducted in the Kota district of Rajasthan,where stone mining is one of the major industrial activities.The paper provides a scientific assessment of the existing vegetation of limestone mining wastelands through field surveys and physicochemical analysis of soil and water.Loss of natural vegetation and excessive stoniness of the substratum were major hurdles that restrict the easy recovery of vegetation on mining wastelands but there is almost no negative impact on the water quality.The study summarizes the holistic technology including the vegetational approach to the restoration of mining wastelands and puts forward some existing problems and their solutions.

Densification of Reclaimed Soils with the Utilization of the Vibro Compaction Technique—A Case Study

This paper presents a case study of the extensive soil improvement work carried out on a reclamation project on the shores of United Arab Emirates. The project consisted an area of approximately 480,000 m2 for recreation purposes. Following the dredging work, approximately 6.8 million cubic meters underwent densification using the vibrocompaction method. The general aims of such analysis are to investigate the effectiveness of vibrocompaction as a method of soil improvement and appraise the selection of this method as the most appropriate soil treatment technique necessary for the adequate densification of the overall loose soil masses. The efficiency of the vibrocompaction technique to densify thick granular-based soil formations of considerable thickness and the benefits obtained, equated to other soil treatment methods, was assessed through a comprehensive post quality control program including field and laboratory post-compaction testing. Based on the analysis conducted it is concluded that soil strength of the reclaimed materials achieved a noteworthy improvement reaching comfortably the required degrees of densification.

城市污泥在矿山废弃地复垦的应用探讨

Based on the analysis of the existing problems in reclaiming abandoned mining land and their negative effect on the ecological environment,and in view of the limited factors to reclaim abandoned mining land,this paper puts forward the suggestions of using sewage sludge as an alternative in mining land reclamation.Application of sewage sludge in reclamation has beneficial effects, such as increasing organic matter content, preventing soil erosion,recovering vegetation,and promoting microbial population and its activities Unfavorable factors including heavy metal and organic pollutant for applications of sewage sludge and their countermeasures are also discussed.

Feasible Rate of Tidal Flat Reclamation——Jiangsu Mud Coast as a Case Study

Reclamation of tidal flat is one of the main ways to get a dynamic balance of the total amount of plowland. With the development of social economy and the increasing demand for plowland, the contradiction between tidal flat reclamation and environment protection becomes more and more outstanding. However, tidal flat reclamation should also follow the dynamic balance of total amount of tidal flat amount. The paper analyzed the history of reclamation and development of Jiangsu mud coast, and calculated the feasible rates of tidal flat reclamation on different stretches respectively, and pointed out that both the economic social benefits of reclamation and the natural erosion-accretion conditions of the coasts should be taken into consideration in deciding the intensity of tidal flat reclamation, so as to satisfy demands on both reclamation and protection of tidal flat resource.

A study of impact of the reclamation and artificial island projects on tidal currents and sediment concentration in radial sand ridge field of the South Yellow Sea

The two-dimensional hydrodynamic model, MIKE21, is applied to simulate the tidal currents and sediment concentration in the radial sand ridges of the South Yellow Sea. Results are in accordance with in situ observations. Then the variations of tidal currents and suspended sediment concentration caused by reclamation and artificial islands projects are simulated. The results show that the impacts are limited around the project areas. After the projects, the fan-shaped, Jianggang centered tidal current pattern would be replaced by a pattern which is formed by two tidal paths. One locates at the Xiyang channel in north-south direction, and the other locates at the Huangshayang channel in east-west direction. The reclamation of Tiaozini separates the waters into south portion and north portion. The changes of sediment concentrations coincide with those of currents. Both the sediment concentrations and tidal currents increase at the northwest of Dongsha and the south of Gaoni, while both decrease at the north and south of Tiaozini, and the east and southwest of Dongsha.

Determination of the Thickness and Medium of Covering Soil for Land Reclamation

Land reclamation is a process of ecosystem reconstruction, for which it is very important to keep co-adaptation between plants and the below ground habitat. In order to keep the co-adaptation among plant species, thickness of covering soil and medium of covering soil to establish a self-regulating ecosystem, the thickness of covering soil of land reclamation for plants in different living forms by synusia structure of plant below-ground habitat and medium of covering soil by ecological factors of plant below-ground habitat were studied. Synusia structure of plant below-ground habitat was recognized through investigation on structure and root of plant community, and ecological factors were determined through soil profile investigation. The thickness and medium of covering soil of land reclamation for the tree, the shrub and the herb were proposed.

Eco-Environment Status of the Bohai Bay and the Impact of Coastal Exploitation

With the rapid economic development in the surrounding coastal zone, more and more wastewater has been discharged into the Bohai Bay. And with the scale of coastal exploitation being expanded year by year, the eco-environment of the Bohai Bay has been confronted with great pressure. In this paper, the main problems in the eco-environment of the Bohai Bay were summarized firstly. Red tides occurred more frequently and more seriously; salinity rose in inshore area, the fishery resources degenerated; all the above indicate that the eco-environment of the Bohai Bay is under a severe situation Next, to make a concrete study of the existing status of the Bohai Bay, the eco-environment index system was set up. Then the principal components analytic method and grey relation method were adopted to carry on a comprehensive analysis on the status. The results show that serious pollution of inorganic nitrogen and active phosphate, and poor species diversity are the main presentations of the bad quality of the inshore aquatic eco-environment of the Bohai Bay, which is mainly induced by the massive discharge of pollutant from land and the overexploitation in the surrounding coastal zone. At last, the variations of hydrodynamic characteristics and the pollutant transport caused by coastal exploitations such as reclamation and seawater desalination are analyzed. The results show that reclamation in coastal water not only decreases the tidal prism and weakens the tidal current action, but also influences the pollution distribution in the coastal water. The seawater desalination project would cause tremendous influence to the aquatic eco-environment of the Bohai Bay as the pollutant＇s pulse impact. Much more attention would be paid to the reasonable use of the coastal zone resources and the control of pollution from land-based sources.

Evaluation Study on the Reclamation Suitability of Occupied Land in the Coal Mine Area——Taking Gouchang Coal Mine in Nayong County of Guizhou as An Example

The suitability evaluation of reclamation land was the premise and foundation for drawing up the land reclamation program.Taking Gouchang coal mine in Nayong County of Guizhou as an example,combining with the actual situation which included the topography,the soil in the mine area and so on,the reclamation land in the mine area was divided into the living area,the production area,the coal yard,the temporary coal gangue yard and other subsidiary facilities district.It determined that the main destruction type in every unit was the occupation,and the destruction degree was severe.Meanwhile referring the suitability evaluation standards of cultivated field and woodland,it finally determined that the reclamation direction of evaluation land which was damaged seriously by the occupation in the mine area was all suitable to the cultivated field and woodland.

Quantitative Analysis of Land Use Landscape Pattern in Shihezi Desert Oasis

Based on the land use status map of Shihezi City,the land use landscape map of Shihezi City was made with the support of GIS then many landscape indices were selected to quantitatively analyze the landscape pattern characteristics of Shihezi Oasis from three aspects of landscape diversity index,landscape space configuration index and plaque characteristics index. The results showed that the main plaque types of the landscape in Shihezi reclamation area are arable land and water areas,which totally account for 58% of the total area; farmland,gardens,woodland,urban sites,industrial and mining land use were embedded in this oasis landscape in the form of mosaics,and their fractal index was high due to the strong impact of human activities; arable land and mining land distribution was scattered,but marshes and other uncultivated land were relatively concentrated. The dominance degree of the landscape was low because there was no advantageous type in this landscape and all patches distributed equably which was easily to be disturbed so that the whole landscape was unstable. Comprehensively speaking,the landscape in Shihezi region was rather complicate,and its diversity index,fragmentation degree and heterogeneity were high.

Spatial Landuse and Farming System Analyses of Reclaimed Tidal Lowland in South Sumatra, Indonesia

This study aims to analyze spatial landuse and farming system of reclamated tidal lowland in South Sumatra, Indonesia by using remote sensing technology and GIS in knowing the distribution of landuse change of tidal lowland. From these conditions, it can see cropping patterns on each of the secondary block and its relation to the condition of the water system network. The study was carried out in Delta Saleh areas. The used methodology was field survey and remote sensing technique. It was combined with GIS technology for spatial analysis. Over the last 11 years （1992-2002）, a decline in the paddy field area is from 23,619.4 ha to 18,518.40 ha （27.65%）. A decrease of river acreage （water body） occurred from 6,643.53 ha to 6,559.83 ha. In 1992 it has not detected any coconut plantation, while in 2001 it showed an area of coconut plantation 3,422.84 ha and 3,822.84 ha in 20l l. Significant changes are also presented in primary mangrove forest, widespread declining around 1,940.88 ha （147.20%）. Most of the mangrove forest was converted into secondary mangrove forest and scrub. Linkage with topography type showed that the land with topography Type A was majority for paddy fields 250.28-262.80 ha （62.72%-65.59%）. Mixed crop fields were in second place with acreage of 90.66-107.36 ha （22.72%-26.80%）. The land with topography Type B showed the widest paddy fields （283.14-314.20 ha or 70.70%-78.48%）, followed by upland crops. The land with topography Type C showed that paddy fields were 283.03-300.41 ha （70.66%-75.02 %）, followed by upland crops 94.85-102.78 ha （23.69%-25.66%）, and coconut was the smallest 0.09-0.27 ha. Generally, the cropping index was 100 on PS-I （planting season 1） for BL-I （business land 1） and BL-2 planted with paddy fields, while the PS-2 are generally not cultivated land （fallow）.

Quantitative Simulation of Dynamic Changes in Cultivated Land in Areas of Reclamation and Returning Cultivated Land to Forest or Pastures under RCPs Climate Scenarios

Northeast China as one of important agricultural production bases is an area under reclamation and returning cultivated land to forests or pastures. Therefore, it is of great practical significance in guaranteeing the sustainable development and national food security to study the spatial and temporal variation of cultivated land in Northeast China under future climate scenarios. In this study, based on data of land use, natural environment and social-economy, dynamics of land system（DLS） model was used to to simulate the spatial distribution and changing trends of cultivated land in the typical areas of reclamation and returning cultivated land to forest or pastures in Northeast China during 2010-2030 under land use planning scenario and representative concentration pathways（RCPs） scenarios quantitatively.The results showed that the area of cultivated land had an overall decreasing trend under the land use planning scenario, but the area of upland field increased slightly from 2000 to 2010 and then declined greatly, while the area of paddy field continuously declined from 2000 to 2030. Under the Asia-Pacific Integrated model（AIM）scenario, the total area of cultivated land had a tendency to increase considerably,with the upland field expanding more obviously and the paddy field declining slightly.In addition, the cultivated land showed a greater decreasing trend under the model for energy supply strategy alternatives and their general environmental impact（MESSAGE） scenario compared to the land use planning scenario. Moreover, analysis on the conversion between different land use types indicated that the reclamation and returning cultivated land to forests or pastures was likely to continue under future scenarios, but the frequency of occurrence could decrease as the time goes by. The conclusions can provide significant decision-making information for the rational agricultural planning and cultivated land protection in Northeast China to adapt to the climate change.

Zoning of land reclamation in coal mining area and new progresses for the past 10 years

Coal mining disturbed land is the main sources of land reclamation in China.With the rapid increase of economy and coal production,more and more land has been disturbed by construction and coal mining;thus,land reclamation has become highlights in the past 10 years,and China is boosting land reclamation in mining areas.Disturbance characteristics vary from region to region,according to natural and geological conditions,coal mining area land reclamation was divided into 3 zones,which are eastern,western and southern.Reclamation strategies are focused on prime farmland protection in eastern and ecological restoration in western and southern zones,respectively.Several innovative reclamation technologies and theories for the past 10 years were introduced in this paper,including concurrent mining and reclamation,Yellow river sediments backfilling,self-reclamation,and topsoil alternatives in opencast mines.Besides,in the government regulation and legal system building respect,several important laws and regulations were issued and implemented in the past 5 years,promoting land reclamation management and supervision greatly.Land reclamation is and will still be one of the most important parts of coal industry in the future,and more efforts and funds are expected to get involved.