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Resumen del póster presentado al EcoDesert International Symposium, celebrado en Almeria (España) del 20 al 22 de febrero e 2019., Technosols are artificial soils made from selected agricultural and/or industrial residues to replace or enhance degraded soils, scoured urban surfaces, artificial taluses from roads, railroads, mines and quarries, among others. The objective of this research is to test different Technosols for both agriculture and restoration of degraded rangelands in the province of Almeria, SE Spain. Technosols are made with different proportions of organic and inorganic wastes from the stone industry and intensive agriculture. Comercial bentonite was added to improve both water retention and cation exchange capacity. Preliminary assays have shown that these Technosols can replace real soils due to their adequate soil properties, with regards the control with very low organic matter. Technosols had a higher content of organic matter and better chemical properties (total N, C, C/N, ¿). However, organic matter did not increase proportionally to the amount of compost added. Soil permeability rates in agricultural plots improved after 6 months, which indicates that these artificial soils are undergoing a successful evolution. On the one hand, Technosols increased the crop production. On the other hand, it is still early to observe differences in the growth of native forest plants. On the one hand, Technosols increased the crop production. On the other hand, it is still early to observe differences in the growth of native forest plants. It is necessary to continue monitoring these Technosols for a few years at least to ensure that the good soil structure and functionality are maintained.

Resumen del trabajo presentado a la European Geophysical Union General Assembly (EGU), celebrada en Vienna (Austria) del 7 al 12 de abril de 2019.

Resumen del póster presentado a la 10th Conference of the Working Group on Soils of Urban, Industrial, Traffic, Mining and Military Areas (SUITMA), celebrada en Seoul (Korea) del 16 al 21 de junio de 2019., [Introduction]: Show that some mixtures of several industrial and agricultural residues in proper proportions can be used as Technosols to restore degraded environments including urban, industrial and military areas. Why some mixtures are suitable for restoring degraded hillslopes and for agriculture other mixtures are not., [Material and Methods]: The characterization of both the individual components and the Technosols include their particle size, elemental analysis, organic Carbon, pH, EC, bulk density, water absorption, permeability (Ksat), aggregate stability (Emerson test), Atterberg limits, COLE index. Specifically for Technosols, infiltration capacity and erodibility by means of simulated rainfall, survival and growth rate of planted species (both native and horticultural). Percolated water (lixiviated) from all Technosols were analyzed by means of XRF for their content in heavy metals., [Results]: The cumulative effects of some specific characteristics of industrial residues from the cement industry, e.g., very high pH and/or EC, excessively fine particle size, hinder the viability of Technosols, especially plant survival and growth, despite their mixture with high quality compost made from horticultural green wastes. However, other industrial residues like those of the artificial stone industry, consisting in sludge and slate fragments, were able de provide Technosols with physical and chemical properties quite similar to those of natural soils in semiarid environments. In these Technosols planted species, both autochthonous and horticultural, had a good rate of survival, grew successfully and gave standard quality fruits (tomatoes, peppers and eggplants). In all cases, the tested Technosols, both with and without successful plant growth, did not produce dangerous lixiviates according the European legislation for environmental quality standards in the field of water policy., [Conclusions]:Technosols made essentially from a high proportion of sludge of the artificial stone industry and a 10% of scarcely composted horticultural green wastes were successful to be used for both the restoration of degraded hillslopes and as substrates for horticultural production.

Resumen del trabajo presentado al 9th European Society for Soil Conservation (ESSC) International Congress, celebrado en Tirana (Albania) del 26 al 28 de septiembre de 2019., Main environmental impacts of many industries (cement, construction, quarrying, artificial stone, intensive horticulture, purification of urban water, etc.) result in the generation of huge amounts of wastes either mineral, organic or both. The mixture of some inorganic-dominant and organic-dominant residues in proper proportions can become Technosols. We discuss the characteristics and behavior in the laboratory and in the field of some of these mixtures which a priori could provide suitable Technosols for, e.g., restoring degraded soils. Essential properties of both the individual components and the Technosols include their particle size, elemental analysis, organic C, pH, EC, bulk density, water absorption, permeability (Ksat), aggregate stability. Specifically for Technosols, infiltration capacity and erodibility by means of simulated rainfall, survival and growth rate of planted species (both native and horticultural) are also provided. The cumulative effects of some specific properties, e.g., very high pH and/or EC, excessively fine particle size, hinder the viability of some Technosols, especially plant survival and growth, despite having been mixed with high quality compost made from horticultural wastes. However industrial residues from a some industries, e.g. artificial stones sludge plus artificial slate fragments were able to provide Technosols with physical and chemical properties relatively similar to those of natural soils in arid-semiarid environments in SE Spain. Although runoff was slightly higher in Technosols than in natural soils, the Technosol with the highest compost content, 15%, presented the lowest erodibility, similar to natural soils in the area. Plant species, both autochthonous and horticultural, had a good survival rate, grew successfully and gave standard quality fruits (tomatoes, peppers and eggplants). In all cases the tested Technosols did not produce dangerous lixiviates according the European legislation for environmental quality standards in the field of water policy. In summary, some of the studied Technosols, i.e., those made essentially from a high proportion of loamy sludge from the artificial stone industry and a 10%-15% of composted horticultural green wastes, even not completely composted, were successful when used for both the restoration of degraded soils and as substrates for horticultural production.

Uno de los principales procesos de degradación de suelos en ambientes restaurados es la erosión causada por el agua, a la que son especialmente sensibles las laderas mineras. Los substratos empleados para la restauración de estas superficies se caracterizan por su baja capacidad de infiltración y alta erodibilidad. Sumado a este hecho pueden concurrir otros factores como la presencia de áreas de contribución de escorrentía en la cabecera de las laderas restauradas que favorezcan la acumulación de escorrentía; asimismo las laderas con excesiva pendiente también favorecen la aceleración de flujos superficiales que pueden provocar procesos de erosión. En un diseño experimental de restauración de suelos en parcelas de 10 x 5 m en canteras de rocas calcáreas implementado en marzo del 2012 en Almería (SE de España) se probó un acolchado con gravilla (4-8 mm) entre 5 y 10 cm de espesor y se comparó con un no-acolchado juntamente con la adición al substrato inerte de enmiendas orgánicas y la plantación de especies autóctonas. Los acolchados en ambientes Mediterráneos semiáridos mitigan la temperatura y la evaporación del suelo, favorecen la infiltración, y reducen la escorrentía y la erosión. Sin embargo, un solo episodio de lluvia intensa a principios del otoño de 2012 (P = 40 mm; I30 = 51,2 mm/h) causó una fuerte escorrentía en parcelas con pendientes entre 15 y 30 % y una erosión lineal del acolchado y del substrato de restauración que alcanza un promedio de 0,224 m³ por parcela (63,5 t ha-1) frente a la mitad de estos valores en las parcelas no acolchadas. Este hecho obliga a replantearse la bondad de los acolchados de gravilla como medida antierosiva en laderas sometidas a lluvias mediterráneas torrenciales.

Uno de los principales procesos de degradación de suelos en ambientes restaurados es la erosión causada por el agua, a la que son especialmente sensibles las laderas mineras. Los substratos empleados para la restauración de estas superficies se caracterizan por su baja capacidad de infiltración y alta erodibilidad. Sumado a este hecho pueden concurrir otros factores como la presencia de áreas de contribución de escorrentía en la cabecera de las laderas restauradas que favorezcan la acumulación de escorrentía; asimismo las laderas con excesiva pendiente también favorecen la aceleración de flujos superficiales que pueden provocar procesos de erosión. En un diseño experimental de restauración de suelos en parcelas de 10 x 5 m en canteras de rocas calcáreas implementado en marzo del 2012 en Almería (SE de España) se probó un acolchado con gravilla (4-8 mm) entre 5 y 10 cm de espesor y se comparó con un no-acolchado juntamente con la adición al substrato inerte de enmiendas orgánicas y la plantación de especies autóctonas. Los acolchados en ambientes Mediterráneos semiáridos mitigan la temperatura y la evaporación del suelo, favorecen la infiltración, y reducen la escorrentía y la erosión. Sin embargo, un solo episodio de lluvia intensa a principios del otoño de 2012 (P = 40 mm; I30 = 51,2 mm/h) causó una fuerte escorrentía en parcelas con pendientes entre 15 y 30 % y una erosión lineal del acolchado y del substrato de restauración que alcanza un promedio de 0,224 m³ por parcela (63,5 t ha-1) frente a la mitad de estos valores en las parcelas no acolchadas. Este hecho obliga a replantearse la bondad de los acolchados de gravilla como medida antierosiva en laderas sometidas a lluvias mediterráneas torrenciales. One of the main soil degradation processes that occur in environments undergoing restoration is water erosion, to which mining hillsides are especially sensitive. The substrates used for restoration of these surfaces typically have a low infiltration capacity and high erodibility. Other factors can be combined with these conditions, including the presence of runoff contribution areas at the head of the restored hillsides, favoring the accumulation of runoff. Likewise, hillsides with steep slopes lead to surface flow acceleration, which can cause processes of erosion. In an experimental soil restoration design in 10 x 5 m parcels on limestone quarries implemented in March, 2012 in Almeria (SE of Spain), a gravel cushion (4-8 mm) between 5 and 10 cm thick was tested and compared with a non-cushion terrain along with the addition of organic amendment to the inert substrate and planting of native species. Cushions in semiarid Mediterranean environments mitigate soil temperature and evaporation, encourage infiltration, and reduce runoff and erosion. However, a single intense rain at the beginning of fall, 2012 (P = 40 mm; I30 = 51.2 mm/h) caused a great deal of runoff on parcels with slopes between 15 and 30% and linear erosion of the cushion and the restoration substrate that reached an average of 0.224 m³ per parcel (63.5 t ha-1) compared to half these values on non-cushioned parcels. This fact forces us to reconsider the benefits of gravel cushions as an anti-erosion measure on hillsides subject to torrential Mediterranean rains. Um dos principais processos de degradação do solo em ambientes restaurados é a erosão provocada pela água, que são especialmente sensíveis nas ladeiras das minas. Os substratos utilizados para restabelecer estas superfícies são caracterizados pela sua baixa capacidade de infiltração e alta erodibilidade. Adicionado a este fato pode haver outros fatores, tais como a presença de áreas de contribuição de escoamento na cabeça das ladeiras restauradas favorecendo o acúmulo de escoamento; também as ladeiras com inclinação excessiva também favorecem os fluxos de aceleração superficiais que pode causar erosão. Em um projeto experimental de restauração dos solos em parcelas de 10 x 5 m em pedreiras de rocha aplicadas em março de 2012 em Almeria (SE da Espanha) aprovou se um preenchimento com cascalho (4-8 mm) entre 5 e 10 cm de espessura e foi comparado com uma não acolchoada em conjunto com a adição ao substrato inerte e aditivos orgânicos plantio de espécies nativas. Os acolchoados em ambientes mediterrâneos semiáridos mitigam a temperatura e a evaporação do solo, promovem a infiltração e reduzem o escoamento e a erosão. No entanto, um único episódio de chuva forte no início do Outono de 2012 (P = 40 mm; I30 = 51,2 milímetros/h) causou um escoamento forte em parcelas com lareiras entre 15 e 30% e erosão linear do acolchoado e do substrato de restauração que atinge médias de 0,224 m³ por parcela (63,5 t ha-1) versus á metade destes valores nas lareiras não acolchoadas. Isso nos obriga a reconsiderar a bondade dos acolchoados de cascalho como a medida de cobertura em lareiras sob chuvas mediterrâneas torrenciais.