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Land use and cover changes alter the functions and structures of ecosystem, resulting in variations in Ecosystem Service Values (ESVs). Thus, we examined the impacts of land use/land cover (LULC) changes on ESVs from 1992 to 2052 using geospatial technologies. The Landsat images were classified using the supervised maximum likelihood classification technique, and future changes in LULC were predicted using the CA-Markov model. Ecosystem Service Values coefficients were adopted from empirical studies and ESVs changes were evaluated based on the benefit transfer method using LULC data for the study periods, with their corresponding modified ESVs coefficients. The results revealed that, the proportions of grassland, forestland and shrubland declined by 58.5 %, 48.15 % and 33.48 %, respectively, from 1992 to 2022. Simultaneously, the highest rate of expansions of waterbodies (34 times), farmland and settlement threefold as well as bareland (60.2 %) from 1992 to 2022 was noticed. As a result, decreasing trends were experienced in the total ESVs of the district from US$33.6 million in 1992 to US$27.79 million in 2022, and are anticipated to further decline to US$25.94 million in 2052. The ESVs of forestland, shrubland and grassland shrank from 53.1 %, 40 % and 2.78 % in 1992 to 33.28 %, 33.16 % and 1.4 % in 2022 these changes are anticipated to continue for the next three decades, except trend for the increase in grassland ecosystem service value. Therefore, the government should redesign effective land management strategies to alleviate the negative consequences of LULC changes, facilitate payment for ecosystem services, and design ecotourism to boost the income of residents for major land use management-based production systems to increase the ESV in the district.

Abstract Background Soil erosion in Ethiopian highlands is highly consistent with land use/land cover (LULC) changes that are associated with deforestation and a decline in biodiversity. However, identifying soil erosion-prone areas and quantifying soil loss in rugged terrains and various agroecologies due to LULC changes have not been dedicated to scientific studies. Therefore, we quantified the impacts of spatiotemporal LULC changes on soil loss across agroecologies and slope categories using GIS and RUSLE model from 1985 to 2021 in Zoa watershed, southwest Ethiopia. Moreover, prioritizing erosion severity risks at sub-watersheds and quantifying temporal sediment yield is essential for better conservation planning. Landsat images, rainfall, Digital Elevation Model, and soil data were obtained from field observations and secondary sources. Results Bareland and farmland have been expanding at the expense of other land use types. The annual soil loss in the watershed ranged from 0 to 113.21 t ha−1 year−1, 0 to 163.16 t ha−1 year−1, and 0 to 194.58 $$\mathrm{t}\,{\mathrm{ha}}^{-1}\,{\mathrm{year}}^{-1}$$ t ha - 1 year - 1 with a mean annual soil loss of 21.07, 29.35 and 40.93 t ha−1 year−1 in 1985, 2000, and 2021, respectively. Among LULC classes, the highest soil loss was generated from bareland (31.73 $$\mathrm{t }\,{\mathrm{ha}}^{-1}\,{\mathrm{year}}^{-1}$$ t ha - 1 year - 1 ) and farmland (27.08 t ha−1 year−1 ) in 1985 later upsurged to 35.52 $$\mathrm{t }\,{\mathrm{ha}}^{-1}\,{\mathrm{year}}^{-1}$$ t ha - 1 year - 1 and 59.91 t ha−1 year−1 in 2021, respectively, due to the maximum susceptibility of soil erosion risks from unprotected surfaces. The results also revealed that the lowland agroecology generated the highest mean soil loss of 24.05 $$\mathrm{t }\,{\mathrm{ha}}^{-1}\,{\mathrm{year}}^{-1}$$ t ha - 1 year - 1 in 1985, 39.74 t ha−1 year−1 in 2000, and increased to 57.55 $$\mathrm{t }\,{\mathrm{ha}}^{-1}\,{\mathrm{year}}^{-1}$$ t ha - 1 year - 1 in 2021. Considering the slope categories, the highest and most excruciating soil loss was engendered from steep (35.55–60.78 t ha– 1 year– 1) and very steep (52.48–72.69 $$\mathrm{t }\,{\mathrm{ha}}^{-1}\,{\mathrm{year}}^{-1}$$ t ha - 1 year - 1 ) slope terrains during 1985–2021. The northwestern part of the watershed is the most erosion-prone area which is now expanding to the central and western parts of the watershed. The sediment yield increased at the fastest rate at the watershed outlet, from 39.3% in 1985 to 94.26% in 2021. Conclusions The results of this study indicated that the conversion of other LULC categories into farmland was the most detrimental to a watershed in terms of soil loss, which necessitates the implementation of appropriate soil and water conservation measures with effective design by considering spatial variability to reduce soil erosion hazards.

The composting of sewage sludge (SS) with structure-forming additives is a popular and inexpensive method for the management of biodegradable waste. During this process, a number of transformations of organic matter and nutrients occur. This study presents the rates and directions of quantitative changes in Cu, Zn, and Ni during the composting of various mixtures. The following substances were used for preparing compost mixtures: SS, sawdust, straw, and bark. These substances were mixed together in appropriate proportions as follows: C1: 45% SS + 50% sawdust + 5% straw; C2: 45% SS + 50% bark+ 5% straw; and C3: 45% SS + 35% bark + 15% sawdust + 5% straw. Single (DTPA solution) and sequential extraction methods (BCR protocol) were used for microelement mobility assessment. Compost valorization was performed in each individual composting phase. The chain relative increment analysis was used for such assessment. Additionally, the potential metal pollution in the composts was evaluated by applying the following indices: the pollutant accumulation index (PAI), heavy metal enrichment index (HMEI), and heavy metal pollution load index (HMPLI). During composting, generally, the amounts of Ni, Cu, and Zn increased in the various extracted combinations, which was independent of their susceptibility to decomposition. Despite of this, the tested composts should be considered as a source of slowly available microelements for plants. The most intense quantitative changes in metals occurred in the thermophilic phase, and the weakest changes occurred in the cooling phase. At the same time, the calculated indices indicated a lack of contamination of the composts with the analyzed metals, emphasizing their environmental safety and lack of negative impact. The bulking agents used for composting with SS did not significantly influence the intensity of the quantitative changes in the tested metals.

Environmental phenomena are always changing elsewhere in various scales depending on both natural phenomenon and human interference. Land use/over change (LULC) is related to site specific factors such as inappropriate land use planning and the expansion of traditional agricultural practices in steep gradients have led to soil erosion and consequent ecological changes. Thus, it is crucial to determine the trend, pattern, and drivers of land use/land cover dynamics for sustainable natural resource management in Ethiopia. Therefore, we evaluated the spatio-temporal LULC dynamics in different agroeclogies and slope gradients, and their drivers between 1985 and 2021 in the Zoa watershed of Omo-Gibe basin, Southwest Ethiopia. Landsat imageries, focus group discussants, key informants, and field observations were used as source of data to analyze the spatio-temporal LULC trajectories and their drivers. With total accuracies ranging from 87.55% to 91.14%, supervised image classification using the Maximum Likelihood classifier technique was used to categorize five key LULC classes: bareland, farmland, forestland, grassland, and shrubland. The results revealed that shrubland (41.87%) had the largest share in 1985, but later declined to 23.98% in 2000, and 12.6% in 2021. Grassland has declined as well, from 17.15% in 1985 to 2.09% in 2021. In contrast, farmland increased at the fastest rate, from 29.09% in 1985 to 71.12% in 2021. The proportion of farmland exhibited an increasing trend in all agro-ecologies, while forestland has increased only in highland agro-ecologies. Between 1985 and 2021, an extensive area of shrubland and grassland were converted into farmland with a conversation rate of 1.05% and 0.58% per annum, respectively. The expansion of farmland was observed towards moderately and steep rolling slopes which might exacerbate soil degradation. This is due to rapid population increase and ongoing demand for agricultural land. The result of key informant interviews and focus group discussions also revealed that expansion of farmland and settlement are the major drivers of LULC dynamics due to rapid human population growth. Therefore, the regional government and various stakeholders should work on redesigning effective management strategies through appropriate land use planning to address the adverse effects of LULC dynamics.

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in lead and chromium amounts in sequentially separated fractions and available forms of four sewage sludge (SS). Lead and chromium sequential extraction in SS was performed using BCR method. Single extractants were used to assay available and bioavailable forms of metals. It was found that Pb and Cr were detected in the largest amounts in organic forms, while the lowest levels were recorded for exchangeable ones. Sewage sludges from the small installations contained significantly lower amounts of metals (both available, bioavailable and sequentially separated fractions of sewage sludge) in comparison with those originating from the large treatment installations. Generally amounts of metals detected in sewage sludge were small in the years of this study, which should be considered a positive trend. Additionally, the bioavailability index (φ) and risk assessment code (RAC) indicated no negative impact of metals contained in the analysed SS on the soil environment.

Nowadays the role of organic amendments is increasing as a valuable source of nutrients. Organic fertilisation improves general soil fertility but concomitantly slow nutrient release and the risk of low efficiency of nutrient utilisation by crops is underlined. Thus the study investigates the influence of soil amendment with mineral, organic and mineral–organic fertilisation on macronutrient uptake by plants: camelina (Camelina sativa L.), white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivated on light soils. A three-year pot experiment was conducted in PVC pots. The individual fertilisers were applied at 70 and 170 kg N ha−1. The study clearly demonstrated that independently of the fertilisation type, their doses equivalent to 170 kg N ha−1 caused significantly higher uptake of all analysed nutrients by plants in comparison to those grown in the soil enriched with fertilisers with lower doses of nitrogen. The performed statistical analysis (a multi-factorial analysis of variance and the Principal Component Analysis) confirmed genetic variance in macronutrient accumulation by plants cultivated in crop rotation, whereas on average white mustard absorbed the highest amounts of nutrients except for Mg. In addition, the application of the PCA analysis facilitated the determination of the interrelationships between nutrients.

The increasing mass of organic waste as well as the assumptions of a circular economy enforce the rational management of this type of waste. One method of recycling is composting, which makes it possible to use waste efficiently as an organic fertilizer. This paper presents the results of a comparative study of six different composts in terms of their agricultural quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioavailable amounts of metals using single extractions with DTPA solution and to characterize various humic compounds. Particular attention was paid to the amounts of labile carbon (LC), hot water-extractable carbon (HWC), and the quantity and quality of humus substances (HS). Regardless of compost types, they were characterized by a small share of easily decomposable compounds such as fulvic acids (FAs), LC, and HWC, which may indicate the low susceptibility of compost humic substances to microbiological degradation in soil. In general, the bioavailable metal amounts found in the analyzed composts were low; therefore, the tested composts applied to the soil can be considered safe for the environment.

Soil contamination with heavy metals is one of the most important threats to the environment because they are easily incorporated into the food chain, threatening the health of plants, animals, and humans. In this study, the effectiveness of the introduced substances (compost and fly ash) was assessed in terms of its influence on the content of Cu and Zn in the soil, potential accumulation of these metals in the cultivated plants (camelina and oat), and thus in food products prepared from these plants. Therefore, the following indicators were used: bioconcentration factors calculated for the total amount (BCFT) and bioavailable amount of metals (BCFB) as well as gender-estimated daily intake (EDI) and health risk index (HRI). Regardless of gender, the EDI values ranged from 0.31 µg·kg−1 to 0.49 µg·kg−1 for Cu and from 0.9 µg·kg−1 to 1.8 µg·kg−1 for Zn in oat. For camelina, the calculated values were as follows: 4.1–8.5 µg·kg−1 for Cu and 7.1–12.1 µg·kg−1 for Zn. The HRI values were very low (in general 0.03–0.2), indicating no health risk connected with potential consumption of oat or camelina food products. The amounts of Cu and Zn in the crops grown on the soil amended with compost or fly ash were significantly lower (by 21–37% for oat and 14–34% for camelina) compared to the content of these metals in the control plants. Moreover, the levels of bioavailable metals decreased in soil as a result of the applied immobilizing agents. The study showed that the immobilization efficiency of compost and fly ash was comparable, and therefore the choice of either of these substances for the chemical remediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals is justified.

Due to the increasing biomass of biowaste it is necessary to manage it rationally. This work presents comparisons and valorization of vermicomposts (VCs) and composts (Cs) prepared from various biowastes generated in households and private gardens, in terms of their practical use. The tested VCs and Cs were subjected to chemical analyses to assess the amounts of macro- (N, P, K, S, Mg, Ca, Na) and micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni), as well as contents of organic matter (OM), total organic carbon (TOC), humic compounds (HS) and labile and water extractable organic carbon (LC, WEOC). Moreover, humification indexes (HR, HI, DP) were determined. The amounts of macro- and micronutrients, OM, TOC, LC, WEOC were greater for vermicomposts. Regardless of these differences, both vermicomposts and composts were characterized by considerable amounts of organic matter ranging from 325 to 631 g·kg−1 and TOC amounting from 82 to 270 g·kg−1. Moreover, the tested organic fertilizers were characterized by high contents of N (7–21.5 g·kg−1), K (3.7–24.4 g·kg−1), Ca (12.2–44.0 g·kg−1), Fe (133.1–333.8 mg·kg−1) and Mn (71.5–113.8 mg·kg−1). The analyzed VCs and Cs did not exceed the permissible amounts of heavy metals (Cr, Pb) and contained a comparable amount and quality of humus compounds. The level of CHS ranged from 29.6 to 41 g·kg−1 for vermicomposts, and from 19.8 to 51.8 g·kg−1 for composts. The humification indexes indicate that VCs and Cs were well–matured despite different composting conditions. The HI values for VCs ranged from 8.3% to 10% and for Cs amounted from 12.2% to 16.8%. Similarly, the HR values were higher for composts (24.3–33%) in comparison to VCs (15.2–20.1%). Vermicomposting and composting of biowaste is economically and environmentally justified. Fertilizers obtained in the composting process are a valuable source of organic material and nutrients essential for plants and can be safely used in private gardens.

Introduction: The application of organic fertilisers to replenish soil organic matter and improve soil fertility and productivity has become common agricultural practice. Aim of the study: This research deals with the effects of soil amendment with sewage sludge compost (SSC) on organic carbon, nitrogen total, nitrogen mineral and available P, K, S and Mg mineralisation in two contrasting soils. The various statistical tools used in this study have allowed us to present another conceptualisation of nutrient increments or losses as an effect of SSC applied. In order to distinguish groups of nutrients which are similar, a cluster analysis was used. A two-way analysis of variance was applied to compare the increments of the content of nutrients in the soils. Material and Methods: A 3-year pot experiment was conducted, employing a randomised, factorial design with two soils (light and medium) and one amendment treatment as a compost at a rate equivalent to 6 Mg ha−1. The following parameters of chemical soil properties were determined: contents of organic carbon (Corg), total nitrogen (Ntot), amounts of available P, K, Mg, S and mineral nitrogen (Nmin). Results: The SSC showed a similar influence on the fertility of both soils. It was affirmed that application of SSC results in a statistically significant increase in the contents of soil organic carbon. The amounts of total and mineral N, as well as available P and S were subjected to different patterns of quantity changes expressed by both increase and loss. Moreover, a statistically significant loss of available K amounts was observed in both soils. Conclusions: The findings of the study indicated that mature SSC becomes a long lasting fertiliser, slowly subjected to decomposition processes. Therefore, it may influence small increases in nutrient amounts in soils, in relation to the contents obtained for the control soil.

The study discusses changes in lead contents in soil and crops after application of compost and fly ash. A three-year experiment was conducted on narrow-leaved lupine (Lupinus angustifolius L.), camelina (Camelina sativa L.) and oat (Avena sativa L.), which were grown on medium soil fertilised with compost or fly ash (FA). The lead amounts in various combinations were evaluated using sequential (BCR analysis) and single (DTPA solution) methods. The total contents of lead and amounts of selected macronutrients were assessed in the biomass of plants. The Pb contents in the soil and plants were used to calculate the risk assessment code (RAC), individual contamination factor (ICF), bioconcentration factor (BCF) and contamination coefficient level (CCL). Lower amounts of bioavailable Pb in the soil were observed as a result of compost and FA application. Fly ash immobilised Pb more effectively, as evidenced by the BCF and CCL values. The increase in the Pb contents in the sequentially separated fractions and in plant biomass were caused by applied compost or FA. The Pb contents in exchangeable forms decreased, whereas its contents in residual forms increased.

Sewage sludge derived from municipal sewage treatment plants is an important source of macronutrients, micronutrients and organic matter. For this reason composting of sewage sludge, along with combustion and co-combustion, is a new management priority in Poland. In this study six composts of different origin and composition were evaluated in terms of their abundance in phosphorus, because it is an essential nutrient for all living organisms. Analyses were conducted on the samples at the initial and at the maturation phase of composting. The bioavailability of phosphorus was estimated on the basis of amounts of the nutrient in isolated fractions using the sequential extraction method. First of all quantitative changes of the total nutrient content and its amounts in separated fractions were dependent on the mixture composition. Irrespective of compost type, 34.5–75.0% of the total amounts of phosphorus were found in hardly available combinations (Fr. III), while available phosphorus forms (Fr. I) accounted for only 6.6–21.6%. As a result of composting together different organic wastes an increase was observed both in the total content and the amounts of this nutrient in separated fractions. This phenomenon was observed particularly in composts with smaller levels of sewage sludge (30–40%), characterised by rapid organic matter decomposition, which was indicated by higher bioavailable amounts of phosphorus. Under such conditions the content of P ranged between 3.68 and 7.4 g kg−1. In comparison to the labile pool of P obtained for matured composts C5 and C6 (65 and 75% of sewage sludge in their composition) amounting to 2.45–3.0 g kg−1 the above values were considerable. Bioavailable phosphorus contents potentially introduced to soil with composts doses calculated at 170 kg total N/ha/yr ranged from 69.8 to 80.2 kg for compost with the lowest share of sewage sludge and from 11.2 to 20.7 kg for compost with the highest share of sewage sludge.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L. ssp. oleifera Metzg) is attacked by a wide range of pests. Breeding of resistant cultivars is one of the best methods of protecting crops against insects, and non-cultivated species of Brassicaceae can be used as resistance donors. In this study, we investigated the relationship between nutrient content and resistance to two commonly occurring pests (Delia radicum and Brevicoryne brassicae) in 12 Brassicaceae hybrid combinations. The experiment was conducted at Poznań University of Life Sciences Experimental Station located in Dłoń. The assessment was carried out for three years (2017, 2018, and 2019) on randomly chosen individuals in two growth stages: vegetative stage and flowering stage. The resistance to B. brassicae and D. radicum was observed in all three years, however, macronutrient and micronutrient contents as well as total nitrogen, total sulfur, and sulfur sulfate were observed only in 2019. Statistically significant negative association between Ca and resistance to B. brassicae and D. radicum was discovered. Additionally, positive association between Cu and resistance to B. brassicae was observed. The importance of selected mineral elements in plant resistance is widely discussed.

This work presents quantitative changes of nickel in soil and plants under the influence of compost and fly ash. The research was carried out in a 3-year experiment on medium soil fertilised with compost or fly ash. The plants: narrow leaf lupine (Lupinus angustifolius L.), camelina (Camelina sativa L.), and oat (Avena sativa L.) were planted in consecutive years. The soil from the experiment was subjected to extraction by sequential analysis with the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) method, and single extractions using 1 mol·dm−3 HCl and DTPA solutions, obtaining the amount of nickel in various combinations with the soil solid phase. Total contents of the metal in soil and cultivated plants were determined. On the basis of Ni contents in the soil and cultivated plants, the bioconcentration factors and the risk assessment code were calculated. The type of amendments had a significant impact on the nickel content in lupine, for camelina and oat was the greatest in the control conditions. The differences between the amounts of Ni determined for bioconcentration factors were significant and depended on the amendments and nickel obtained by different methods. Regardless of the experimental conditions, the amount of Ni in the exchangeable bonds (Fr. I) had the greatest impact on the content of Ni in lupine and oat, whereas NiDTPA in the case of camelina.

One of the principles of the circular economy requires the effective recycling of organic waste, especially since its volume is increasing from year to year. Therefore, one of the best solutions to solve this problem is the composting of organic waste. This paper presents the results of a comparative study of 10 different composts in terms of their quality. The composts varied with regard to waste materials used for composting, the adopted composting method, and the degree of compost maturity. Both biological (seed germination rate and intensity of plant root growth) and chemical methods (contents of macro- and micronutrients, presence of heavy metals, as well as the quality and quantity of humus compounds) were applied to evaluate the fertilisers, providing comprehensive characteristics of individual composts. It was found that composts prepared on the basis of sewage sludge had the highest contents of macro- and micronutrients as well as heavy metals. In addition, these composts contained the greatest amounts of humic substances, although these were of low quality. These composts also strongly inhibited seed germination and plant root growth. The least desirable chemical composition was found for the composts based on yard trimmings and household wastes prepared in home composters. These composts contained good quality humus compounds and had a positive effect on seed germination and plant root growth.

This research deals with the effects of soil amendment with sewage sludge compost (SSC) on the accumulation of microelements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, Fe) in plants—white mustard (Sinapis alba), triticale (Triticale) and white lupine (Lupinus albus)—cultivated on two contrasting soils (light vs. medium agronomic class). Additionally, the influence of experimental factors on variability of the harvest index (HI) was determined for individual plants and micronutrients. A 3-year pot experiment was conducted and SSC at the rate of 6 t·ha−1 was applied into the soils. These changes were determined by ANOVA and subject to regression analysis and subsequently visualized. The study clearly demonstrated that SSC as an organic fertilizer had a significant, but weak effect on the microelements level variability in the shoots and grains of plants cultivated in crop rotation. Regardless of the experimental factors, on average, the plants accumulated higher amounts of Cu, Zn and Mn in the grains, and Fe and Ni in the shoots. Harvest index values confirmed the significance and variable translocation of microelements within plant organs. The influence of SSC on micronutrient contents in plant organs was more significant in the case of medium soil.

The paper presents state at social participation of inhabitants of Darłowo and Września in the process of municipal wastes management. The aim of the paper was an evaluation of the people’s knowledge connected with municipal waste segregation, as well as further fate of the separated municipal wastes. The assessment was based on the populations surveys. People are divided into 3 groups according to age. Each group consisted of 100 inhabitants of Darłowo, as well as Września. On the basis of obtained results it may be stated, that the residents showed quite satisfactory knowledge related to the necessity of wastes segregation. Moreover, the respondents can correctly distinguish essential types of municipal wastes as: paper, glass, plastics and metals. Despite this, the further fate of selected municipal wastes for most of was the surveyed was not well – known. In this context the respondents very often indicated on a landfi ll as a one of the most popular methods of municipal wastes utilisation. The obtained data of the surveys indicated that, the knowledge of inhabitants of Darłowo was higher than that of Września. In general men presented broader range of information related to municipal waste management. The oldest persons, 60+, showed a complete knowledge of municipal waste management.

Liczba doniesień literaturowych traktujących o wpływie uprawy soi (Glycine max L. Merrill) w zmianowaniu lub monokulturze na jej skład chemiczny i jakość stanowiska glebowego jest ograniczona. W związku z tym podjęto prace mające na celu określenie i porównanie składu chemicznego soi uprawianej przez 12 lat w monokulturze i zmianowaniu oraz ocenę tak pozostawionych stanowisk glebowych. Badania zostały zrealizowane w oparciu o próbki glebowe (glina piaszczysta) oraz roślinne (soja odmiany Augusta), które podlegały analizie chemicznej w kierunku określenia zawartości makro- i mikroskładników. Na podstawie uzyskanych danych stwierdzono, że soja uprawiana w zmianowaniu charakteryzowała się większą zawartością większości badanych składników, co szczególnie zostało uwidocznione w przypadku makroskładników (N, P, K, Ca, S). Jednocześnie rośliny uprawiane w zmianowaniu odznaczały się większym pobraniem składników (N, P, K, S, Ca, Zn, Cu) wraz z plonem nasion i strąków. Ponadto dla gleby spod soi uprawianej w zmianowaniu określono większe zawartości węgla organicznego, azotu mineralnego oraz fosforu i potasu przyswajalnego dla roślin. Sposób uprawy soi nie wpłynął istotnie na zawartość Mn, Zn i Cu w badanych próbkach glebowych.