城市垃圾肥在锡矿尾砂库植被重建中的应用

在广西大厂矿区废弃的锡矿尾砂库上进行植被的重建试验。设对照组、垃圾肥处理组和覆土组,种植固氮植物银合欢(Leucaenaleucocephala)。100d时采样分析,垃圾肥处理组的银合欢生长状况最好,重金属从土壤到植物的迁移明显降低,说明在锡矿尾砂库植被重建中,可以利用垃圾肥替代土壤,银合欢可以作为锡矿尾砂库植被重建的先锋树种。     

Generating productive topsoil substitutes from hard rock overburden in the southern appalachians

Natural soils on steeply sloping landscapes in the Appalachian coal fields of Virginia. West Virginia. Kentucky, and Tennessee are often thin, rocky, acidic and infertile, making the topsoiling of surface mined sites impractical in many cases. Topsoil substitutes composed of blasted rock fragments are commonly used in this region. The proper selection and placement of designated topsoil substitutes is therefore critical to long term reclamation success. These mine soil surfaces are not in equilibrium and with the surface environment, and it is quite difficult to diferentiate among dissolution, adsorption, desorption and precipitation reactions as these surfaces weather with time. Severe compaction limits the productivity of many otherwise suitable topsoil substitutes. A minimum non-compacted thickness of 1 m is desirable to insure long run mine soil productivity for a variety of post-mining land uses. Significant changes in the physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of mine soils occur within one year after placement. Mine soils high in silt content often form hard vesicular surface crusts, particularly when left unvegetated. The long term survival of plant communities on these mine soils is dependent upon mine soil organic matter accumulation and N and P cycling. Little is currently known about N and P dynamics in these mine soils, but P-fixation is a profound problem in high Fe^3- spoils. Revegetation practices that were designed to meet 2-year bond release requirements may not he sufficient to meet new 5-year release standards. Hard rock derived mine soils can often equal or exceed native topsoil in productivity and post mining land use potential.     

Lead redistribution in a mine soil treated with three manures and incubated at two different temperatures

The study of heavy metals’ redistribution between different fractions allows to know their bioavailability and mobility in soils. Soil samples were collected from a lead mine in Hamadan provinces, NW Iran. In a factorial experiment soil was treated with cow, sheep and poultry manures (20?g?kg^?1 soil) separately and incubated near field capacity at 10°C and 37°C. An untreated soil (as control) was also incubated at the same temperatures. After 0 and 120 days, a sequential extraction scheme was used to fractionate Pb of incubated samples into soluble-exchangeable (Sol-Exch), organic matter associated (AOM), carbonates associated (ACar), and residual (Res) forms. Soil Pb in Sol-Exch and AOM fractions were increased by manure application significantly. The AOM and ACar forms of Pb were higher in soils treated with the manures and incubated in lower temperature. In contrast, the Sol-Exch and Res chemical forms of Pb were higher in the soils incubated at 37°C. These results may be related to the higher calcium carbonate dissolution and organic matter decomposition because of better biological activity in the soils incubated in higher temperature. The increase of the Res fraction (stable form) in this condition may resulted in lower toxicity and mobility in soil environment.     

A reclamation demonstration project at an abandoned deep mine

This project involves an evaluation of the reclamation process at a typical abandoned deep coal mine in the Midwest, U.S.A. The reclamation process included determining the final land use, collection of preconstruction environmental data, development of detailed construction plans, and implementation of the construction plans. A multidisciplinary approach is being used to evaluate post-construction conditions of the site. Current investigations are monitoring groundwater, surface water quality, aquatic ecosystems, revegetation, soil characteristics, erosion and runoff, soil microbial populations, wildlife, and economic effects of the reclamation. Data collected to date indicate a significant improvement in overall environmental quality, a substantial increase in the economic potential of the site and adjacent properties, and a genuine enhancement of the entire area's aesthetic value. This project will also provide design data for future reclamation efforts of this type.This project is financially supported by the following agencies: U.S. Department of Energy, Contract No. W31-109-Eng-38; Abandoned Mined Land Reclamation Council, State of Illinois Contract No. 31-109-38-3694L; Illinois Institute of Natural Resources, Contract No. 31-109-38-3702L.     

镉铜污染尾矿土中添加耐镉铜菌剂J5后微生物区系多样性的变化

采用酶解法和化学裂解法相结合的方法从安徽铜陵镉铜污染尾矿土中提取出土壤微生物基因组总DNA,并应用PCR-DGGE技术对比研究尾矿土中添加外源硫酸镉、硫酸铜和耐镉铜菌剂J5(Pseudomonassp.)后微生物区系多样性的变化.结果表明,尾矿土中微生物基因组总DNA分子量大小为21kb左右,未复垦的尾矿砂中微生物总DNA量较少,CdSO4处理后的尾矿土中微生物基因组总DNA量明显下降,而添加菌剂J5的尾矿土中微生物基因组总DNA量上升.DGGE电泳图谱进一步显示,尾矿土样中添加镉离子使图谱条带减少,分析表明尾矿土中的细菌种类数减少;而添加菌剂J5使图谱中条带明显增加,表明菌剂J5可提高尾矿土中土著微生物的活性和群落丰富度,可用于复合重金属污染尾矿区的生态恢复.     

Generating productive topsoil substitutes from hard rock overburden in the southern appalachians

Natural soils on steeply sloping landscapes in the Appalachian coal fields of Virginia. West Virginia. Kentucky, and Tennessee are often thin, rocky, acidic and infertile, making the topsoiling of surface mined sites impractical in many cases. Topsoil substitutes composed of blasted rock fragments are commonly used in this region. The proper selection and placement of designated topsoil substitutes is therefore critical to long term reclamation success. These mine soil surfaces are not in equilibrium and with the surface environment, and it is quite difficult to diferentiate among dissolution, adsorption, desorption and precipitation reactions as these surfaces weather with time. Severe compaction limits the productivity of many otherwise suitable topsoil substitutes. A minimum non-compacted thickness of 1 m is desirable to insure long run mine soil productivity for a variety of post-mining land uses. Significant changes in the physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties of mine soils occur within one year after placement. Mine soils high in silt content often form hard vesicular surface crusts, particularly when left unvegetated. The long term survival of plant communities on these mine soils is dependent upon mine soil organic matter accumulation and N and P cycling. Little is currently known about N and P dynamics in these mine soils, but P-fixation is a profound problem in high Fe^3- spoils. Revegetation practices that were designed to meet 2-year bond release requirements may not he sufficient to meet new 5-year release standards. Hard rock derived mine soils can often equal or exceed native topsoil in productivity and post mining land use potential.     

Studies on mycorrhizal inoculation on dry matter yield and root colonization of some medicinal plants grown in stress and forest soils

Five medicinal plants viz. Abelmoschatus moschatus Linn., Clitoria tematea L., Plumbagozeylanica L., Psorolea corylifolia L. and Withania sominifera L. were grown in a polypot experiment in five soils representing coal mine soil, coppermine soil, fly ash, skeletal soil and forest soil with and without mycorrhizal inoculations in a completely randomized block design. Dry matter yield and mycorrhizal root colonization of plants varied both in uninoculated and inoculated conditions. The forest soil rendered highest dry matter due to higher yield of A. moschatus, P. zeylanica and P corylifolia while fly ash showed lowest dry matter without any inoculants. P. cematea were best in coalmine soil and W. sominifera in copper mine soil without mycorrhizal inoculation. The mycorrhiza was found to enhance the dry matter yield. This contributed minimum 0.19% to maximum up to 422.0% in different soils as compared to uninoculated plants. The mycorrhizal dependency was noticed maximum in plants grown in fly ash followed by coal mine soil, copper mine soil, skeletal soil and forest soil. The mycorrhizal response was increased maximum in W. sominifera due to survival in fly ash after inoculation followed by P corylifolia and P cematea. Percent root colonization in inoculated plant was increased minimum of 1.10 fold to maximum of 12.0 folds in comparison to un-inoculated plants . The native mycorrhiza fungi were also observed to colonize 4.0 to 32.0% roots in plants understudy. This study suggests that mycorrhizal inoculation increased the dry matter yield of medicinal plants in all soils under study. It also helps in survival of W. sominifera in fly ash.     

Plant-soil feedback: testing the generality with the same grasses in serpentine and prairie soils

Plants can alter soil properties in ways that feed back to affect plant performance. The extent that plant-soil feedback affects co-occurring plant species differentially will determine its impact on plant community structure. Whether feedback operates consistently across similar plant communities is little studied. Here, the same grasses from two eastern U.S. serpentine grasslands and two midwestern tallgrass prairie remnants were examined for plant-soil feedback in parallel greenhouse experiments. Native soils were homogenized and cultured (trained) for a year with each of the four grasses. Feedback was evaluated by examining biomass variation in a second generation of (tester) plants grown in the trained soils. Biomass was lower in soils trained by conspecifics compared to soils trained by heterospecifics in seven of 15 possible cases; biomass was greater in conspecific soils in one other. Sorghastrum nutans exhibited lower biomass in conspecific soils for all four grasslands, so feedback may be characteristic of this species. Three cases from the Hayden prairie site were explained by trainer species having similar effects across all tester species so the relative performance of the different species was little affected; plants were generally larger in soils trained by Andropogon gerardii and smaller in soils trained by S. nutans. Differences among sites in the incidence of feedback were independent of serpentine or prairie soils. To explore the causes of the feedback, several soil factors were measured as a function of trainer species: nutrients and pH, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) spore communities, root colonization by AM fungi and putative pathogens, and functional diversity in bacterial communities as indicated by carbon substrate utilization. Only variation in nutrients was consistent with any patterns of feedback, and this could explain the greater biomass in soils trained by A. gerardii at Hayden. Feedback at Nottingham (one of the serpentine sites) differed, most notably for A. gerardii, from that of similar past studies that used different experimental protocols. To understand the consequences of feedback for plant community structure, it is important to consider how multiple species respond to the same plant-induced soil variation as well as differences in the feedback detected between greenhouse and field settings.     

不同来源重金属在土壤中的形态分布差异

试验表明：不同来源的Ｐｂ、Ｚｎ和Ｃｄ复合污染物在土壤中的形态分布有明显的差异，在废矿水和尾矿砂污染的土壤中，Ｐｂ、Ｚｎ和Ｃｄ主要以残渣态存在，而添加土壤中的Ｐｂ主要以弱专性吸附态和有机结合态存在，Ｚｎ和Ｃｄ主要以交换态存在，大豆苗对添加土壤中Ｐｂ、Ｚｎ和Ｃｄ的富集能力较强，而对废矿水污染和尾矿砂污染土壤中Ｐｂ、Ｚｎ和Ｃｄ的富集能力相对较弱。     

Application of portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) for heavy metal analysis of soils in crop fields near abandoned mine sites

To get representative soil samples, a sampling method was verified for crop fields in the vicinity of abandoned mine sites. Application of appropriate sampling or analytical methods is very important as it affects the costs, time, and accuracy of the refined investigation of soil contamination. Two-time sampling for each crop field was conducted to verify the reproducibility of a zigzag method for soil sampling. The soil analysis using a portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) device was conducted to measure concentrations of metal species in soils, and its results were compared to the extracted concentrations by the Korean Standard Test (KST) for soils. As a result, the determination coefficient (R ²) of linear regression analysis for data obtained by ex situ precise measurement or in situ field screening using pXRF was closely related with the ratio of the extracted concentration by KST to interference-free detection limits (IFDL) of pXRF (designated as KST/IFDL). As the specific metal species had a higher ratio of KST/IFDL, its R ² was even higher in the field screening tests. However, the slopes of linear regression analysis for most metal species extracted by aqua-regia were close to 1.0 so that extracted concentrations by aqua-regia were similar to the analytical values obtained by pXRF, whereas extraction using a weak acid (0.1 M HCl) had different slopes for soils contaminated with different ranges of concentrations of metal species. Especially Zn showed not only high ratios of KST/IFDL because of aqua regia extraction, but also high determination coefficients. Because of its simple, rapid, and accurate capacities for metal analysis, the pXRF analysis showed high applicability in ex situ precise measurements or in situ field screening of metal analysis. In terms of applicability for regulation, especially in situ pXRF field screening with the zigzag method could be effectively applied to achieve an economical survey by determining hot spots or non-contaminated areas if aqua-regia was applied as the extracting agent in the KST for soils.     

Stabilization of the As-contaminated soil from the metal mining areas in Korea

The stabilization efficiencies of arsenic (As) in contaminated soil were evaluated using various additives such as limestone, steel mill slag, granular ferric hydroxide (GFH), and mine sludge collected from an acid mine drainage treatment system. The soil samples were collected from the Chungyang area, where abandoned Au-Ag mines are located. Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, synthetic precipitation leaching procedure, sequential extraction analysis, aqua regia digestion, cation exchange capacity, loss on ignition, and particle size distribution were conducted to assess the physical and chemical characteristics of highly arsenic-contaminated soils. The total concentrations of arsenic in the Chungyang area soil ranged up to 145 mg/kg. After the stabilization tests, the removal percentages of dissolved As(III) and As(V) were found to differ from the additives employed. Approximately 80 and 40% of the As(V) and As(III), respectively, were removed with the use of steel mill slag. The addition of limestone had a lesser effect on the removal of arsenic from solution. However, more than 99% of arsenic was removed from solution within 24 h when using GFH and mine sludge, with similar results observed when the contaminated soils were stabilized using GFH and mine sludge. These results suggested that GFH and mine sludge may play a significant role on the arsenic stabilization. Moreover, this result showed that mine sludge can be used as a suitable additive for the stabilization of arsenic.     

Stabilization of the As-contaminated soil from the metal mining areas in Korea

The stabilization efficiencies of arsenic (As) in contaminated soil were evaluated using various additives such as limestone, steel mill slag, granular ferric hydroxide (GFH), and mine sludge collected from an acid mine drainage treatment system. The soil samples were collected from the Chungyang area, where abandoned Au–Ag mines are located. Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, synthetic precipitation leaching procedure, sequential extraction analysis, aqua regia digestion, cation exchange capacity, loss on ignition, and particle size distribution were conducted to assess the physical and chemical characteristics of highly arsenic-contaminated soils. The total concentrations of arsenic in the Chungyang area soil ranged up to 145 mg/kg. After the stabilization tests, the removal percentages of dissolved As(III) and As(V) were found to differ from the additives employed. Approximately 80 and 40% of the As(V) and As(III), respectively, were removed with the use of steel mill slag. The addition of limestone had a lesser effect on the removal of arsenic from solution. However, more than 99% of arsenic was removed from solution within 24 h when using GFH and mine sludge, with similar results observed when the contaminated soils were stabilized using GFH and mine sludge. These results suggested that GFH and mine sludge may play a significant role on the arsenic stabilization. Moreover, this result showed that mine sludge can be used as a suitable additive for the stabilization of arsenic.     

Geochemical distribution of trace element concentrations in the vicinity of Boroo gold mine, Selenge Province, Mongolia

The environmental impacts of Boroo gold mine project in Mongolia was evaluated by chemical characterization of trace element concentrations in water, soils and tailing dam sediment samples. The results showed that concentrations of B, Cd, Ni and Se in the water samples were within the accepted levels of the Mongolia water quality standard (MNS4586: 1998). However, the concentrations of Al, As, Cu, Mn, Fe, Pb, U and Zn were higher than the maximum allowable concentration especially in the monitoring and heap leach wells. The average concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the tailing dam sediment were 4419, 58.5, 56.0, 4.8, 20.6 and 25.7 mg/kg, respectively. Generally, arsenic and heavy metals in the soil samples were within the acceptable concentrations of the soil standard of Mongolia (MNS 5850: 2008). The chemical characterization of As solid phase in tailing dam sediment showed that the majority of As were found in the residual fraction comprising about 74% of total As. Assessing the potential risk to humans, simple bioavailability extraction test was used to estimate bioavailability of arsenic and heavy metals, and the concentrations extracted from tailing dam sediment were; 288.2 mg/kg As, 7.2 mg/kg Cd, 41.1 mg/kg Cu, 13.5 mg/kg Pb, 4.7 mg/kg Ni and 23.5 mg/kg Zn, respectively. From these results, the Boroo gold mine project has presently not significantly impacted the environment, but there is a high probability that it may act as a source of future contamination.     

矿区周围土壤中重金属危害性评估研究

分别用总量法和连续萃取法对广东大宝山矿周围土壤、植物和沉积物中重金属的总量和化学形态进行了详细分析。结果发现，矿山废水流入的横石河沉积物中Pb、Zn、Cu和Cd的质量分数分别为1841．02、2326．28、1522．61和10.33mg／kg；经此河水灌溉的稻田中重金属(Cu、Cd、Pb和Zn)的质量分数也远远超出了土壤环境二级标准值，其中Cu、Cd超标倍数分别为14．01和4．17倍。结果还表明，生长在矿区周围的植物也受到不同程度重金属的污染且不同植物吸收和积累重金属的能力相差很大。用Tessier连续法对土壤中重金属进行萃取发现，虽然重金属主要存在于残余态中，但在Fe-Mn氧化态、有机结合态中的质量分数也很高．说明这些土壤确实受到了有毒有害重金属元素的严重污染。     

An Investigation Into the Mechanism by Which Synthetic Zeolites Reduce Labile Metal Concentrations in Soils

The addition of synthetic zeolites and similar materials to metal contaminated soils has been shown to reduce soil phytotoxicity and to improve the quality of plant growth on such amended soils. To gain an understanding of the mechanism by which the phytotoxicity of contaminated soils is reduced when treated with synthetic zeolites, sequential extraction procedures and soil solution techniques have been used to identify changes associated with metal speciation in amended soils. Sequential extraction data and changes in soil solution composition are presented for three different contaminated soils, amended with three synthetic zeolites (P, 4A and Y) at concentrations of 0.5%, 1% and 5% w/w, or lime at 1%. The soils were collected from the site of a metal refinery, an old lead zinc mine spoil tip and from a field which had been treated with sewage sludge. After incubation of the zeolite treated soils for between one and three months, results showed a reduction in the metal content of the ammonium acetate fraction between 42% and 70%, depending on soil, zeolite and rate of addition, compared with the unamended soils. In addition, soil solution experiments indicated that synthetic zeolite amendments were more efficient at reducing metal content than comparable lime treatment. The mechanism by which synthetic zeolites reduce metal bioavailability in contaminated soils is discussed and compared to other amendments.     

北京市某废弃焦化厂不同车间土壤中多环芳烃（PAHs）的分布特征及风险评价

以北京市某废弃焦化厂为研究对象,系统采集了6个车间0～4m深的26个土壤样本,利用GC/MS检测了U.S.EPA优控的16种多环芳烃(PAHs)的含量,分析了PAHs在焦化厂不同车间表层土壤的污染状况和深层土壤中的垂直分布特征并对土壤污染风险进行了评估.结果表明,1)该废弃焦化厂不同车间表层土壤(0～20cm)总PAHs(∑PAHs)的残留量介于672.8～144814.3ng·g-1之间;污染程度排序为:回收车间>老粗苯车间>焦油车间>炼焦车间>水处理车间>制气车间.2)该厂未受扰动的土壤样品显示PAHs主要聚集在表层土壤,并随着土壤深度的增加而迅速减少;其他样点由于土壤扰动,∑PAHs含量最大值出现在第三层土壤(80～180cm);该厂4m深底层土壤仍有高浓度PAHs,∑PAHs含量最高值出现在炼焦车间,达12953.1ng·g-1.3)焦化厂土壤PAHs污染主要集中在3环和4环的PAHs单体上,分别占到污染总量的51.3%和31.7%.4)根据Maliszewska-Kordybach的PAHs总量标准及加拿大土壤PAHs单体治理标准,该厂回收、老粗苯、焦油和炼焦车间表层和深层土壤PAHs含量均达到重污染水平,并对其周围土地带来较大风险,需要治理.     

土法炼锌区基质改良对刺槐生长的影响

植被重建是废弃地污染控制的有效途径.通过苗圃盆栽试验和田间植被重建试验,研究了不同改良措施对贵州省赫章县土法炼锌污染场地土壤理化特性、重金属含量特征和刺槐（Robinia pseudoacacia）生长特性的影响,探索废弃地植被重建限制因子和基质改良途径.研究表明,废渣上植被重建的限制因子主要表现为盐碱胁迫,全氮、碱解氮和全钾含量低,重金属含量高,持水保水能力差.废渣中Pb、Zn和Cd含量高,但其活性较低.新废渣中添加矿区土壤,可导致pH值和电导率（EC）降低,盐碱胁迫减缓,持水能力提高,并显著提高刺槐在新废渣上的生长和生存能力,是废渣基质改良的有效方式.废渣经过长期淋溶后,盐碱胁迫强度显著降低,土壤有效水分增加.添加保水剂或矿区土壤能有效促进刺槐在老废渣上定植.     

Arsenic,antimony and bismuth in soil and pasture herbage in some old metalliferous mining areas in England

Soil and pasture herbage samples from some historical metalliferous mining and smelting areas in England were analysed for As, Sb and Bi by ICP-AES using a hydride generation method after ashing with Mg(NO₃)₂. The results showed that As, Sb and Bi concentrations in soils were elevated because of their associations with the Pb-Zn mineralisation in Derbyshire and Somerset, and Sn-Cu mineralisation in Cornwall. The distribution of As, Sb and Bi in soils reflected the chemical nature of different mine waste materials, and on a regional basis clearly reflected the geochemistry of the three mineral provinces. Historical smelting and calcination have caused intensive contamination in soils in the immediate vicinity of these activities. Antimony was highly elevated in soils at an old Pb smelter site in Derbyshire. Although the concentrations of As, Sb and Bi were generally low in the pasture herbage samples examined, the concentrations of As and Sb in herbage often reflected those of the corresponding soils. Soil pH had a large effect on the plant uptake of Bi from soils. The pasture herbage contaminated by soil can be an important exposure pathway of these elements to livestock grazing on contaminated land.     

稀土尾矿区土壤重金属污染与优势植物累积特征

矿山废弃地不仅占用大量土地,而且还是严重的污染源,因此,矿山废弃地的生态恢复己成为一项紧迫而重要的研究课题。对广东省河源市和平县下车镇内的稀土矿区土壤的重金属污染情况进行调查,并对该区优势植物对重金属的富集特征进行分析,以期对稀土尾矿区的生态系统的恢复和重建提供理论依据。主要研究的3种植物分别是：马唐草（Digitaria sanguinalis）,香根草（Vetiveria zizanioides）,望江南（Cassia occidentalis）。采用原子吸收分光光度法测定稀土矿区废弃地土壤和植被中Mn、Pb、Zn的含量,并计算优势植物对重金属的生物富集系数BAC（Biological Accumulating Coefficient）和生物转移系数BTC（Biological Transfer Coefficient）。结果表明：研究区域的土壤中重金属含量Mn、Pb、Zn的平均含量均超出广东省土壤背景值和中国土壤背景值,土壤受Mn污染最严重,其次是Pb、Zn的污染。3种草本植物对于Pb的BAC和BTC均小于1,说明这3种植物对Pb的富集和运输能力都很弱。香根草对于Mn和Zn的BAC分别为0.9和0.4,小于1,BTC分别为3.7和1.1,大于1,说明香根草对Mn和Zn的富集能力不强,但吸收后的运输能力很强。马唐草和望江南2种植物对于Mn和Zn的BAC和BTC均大于1,说明它们对重金属Mn和Zn具有较强的吸收和转移能力,是Mn和Zn的超富集植物。马唐草覆盖率高,抗病虫能力强,可作为该矿区生态恢复的先锋植物,望江南可以间作种植。     

Integrated effects of slope aspect and land use on soil nutrients in a small catchment in a hilly loess area,China

This study addressed the integrated effect of slope aspect and land use on soil nutrients in a loess hilly catchment in the western Loess Plateau of China. Soil samples were collected from five land-use types: wasteland, cropland, woodland, shrubland and abandoned cropland, at two depths (0–20 and 20–40 cm) in the middle slope position of both north-facing and south-facing slopes. Soil nutrient changes and the relationships between soil nutrients and slope aspect were investigated, based on statistical analysis and expert knowledge. Soil organic matter, total N, total P, nitrate nitrogen and available K of the 0–20 cm soil layer differed significantly between land uses and slope aspects. Soil nutrients in the north-facing slope were better than in the south-facing slope. Revegetation has an enrichment effect, especially on soil organic matter, total N, total P, nitrate nitrogen and available K. Planting of trees, shrubs and grasses could improve soil fertility and favours a policy of revegetation and sustainable land use in the hilly loess area of China. Conversion of slope farmlands into more sustainable land uses, such as shrubland or grassland is a cost-efficient way to achieve soil conservation and ecological restoration. Terracing and the use of agro-techniques for soil conservation, such as furrow-ridging tillage and leaving crop residues on fields, can increase the input of C to soils. Growing crops in rotation with alfalfa and beans could be a promising choice for the sustainability of agriculture and the environment.