Agricultural Soil and Water Quality Assessment and CO₂ Storage on Wetland Reserve

Pieranna Servadio, Simone Bergonzoli

Agricultural Engineering Research Unit, Rome, Italy.

DOI: 10.4236/jep.2013.44A004                

Abstract

In this paper, investigations on agricultural and forestry soil and on water quality assessment were carried out in a natural wetlands reserve, at valley of a mountain, near at the sea and under hydraulic risk (the coast of the Etruschis), in central Italy; Physical-chemical parameters were measured by taking samples of soil on two fields cultivated with an artichoke bed and respectively managed with organic and conventional techniques adjacent the natural wetlands reserve and destined to a controlled development of the agriculture, to protect the reserve. These parameters were also measured on forestry soil inside the reserve and CO₂ storage on soil was evaluated. The water chemical analysis of the two ponds inside the reserve was also carried out. The soil managed with organic farming has showed higher chemical fertility. Both organic and conventional field showed high level of soil compaction susceptibility evidenced by high values of penetration resistance and shear strength; while porosity and hydraulic conductivity presented low values. The research highlights that the ecological land use can influence and improve the environmental quality. In fact thanks to the higher organic matter content into the soil, the average values of stored CO₂ show that the organic (ΔC_OT = 1200 kg·ha^–1) and forestry (ΔC_FT =2200 kg·ha^–1·year^–1) treatments have stored higher amount of organic carbon in the soil with respect to the conventional one. Organic matter and dry bulk density can be considered good indicators of the soil quality. The results of the water chemical analysis show a good quality of the brackish water of the ponds situated in the wetlands reserve.

Keywords

Soil; Water; Wetlands; Organic Agriculture; Conventional Agriculture

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	M. Kochi and A. Freibauer, “Hotspots of Loss of Soil Organic C under Climate and Land Use Change,” Proceedings of Carbon in a Changing World, Rome, 24-26 October 2011, pp. 11-12.
[2]	R. Hai, D. Weibing, W. Jun, Y. Zuoyue and G. Qinfeng, “Natural Restoration of Degraded Range Land Ecosystem in Heshan Hilly Land,” Acta Ecologica Sinica, Vol. 27, No. 9, 2007, pp. 3593-3600. doi:10.1016/S1872-2032(07)60076-6
[3]	C. Tong, R. A. Feagin, J. Lu, X. Zhang, X. Zhu, W. Wang and W. He, “Ecosystem Service Values and Restoration in the Urban Sanyang Wetland of Wenzhou, China,” Ecological Engineering, Vol. 29, No. 3, 2007, pp. 249-258. doi:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2006.03.002
[4]	R. Lewis, “Creation and Restoration of Coastal Plain Wetlands in Florida,” In: J. A. Kusler and M. E. Kentula, Eds., Wetland Creation and Restoration: The Status of the Science, Island Press, Washington DC, 1990, pp. 73-101.
[5]	J. E. Grayson, M. G. Chapman and A. J. Underwood, “The Assessment of Restoration of Habitat in Urban Wetlands,” Landscape and Urban Planning, Vol. 43, No. 4, 1999, pp. 227-236.
[6]	J. B. Zedler, “Restoring Cordgrass Marshes in Southern California,” In: G. W. Thayer, Ed., Restoring the Nation’s Marine Environment, Maryland Sea Grant College, Maryland, 1992, pp. 7-51.
[7]	J. Stricker, “Reviving Wetlands,” Wetlands, Vol. 14, No. 2, 1995, pp. 20-25.
[8]	C. A. Simenstad and R. M. Thom, “Functional Equivalency Trajectories of the Restored Gog-Le-Hi-Te Estuarine Wetland,” Ecological Application, Vol. 6, No. 1, 1996, pp. 38-56. doi:10.2307/2269551
[9]	J. B. Zedler and M. W. Weller, “Overview and Future Directions,” In: J. A. Kusler and M. E. Kentula, Eds., Wetland Creation and Restoration: The Status of the Science, Island Press, Washington DC, 1990, pp. 405-413.
[10]	C. A. Simenstad and R. M. Thom, “Restoring Wetland Habitats in Urbanised Pacific Northwest Estuaries,” In: G. W. Thayer, Ed., Restoring the Nation’s Marine Environment, Maryland Sea Grant College, Maryland, 1992, pp. 423-471.
[11]	R. J. West, “Rehabilitation of Seagrass and Mangrove Sites —Success and Failures in NSW,” Wetlands, Vol. 14, No. 2, 1995, pp. 13-19.
[12]	P. Servadio and E. Blasi, “Agricoltura e Occhio Digitale. I GIS e le Loro Applicazioni nel Settore Agricolo. L’Informatore Agrario n. 49,” 2003.
[13]	P. Servadio, S. Bergonzoli, D. Dell’Unto and C. Beni, “Maize Yield and Physical-Chemical Fertility Mapping for the Management of the Soil,” Journal of Information Technology in Agriculture, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2011, pp. 1-8
[14]	M. Borin, C. Menini and L. Sartori, “Effect on Tillage Systems on Energy and Carbon Balance in North-Eastern Italy,” Soil & Tillage Research, Vol. 40, No. 3-4, 1997, pp. 209-226. doi:10.1016/S0167-1987(96)01057-4
[15]	C. Beni, P. Servadio, S. Marconi and U. Neri, “Anaerobic Digestate Administration: Effect on Soil Phisical and Mechanical Behaviour in Southern Italy,” Comunications in Soil Science and Plant Analisys, Vol. 43, No. 5, 2012, pp. 821-834. doi:10.1080/00103624.2012.648359
[16]	F. Cauli and W. Ceccarelli, “Macchiatonda una Riserva Sulla Costa Degli Etruschi,” Edizioni Cine Teulada, Roma, 2001.
[17]	O. K. Eradat and B. D. Witney, “The Determination of Plough Draught-Part I. Prediction from Soil and Meteorological Data with Cone Index as the Soil Strength Parameter,” Journal of Terramechanics, Vol. 19, No. 2, 1982, pp. 97-106. doi:10.1016/0022-4898(82)90014-3
[18]	A. Marsili, P. Servadio, M. Pagliai and N. Vignozzi, “Changes of Some Physical Properties of a Clay Soil Following Passage of Rubber- and Metal-Tracked Tractors,” Soil & Tillage Research, Vol. 49, No. 3, 1998, pp. 185-199.
[19]	P. Servadio, A. Marsili, M. Pagliai, S. Pellegrini and N. Vignozzi, “Effects on Some Clay Soil Qualities Following the Passage of the Rubber-Tracked and Wheeled Tractors in Central Italy,” Soil & Tillage Research, Vol. 61, No. 3-4, 2001, pp. 143-155. doi:10.1016/S0167-1987(01)00195-7
[20]	P. Servadio, A. Marsili, N. Vignozzi, S. Pellegrini and M. Pagliai, “Effects on Some Soil Qualities in Central Italy Following the Passage of Four Wheel Drive Tractor Fitted with Single and dual Tires,” Soil & Tillage Research, Vol. 84, No. 1, 2005, pp. 87-100. doi:10.1016/j.still.2004.09.018
[21]	P. Servadio, S. Bergonzoli, D. Dell’Unto amd C. Beni, “Models of Soil Compaction by Agricultural Machineries Wheeling and Soil Qualities Mapping,” International Conference on Agricultural Engineering (AgEng 2010). Towards Environmental Technologies, Clermont-Ferrand, 6-8 September 2010, pp. 1-10.
[22]	L. Giardini, “Agronomia Generale Ambientale e Aziendale,” Patron Editore, Bologna, 1992.