Thin technosols mature to agronomically functional soils on a reclaimed ash landfill

作者：Nejc Golob, Marko Zupan, Thomas Weninger, Peter Strauss, Matjaž Glavan, Vesna Zupanc · 发表于：Frontiers in Soil Science · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.3389/fsoil.2026.1727139 · 被引用次数：1 · 研究领域：Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics、Landfill Environmental Impact Studies、Phosphorus and nutrient management

The long-term functionality of thin (≤ 30 cm) technosols – anthropogenic soils constructed from homogenized transported soil over reclaimed lignite fly ash landfills – is evaluated here. This study investigates three distinct parcels (defined as contiguous land-use areas reclaimed with same initial substrate material in different phases) on a landfill in central Slovenia: P1 (28 years old), P2 (25 years old), and P3 (15 years old). Soil sampling was conducted during a single campaign in 2024 to assess pedogenic stabilization. All parcels demonstrated plant-available water (PAW) above the 20% vol. agronomic threshold, with P1 reaching 26.1% vol. and P3 23.8% vol. Strong aggregate stability (>90% water-stable aggregates) was observed across the site. The oldest parcel (P1) exhibited the most favorable bulk density (~1.11 g cm - ³), stable pH and uniform saturated hydraulic conductivity (K s ), while younger parcels showed localized compaction exceeding 1.50 g cm - ³. Chemical analysis via pXRF confirmed that trace elements (e.g., Cr: 84–111 mg kg - ¹, Ni: 45–57 mg kg - ¹) remain within Slovenian regulatory limits. While topsoil nutrients are adequate (OM 5.5–6.0%), a sharp decline in the subsoil (OM ~2.1%) indicates limited vertical nutrient cycling. These findings prove that even a thin technosol can develop essential functions for agriculture, such as water retention and structural stability, within three decades. However, limited soil depth restricts drought resilienc...