Constructed soils (also called fabricated soils) are mixtures of organic and mineral material derived from a number of sources, including repurposed organic waste, that are designed to approximate natural soils and provide a growing medium for plants.[1] Constructed soils are commonly used in the reclamation of degraded land where natural topsoil is either not present or has been contaminated. Examples of these sites include mines, landfills, and other industrial or urban areas.[2] Constructed soils are classified as Technosols, and often form the upper layer, or layers, in a Technosol above a geomembrane or other barrier capping waste material.[3]
Use of constructed soils in restoring sites is preferable to importing topsoil from other locations. Topsoil harvesting means a second location will be degraded, and collection and transport expenses will generally be higher than using local materials to create a new soil. Soil that was removed and stockpiled (e.g. during the operation of a mine), can become part of a constructed soil once a site is being reclaimed.[4]
The goal in designing a constructed soil is to replicate the physical, chemical, and biological functions of natural soils. The target soil properties depend on the site location and final land use. Constructed soils are intended to be as low-maintenance as possible,[2] meaning they will be a stable and functional system over time that does not need additional inputs once biogeochemical cycling is established.
Where applicable, constructed soils must meet regulatory requirements dictating the acceptable thresholds of certain soil characteristics. Pathogens, harmful trace elements, salinity, and pH must be at values that are not harmful to human or environmental health.[5] Specific values for the balance of soil nutrients, including proportion of organic matter, carbon to nitrogen ratio, and total nitrogen, may also be required to ensure prolonged soil functioning.[6]
^Deeb, Maha; Groffman, Peter M.; Blouin, Manuel; Egendorf, Sara Perl; Vergnes, Alan; Vasenev, Viacheslav; Cao, Donna L.; Walsh, Daniel; Morin, Tatiana; Séré, Geoffroy (2020-09-08). "Using constructed soils for green infrastructure – challenges and limitations". Soil. 6 (2): 413–434. Bibcode:2020SOIL....6..413D. doi:10.5194/soil-6-413-2020. ISSN 2199-3971. S2CID 221875952.
^ abCraul, Phillip J. (1999). Urban soils : applications and practices. James R. Lienhart. New York: Wiley. ISBN 0-471-18903-0. OCLC 39533956.
^Séré, Geoffroy; Schwartz, Christophe; Ouvrard, Stéphanie; Sauvage, Claire; Renat, Jean-Christophe; Morel, Jean Louis (2008-04-01). "Soil construction: A step for ecological reclamation of derelict lands". Journal of Soils and Sediments. 8 (2): 130–136. Bibcode:2008JSoSe...8..130S. doi:10.1065/jss2008.03.277. ISSN 1614-7480. S2CID 98710877.
^MacKenzie, Dean (2012). Best management practices for conservation of reclamation materials in the mineable oil sands region of Alberta. Alberta. Alberta Environment and Water, Canadian Electronic Library. Edmonton, Alta.: Alberta Environment and Water. ISBN 978-1-4601-0048-6. OCLC 812919514.
Constructedsoils (also called fabricated soils) are mixtures of organic and mineral material derived from a number of sources, including repurposed organic...
plants and soil organisms. Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from soil by restricting the former term specifically to displaced soil. Soil consists...
A soil type is a taxonomic unit in soil science. All soils that share a certain set of well-defined properties form a distinctive soil type. Soil type...
areas lost to land development. Constructed wetlands are engineered systems that use the natural functions of vegetation, soil, and organisms to provide secondary...
typical soils of eucalypt forests and heathlands in southern Australia. In Western Europe, podzols develop on heathland, which is often a construct of human...
(/ˈpɛtrɪˌkɔːr/) is the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. The word is constructed from Ancient Greek πέτρα (pétra) 'rock', or πέτρος (pétros) 'stone'...
Soil classification deals with the systematic categorization of soils based on distinguishing characteristics as well as criteria that dictate choices...
A soil horizon is a layer parallel to the soil surface whose physical, chemical and biological characteristics differ from the layers above and beneath...
Mechanically stabilized earth (MSE or reinforced soil) is soilconstructed with artificial reinforcing. It can be used for retaining walls, bridge abutments...
A soil conditioner is a product which is added to soil to improve the soil’s physical qualities, usually its fertility (ability to provide nutrition for...
Soil and grain was a common Chinese political term in the Sinosphere for the state. Shejitan, the altars of soil and grain, were constructed alongside...
USDA soil taxonomy (ST) developed by the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Cooperative Soil Survey provides an elaborate classification...
Soil liquefaction occurs when a cohesionless saturated or partially saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied...
Laterite is a soil type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of...
is constructed to resist the lateral pressure of soil when there is a desired change in ground elevation that exceeds the angle of repose of the soil. A...
Soil consolidation refers to the mechanical process by which soil changes volume gradually in response to a change in pressure. This happens because soil...
Soil carbon is the solid carbon stored in global soils. This includes both soil organic matter and inorganic carbon as carbonate minerals. It is vital...
Night soil is a historically used euphemism for human excreta collected from cesspools, privies, pail closets, pit latrines, privy middens, septic tanks...
Soil survey, or soil mapping, is the process of classifying soil types and other soil properties in a given area and geo-encoding such information. Soil...
areas lost to land development. Constructed wetlands are engineered systems that use the natural functions of vegetation, soil, and organisms to provide secondary...
Greeks notably constructed pad footings and strip-and-raft foundations. Until the 18th century, however, no theoretical basis for soil design had been...
the people on the planet live in houses that are constructed from soil. The conditions of the soil must be firm and solid to provide a good base for...
Soil health is a state of a soil meeting its range of ecosystem functions as appropriate to its environment. In more colloquial terms, the health of soil...
The soil food web is the community of organisms living all or part of their lives in the soil. It describes a complex living system in the soil and how...
load from retaining soil. Construction of both methods is the same as for foundation bearing piles. Contiguous walls are constructed with small gaps between...
life. In order to increase arable land, many private farmers have constructedsoil-filled stone terraces along the Jorf, a salt mountain nearby. The Jorf...
Artificial rills are channels constructed to carry a water supply from a distant water source. In landscape or garden design, constructed rills are an aesthetic...
Agriculture constructed experimental rammed-earth edifices with architect Thomas Hibben.[citation needed] The houses were inexpensively constructed and were...
which involves growing plants, usually crops or medicinal plants, without soil, by using water-based mineral nutrient solutions in an artificial environment...
Global Information