Due to rapid and significant urbanization around the world, the land surface of urbanized areas has changed significantly through intensive construction via excavation and underground space development, and the natural state of environmental media such as soil has also altered through the emission of enormous amounts of diverse pollutants. Urban soil conditions, including heavy metal levels (esp., Cu, Zn, As, and Pb), have a significant impact on environmental assessments, so a better understanding of the source, distribution, and contamination of heavy metals is important for managing ecological and human health risks. The purpose of this study is to evaluate heavy metal (Cu, As, Pb, Zn) analysis data from 2,957 locations in Seoul, South Korea, representing the world’s fastest-growing metropolitan area. Statistical methods such as the additive log-ratio transformation-expectation maximization (EM) algorithm were used to process left-censored data below the limits of detection. We then used variogram analysis and ordinary kriging to interpolate the distribution of heavy metal concentrations to a 100m grid. The results showed an overall spatial distribution: more elevated levels of Cu, Pb, and Zn preferentially in the southwest of Seoul, and higher levels of As in the northeast. These patterns primarily imply spatial control of heavy metal enrichment mainly by land use activities in Seoul and warrant further investigation into specific sources of heavy metal pollution. Therefore, Monte Carlo simulation was utilized for risk assessment to provide comprehensive evaluations to incorporate uncertainties. As a result, a probabilistic risk mapping was prepared by running 1,000 randomized simulations per location. Then, the resulting risk maps were then combined with spatial data for vulnerable populations (i.e., infant and elderly populations) to assess potential health impacts. This study on the comprehensive spatial analysis of heavy metals in urban soils can provide key information on the characteristics, distribution, and exposure risk of multiple metals to develop targeted risk reduction strategies in metropolitan areas.

<Acknowledgements> This study was supported by the Korea Environment Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) through the project ‘Integrated environmental forensic approaches to trace source and pathways of subsurface contaminants (2021002440003)’, funded by Korea Ministry of Environment (MOE), the Institute for Korea Spent Nuclear Fuel (iKSNF) and the BK Plus project in Korea.

How to cite: Seo, H., Kim, K.-H., Choi, J., Cha, Y.-S., Kim, J.-A., Lee, J.-S., and Yun, S.-T.: Implementing Spatial Mapping and Monte Carlo Simulation for Probabilistic Risk Modeling of Heavy Metals Contamination in Urban Soils, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-15326, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-15326, 2024.

This study aimed to explore the level of heavy metal contamination in the soil of agricultural and industrial areas in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. It adopted a novel approach integrating multiple disciplines including sampling, laboratory analysis, spatial analysis, and risk evaluation. The research focused on pinpointing levels of contamination, identifying their sources, and evaluating associated ecological and human health hazards. Due to its varied agricultural and industrial activities, the Eastern Province faced potential environmental challenges linked to heavy metal pollution. This study tackled the essential task of understanding the spatial spread and associated risks of heavy metals in soil, offering insights critical for effective environmental management and policymaking. Over 60 soil samples were gathered from different industrial and agricultural sites. Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) was employed for the analysis of various heavy metals in these samples. The soil samples underwent evaluation for heavy metal presence, with their pollution levels assessed through indicators such as the heavy metal pollution index (HPI), heavy metal evaluation index (HEI), modified heavy metal index (MHMI), and degree of contamination (Cdeg). Experimental findings revealed average concentrations of heavy metals in mg/Kg for As, Ba, Hg, Pb, Ni, V, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Zn are 1.21, 110.62, 0.08, 6.34, 8.95, 9.98, 1.18, 31.79, 6.76, and 23.44 respectively. A general trend emerged in the concentration levels, with the highest averages observed in samples from industrial areas, followed by agricultural sites. Particularly notable were barium concentrations in the industrial area, peaking at 1966.5 mg/kg, and copper levels, with a maximum of 95.75 mg/kg in the same area, occasionally surpassing the permissible limits. This methodology provided crucial insights for enhancing water environment management and protection, addressing the urgent need for effective environmental governance and policy development. The findings from this project are not only relevant to the Eastern Province but also applicable to other regions experiencing similar soil contamination challenges.

How to cite: Yassin, M., Mundher Yaseen, Z., Tawabini, B., Abba, S., Muzzamil Hussain Shah, S., Halder, B., and Aljundi, I.: Spatial distribution and health risk assessment of heavy metals pollution in soil within Agricultural and industrial areas in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-4585, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-4585, 2024.

Heavy metal pollution has a detrimental impact on both the ecosystem and human health. In order to accurately assess the risk of contamination at a site, it is necessary to conduct sampling and ecological investigations on site, followed by laboratory analysis of contamination concentrations and toxicity. This process also requires the use of various experimental equipment and materials for ecological risk assessment. This study proposes a method for assessing ecological risks at metal-contaminated sites using life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) approaches. LCIA quantifies environmental impacts by multiplying mass-environmental loads with impact characterization factors (CF). This study aimed to develop exposure and effect factors in order to obtain site-specific CFs for metal soil contamination. The ecological risks at two mine sites were then estimated solely based on soil metal concentrations. These estimated risks were compared between sites and with detailed ecological risk results obtained using the TRIAD method. The estimated results were found to be in good agreement with the actual experimental results. This method has the potential to save time, resources, and effort in assessing the ecological risks of metal-contaminated sites. (This work was supported by the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI) funded by the Korea Ministry of Environment (No. 2022002450002)).

How to cite: Jeong, S.-W., Gautam, P., Kim, S., An, Y.-J., Hyun, S., and Hong, S.: Assessing the Ecotoxicological Risks of Heavy Metals in Contaminated Sites Using the Life Cycle Impact Assessment Method, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-2566, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-2566, 2024.

The geochemical characteristics of soil horizons and specific rock types in the vicinity of Izmir city center were studied for interpretation to see the possible health risk associated with geogenic control. The purpose of this study was to interpret and assess the potential health risks associated with geogenic control. A total of 140 samples, consisting of 60 soil sites representing various soil horizons and 48 rock sites located in the İzmir city center, were collected for geochemical analysis using the ICP-MS method. The presence of potentially toxic elements (PTE) including As, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Pb, Mo, Ni, Sb, Se, Sn, and Zn were identified, posing potential health risks. Therefore, the values of contamination factor (CF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), pollution load index (PLI), as well as health risk factors for adults and children (carcinogenic risk and hazard index) are computed.

The risk factor findings demonstrate that certain areas in the city center of İzmir pose carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic health risks to various segments of the population, encompassing both children and adults. For children, the median HI value is 0.95 (lower than unity) and the mean value is 2.02 (greater than unity). The median carcinogenic risk value for children exceeds the risk threshold of 10^-4, measuring at 2.06x10^-4, while the mean carcinogenic risk value stands at 7.32x10^-4. Elemental contributions for hazard index are mainly caused by As, Co, Pb and Sb, for risk As, Be and Ni and Pb.

The correlation between the source of PTE in soil levels and the geochemical results of rock samples from the city center suggests a potential link between contamination and geogenic effects.

Keywords: Medical geology, health risk, toxic elements, arsenic enrichment, Western Anatolia.

How to cite: Kılıç, A. and Toksoy Köksal, F.: Health Risk Assessment For Soil From The İzmir City Center, Western Türkiye, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-1652, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-1652, 2024.

Disturbance is an important factor in controlling vegetation diversity, and distribution of trace metals in the environment, including through their mobilization by disturbance-induced runoff and related to movement of soil particles. Disturbance-induced access of these trace metals into the ecosystem is toxic for soil contamination and experiences varying degrees of ecological implications in different ecosystems. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of different degrees of land disturbances on the changes in vegetation diversity, soil characteristics, and trace metals in the Himalayan forest ecosystem, which is limitedly documented. Forest sites were categorized into four distinct disturbance classes based on disturbance index score (DI): no disturbance (ND, DI ≤ 5 %), low disturbance (LD, 5 < DI ≤ 20 %), moderate disturbance (MD, 20 < DI ≤ 50 %), and high disturbance (HD, DI > 50 %). Data comprised trace metals, and soil physicochemical characteristics across the distinct disturbance classes and soil layers (0-15 and 15-30 cm). Using two-way ANOVA, vegetation attributes (diversity (H′), and tree density), soil properties, and trace metals were tested for their effects, including interactions among different disturbances and depths. Multivariate correlation was used to investigate the relationship between disturbance classes, depths, soil characteristics, and trace metals. The important findings of the study are the following: (1) The recruitment of new trees (Tree_recru.), diversity, and soil organic carbon (C_org) were significantly varied across the disturbance classes (p< 0.05) and followed the order: MD > HD > LD > ND; (2) Average concentration metals were significantly distributed along disturbances gradient HD > LD > MD > ND in the order: B > Mn > Pb > Cu > Ni in distinct soil layer. (3) Contamination factor of trace metals in order B > Mn > Pb > Ni > Co > Cu in 0-15 and 15-30 cm soil depths. (4) Persistent ecological risk index (PERI) was higher for HD sites and lowest for ND sites. The result illustrated that moderate disturbance increases diversity and soil nutrients. The study highlighted the important role of disturbance in regulating the trace elements in association with changes above-below ground interaction, suggesting HD sites as a potential source of environmental contamination.

How to cite: Shankar, A. and Garkoti, S. C.: Trace metals interaction to soil properties, and their ecological risk assessment in different disturbance regimes of sal forests of the western Himalaya, India, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-826, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-826, 2024.

Rhizosphere processes related to nutrient acquisition and element exclusion overlap in time, space, and function depending on the composition of metal-chelating ligands released by plant roots in concert with rhizosphere pH. Thus, the presence of non-essential metals might influence the nutrient (phosphorus: P) acquisition in the rhizosphere, while processes related to nutrient acquisition might contribute to metal tolerance. However, until nowadays,  the interactions of essential and non-essential elements are poorly understood on a rhizosphere level. In the present study, we characterized the P-inefficient species Zea mays and Triticum aestivum with regard to their carboxylate release under conditions of P deficiency and compared the results with the P-efficient species Lupinus albus. In addition, we explored how the presence of microdoses of rare earth elements (REE) and aluminum (Al) alters carboxylate release and the shoot elemental composition of the plants. P deficiency increased carboxylate release in L. albus but not in T. aestivum. Lupinus albus released more carboxylates than T. aestivum did, regardless of the P-status. The exposure of plants to Al and REE in the early growth stage influenced biomass development, carboxylate release, and shoot elemental composition of mature plants. Notably, the effect of metal availability is clearly dependent on the plant species and the P status of the plants. The mechanisms remain poorly understood. However, these findings demonstrate that non-essential elements clearly shape chemical soil-plant interactions in the rhizosphere and have an impact on element acquisition.

How to cite: Wiche, O., Maksimović, V., Stojanović, M. S., Ristić, D. R., and Dragišić Maksimović, J.: How P-nutrition status and the presence of non-essential metals (Al, REE) affect root carboxylate release and shoot element accumulation in plants with different nutrition strategies, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-16373, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-16373, 2024.

Toxic elements causing soil pollution and degradation are able to enter the substance cycle of ecosystem. Woody plants often act as critical objects for accumulating toxicants with their subsequent removal from the cycle of substances for a long period. Understanding the conditions of soil water saturation is essential for hydrological processes, and therefore influences this parameter in soil on the transfer of toxicants to vegetation too. The objective of this study was therefore to determine whether soil water saturation relate with heavy metals/metalloid accumulation in soils and whether it is possible to describe the relationship between accumulated toxic elements in soils and woody plants. The was conducted at 21 locations in the Freiberg region, Germany, where soil contamination with toxic metals is increasingly becoming problematic.The content of metals in the soil, leaves and branches were measured by ICP-MS. The relationship between soil saturation and accumulated heavy metals/ metalloid levels in the soil and the aboveground biomass of plants was analyzed. The maximum concentration of the studied toxic elements reached 7.36 mg kg^-1 in the soil for Cd (Freiberg city forest), 618.1 for Pb (Freiberg Davidschaft vicinity), and 23276 for As (Davidschaft). The ability of woody plants Populus tremulae and Salix caprea to accumulate heavy metals/metalloid (Cd, Pb, and As) in aboveground biomass was studied under the condition of their growth in areas with increased content of these elements in the substrates.  The ability of the studied plants to absorb heavy metals/metalloid was determined based on the bioaccumulation coefficient. The accumulation of metal elements occurs more intensively in the assimilation part of plant biomass as compared to the wood of tree branches. The study demonstrates a more significant accumulation of toxic elements in  Salix caprea trees' aboveground biomass than Populus tremulae. The level of Cd accumulation in the biomass of Salix caprea defines this species as a potential hyperaccumulator of this element, allowing the strategies to be adjusted for the phytoremediation purposes of disturbed landscapes.

How to cite: Lovynska, V., Wiche, O., and Sytnyk, S.: Influence of the soil water content and heavy metals/metalloid on woody plant’s aboveground biomass, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-17988, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-17988, 2024.

Animal manure often contains antibiotic residues due to the prevalent use of these compounds in animal husbandry. After manure application, these residues could potentially affect soil microorganisms and plant growth, yet their impacts on soil nitrogen (N) dynamics in grasslands remain largely unexplored. We hypothesized that applying manure containing antibiotics would shift soil N dynamics by affecting plant morphology and certain N-cycling microbial guilds such as symbiotic N-fixing bacteria. To test this, we conducted a 64-day greenhouse experiment using field soil and including four plant treatments (no plants, ryegrass monoculture, clover monoculture, and a ryegrass-clover mixture) and three fertilizer treatments (antibiotic-free manure, manure containing oxytetracycline, and manure containing sulfadiazine). We measured nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, N content in the shoot and root biomass, and antibiotic uptake in plant shoots, and used the δ¹⁵N technique to estimate symbiotic N fixation of clover. We also sampled soils at the end of the experiment to measure plant-available N pools (ammonia and nitrate) and the abundance of symbiotic N-fixing bacteria (by nifH gene). Our results showed that antibiotics in manure did not significantly alter soil N₂O emissions, soil N pools, or plant aboveground N in any plant community. Both compounds were barely been taken up in plant shoots. However, both antibiotics significantly reduced root biomass in clover monocultures. Despite this root growth inhibition, N fixation (both aboveground and belowground) in clover monoculture was unaffected by both antibiotics. Interestingly, analysis of variance suggested that antibiotics in manure could lead to a higher abundance of nifH gene in soil than that of antibiotic-free manure in clover monoculture. In summary, although overall soil N dynamics were not impacted by antibiotics in manure, root growth inhibition in clover monoculture suggests varying grassland species susceptibilities to antibiotic stress. Our results also suggest that clover may adapt to antibiotic stress by modifying plant-microbe interactions. This study calls for further research on long-term environmental impacts of antibiotic residues in grasslands.

How to cite: Yang, Z., van Groenigen, J. W., Berendsen, B. J. A., van de Schans, M. G. M., and De Deyn, G. B.: Exploring the Impacts of Antibiotics in Manure on Soil Nitrogen Dynamics and Plant Growth in Grasslands, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-9885, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-9885, 2024.

Uptake of radionuclides into plants is a key process in radioecological modelling.  Typically, the uptake is incorporated into these models and in environmental impact assessments using an empirical soil-to-plant transfer factor (CR). The elemental concentration in plants is expected to vary with plant species and plant functional type (PFT), but also with soil concentration and elemental properties. Specifically, elements subject to regulated plant uptake (i.e. essential elements) are expected to be less related to soil concentrations than non-essential elements with no or limited biological function. Environmental conditions may also influence the CR value, and for assessment purposes, differential values are commonly listed for different soil types. In this study, we have addressed the impact of PFT and species as well as environmental factors to the CR of four peatland species (Andromeda polifolia, Vaccinium oxycoccus, Eriophorum vaginatum and Carex rostrata) representing two different PFTs (heathers and sedges).

The results show that while plant species and PFT are the most important factors determining the CR value, environmental factors, such as pH and peat depth, also modify the CR. As expected, plant concentrations of essential elements were only weakly related to soil concentrations, whereas the correlation between soil and plants was stronger for non-essential elements.

Based on our results, we verify that CR values may vary substantially between species and PFTs also in wetland environments.  Further, we suggest that since PFT may have a large impact on the exposure pathway to humans, it would be reasonable to differentiate between PFTs and to account for between-species variation in environmental impact assessment. Since CR varies systematically with several soil properties, CR values could also be adjusted to illustrate effects of expected future changes in the soil environment.

How to cite: Peura, S., Saetre, P., Ehnvall, B., Nilsson, M. B., and Öquist, M. G.: Plant functional type and species determine elemental concentrations in boreal mire vegetation, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-9115, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-9115, 2024.

The rise in human activities in northeast (NE) China has resulted in increased emissions of environmental pollutants. Their measurement is crucial to evaluate the extent and timing of the longer-term anthropogenic environmental changes. This study presents the measurement of mercury (Hg) concentration and accumulation rate in 11 lake sediment cores from Songnen Plain in NE China to reconstruct the historical deposition of Hg as an indicator of the changing scale of anthropogenic activities. The results demonstrate an increasing trend of Hg concentration, concurrent with the increased anthropogenic emission, beginning from the early 1900s, accelerating through the mid-1950s and slightly decreasing from the late 1990s up-core. The anthropogenic Hg increase coincides with New China's foundation, precipitating social and economic reforms and rapid industrial and economic growth. Measurements of the Hg enrichment factor in all the cores point out anthropogenic contribution to Hg accumulation, and the geoaccumulation index shows the lakes are generally moderately polluted by Hg. The historical trend of the Hg accumulation rate matches the region's temporal progression of biomass burning and fossil fuel consumption. The findings elucidate the extent of anthropogenic pollution in the Anthropocene and underline the importance of identifying Hg sources to reduce emissions and implementation of effective mitigation strategies.

How to cite: Neupane, B., Bao, K., Chen, M., Thapa, P., and Meadows, M. E.: Increase in anthropogenic mercury pollution over the past centuries in Northeast China as reconstructed from multi-lake sediment cores, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-7298, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-7298, 2024.

Lead isotopes of soil profiles were measured to survey possible sources of lead. Thirty-seven soil profiles (n > 150 samples) were obtained near two lead battery recycling smelters: Exide (recently shutdown) and Quemetco/Ecobat (currently in operation) affecting thousands of residential sites. Preliminary soil Pb isotopic compositions plot as a band in Pb isotope space from radiogenic values typical of rock-derived lead to lower values that likely indicate anthropogenic lead. Three overlapping soil groups were established based on Pb isotope analysis by TIMS (Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry). Group 1 consists mainly of soils near the Exide smelter and nearby residential sites. Group 1 has low isotopic values with moderate variations in ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ~1.167–1.176, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ~ 2.432–2.438, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ~18.24–18.344. Group 2 has more radiogenic values than Group 1: ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ~1.178–1.190, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ~2.439–2.443, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ~18.34–18.56 and consists mostly of residential soils surrounding the Exide smelter. Group 3 is more radiogenic than Groups 1 and 2: ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb >~1.190, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁷Pb >~2.443, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb >~18.56. Soils near the Quemetco facility have similar variations and overlap the three groups.  About 80% of the Pb isotopes in leached soils near Exide have Pb compositions that match those of the smelters. Group 2 has up to about 67% Pb resembling the Exide smelter output and Group 3 yields up to about 18% matching Pb. Sites near Quemetco contained up to about 86% Pb isotopically similar to the Exide signature. Sites containing lead that isotopically matches soils near the Exide smelter are interpreted as contaminated by human activities. Smelter isotopic signatures are found as deep as 30 cm in the soil profiles.  Our results demonstrate the need for establishing baselines and background concentrations of lead (and other metals such as As, Cd, Zn, Sb, and Cu) and Pb isotopic compositions of soils, waters, and air before smelters and other industrial facilities are in operation (which are commonly located in disadvantaged communities, for example in East Los Angeles), and especially during property transitions. Elemental and isotopic data can be used to assess legal liability and assist local, State, and national agencies for effective cleanup and proper remediation.

How to cite: Ayuso, R., Foley, N., Johnston, J., Indela, R., Jackson, J., and Bickerstaff, D.: Pb Isotopic Compositions of Soils and the Impact of Heavy Metal Smelters in Urbanized Industrial Settings, East Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. , EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-4109, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-4109, 2024.

Urbanisation inevitably alters the chemical, physical and biological soil properties. Consequently, it modifies environmental soil services. The sealing of soil – covering the soil surface with non-biological structures - has gained attention in urban area in relation to flooding, loss of soil carbon, loss of soil function and other problems, which can be mitigated introducing greenspaces in urban areas. To understand the impact of sealing and greenspaces on the urban soil properties, soil beneath three pavement types (concrete, slab and tarmac) and from paired unsealed areas (representing four cover types – bare soil, grass, shrub and tree) were sampled in forty sites in Lancaster, UK to access chemical [pH, total carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), C/N ratio], physical [moisture] and microbiological [microbial biomass (MB), 16S rDNA metabarcoding data metrics] parameters. Sealed soils had lower moisture, C, N and MB, and higher pH than unsealed soils. C/N ratio had no significative difference. Changes in chemical and physical soil parameter affected the bacterial diversity indexes (richness, Shannon, Simpson and α parameter of Fisher’s log series), which were significantly lower in sealed areas as well. NMDS analysis showed high variability in the bacterial community of sealed soil, but lower variability in unsealed soil. The sum of sequences of gram positive, gram negative, oligotrophic and copiotrophic bacteria, as well gram positive:gram negative  ratio (GP:GN), were lower in sealed soil. The reduced GP:GN ratio on sealed soil suggests low-quality organic matter and the impact of low moisture and N on bacterial community. Pavement type had no effect on sealed soil parameters. However, the cover type significantly changed GP:GN and copiotrophic:oligotrophic ratio on unsealed soil, indicating that soil in grassland may have higher resource availability (C and N) and microbial growth rates than shrub and trees. Our results reinforce that the sealing, unrelated to pavement type, has a negative impact on soil properties and deplete microbial diversity. Cover type may affect resources availability on unsealed soil. These changes can affect microbial processes related to biogeochemical cycles, impacting the carbon store and the potential for nutrient cycling in urban soils.

How to cite: Stevens, C., Correa Pereira, M., Whitlock, R., O’Riordan, R., Israel da Silva, L., and Kourmouli, A.: Sealing impacts soil properties and the soil microbial community in urban areas, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-5273, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-5273, 2024.

Soil and plant health are major drivers of food production. Heavy metals are present in agricultural soils and their concentrations have been increasing due to anthropogenic activities. When toxic elements reach harmful concentrations in soils and become available, they adversely affect the environment, plant performance and consequently, crop production. Our group has shown that solubility of the toxic and non-biodegradable element Cd is expected to increase in agricultural soils under IPCC-projected climatic conditions likely for the year 2100. This increased mobility of the toxic Cd potentially enhances its transfer into crops, causing a threat for agricultural production. By contrast to agricultural crops, the heavy metal hyperaccumulating plants possess physiological traits that allow them to tolerate and accumulate high concentrations of heavy metals without exhibiting toxicity symptoms. Due to these traits the hyperaccumulators show great potential for phytoremediation, but the impact of climate change on their efficacy to remove heavy metals from the soil and translocate them to aboveground tissues is still unknown. We conducted greenhouse experiments growing A. halleri on five agricultural soils that vary in Cd contents ranging from 0.07 to 14 mg kg^-1 dry soil. Temperature and atmospheric CO₂ concentration were controlled during the experiments, so that today’s ambient climate was compared to future climate with +4°C and doubled atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Cd accumulation in aerial parts was higher under future climatic conditions compared to plants grown under today’s climate. However, the metal transfer from soil to roots and from roots to shoots depended on the combination of soil biogeochemical processes as well as plant growth and physiology. If the soil had a Cd content between 0.1 and 0.5 mg kg^-1 dry soil, hyperaccumulation might not be triggered, even if the mobility of Cd was still higher under future climatic conditions. On the other hand, despite that high concentrations of soil Cd stimulated metal accumulation, simultaneous presence of high content of other elements, such as Pb that is ultimately toxic to this species, negatively impacted the efficacy of Cd phytoextraction due to the increased plant stress. For soils with Pb contents that were not toxic and Cd concentrations above 0.5 mg kg^-1 dry soil, in combination with future climatic conditions, Cd availability as well as Cd translocation and transfer from soil to root were affected, increasing phytoextraction. Our results indicated that translocation towards the shoots and a potential high efficacy of phytoextraction by A. halleri may be triggered by climate change mainly in soils with moderate Cd content. Under such growth conditions, phytoremediation could be considered as a feasible option to reduce mobile Cd fractions by using metal hyperaccumulators as cover crops in agricultural ecosystems.

How to cite: Sánchez, N., Vergara-Cid, C., Drabesch, S., Merbach, I., Tarkka, M., and Muehe, E. M.: Climate impact on phytoremediation efficacy by the Cd/Zn hyperaccumulator Arabidopsis halleri in heavy metal contaminated agricultural soils, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-17422, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-17422, 2024.

Over the past, increasingly severe hydrological extremes, droughts, floods, and changes in soil moisture have been significant consequences of climate change in the Carpathian Basin. These changes adversely affect agricultural yields, soil hydrological processes, leading to water scarcity, substantial economic damage, environmental losses, a reduction in surface water, and declining groundwater levels.

In this study, we aimed to compare the soil moisture dynamics (SM) of three land use types (pasture, ploughland, and orchard). All sites had soils of silt loam texture. As a second objective we aimed at analyzing the applicability of Hydrus 1D for simulating soil moisture dynamics in silty loam soils under three different land use types.

The three study areas are in the Transdanubian Hills (SW Hungary), a region of subhumid continental climate where matric potential, soil moisture, and rainfall were measured for the period of January 1, 2019, till February 28, 2023, for three land use types. Two monitoring stations were set up at each study site, one shoulder and a second one at foothill position. Volumetric soil moisture contents and matric potentials were measured at depths of 10 and 30 cm at each station (Teros-12 and Teros-21, respectively, Meter Group Inc., Pullman, WA, US). Data was stored in 15-minute intervals. The Blaney- Criddle formula was used for calculating aridity indices (ratio of annual evapotranspiration to annual precipitation total) for the summer of 2022.

Although the three sites were in relative proximity to each other, pasture had the most positive water balance, whereas orchard had the most negative, especially in 2022, when cherry trees were removed. Aridity indices in 2022 were 0.97, 1.18, 1.42 for the pasture, ploughland and orchard, respectively. Mean soil moisture values were 0.26, 0.21, and 0.21 (m³ m^-3 ) for the pasture, ploughland and orchard for 10 cm, and 0.3, 0.22, and 0.22 (m³ m^-3 )  for the pasture, ploughland and orchard for 30 cm, respectively. Pasture also demonstrated the lowest fluctuation of SM, whereas ploughland proved to have the poorest soil moisture dynamics over the studied period.

For the sensitivity test of Hydrus-1D, the largest difference was found for the orchard site at a depth of 30 cm in a shoulder position (RMSE = 0.029), whereas lowest difference was observed for the pasture at a depth of 10 cm in a foothill position (RMSE = 0.021).

We conclude that soil moisture dynamics was controlled by the cultivation methods. Our results confirmed the findings of (Horel et al., 2022) who found negative climate change effects on the SM content of vineyard and cropland soils. Hence, site-specific mapping and analyses of factors responsible for efficient moisture retention are indispensable for the maximization of agricultural productivity and the optimization of the efficiency of ecosystem services. Our findings could be valuable for the promotion of sustainable agricultural activities where loamy soils and subhumid continental climates prevail.

How to cite: Maleknia, P., Ali, Z. F., Khedhri, R., Ugwonoh, N., Geresdi, I., and Czigány, S.: The effects of land use on soil moisture dynamics in loamy soils of southwest hungary, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-20088, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-20088, 2024.