Aplication of Soil Productivity Index after Eight Years of Soil Reclamation with Sewage Sludge Amendments

Remediation methods are gaining acceptance as effective and inexpensive techniques used in the reclamation of degraded areas. The reclamation of post-mining sites has become important for the conservation of soil and vegetation. An assessment of potential productivity of plants based on the depth of their root zone is crucial for the validation of properties of post-mining soils. Our aim was to present soil productivity parameters that would facilitate assessment of various post-mining objects. Soil productivity index (SPI) was calculated to assess soil quality, mainly in areas degraded by hard coal mining. It is based on an equation determining the relationship between the productivity index and the physical, chemical, and hydrological properties of soil. Our study demonstrated the positive effects of enriched sewage sludge with amendments on newly formed soil and plants. The soil productivity index was 0.81, demonstrating the suitable condition of the initial soil resulting from reclamation. This parameter might be important for post-industrial reclamation, such as wasteland intended to be transformed into woodland. Considering the composition of sewage sludge amendments, it can be successfully used as an effective method of restoring and improving both the physical and chemical properties of soils, thus effectively replacing mineral fertilisers. The use of sewage sludge in soil reclamation will be an important method of managing this waste material in post-mining areas.