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Result of reclamation of man-made dumps from phosphorite deposits in the semi-desert zone of Kazakhstan

  • 0Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Plos One +

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February 24, 2025

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February 24, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Biological reclamation in Kazakhstan

Area Of Science

  • Environmental Science
  • Soil Science
  • Ecology

Background

  • Industrial activities, particularly phosphorite mining, generate significant waste, leading to heavy metal contamination and environmental degradation in semi-desert regions.
  • The Kokzhon phosphorite deposit in Kazakhstan exemplifies this issue, with over 67 million tons of industrial waste accumulated across 3.3 thousand hectares.
  • Effective reclamation strategies are crucial for restoring these heavily impacted ecosystems.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To evaluate the success of biological reclamation efforts at the Kokzhon phosphorite deposit.
  • To assess the impact of carbamide amendments and phytomeliorant planting on vegetation growth and soil properties.
  • To identify challenges and necessary improvements for long-term ecosystem recovery.

Main Methods

  • Treatment of 6,400 hectares using carbamide amendments.
  • Planting of resilient phytomeliorants: Russian Olive, Black Saxaul, Androsov Elm, and Salt Cedar.
  • Monitoring of tree and herbaceous vegetation survival rates, herbaceous productivity, vegetation cover, and soil fertility (humus content) over time.

Main Results

  • Low tree survival rates (11%) but high success for herbaceous vegetation (95% growth rate for legumes and cereals).
  • Significant increase in herbaceous productivity (from 2,200 kg/ha in 2013 to 3,300 kg/ha in 2018) and vegetation cover (from 60% to 80%).
  • Substantial improvement in soil fertility, with humus content rising from 0.18% (2012) to 1.14% (2023).

Conclusions

  • Biological reclamation shows potential for restoring degraded semi-desert ecosystems, evidenced by improved vegetation and soil conditions.
  • Despite positive outcomes, long-term challenges persist, including observed reductions in humus content and herbaceous productivity over a 12-year period.
  • Enhanced soil management, scalable cost-effective solutions, and long-term monitoring are essential for sustaining reclamation success and mitigating ongoing environmental damage.