Article
Ecology
Carla Cruz-Paredes, Toke Bang-Andreasen, Soren Christensen, Flemming Ekelund, Tobias G. Froslev, Carsten Suhr Jacobsen, Jesper Liengaard Johansen, Louise H. Mortensen, Regin Ronn, Mette Vestergard, Rasmus Kjoller
Summary: Soil pH is a key factor influencing bacterial richness and community composition, with fungi being less affected by pH changes. In an experiment using wood ash to manipulate pH levels, it was found that bacterial and fungal communities responded differently to the pH increment, with fungi showing less sensitivity to pH changes compared to bacteria. This suggests that fertilizing plantation forests with wood ash at standard dosages is a safe management practice from the perspective of microbial community changes.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Samia Richards, Rachel Marshall, Alfonso Jose Lag-Brotons, Kirk T. Semple, Marc Stutter
Summary: The study examined the effects of bioenergy waste materials on plant phosphorus availability and mobility, with the combination of ash and anaerobic digestate showing potential benefits for plant growth. Analysis through chemical extractions and spectroscopic determination provided insights into the interactions of these materials with soil and plants.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jesper Liengaard Johansen, Maiken Lundstad Nielsen, Mette Vestergard, Louise Hindborg Mortensen, Carla Cruz-Paredes, Regin Ronn, Rasmus Kjoller, Mads Hovmand, Soren Christensen, Flemming Ekelund
Summary: Wood ash, a by-product from energy production, can be recycled to forests to restore nutrients and prevent acidification. Despite low nitrogen concentrations, wood ash addition stimulates plant growth by increasing pH, nutrient levels, and nitrogen mineralization. Additionally, concerns about heavy metal accumulation in plants from wood ash application were not supported by the study's results.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yvonne Musavi Madegwa, Yoshitaka Uchida
Summary: The study investigated the effects of lime application and fertilizer type on soil microbial community. Results showed that lime application increased the stability of soil microbial community, and different fertilizer types had varying impacts on different bacterial groups. Lime treatment significantly influenced the stability of soil microbial community and functional gene abundance, providing insights for agricultural soil management.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Lur Moragues-Saitua, Ander Arias-Gonzalez, Fernando Blanco, Garazi Benito-Carnero, Nahia Gartzia-Bengoetxea
Summary: The application of by-products such as wood ash and biochar to soil can replace nutrients and increase soil carbon stocks. However, their effects on the soil-water-plant system depend on various factors. This study found that biochar and wood ash had different effects on two different forest soils.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tlou Grace Manyelo, Nthabiseng Amenda Sebola, Monnye Mabelebele
Summary: This study aimed to determine the effect of amaranth leaf meal (ALM) inclusion levels on the productivity of Ross 308 broiler chickens. The results showed that including amaranth leaf meal at 5%, 10%, and 15% levels in the diets of Ross 308 broiler chickens did not have adverse effects on productivity, meat quality, and the bone characteristics of the chickens.
Article
Soil Science
Michael J. Braus, Thea L. Whitman
Summary: Soil pH values are crucial in guiding decisions of land managers, biogeochemical models, and experimental designs, with pH emerging as the strongest predictor of soil bacterial community composition. However, current measurements may not accurately represent the acidity of soil microhabitats. Simulation experiments on soil conditions have shown significantly different estimates of soil pH and improved predictions of bacterial community composition on long-term experimental soil pH gradients.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mirha Pazalja, Mirsada Salihovic, Jasmina Sulejmanovic, Alisa Smajovic, Sabina Begic, Selma Spirtovic-Halilovic, Farooq Sher
Summary: This study focused on determining heavy metal concentrations in wood pellet ash from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy, assessing the effects of adding these ashes to soils, and evaluating health risk. The results showed that the risk of soil contamination with heavy metals from wood pellet ashes is a concern, but the human health risk for both children and adults is not significant. Further monitoring is required to address the potential soil contamination from the analyzed ash samples.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Letlhogonolo Selaledi, Josephine Baloyi, Christian Mbajiorgu, Amenda Nthabiseng Sebola, Henriette de Kock, Monnye Mabelebele
Summary: The experiment compared the effects of different levels of yellow mealworm larvae meal and soybean meal on meat quality and color of indigenous chickens, suggesting that yellow mealworm could be a promising protein source in the diets of indigenous chickens.
Article
Agronomy
Ruth Joseph, Amanda Diochon, Dave Morris, Lisa Venier, Caroline E. Emilson, Nathan Basiliko, Nicolas Belanger, Trevor Jones, John Markham, Michael P. Rutherford, Emily Smenderovac, Ken Van Rees, Paul Hazlett
Summary: This study investigates the effects of wood ash application on soil organic matter attributes at eight experimental sites in Canada. The results indicate that wood ash application has limited and inconsistent effects on soil quality indicators, suggesting no advantageous or detrimental effects of adding wood ash to forest soil quality.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY BIOENERGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Stuart Cairns, Sampriti Chaudhuri, Gabriel Sigmund, Iain Robertson, Natasha Hawkins, Tom Dunlop, Thilo Hofmann
Summary: This study shows that amending biochar with wood ash significantly enhances the immobilization of Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd by an order of magnitude. The addition of wood ash increases pH and causes precipitation of minerals, leading to dominant mechanisms of metal immobilization through precipitation and ion exchange. Wood ash amended biochar proves to be a sustainable and cost-effective option for removing heavy metals from motorway runoff.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jonathan D. Morris, Syed Sheraz Daood, William Nimmo
Summary: Biomass can be used as a near carbon neutral fuel for power generation, but the highly variable composition and limited availability of data sets have hindered the application of machine learning approaches in analyzing biomass ash content and trace element data.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lijian Leng, Weijin Zhang, Hailong Li, Anna A. Bogush, Julia A. Stegemann, Huajun Huang
Summary: The study investigated the use of YMeat and bone meal (MBM) ash for phosphate wastewater treatment and phosphorus recovery, finding that the phosphate in the ash was mainly hydroxyapatite. Particle size significantly affected the phosphate removal capacity, with smaller sizes showing higher removal capabilities, and an acidic environment was favorable for phosphorus recovery.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Martina Zagvozda, Tatjana Rukavina, Sanja Dimter
Summary: The possibility of using wood ash as a partial replacement for lime in subgrade stabilisation of clay soil in eastern Croatia was investigated. The study found that wood ash can be used as a substitute for lime in stabilising local clays for embankments and subgrades. The optimal substitution ratio depends on the plasticity of the soil.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAVEMENT ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Inga-Mareike Bach, Lisa Essich, Andrea Bauerle, Torsten Mueller
Summary: This study tested three phosphorus fertilizers recycled from biogas digestates and found that they are effective alternatives to mineral TSP for maize cultivation under acidic and neutral soil conditions. In neutral soil, organic P fertilizers increased maize biomass by almost double compared to TSP, and in acidic soil, they increased the phosphorus concentration and total phosphorus content in maize plants. The growth of ryegrass was not affected by any phosphorus fertilizers, indicating that weed control does not need to be changed with recycled P fertilizers.
