Developing plant-based strategies for the sustainable remediation of salinized soils

制定基于植物的盐化土壤可持续修复策略

• 批准号: RGPIN-2021-02430
• 负责人: Zeeb, Barbara
• 金额: $ 3.79万
• 依托单位: Royal Military College of Canada
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=741975
• 关键词: Developing; plant; based; strategies; sustainable

Impacts of soil and freshwater salinization are widespread and substantial. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimate that ~6.5% of the world's arable soils are already saline or sodic. In this proposal, phytoremediation (using plants to remediate soils) is explored as a means of mitigating the harmful effects of salt at affected sites. Salt-tolerant plants known as `halophytes' are evaluated for their potential to remediate salinized soils and prevent leaching of salts into surface and ground waters. While most plants are sensitive to salt, halophytic plants have developed mechanisms to tolerate and thrive in these conditions. `Accumulator halophytes' sequester salts in their tissues, while `recretohalophytes' secrete excess salts through specialized glands on their leaf surfaces. Both types of plants are useful in the context of phytoremediation. In the former, plants must be harvested and the salt-contaminated biomass disposed of, while in the latter, salts may be dispersed on the wind in a process referred to as `haloconduction'. This proposal will study: i) accumulator halophytes to remediate road salt on motor ways, and ii) recretohalophytes for the broader remediation of industrially salinized soils. Canada currently leads the world in salt consumption, applying >5 million tonnes of road salt annually. Greenhouse and field studies will be employed to investigate native plant species for remediation of salinized roadsides, and will determine if the harvested salt-laden plant biomass may be repurposed into useable by-products (e.g. fodder, compost, or biochar). In theory, the use of recretohalophytes has an advantage over accumulator halophytes as excreted salt may be dispersed through wind action, thus removing the need for plant harvesting. Ironically, while salts are hazardous at high concentrations, low levels are essential nutrients for both flora and fauna species, and hence may prove to be beneficial when dispersed. The focus will be on exploring Canadian recretohalophytes with the goal of providing an alternative phytotechnology for remediating salt-contaminated sites that is feasible and sustainable, while also being low-cost and easy to implement. The integration of plants into any remediation design has the benefits of minimizing soil degradation, mitigating climate change through carbon storage in plant matter, creating habitat for native species, and improving site aesthetics. Findings documenting best practices will be published, ultimately putting a new environmental technology into the hands of Canadians. Over a 5-year period, this proposal will support and train 12 HQP. HQP will gain skills in critical thinking and planning, laboratory analytical techniques, field work organization and mobilization, and communication skills (both oral and written), all of which are actively sought after by prospective employers be they academic, industrial or private sector.

土壤和淡水盐碱化的影响是广泛和重大的。联合国粮食及农业组织估计，世界上约6.5%的可耕地已经是盐碱地。在这项提案中，探索了植物修复(使用植物修复土壤)，作为减轻受影响地点盐分有害影响的一种手段。评估了被称为“盐生植物”的耐盐植物在修复盐碱化土壤和防止盐分渗入地表水和地下水方面的潜力。虽然大多数植物对盐很敏感，但盐生植物已经形成了在这些条件下耐受和茁壮成长的机制。‘蓄积型盐生植物’在它们的组织中隔离盐分，而‘再生盐生植物’通过叶表面的特殊腺体分泌多余的盐分。这两种植物在植物修复方面都是有用的。在前者中，必须收获植物并处理被盐污染的生物质，而在后者中，盐可能会以一种称为“卤素传导”的过程随风飘散。该提案将研究：i)堆积式盐生植物用于修复高速公路上的道路盐碱，ii)再生盐生植物用于更广泛的工业盐渍化土壤的修复。加拿大目前的食盐消费量居世界首位，每年使用500万吨道路食盐。将利用温室和实地研究来调查本地植物物种，以修复盐碱化的路边，并将确定收获的含盐量植物生物量是否可以重新用于可利用的副产品(例如饲料、堆肥或生物炭)。理论上，使用再生盐生植物比使用蓄积型盐生植物更有优势，因为排出的盐分可以通过风的作用被分散，从而消除了对植物收获的需要。具有讽刺意味的是，尽管盐在高浓度时是危险的，但低浓度对动植物物种都是必要的营养物质，因此在分散时可能被证明是有益的。重点将是探索加拿大的再生盐生植物，目标是提供一种可行和可持续的替代植物技术来修复受盐污染的地点，同时还具有低成本和易于实施的特点。将植物整合到任何修复设计中都有好处，可以最大限度地减少土壤退化，通过植物物质中的碳储存来缓解气候变化，为本地物种创造栖息地，并改善场地美观。记录最佳实践的研究结果将被公布，最终将一项新的环境技术交到加拿大人手中。在5年的时间里，这项提案将支持和培训12名HQP。HQP将获得批判性思维和规划、实验室分析技术、实地工作组织和动员以及沟通技能(口头和书面)方面的技能，所有这些技能都受到潜在雇主的积极追捧，无论是学术界、工业界还是私营部门。