The objective is to assess to what extent the addition of organic amendments (compost/biochar combination) and/or the establishment of plants allows to trigger soil evolution processes that result in the improvement of soil functionality from the microbiological, physical, chemical and physico-chemical point of view. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on aspects related to the structure of microbial communities and the ecophysiology of native plant species within the context of the phyto-management of mining waste in arid and semi-arid areas.

The project consists of a field part and an experimental phase at the level of mesocosms in greenhouses. The field phase aims to assess the extent to which soil gradients present in mining waste condition the structure of indigenous microbial populations and how seasonal dynamics affect the ecological structure and ecophysiology of pioneer vegetation growing on mining waste.

The aim of the experimental phase is to evaluate the extent to which the addition of organic amendments (compost/biochar combination) and/or plant growth positively or negatively affects the structure of the indigenous microbial community present in mining waste and to assess both its sustainability and its capacity to make the transition from systems conditioned by the addition of organic amendments (compost/biochar combination) to those supported by the litter generated. All this in the context of a semi-arid Mediterranean climate.

The University of Aveiro and Biocyma, S.L. are participating in this project together with the Polytechnic University of Cartagena.

The project is financed by the State Programme for Research, Development and Innovation Oriented to the Challenges of Society – 2017 – Operational Programme for Intelligent Growth 2014-2020.