Influence of coal gangue mulching with various thicknesses and particle sizes on soil water characteristics

Abstract

Water availability seriously affects vegetation restoration in arid mining areas, and mulching is an effective way to improve soil water conditions. Coal gangue occupies large swathes of land resources, resulting in ecological fragility and various environmental problems. Despite coal gangue having mineral elements similar to those in soil, its potential function as a mulch for soil water conservation has been unclear. Herein, mulching on the surfaces of soil columns with 30 cm height and 15 cm inner diameter was conducted using coal gangue with four particle size ranges (0–0.5, 0.5–1, 1–2, and 2–4 cm) and four thicknesses (4, 8, 12, and 16 cm) under laboratory conditions to investigate water infiltration and evaporation under different conditions. The cumulative infiltration of the treatments with mulching thicknesses of 4 cm (T1), 8 cm (T2), 12 cm (T3), and 16 cm (T4) was 16.1%, 22.9%, 28.6%, and 41.6% greater than that of the control, respectively. The cumulative evaporation of the treatments with particle size ranges of 0–0.5 cm (P1), 0.5–1 cm (P2), 1–2 cm (P3), and 2–4 cm (P4) was 6.5%, 28.6%, 22.9%, and 18.6% lower than the control, respectively. Overall, to enhance the soil water storage capacity in mining areas, the results suggest that coal gangue mulching with a thickness of 8–16 cm and particle size range of 0.5–2 cm is suitable.

Effect of a Simulated Coal Mine Environment on Polyurethane Grouting Material and a Proposed Polyurethane Strengthening Method

“…When the size of the coal gangue is in the range of 5-20 mm, the compressive strength of the PU-gangue induration decreases when the particle size increases. This is attributed to the improved framework stability and coal gangue particle size decreasing [31]. The initial compressive strength of the PU-gangue induration with particle sizes in the range of 0-5 mm increases slowly, although the later strength is high.…”

Soil gravel content and plant species configuration control vegetation restoration in Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau

“…As the key component of soil texture, the content and distribution of gravel particles affect soil physical structure and hydrological processes such as soil water storage, runoff, water infiltration, solute transport, and water flow (Dan et al, 2023; Mahinroosta & Oshtaghi, 2021; Qiu et al, 2015; Smets et al, 2011; Wang et al, 2019); they also could reduce the mechanical resistance to root extension (Alameda & Villar, 2012), and may cause root aggregation and growth (Clark et al, 2003). Howover, the impact and the underlying mechanism of soil gravels are relatively complex (Han et al, 2021; Li, Wang, et al, 2020). In order to better comprehensively unravel the effect of soil on plant growth, the importance of gravel cannot be ignored (Du et al, 2022).…”

Soil gravels and plant species configuration control vegetation restoration in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

“…As the key component of soil texture, the content and distribution of gravel particles affect soil physical structure and hydrological processes such as soil water storage, runoff, water infiltration, solute transport and water flow (Smets et al,2011;Qiu et al,2015;Zhang et al,2016;Wang et al,2019;Mahinroosta et al, 2021); they also could reduce the mechanical resistance to root extension (Alameda et al,2012), and may cause root aggregation and growth (Clark et al,2003). But the impact and the underlying mechanism of soil gravels are relatively complex (Han et al,2021;. In order to better comprehensively unravel the effect of soil on plant growth, the importance of gravel cannot be ignored (Du et al,2022).…”