The effects of compost incorporation on soil physical properties in urban soils - A concise review

Abstract

Incorporation of compost into soil can significantly alter soil physical properties, nutrient dynamics, and vegetation establishment. Strategic compost application to disturbed, degraded urban soil may provide benefits to soil properties. This review compared twenty-five peer-reviewed studies that evaluated changes in soil bulk density, infiltration rate, hydraulic conductivity, and water retention where compost was incorporated into urban soils. A wide range of compost rates and incorporation depths were evaluated in these studies across many soil types. Compost incorporation generally reduced bulk density, enhanced infiltration and hydraulic conductivity, and increased water content and plant available water, compared to unamended controls. In the four studies on runoff water quality, compost incorporation often resulted in higher initial nutrient content in runoff water, but also enhanced grass growth and reduced sediment loss. Few studies evaluated multiple compost application rates or incorporation depths, and the ways in which compost application rates were reported varied widely between studies making it difficult to directly compare them. Four studies investigated the long-term effects of compost incorporation, and there was no clear pattern of why some soils display enhanced physical properties over time and others do not. Compost was largely reported to have a positive effect on degraded urban soils. Little research has focused on the longevity of compost in urban soils after one application, and thus, this would be a valuable topic of further investigation.

Keywords: Bulk density; Compost amendment; Disturbed soil; Infiltration; Soil physical properties; Urban soil.