Constructed Technosols as a Soil Rebuilding Technique to Reclaim Abandoned Limestone Quarries in the Mediterranean Region: A Field Study

Soil rebuilding represents a major challenge in the recovery of abandoned quarries. In this study, we explored possibility using reconstructed Technosols, to achieve soil goals at an quarry site. We first investigated use mixture containing commercial manure and limestone debris (LD) as pedotechnomaterials for “ad hoc” (re)constructed Technosol (CT), opencast one most concentrated areas world. field experiment, tested monitored different pedotechnosystems (PTSs) made up constructed + pasture species Mediterranean plant species. Specifically, control (CT, without any additional treatments) was compared treatments with organic amendment (CTOA) conventional fertilizers (CTCF). Data were collected over 12-month period included crop performance, nutritional state, physical-chemical parameters, metabolites. Analysis variance differences among treatments, while factor analysis (FA) interpreted multiple relationships explaining observed variability. Results showed that CTOA had better properties, greater growth, overall superior agronomic performances all other due improved substrate conditions. According FA, these results appear related creation fertile conditions, metabolites (i) playing pivotal role outcomes, together (ii) clear potential being considered reliable fingerprint investigating responses PTSs. The proposed pedotechniques development show great full quarries degraded by providing excellent medium facilitating environmental reclamation.