Are Rain Gardens Resistant to Salinization Stresses? The Consequences of De-Icing Chemicals’ Implementation for Soil Health, Plant Condition, and Groundwater Quality

Rain gardens are efficient nature-based solutions (NBSs) for the sustainable management of surface run-off in urban areas. The functionality of a rain garden in an urban environment depends on the resistance of plant and soil components to anthropogenic stressors. In temperate climates, the negative...

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Main Authors: Olga Romzaykina, Viacheslav Vasenev, Ekaterina Kozlova, Igor Shchukin, Artem Losev, Andrey Smagin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Land
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/942
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author Olga Romzaykina
Viacheslav Vasenev
Ekaterina Kozlova
Igor Shchukin
Artem Losev
Andrey Smagin
author_facet Olga Romzaykina
Viacheslav Vasenev
Ekaterina Kozlova
Igor Shchukin
Artem Losev
Andrey Smagin
author_sort Olga Romzaykina
collection DOAJ
description Rain gardens are efficient nature-based solutions (NBSs) for the sustainable management of surface run-off in urban areas. The functionality of a rain garden in an urban environment depends on the resistance of plant and soil components to anthropogenic stressors. In temperate climates, the negative effects of de-icing chemicals applied in wintertime are one of the major anthropogenic stressors for the rain gardens’ ecosystem. The research aimed to study the effect of a NaCl-based de-icer in the mesocosm experiment, where materials of soil mixtures (seven parts by volume of quartz or carbonate sand and three parts by volume of loam or peat), plants (<i>Hemerocallis hybrida</i>), de-icer dose (529 mg L<sup>−1</sup> for Cl<sup>−</sup> and 472 mg L<sup>−1</sup> for Na<sup>+</sup> concentrations), and irrigation period simulated typical conditions for the Moscow city—the largest world megapolis with permanent snow cover during the wintertime. For all soil mixtures, a short-term negative impact of salinization on soil health included a decrease in microbial biomass (4–7-times) and basal respiration (2–3.6-times). After six months, soil health indicators recovered by 80–90% in the peat and carbonate sand mixture, whereas the negative effects on the quartz sand and loam mixtures remained irreversible (1.3 and 3 times lower than the control, respectively). The chlorophyll content of the plants on all soil mixtures was reduced compared to the control plants (37.1 ± 4.1 vs. 39.9 ± 1.2 SPAD units). The worst plat condition was observed for soil mixtures based on quartz sand. In this variant, the negative effect of salinization coincided with low nutrient content. In our results, the ash content was up to three times less compared to the initial state, as well as to the other materials. Plants grown in mixtures based on loam were more resistant to salinization due to higher nutrient content than peat. Overall, based on soil Na uptake, plant biomass, and recovery of soil microbiota, soil mixtures based on peat, loam, and carbonate sand will be the most resistant to NaCl-based de-icers and could be recommended for the creation of rain gardens in cities with permanent snow cover in winter.
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spelling doaj-art-d8f035baabb743d4ae03315c97d20ec72025-08-20T01:56:31ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-04-0114594210.3390/land14050942Are Rain Gardens Resistant to Salinization Stresses? The Consequences of De-Icing Chemicals’ Implementation for Soil Health, Plant Condition, and Groundwater QualityOlga Romzaykina0Viacheslav Vasenev1Ekaterina Kozlova2Igor Shchukin3Artem Losev4Andrey Smagin5The Research Center “Smart Technologies for Sustainable Development of the Urban Environment in the Global Change”, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia Named After Patrice Lumumba, 117198 Moscow, RussiaSoil Geography and Landscape Group, Wageningen University, 6708 PB Wageningen, The NetherlandsThe Research Center “Smart Technologies for Sustainable Development of the Urban Environment in the Global Change”, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia Named After Patrice Lumumba, 117198 Moscow, RussiaDepartment of Heat and Gas Supply, Ventilation and Water Supply and Sewerage, Perm National Research Polytechnic University, 614990 Perm, RussiaThe Research Center “Smart Technologies for Sustainable Development of the Urban Environment in the Global Change”, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia Named After Patrice Lumumba, 117198 Moscow, RussiaFaculty of Soil Science, Institute of Ecological Soil Science, Moscow State University, 119192 Moscow, RussiaRain gardens are efficient nature-based solutions (NBSs) for the sustainable management of surface run-off in urban areas. The functionality of a rain garden in an urban environment depends on the resistance of plant and soil components to anthropogenic stressors. In temperate climates, the negative effects of de-icing chemicals applied in wintertime are one of the major anthropogenic stressors for the rain gardens’ ecosystem. The research aimed to study the effect of a NaCl-based de-icer in the mesocosm experiment, where materials of soil mixtures (seven parts by volume of quartz or carbonate sand and three parts by volume of loam or peat), plants (<i>Hemerocallis hybrida</i>), de-icer dose (529 mg L<sup>−1</sup> for Cl<sup>−</sup> and 472 mg L<sup>−1</sup> for Na<sup>+</sup> concentrations), and irrigation period simulated typical conditions for the Moscow city—the largest world megapolis with permanent snow cover during the wintertime. For all soil mixtures, a short-term negative impact of salinization on soil health included a decrease in microbial biomass (4–7-times) and basal respiration (2–3.6-times). After six months, soil health indicators recovered by 80–90% in the peat and carbonate sand mixture, whereas the negative effects on the quartz sand and loam mixtures remained irreversible (1.3 and 3 times lower than the control, respectively). The chlorophyll content of the plants on all soil mixtures was reduced compared to the control plants (37.1 ± 4.1 vs. 39.9 ± 1.2 SPAD units). The worst plat condition was observed for soil mixtures based on quartz sand. In this variant, the negative effect of salinization coincided with low nutrient content. In our results, the ash content was up to three times less compared to the initial state, as well as to the other materials. Plants grown in mixtures based on loam were more resistant to salinization due to higher nutrient content than peat. Overall, based on soil Na uptake, plant biomass, and recovery of soil microbiota, soil mixtures based on peat, loam, and carbonate sand will be the most resistant to NaCl-based de-icers and could be recommended for the creation of rain gardens in cities with permanent snow cover in winter.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/942salinizationde-icing agentsNaClsoil constructionrain garden<i>Hemerocallis hybrida</i>
spellingShingle Olga Romzaykina
Viacheslav Vasenev
Ekaterina Kozlova
Igor Shchukin
Artem Losev
Andrey Smagin
Are Rain Gardens Resistant to Salinization Stresses? The Consequences of De-Icing Chemicals’ Implementation for Soil Health, Plant Condition, and Groundwater Quality
Land
salinization
de-icing agents
NaCl
soil construction
rain garden
<i>Hemerocallis hybrida</i>
title Are Rain Gardens Resistant to Salinization Stresses? The Consequences of De-Icing Chemicals’ Implementation for Soil Health, Plant Condition, and Groundwater Quality
title_full Are Rain Gardens Resistant to Salinization Stresses? The Consequences of De-Icing Chemicals’ Implementation for Soil Health, Plant Condition, and Groundwater Quality
title_fullStr Are Rain Gardens Resistant to Salinization Stresses? The Consequences of De-Icing Chemicals’ Implementation for Soil Health, Plant Condition, and Groundwater Quality
title_full_unstemmed Are Rain Gardens Resistant to Salinization Stresses? The Consequences of De-Icing Chemicals’ Implementation for Soil Health, Plant Condition, and Groundwater Quality
title_short Are Rain Gardens Resistant to Salinization Stresses? The Consequences of De-Icing Chemicals’ Implementation for Soil Health, Plant Condition, and Groundwater Quality
title_sort are rain gardens resistant to salinization stresses the consequences of de icing chemicals implementation for soil health plant condition and groundwater quality
topic salinization
de-icing agents
NaCl
soil construction
rain garden
<i>Hemerocallis hybrida</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/942
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