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The agricultural value of sewage sludges is well known and a lot of published data has demonstrated the positive effects of sludge appli cations on plant growth and yield. These effects are probably due mainly to the nitrogen and phosphorus content of sewage sludges. But, as sludges are more organic than mineral, we can expect an effect of the organic matter added to the soil on soil fertility. Certainly, in the future, landspreading of sludges will be regulated, taking into account pollution hazards for waters (excess of nitrogen and phosphorus supply compared to plant needs and soil storage capacities) and for soils (excess of heavy metals supply and build up in soils). There will be regulations fixing what low level of sludges may be spread each year, decreasing their comparative value with respect to mineral fertilizers. In this eventuality, the organic value of sludges will take on a greater importance and several questions arise : - what is the lowest amount of sludge to be spread to have an immediate effect on soil physical properties? - are sludges effective on soil physical properties when spreading repeated low amounts? On the other hand, organic matter and soil biology are closely linked and there are few data on the possible effects - beneficial or detrimenta- on soil organisms.
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THE INFLUENCE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE APPLICATION ON PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS Commission of the European Communities THE INFLUENCE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE APPLICATION ON PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS Proceedings of a Seminar organized jointly by the Commission of the European Communities, Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development and the Bayerische Landesanstalt fur Bodenkultur und Pflanzenbau, Munich, Federal Republic of Germany, held in Munich, June 23-24, 1981 Edited by G.CATROUX Ministere de l'Agriculture, INRA, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Sols, Dijon, France P. L'HERMITE Commission of the European Communities, Brussels, Belgium and E. SUESS Bayerische Landesanstalt filT Bodenkultur und Pjlanzenbau, Munich, F.R. G. D. REIDEL PUBLISHING COMPANY DORDRECHT : HOLLAND /BOSTON: U.S.A. LONDON: ENGLAND library of Congress, Cataloging in Publication Data Main entry under title: The influence of sewage sludge application on physical and biological properties of soils. At head of title: Commission of the European Communities. Papers presented at the Seminar on "The Influence of Sewage Sludge Application on Physical and Biological Properties of Soils", Munich, Germany, June 23-24, 1981. 1. Sewage sludge as fertilizer-Congresses. 2. SewagesludgeEnvironmental aspects-Congresses. 3. Soil physics--Congresses. 4. Soil biology-Congresses. I. Catroux,G.,1938. II. L'Hermite,P. (pierre),1936. III. Suess, E. IV. Commission of the European Communities. V. Seminar on ''The Influence of Sewage Sludge Application on Physical and Biological Properties of Soils" (1981 : Munich, Germany) 631.8'69 82-15106 S657.154 1982 ISBN-13:978-94-009-7932-1 e-ISBN-13:978-94-009-7930-7 DOl: 10.1007/978-94-009-7930-7 Publication arrangements by Commission of the European Communities Directorate-Generallnformation Market and Innovation, Luxembourg EUR 8023 Copyright © 1983 ECSC, EEC, EAEC, Brussels and Luxembourg Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1983 LEGAL NOTICE Neither the Commission of the European Communities nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of the following information. Published by D. Reidel Publishing Company P.O. Box 17,3300 AA Dordrecht, Holland Sold and distributed in the U.S.A. and Canada by Kluwer Boston Inc., 190 Old Derby Street, Hingham, MA 02043, U.S.A. In all other countries, sold and distributed by Kluwer Academic Publishers Group, P.O. Box 322, 3300 AH Dord