Recommendations for Ensuring Environmental Safety of Ecosystem Restoration After Fire

Abstract

Purpose. To find ways to improve the soil properties of forest ecosystems after the action of the pyrogen- ic factor: to propose technological measures to restore the quality and improve the soil properties of the ecosystem; to prove the effectiveness of using clay in soil cleaning as a sorbent. Methods. The introduction of clay as a potential sorbent for cleaning fertile soils from trace metals is proposed. The mineral composition of the clay was determined by X-ray phase analysis. Clay materials can be successfully used in adsorption cleaning technologies. The method of phytoremediation with the help of dandelion to concentrate trace metal was used also. The concentration of trace metal was determined by atomic adsorption analysis. Results. The task of the experimental study was to substantiate the possibility of using cheap natural clay raw materials without its prior activation to remove trace metals from the soil solution. In the case of post-pyrogenic relaxation of ecosystems under conditions of man-caused load, the soil in the restored area may be contaminated with VM and other hazardous substances. The clay of the Kharkiv region was chosen for the experiment. The experiment proved the effectiveness of the use of clay in soil purification as a sorbent, and phytoremediation of dandelion in relation to heavy metals. Thus, both technical and biological methods of VM sorption to prepare the soil for planting can be recommended for the restoration of the forest ecosystem after a fire. The proposed technological measures to restore the quality and soil properties of the ecosystem include the implementation of design and survey work, including field research; implementation of the state ecological research (monitoring); cleaning the affected area from damaged trees; reclamation of soil fertility of regenerative territories, provided by design of restoration, depending on characteristic features of damages of sites and the subsequent application of regenerative territories. Conclusions. At postpyrogenic relaxation of ecosystems, in the conditions of technogenic loading, the efficiency of using clay in soil cleaning as a sorbent and phytoremediation with dandelion in relation to heavy metals has been proved.