CLEANSED Innovative integrated methodology for the use of decontaminated river sediments in plant nursing and road building LIFE12ENV /IT/ ACTIONS B.3 – Demonstration of the use of decontaminated river sediments as a substrate for plant nursing ACTION C.2 – Monitoring and validation of the use of decontaminated sediments for plant nursing Institute of Biometeorology, Firenze April 3, Pisa

OBJECTIVE: Test decontaminated sediments as agronomic substrates in plant nursing, to replace the soil when the plant is explanted for sale BACKGROUND: Plant nursing is a productive field activity which demands high quantity of soil. A European estimation calculates that every year plant nursing consumes about 5,2·10 6 m 3 of soil.

April 3, Pisa Fellowship contract to Francesca Ugolini for the measurements field campaign and dissemination Contract to Ce.Spe.Vi. (Centro Sperimentale per il Vivaismo) for experimental plan setting Experiment planning LIST OF ACTIVITIES UNTIL NOW: Preparation of abstracts: Ugolini F., Massetti L., Martelli F., Sabatini F., Macci C., Doni S., Masciandaro G. REUSE OF DECONTAMINATED RIVER SEDIMENTS FOR PLANT NURSING (CLEANSED-LIFE+). European Forum on Urban Forestry 2014, June 3 - 7, Lausanne, Switzerland. Ugolini F., Massetti L., Martelli F., Sabatini F., Macci C., Doni S., Masciandaro G. RECYCLING OF RIVER SEDIMENTS FOR PLANT NURSERY. AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY IN EUROPE: CLEANSED - LIFE+ PROJECT. Urban Environmental Pollution, June, Toronto, Canada.

April 3, Pisa Location: EXPERIMENTAL SETTING: ~50 Km ~30 Km Pistoia province : top level for tree nursery production in the world (more than 4000 hectares)

LOCATION: Director: dr. Paolo Marzialetti April 3, Pisa EXPERIMENTAL SETTING:

1.ASSESSMENT OF HYDRAULIC AND PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SUBSTRATES 2.EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF THE SUBSTRATES ON PLANT GROWTH AND PHYSIOLOGY 3. ASSESSMENT OF THE AGGREGATING POWER OF SEDIMENTS WHEN PLANTS ARE EXTRACTED FOR SALE (root ball soil cohesion) DETAILED OBJECTIVES April 3, Pisa

In order to: ASSESS THE DOSE-EFFECT RELATIONSHIP AIMING TO IDENTIFY THE BEST PROPORTION BETWEEN GROUND AND DECONTAINATED SEDIMENTS DETAILED OBJECTIVES April 3, Pisa

EXPERIMENTAL SETTING: MATERIALS FOR SUBSTRATES Decontaminated sediments available: 5 m 3 Field ground (without gravel); 13.5 m 3

April 3, Pisa EXPERIMENTAL SETTING: TREATMENTCTLT1T2 % DEC. SEDIMENT02550 m 3 DEC. SEDIMENTS + m 3 GROUND NUMBER OF REPLICATES222 TEST: 5 m 3 OF DECONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS AVAILABLE

April 3, Pisa EXPERIMENTAL SETTING: 2 WOODEN FRAMES per TREATMENT Photinia x fraseri var. Red Robin Viburnum tinus L. Eleagnus macrophylla L. 3m 2m DEPTH: 0.5m

April 3, Pisa EXPERIMENTAL SETTING: SPECIESPhotinia x fraseri var. Red Robin Viburnum tinus L.Eleagnus macrophylla NUMBER OF REPLICATES 16 CHARACT.evergreen PROVENIENCEChinaMediterraneanJapan SOIL NEEDSFertile ground CHARACTERISTICSFast growth Exigent in water intermedieSlow growth xerophytic Ornamental species:

April 3, Pisa EXPERIMENTAL SETTING: Photinia x fraseri var. Red Robin Viburnum tinus L.Eleagnus macrophylla L. Ornamental species:

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES: texture, bulk density HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES: water retention capacity, soil moisture, temperature CHEMICAL ANALYSIS: pH, EC C, N, P April 3, Pisa MEASUREMENTS ON SUBSTRATES

CLEANSED, Oct, 11, Pisa April 3, Pisa MONITORING OF PLANT GROWTH PHYSIOLOGICAL BEHAVIOUR AND STRESS SIGNALS Photosynthesis rate, water use efficiency (leaf gas exchanges) PSII efficiency (chlorophyll a fluorescence) Leaf water potential Ψp & Ψm GROWTH AND BIOMASS Elongation and branching Biomass allocation Leafage colour & aesthetic value

EVALUATION OF ROOT BALL April 3, Pisa SOIL COHESION ROOT BIOMASS & DISTRIBUTION ROOT VITALITY

Scientific responsibility and project management: Eng. Luciano Massetti Financial management: dr. Francesca Field measurement campaign: dr. Francesca CLEANSED, Oct, 11, Pisa CONTACTS April 3, Pisa