Joint Research with South China Agricultural University
Application of Organic Hydromulching System in Hong Kong
---its Green effect & Nutrient characteristic
throughout the past 6 years
This research is carried out with
South China Agricultural University of vegetative
establishment presented in International Erosion Control Association's 37th Annual conference and achieved the
Environmental Achievement Award 2006.
Environmental
Achievement Award 2006
Organic hydromulching
system, which is a green technique with no/low maintenance and can provide a self-sustainable plant
cover, has been utilized on 120 numbers of man-made slopes in Hong Kong for the past 6 years. In this
study, vegetative establishment and characteristics of substrate, called
Organic Fiber Soil, were examined and analyzed on 14 selected slopes that were applied with this technique throughout the past 6 years. The results of vegetative establishment showed
that: Biomass varied throughout the completion year; however,
biomass on each slope wad relatively higher than that of grassland .Communities on these vegetation systems were dominated by planted species. Green coverage provided by this technique was satisfactory and the total covers on most slopes were over 90%. Wedelia trilobata and Macroptilium atropurpureum were the dominant and subdominant species.
respectively. The results of the substrate's characteristics showed that: the trend of pH value reached
neutral and there was a decreasing trend of soil hardness. The
abilities of the substrate to absorb and retain water were maintained for over 6 years, while there was no significant erosion of the substrate. The concentration of organic matter decreased in a slow rate as the completion year
increased. The concentration of total nitrogen did not vary while that of both total phosphorus and potassium increased. A cycle of plant-available
nitrogen was observed with the concentration decreased and then increased afterwards.
Collecting
Biomass, Plants Survey
Determination
of in-situ Soil Properties
Toyo-Mulching System
The research is carried out at 28 May 2003, with South China Agricultural University, on the Toyo-Mulching System.? The objectives of this research are to evaluate the performance of different vegetation and to explore new materials to be used in Toyo-Mulching System so as to reduce the material cost in future projects.
The technique has applied on two different slope surfaces so that the feasibility of the system applied on those surfaces is
evaluated. The site is located at Dongguan where rock and shotcrete slopes are found. The research is jointly with the South China Agricultural University which involved more than 30 technicians, professionals and experts for the evaluation on TMS. The research period is 14 months and will be completed in July 2004.
China Office (JiangMen Branch)
Hong Kong Office