Soil salination from landfill leachates:: Effects on the macronutrient content and plant growth of four grassland species

In a greenhouse pot bioassay, four wild herbaceous species were tested for their response to three landfill leachates with different degrees of contamination. Irrigation with leachates gradually increased soil salinity significantly. The responses of each species to soil salination were different. H. murinum was the most salt-tolerant species and the legumes were the most sensitive, especially T. tomentosum. The Na content in grasses and legumes gradually increased under the leachate treatments, while the Ca and Mg content also increased, in the legume species. The phytomass production was altered by the leachate supply. The dry weight of legumes and grasses decreased significantly when they were under the most contaminated leachate treatment.