Kwezinye izindawo zensimu, inhlabathi yasepulazini lika-Mark Chitley eNyakatho Dakota iveza inkinga ethile: Usawoti obangela ukusabela kwamakhemikhali okuqinisa izingqimba zenhlabathi isikhathi eside, ukuhamba kancane kwamanzi, ukukhawulela ukungena kwezimpande, futhi ekugcineni kunciphise isivuno sezitshalo. Lesi simo sibizwa ngokuthi "Izindandatho Zokufa".
NgokukaTom DeSutter, uprofesa wesayensi yenhlabathi eNyakatho Dakota State University (NDSU), usawoti uvamise ukungena enhlabathini usuka edwaleni elingumzali (okusuka kulo inhlabathi) kanye namanzi angaphansi komhlaba. Engxenyeni esenyakatho-mpumalanga yezwe, usawoti wakhiwa kusuka ku-shale kanye namanzi akhuphukayo asuka ku-aquifer yase-Dakota Formation, kanti eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeNyakatho Dakota akhiwa kakhulu ngezinto ezisetshenziswa yi-sedimentary.
“Lapho kunesodium eningi kakhulu enhlabathini kanye nosawoti omningi omncane, izinhlayiya zobumba enhlabathini ziyaxoshana,” kuphawula iDeSutter. “Ngaphansi kwezimo zemvelo, isikhathi eside, izinhlayiya zobumba ezihlakazekile zihamba phansi endaweni yenhlabathi futhi zenze ukwakheka kwekholomu okungaba nzima kakhulu ukuthi izimpande zezitshalo zingene. Ngakho inhlabathi ayikhiqizi kakhulu.”
Ukuze kubhekwane nalezi zinkinga, i-Cheatley ibambisene ne-NDSU Extension ukubuyisela inhlabathi ngokuhlanganisa i-flue gas desulfurization gypsum, okuwumkhiqizo wokushiswa kwamalahle. “Inkinga iya iba yimbi, futhi ngibheke ngabomvu ukubona i-gypsum ihlehlisa lowo mkhuba,” kusho u-Chitley.
I-Gypsum iwumkhiqizo wezimboni zamandla asetshenziswa ngamalahle entshonalanga yeNyakatho Dakota. Lapho ihlanganiswa enhlabathini, uchungechunge lokusabela kwamakhemikhali kwenzeka lapho i-calcium “isebenza njengebhuloho phakathi kwezinhlayiya zenhlabathi futhi ikhuthaze ukuhlanganisa amakhemikhali,” kuchaza uNaeem Kalvar, uchwepheshe womhlabathi we-NDSU Extension, esiza i-Cheatley ukubuyisela inhlabathi enzima. "Lokhu kuholela ekuthuthukisweni kwesakhiwo senhlabathi, i-porosity yomhlabathi kanye nokungena kwamanzi."
Ukusetshenziswa kwe-gypsum - kanye nezinye izinqubo zokuphulukisa inhlabathi ezifana nezitshalo zokumboza, uChitley azozivivinya okokuqala kulo nyaka - kuhloswe ukulwa nama-solonet, amaxhaphozi kasawoti kanye nenhlabathi enosawoti, kanye nokuthuthukisa impilo yomhlabathi jikelele.
Le mizamo ingasindisa abalimi besifunda izigidi zamaRandi, kusho uKalvar, ikakhulukazi ezitshalweni ezisengozini enkulu njengobhontshisi wesoya, ummbila, ukolweni wasentwasahlobo kanye necanola. Kuzothatha iminyaka ngo-Chitley nomakhelwane bakhe ukubona izinzuzo zemikhiqizo nezindlela abethulayo.
Epulazini laseChitley, uKalvar uncome ukuthi kufakwe amathani ayi-7 kuya kwayi-10 egypsum ihektare ngalinye. U-Chitley uthenge i-Chandler spreader ukuze isetshenziswe ezindaweni ezinosawoti omningi futhi uthenga i-gypsum cishe ngo-$4 ithani esitshalweni e-Stanton, North Dakota. Umkhiqizo "unokuvumelana kofulawa omanzi futhi awusakazeki kahle kusuka kumishini evamile yomanyolo," kuphawula u-Chitley.
Kukhona ezinye izindlela zokuthambisa inhlabathi enosawoti. Phakathi kwazo, ukutshala utshani obungapheli obubekezelela usawoti ezindaweni lapho izitshalo zonyaka zingeke zikhule. Abalimi bangonga phakathi kuka-$82 no-$187 ihektare ngalinye, kusho uKalvar. Nakuba abalimi kufanele bakhokhele utshani kusenesikhathi ngonyaka wokuqala, bazozikhulela ngokwabo ezinkathini zonyaka ezilandelayo.
“Ngokunikeza ukumboza kahle kwezitshalo, utshani obungapheli buzonciphisa ukuhwamuka, kuyilapho izimpande ezikhulayo zizosiza ukwehlisa umthamo wamanzi futhi zinciphise ukukhuphuka kwama-capillary,” kusho uKalvar. “Abalimi bangakwazi ukusika utshani noma badle lobu tshani futhi bangathola imali ethile, bangalahlekelwa yimali kumahektare acindezelekile. Lapho bugawulwa ngesikhathi esifanele, lobu tshani benza utshani obuhle.”
Okwamanje, uChitley akatshali utshani obungapheli. Ugxile ekuhloleni izinzuzo ze-gypsum kanye nezitshalo zokumboza kuyilapho eqhubeka nokuthuthukisa ikhono lomhlabathi wepulazi lakhe.