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Methods of Soil Resampling to Monitor Changes in the Chemical Concentrations of Forest Soils
Published on: November 25, 2016
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Afforestation may influence changes in tailing heaps in a long time.
Rogelio Carrillo-González1, Ma Del Carmen A González-Chávez2
1Soil and Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Colegio de Postgraduados, Montecillo, Texcoco Mexico State, Mexico.
International Journal of Phytoremediation
|October 13, 2020
Summary
Thirty years after afforestation, tailing heap soils show poor development but accumulated organic matter. Plants like Pennisetum clandestinum covered the soil, while Populus nigra absorbed significant zinc and cadmium, with lead and cadmium levels exceeding safety limits.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Soil Science
- Phytoremediation
Background:
- Tailing heaps from mining operations present challenges for ecosystem restoration.
- Afforestation efforts aim to revegetate these degraded lands, but soil development and metal bioavailability remain concerns.
- Understanding plant-soil interactions is crucial for assessing the success of remediation strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate soil conditions and metal uptake by plants in a 30-year-old afforested tailing heap.
- To assess the effectiveness of different plant species in soil cover formation and metal accumulation.
- To determine the extent of soil development and metal bioavailability within the Technosol.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a soil and plant survey on a tailing heap afforested for 30 years.
- Analyzed soil properties, including organic matter (OM) and extractable metal concentrations (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu).
- Utilized Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify factors influencing metal distribution and plant uptake.
Main Results:
- The tailing heap exhibited poor Technosol development with spatio-temporal OM accumulation.
- Extractable Pb and Cd concentrations in the soil profile varied significantly.
- Pennisetum clandestinum formed a successful soil cover, but its Cd and Pb levels exceeded toxicity limits for domestic animals. Populus nigra showed high accumulation of Zn and Cd, while Casuarina equisetifolia efficiently formed a litter layer. Tree species accumulated high foliar Pb and Cd.
Conclusions:
- While afforestation initiated soil cover and litter formation, the Technosol remains poorly developed with concerning metal concentrations.
- Pennisetum clandestinum and Populus nigra demonstrate potential for phytoremediation but pose risks due to metal accumulation.
- Further research is needed to optimize plant selection and management for long-term tailing heap remediation and ecological recovery.
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