Barriers for plant establishment in the abandoned tailings of Nacozari, Sonora, Mexico: the influence of compost addition on seedling performance and tailing properties
Por:
Arvizu-Valenzuela, Laura V., Cruz-Ortega, Rocio, Meza-Figueroa, Diana, Loredo-Portales, Rene, Chavez-Vergara, Bruno M., Mora, Lucy N., Molina-Freaner, Francisco
Publicada:
1 nov 2020
Ahead of Print:
1 ene 2020
Resumen:
Past mining activities have left a legacy of abandoned mine tailing deposits whose metal contaminants poses serious risks to ecosystems and human health. While the development of a vegetated cover in mine tailings can help in mitigating these risks, the local factors limiting plant establishment in these sites are not well understood, restricting phytostabilization efforts. Here, we explore some of the barriers that limit seedling establishment of two species (Vachellia farnesiana and Prosopis velutina) in a mine tailing deposit located in Nacozari, Sonora, Mexico, and assess whether compost addition can help in overcoming these barriers in pot and field experiments. Our field observations found 20 times more carbon and at least 4 times more nitrogen concentration in areas under vegetated patches than in non-vegetated areas, while a previous study found no difference in metal concentrations and other physicochemical parameters. This suggests that organic matter and nutrients are a major limitation for plant establishment. In agreement with this, species failed to establish without compost addition in the field experiment. Compost addition also had a positive effect on biomass accumulation, pH and microbial activity, but increased the substrate soluble concentration of As, Cu, and Zn. Nonetheless, only Cu, K, and Mo in P. velutina accumulated in tissues at levels considered toxic for animal consumption. Our study documents that compost addition facilitated plant establishment for the phytostabilization of mine tailings and help to prevent the dispersion of most metal contaminants via animal consumption. We encourage the use of complementary strategies to minimize the risk of dispersion of metal contaminants. © 2020, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
Filiaciones:
Arvizu-Valenzuela, Laura V.:
Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Hermosillo, Sonora C.P. 83250, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Dept Ecol Biodivers, Inst Ecol, Hermosillo 83250, Sonora, Mexico
Cruz-Ortega, Rocio:
Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Dept Ecol Func, Inst Ecol, Ciudad De Mexico 04510, Mexico
Meza-Figueroa, Diana:
Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo, Sonora C.P. 83000, Mexico
Univ Sonora, Dept Geol, Hermosillo 83000, Sonora, Mexico
Loredo-Portales, Rene:
CONACYT-Estación Regional del Noroeste, Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Hermosillo, Sonora C.P. 83250, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, CONACYT Estn Reg Noroeste, Inst Geol, Hermosillo 83250, Sonora, Mexico
Chavez-Vergara, Bruno M.:
Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y del Suelo, Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, Mexico
Laboratorio Nacional de Geoquímica y Mineralogía, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Dept Ciencias Ambientales & Suelo, Inst Geol, Ciudad De Mexico 04510, Mexico
Lab Nacl Geoquim & Mineral, Ciudad De Mexico 04510, Mexico
Mora, Lucy N.:
Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales y del Suelo, Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, Mexico
Laboratorio Nacional de Geoquímica y Mineralogía, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Dept Ciencias Ambientales & Suelo, Inst Geol, Ciudad De Mexico 04510, Mexico
Lab Nacl Geoquim & Mineral, Ciudad De Mexico 04510, Mexico
Molina-Freaner, Francisco:
Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Hermosillo, Sonora C.P. 83250, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Dept Ecol Biodivers, Inst Ecol, Hermosillo 83250, Sonora, Mexico
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