白音华矿区草地群落主要物种组成及空间分布

以内蒙古白音华矿区周边草地为对象,研究了矿区草地植物群落的主要物种组成及其空间分布特征。结果表明: 草地群落共出现55种植物,优势种为大针茅、黄囊苔草和糙隐子草,常见种有羊草、冰草和知母等,该6个物种的累计相对重要值为79.6%,其密度分别为 26.6、204.7、105.4、107.1、68.2和55.1株·m^-2。对6个主要物种的种群密度通过半方差函数进行模型拟合, 其种群分布分别符合指数模型、指数模型、指数模型、球状模型、线性模型和高斯模型;对其空间分布格局进行分析,各种群的结构比分别为59.2%、97.2%、89.1%、94.5%、62.6%和72.1%,表明黄囊苔草、糙隐子草和羊草种群的空间自相关性程度均较高, 主要受结构性因素影响, 而大针茅、冰草和知母种群主要受随机性因素影响。对分形维数进行分析发现, 大针茅、黄囊苔草、糙隐子草和冰草种群分布格局较简单,空间依赖性较强,而羊草和知母种群分布格局较复杂,空间依赖性较弱,结合2D及3D图看, 大针茅和知母呈现出梯度扩散,而黄囊苔草、糙隐子草、羊草和冰草则主要呈现斑块化分布,表明矿区草地群落主要物种的空间分布与开矿无显著关联性。     

基于WorldView 2影像的矿区植被重建效果评估

植被盖度反映植被质量,是评价矿区复垦土地植被重建效果的重要指标。该文选择安太堡矿区为案例区,基于高空间分辨率World View 2(WV 2)影像新波段,使用混合像元模型和实地数据验证相结合的方法计算得到研究区的植被盖度,并对植被重建效果进行了评估,主要得到以下结论:(1)基于WV 2影像的近红外2波段和红波段,采用混合像元法得到的植被盖度反演值Fc_2与实测值最为接近,相关性最强(R~2=0.934),均方根误差最小(RMSE=0.048);(2)研究区植被重建效果整体较好,中等、较高和高植被盖度区域占研究区的60%以上,低植被盖度仅占22.09%。受植被重建年限和管理措施的影响,不同复垦区域植被重建状况之间存在着差异,内排土场、西排土场、南排土场的植被重建效果较好,而西排土场扩大区植被状况相对较差,其中等及以上植被盖度所占比例依次为75.24%、68.35%、68.20%、22.29%。(3)就植被组合模式看,乔灌草模式重建效果(按冠层盖度)最好,其次是乔草模式,其他模式如灌草、草地、自然恢复地依次降低。土壤表层水分含量随着复垦地植被盖度的增大而增大,说明植被重建状况对土壤表层的水分保持具有重要作用。     

Colonization of Colliery Spoil Heaps by Millipedes (Diplopoda) and Terrestrial Isopods (Oniscidea) in the Sokolov Region, Czech Republic

Successive development of millipede and terrestrial isopod assemblages in colliery spoil heaps in the Sokolov region (northwest Bohemia, Czech Republic) was studied during the years 1993–1998. Younger colliery spoil heaps were characterized by a lower number and low density of millipede species. The millipedes Polydesmus inconstans, Polydesmus testaceus, and Craspedosoma rawlinsii represented the main pioneer species. Alder afforestation proved to be more suitable for the recolonization of millipede populations, especially for the predominant Julus scandinavius. Terrestrial isopods colonized all parts of the heaps, including the youngest open plots. The most frequent isopod, Trachelipus rathkii, is a colonizing species with an apparently high adaptability to different environmental conditions. The isolated character of the extensive heap areas, together with existing extreme soil conditions, resulted in slow recolonization and a successional development of stable populations of these animals. However, the relatively high densities of millipede and isopod assemblages in suitable alder afforestation can represent further potential sources for colonization of other open‐heap areas.     

Phytoplankton and its relationships with chemical parameters and zooplankton in meromictic Piaseczno reservoir, Southern Poland

General relationships of algae with chemical, physical and biotic parameters were analysed in a meromictic sunken sulphur mine (50°33.08′ N, 21°36.01′ E). Both zooplankton and phytoplankton were in low densities and number of species. Among the zooplankton there were 20 rotifers, six cladocerans and eight copepods. Algal species belonged to the cyanoprokaryotes, chrysophytes, diatoms, euglenophytes, dinophytes, cryptophytes and chlorophytes. Some diatoms (e.g. Navicula rhynchocephala) were able to live in darkness and in an anoxic hypolimnion and the monimolimnion in presence of sulphide. However, only single individuals of zooplankton were able to live in this layer. Discriminant analysis showed that the annual phytoplankton period was stable, excluding November and December. The same method showed that in vertical profile layer – the fifth meter of depth was different than the others. Multidimensional scaling divided numerous biotic and abiotic features into several important groups: (1) large invertebrate predators, (2) a majority of rotifers, (3) small invertebrate predators with they potential prey, (4) factors responsible for non carbonate hardness and importance for life, (5) large planktonic filtrators, (6) a majority of algae, (7) sulphide with its derivatives, and (8) electrolytic elements.     

Environmental exposure to uranium in a population living in close proximity to gold mine tailings in South Africa

BackgroundGold mining activities in South Africa resulted in contamination of residential environment with uranium-rich wastes from mine tailings. Health of the people living around the mine tailings could be affected by uranium exposure due to its hazardous chemotoxic and radiological properties.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study to assess i) uranium (U) concentrations in individual hair samples of children and adults living in close proximity to mine tailings in Northeast- Soweto in Johannesburg, South Africa, and ii) the association between U concentrations in hair and various factors, including zone of residence, socio-demographic and housing characteristics. Sampling sites were divided into three zones based on the distance between a dwelling and a cluster of mine tailings (zone 1: <= 500 m, zone 2: 2–3 km away, zone 3: 4–5 km away). U concentrations in hair samples were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. To test the association between U concentrations and selected factors we used robust regression models with log-transformed U concentrations.ResultsAmong 128 subjects with available U measurements, 63 (49%) were children (ages 7–15 years) of which 38 were girls, the remaining 65 (51%) were adult females. Mean (median) U concentration in hair samples was 143 (92) µg/kg. In the mutually adjusted analyses, only an inverse association between age and U concentration in hair remained statistically significant, with geometric mean in children being 2.1 times higher compared to adults (P < 0.001). There was no evidence of an association between zones and U concentration (P = 0.42).ConclusionsThere was little evidence of association between U concentration in hair and distance from the mine tailings within the 5 km range, but overall concentrations were elevated compared to general population samples in other parts of the world. Children had statistically significantly higher geometric mean of uranium concentration in hair compared to adults. The results are important for improvement of mining waste policies and implementation of health monitoring and protective measures in populations at risk.Article categoryResearch Article     

Using municipal biosolids in combination with other residuals to restore metal-contaminated mining areas

High metal waste materials from historic mining at the Bunker Hill, Idaho (ID) Superfund site was amended with a range of materials including municipal biosolids, woody debris, wood ash, pulp and paper sludge, and compost. The existing soil or waste material has elevated metal concentrations with total Zn, Pb and Cd ranging from 6000 to 14700, 2100 to 27000 and 9 to 28 mg kg^–1, respectively. Surface application of certain amendments including biosolids mixed with wood ash resulted in significant decreases in subsoil acidity as well as subsoil extractable metals. This mixture was sufficient to restore a plant cover to the contaminated areas. At the Bunker Hill site, a surface application of high N biosolids (44 or 66 tons ha^–1) in combination with wood ash (220 tons ha^–1) with or without log yard debris (20% by volume) or pulp and paper sludge (44 tons ha^–1) was able to restore a vegetative cover to the metal contaminated materials for 2 years following amendment application. Plant biomass in 1999 was 0.01 mg ha^–1 in the control versus a mean of 3.4 tons ha^–1 in the residual amended plots. Metal concentrations of the vegetation indicated that plants were within normal concentrations for the 2 years that data were collected. Surface application of amendments was also able to reduce Ca(NO₃)₂ extractable Zn in the subsoil from about 50 mg kg^–1in the control to less than 4 mg kg^–1in two of the treatments. Use of conventional amendments including lime alone and microbial stimulants were not sufficient to support plant growth. These results indicate that surface application of biosolids in combination with other residuals is sufficient to restore a vegetative cover to high metal mine wastes.     

Distribution and diversity of halophilic bacteria in a subsurface salt formation

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a salt mine constructed 650 meters below the ground surface by the United States Department of Energy. The facility will be used for permanent disposal of transuranic wastes. This underground repository has been constructed in the geologically stable Permian age Salado salt formation. Of the wastes to be placed into the facility, 85% will be biodegradable cellulose. A 3-year survey of the bacterial populations existing within the facility was conducted. Bacterial populations were found to be heterogeneously distributed throughout the mine. Populations in some mine areas reached as high as 1.0 × 10⁴ colony-forming units per gram of NaCl. The heterogeneous distribution of bacteria within the mine did not follow any recognizable pattern related to either age of the workings or to human activity. A biochemical comparison between ten known species of halophilic bacteria, and strains isolated from both the mine and nearby surface hypersaline lakes, showed the presence of extreme halophiles with wide biochemical diversity, some of which could prove to represent previously undescribed groups. The halophilic bacteria isolated from the mine were found to degrade cellulose and a wide variety of other carbon compounds. When exposed to two types of common laboratory paper, the cellulose-degrading halophiles attached to the substrate within 30 minutes of inoculation. Cultures enriched directly from a brine seep in the mine easily destroyed both papers and produced detectable amounts of oxalacetic and pyruvic acids. The combination of heterogeneity in the distribution of organisms, the presence of a physiologically diverse community, and the relatively slow metabolism of cellulose may explain several long-standing debates about the existence of microorganisms in ancient underground salt formations. Received: September 29, 1997 / Accepted: January 29, 1998     

Effects of mine drainage on the river hayle,cornwall a) factors affecting concentrations of copper,zinc and iron in water,sediments and dominant invertebrate fauna

Concentrations of copper, zinc and iron were measured in waters, sediments and invertebrates collected from the River Hayle. In river water at least 70% of copper and iron was associated with the particulate fraction whereas 80% of zinc was in the soluble form. Although total concentrations of zinc in water exceeded those of copper approximately ten fold, copper predominated over zinc in the sediments by a factor of approximately three. Iron was the most abundant metal recorded in both water and sediments.Seasonal differences in total metal content of waters suggested that concentrations of copper, zinc and iron increased during. periods of high flow and decreased during lower flows. Copper concentrations in the sediment, unlike zinc and iron, showed markedly higher values during the summer sampling period when flows were minimal.In the free-living Trichoptera larvae, concentrations of copper and zinc in the tissue appeared to follow copper and zinc levels in the water. Similar relationships in Odonata and Plecoptera larvae were not obtained. Factors affecting animal/metal relationships are discussed with particular reference to adaptation shown by organisms exposed to high concentrations of heavy metals in their environment.Department of Applied Biology, Cambridge     

Copper, copper mine tailings and their effect on marine algae in Northern Chile

Results are presented of a long-term research programme on the effect of copper contamination on biota in Chilean coastal waters. In spite of the magnitude of the copper mining tailings that affected Caleta Palito and surroundings in northern Chile, the effects on the intertidal assemblages remain restricted to a small geographic area. Even within the affected area, the effects are not homogeneous and there is evidence of active recovery in biological diversity in recent few years. Experimental evidence suggests that the current low algal diversity and abundance is strongly influenced by herbivory, although chronic effects of the discharges cannot be ruled out. Cellular changes in Enteromorpha compressa from the impacted area were characterised by abnormal granules in the cytoplasm, though these granules did not contain detectable levels of copper or other heavy metals. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.