Effects of N-enriched rock powder on soil chemistry,organic matter formation and plant nutrition in lignite-poor sandy mine spoil in the forest reclamation practice

The effects of a slow-release N-enriched rock powder on soil chemistry, on the development of the soil vegetation (field layer vegetation), on the nutritional status of pine seedlings (Pinus sylvestris L.), and on decomposition rates of cellulose in lignite-poor mine spoils were studied. In the initial phase after afforestation fertilization caused a significant increase in NO₃ ⁻-N concentrations in the soil solution of the top-soil (0–60 cm). Subsequently, NO₃ ⁻-N concentrations of all N fertilized treatments decreased with the exception of the highest N application area (500 kg N ha⁻¹). This decrease of NO₃ ⁻-N concentrations was related to the establishment of a field layer vegetation, which developed according to the amount of N applied. In the above-ground phytomass of the field layer vegetation a maximum N accumulation amount of 22 kg ha⁻¹ was measured. Cellulose decomposition increased with higher N application rates. In the second year after N-fertilization, the pine needles indicated insufficient supply for almost all nutrients except for N. The deficiency symptoms were most pronounced at the plots that had received the highest amounts of nitrogen. This phenomenon appears to be related to the competition by the field layer vegetation. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ground beetle communities on reclaimed mine spoil: Effects of organic matter application and revegetation

On a study site in the Lusatian lignite mining region (Germany), sandy mine spoil was ameliorated with either sewage sludge, compost or mineral fertilizer. Plots were sown with the grass Secale multicaule and planted with pine seedlings except for a control that was not meliorated and not revegetated. Pitfall catches of ground beetles in 1996/97 yielded high numbers of species and individuals directly after revegetation. The dominant beetles were xerophilic species, known to prefer open sandy sites. Catches in different plots were positively correlated with the amount of vegetation cover and declined as follows: amelioration with sewage sludge > compost > mineral fertilizer > untreated control. Even beetles characteristic of open sandy sites showed a distinct preference for plots with high vegetation cover treated with organic waste. For the dominant species, an attraction to shelter and a more balanced, humid microclimate is assumed. A year-to-year comparison showed an increase in beetles typical of dry grasslands and ruderal sites in the second year, while characteristic species of open sandy sites decreased. Application of organic waste combined with revegetation led to an immediate increase in beetle numbers. In the long term, revegetation would be expected to reduce suitable habitats for endangered ground beetles which prefer open sites with poor sandy soils. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Characteristics of Plant Communities and Element Contents in Plants at Mengentaoligai Ag,Pb, Zn Mine area in Inner Mongolia

The types of plant communities in Mengentaoligai mine area are disscussed. Arenaria juncea, densely grown in the phytocommunities of the mineralized zone, is found closely related to the presence of Pb and Zn mineral deposits. Analytical results of seven element contents (in ash) for 34 species (or part of plant) show that: levels of element contents in sequence in. the plants are Fe>Mn > Zn > Pb > Cu > Ni>Co; variable ranges of element contents in the plants are Pb, Zn>Fe,Mn> Cu> Co > Ni; and variable ranges of Pb, Zn contents in the same species at different sites are respectively larger than that among species. For example, Pb and Zn contents of Arenaria juncea, l145ppm and 3087ppm respectively, are the highest; the difference among Pb contents of Ulmus macrocarpa, Arenaria ?uncea and PotentiUa chinensis at different sites are more than 10 folds. The difference of Co and Ni contents in the species is less than two to one- Striking correlation is found between elements in plants and in soils, such as the Pb and Zn contents between leaves and twigs of Ulmus macrocarpa, twigs of Prunus sibirica, Artemisia halodendron and soils (lrl≤α 0.05 or≤α 0.01). It is found that Pb and Zn phytogeochemical anomalies, correlate closely with Pb and Zn mining deposits. In addition, analysis of principal component was conducted among seven elements contents of 14 species (or part of plant) in the mineralized zone and 12 species in the unmineralized zone.     

基于NDVI时间序列轨迹的草原露天矿区植被时空动态特征

采矿作用下草原露天矿区植被时空动态特征尚不明确.以胜利露天矿区为例,选取MODIS和Landsat影像,利用ESTARFM构建2001—2015年植被生长期一致的年际Landsat时间序列,以时间分割算法拟合像元NDVI时间序列轨迹,结合轨迹形态特征提取早期扰动型、持续扰动型、扰动稳定型、扰动稳定恢复型和扰动恢复型5种植被动态类型及各类型的时间特征.结果表明:胜利矿区植被动态类型以扰动恢复型为主,占各类型像元总数的55.2%,扰动稳定型和持续下降型次之,分别为25.6%和11.0%,早期扰动型和扰动稳定恢复型较小,分别为3.5%和4.7%.扰动多发于2004—2009年,稳定期多始于2008年,空间上多分布于露天采场和排土场,恢复期多始于2008年和2010年,其空间范围较小且集中于矿井外围和排土场.扰动持续时长以1年为主,稳定期持续时长以7年为主,恢复期持续时长中稳定恢复型为2～5年,扰动恢复型为8年.     

Bacterial Diversity in Linglong Gold Mine,China

Bacteria have been actively regulating cycles of various elements in the environment. To explore the potential bacterial role in gold biogeochemical cycling, this study analyzed the bacterial diversity of mine rock (MR) and surface soil (SS) samples from Linglong gold mine using 16S rRNA gene clone library analysis and cultivation method. From MR, 24 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified from MR, covering 3 phyla and 18 genera. Meanwhile, 24 OTUs were identified from SS, including 4 phyla and 18 genera. Compared with 16S rRNA gene clone library analysis, 28 aerobic and 34 anaerobic isolates were obtained, whereas 26 aerobic and 71 anaerobic strains were isolated from SS. The cultivable bacteria were affiliated with Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria phyla, and dominated by Firmicutes. These results underscore the high level of bacterial diversity in the gold mine. Our study provides information on the microbial diversity in Linglong gold mine and sheds light on the existence and potential function of bacteria in the gold biogeochemical cycling.     

Microdynamics and seasonal changes in manganese oxide epiprecipitation in Pinal Creek, Arizona

In Pinal Creek, Arizona, Mn oxyhydroxides (MnO_x) collect as thick precipitates on surface sediment, within the streambed, beneath algal mats, and on submerged and emergent plants and mosses. The proximate source of Mn is a thick, alluvial alkaline aquifer that was contaminated by past acid mine waste disposal practices associated with copper mines located upstream in the Globe–Miami area. Almost every organism in Pinal Creek is coated with MnO_x. Some are actively precipitating manganese, and others are doing it passively. The variety and seasonality of epilithic biological processes resulting in Mn oxidation (epiprecipitation) was studied for more than a year by analyzing artificial substrates placed in surface water having different flows and different vegetation types and densities. Most epiprecipitation took place on the holdfasts of the green alga, Ulothrix sp., and the iron bacterium, Leptothrix discophora. Extensive patches of MnO_x also coated extracellular polymeric substances of fungal hyphae and bacterial filaments. The dominant macroscopic precipitation was in the form of MnO_x clumps on mosses, green algae, and cyanobacterial mats, consistent with precipitation by pH elevation during photosynthesis. Most oxidation occurred in the spring and summer, in agreement with thermal, biological, and chemical activity models. More biological oxidation occurred in swifter water, consistent with oxygen elevation models. The efficiency of this naturally occurring, diverse ecosystem suggests that remediation efforts to remove metal contaminants such as Mn should focus on creation of habitats that raise biodiversity.US Geological Survey, retired     

Screening of Australian Native Grasses for Rhizoremediation of Aliphatic Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soil

Rhizoremediation involves the breakdown of contaminants in soil resulting from microbial activity that is enhanced in the plant root zone. The objective of this study was to identify Australian native grass species as suitable candidates for rhizoremediation application. Seeds of nine perennial Australian native grasses were sown in soil from a mine site and artificially contaminated with a 60:40 diesel/oil mixture at concentrations of 1% (w/w), 0.5% (w/w), and 0% (control). Seedling emergence was not adversely affected by the presence of hydrocarbon contamination for all but one grass species. Three promising species (Brachiaria decumbens, Cymbopogon ambiguus, and Microlaena stipoides var. Griffin) were assessed for growth characterization in contaminated and uncontaminated soils. The evaluated species survived for 120 days in the contaminated soil and, in some instances, produced considerably more root biomass in the presence of contamination. C. ambiguus showed growth stimulation in the presence of contamination (1% and 0.5% w/w) with significantly increased root biomass production compared with the control (p = 0.0001). B. decumbens and M. stipoides showed tolerance, without adverse growth effects in the presence of diesel/oil at the exposed concentrations. Stimulation of the rhizosphere microbial population that is capable of degrading diesel/oil was found for all of the species tested, using a most probable number method for enumeration. This investigation has identified suitable candidates for further investigation of their rhizoremediation potential.     

Comparison of Organic and Chemical Soil Amendments Used in the Reforestation of a Harsh Sierra Nevada Site

Abstract A comparison of a composted organic amendment, a controlled‐release fertilizer, and induced mycorrhizal inoculation as affecting the establishment and nutrition of bareroot Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) was conducted on a Sierra Nevada surface mine. The soil amendments were applied at outplanting to the backfill of augered planting holes, with a low rate of 8 g and a high rate of 16 g per seedling for the fertilizer, Gromax 21‐6‐2 + Minors, whereas a single rate of 2.0 L was used for organic matter. Colonization by Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch was induced by coating the root systems with basidiospores suspended in a gel carrier. The organic amendment especially, but also mycorrhizal inoculation, caused substantial seedling mortality, whereas survival was unaffected by controlled‐release fertilization. Gromax applied at the high rate produced a 74% increase in shoot volume after three growing seasons, whereas the organic amendment reduced volume by 28%. Growth was unaffected by mycorrhizal treatment. The growth response to the 16‐g Gromax application probably reflected enhanced N, P, and K nutrition and decreased concentrations of potentially toxic metallic elements, including Mn and Al among others, as revealed through foliar analysis. Because they were accompanied by growth reduction, nutritional responses to the organic amendment, which involved both macronutrients and trace elements, were of little consequence. Impaired water relations may account for the poor response to this amendment. Likewise, nutritional responses to mycorrhizal inoculation produced no discernible benefit in terms of seedling performance. An inoculation procedure that failed to induce substantially greater P. tinctorius colonization in inoculated than uninoculated seedlings, and that may have also impaired water relations, likely explains this result. Overall, these findings indicate that further research is needed before either the organic amendment or the mycorrhizal inoculation procedure used here can be used in forest restoration efforts on dry sites.     

Diversity and activity of methanotrophs in alkaline soil from a Chinese coal mine

Culture-independent molecular biological techniques, including 16S rRNA gene and functional gene clone libraries and microarray analyses using pmoA (encoding a key subunit of particulate methane monooxygenase), were applied to investigate the methanotroph community structure in alkaline soil from a Chinese coal mine. This environment contained a high diversity of methanotrophs, including the type II methanotrophs Methylosinus / Methylocystis , type I methanotrophs related to Methylobacter / Methylosoma and Methylococcus , and a number of as yet uncultivated methanotrophs. In order to identify the metabolically active methane-oxidizing bacteria from this alkaline environment, DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) experiments using ¹³CH₄ were carried out. This showed that both type I and type II methanotrophs were active, together with methanotrophs related to Methylocella , which had previously been found only in acidic environments. Methylotrophs, including Methylopila and Hyphomicrobium , were also detected in soil DNA and after DNA-SIP experiments. DNA sequence information on the most abundant, active methanotrophs in this alkaline soil will facilitate the design of oligonucleotide probes to monitor enrichment cultures when isolating key alkaliphilic methanotrophs from such environments.     

封闭环境下酸性矿坑水中微生物生态多样性的研究

铜绿山铜矿是世界开采时间最长的矿井之一,在开采过程中有许多矿井被废弃,许多废弃的矿井内产生了大量的对环境有害的酸性矿坑水.酸性矿坑水取自铜绿山铜矿某废弃矿井,利用限制性酶切片断多样性分析(RFLP分析)对酸性矿坑水中的微生物生态多样性进行了研究.研究表明,酸性矿坑水呈酸性,相对于其他极端与非极端生态环境,酸性矿坑水中的细菌与古菌的群落多样性较低.RFLP分析与系统发育分析表明,酸性矿坑水中细菌主要由A.fcrrooxidans(属于gamma-Proteobacteria)和L.ferrooxidans(属于Nitospira)成;古菌主要由Thermoplasma相关古菌组成.在这种封闭环境的酸性矿坑水中首次发现了类似于产甲烷古菌的克隆片断,其占古菌种群的四分之一左右.本研究将促进对酸性矿坑水中细菌及古菌群落组成及其对酸性矿坑水产生的作用的研究.