Gypsum Biomineralization in Sulphide-rich Hardpans by a Native Trichoderma harzianum Rifai Strain

Natural acid mine drainage affects abandoned sulfide mines worldwide, causing hardpan formation and heavy metal leaching. Hardpans are characterized by very low permeability, thus representing a significant limiting factor for oxygen and water circulation in the rhizosphere. Our work shows the results concerning the gypsum biomineralization capability of a native Trichoderma harzianum Rifai strain in sulfide -rich hardpans. Two months after the fungal inoculum, hardpan clasts resulted, completely covered by T. harzianum mycelium, where newly formed gypsum crystals occur. Our study provided the first evidence about interaction between T. harzianum and sulfide -mineralized hardpans as well as about its influence on gypsum genesis.     

Benthic faunas of streams of low pH but contrasting water chemistry in New Zealand

Water chemistry and benthic invertebrate communities were investigated at 37 sites on acid streams originating on the Stockton-Denniston Plateau, North Westland, New Zealand. The region is characterised by high rainfall and runoff, highly acidic soils and the presence of extensive coal measures that have been mined for over 120 years. Four groups of streams were identified: naturally acid plateau streams with clear water and very low conductivity; brown water (humic) streams with pH<4 and low conductivity; coastal plains streams with higher pH and conductivity; and streams contaminated by acid mine drainage. TWINSPAN and cluster analysis also grouped streams into four groups based on presence-absence of invertebrate taxa, the groups being similar to, but not identical to those based on physico-chemical factors. Diptera (mainly Chironomidae) were represented by most species in all site groups followed by Plecoptera in plateau streams, and Trichoptera on the coastal plain and where mine drainage occurred. Species of Orthocladiinae (Chironomidae), Plecoptera and Trichoptera were found at the most contaminated sites (pH <3, conductivity >900 µS cm^–1, total reactive aluminium >25 mg 1^–1). The leptophlebiid mayfly Deleatidium was found at 32 of the 37 sites, and some species of Plecoptera, Trichoptera and Chironomidae were also widely distributed. Our findings indicate that species tolerant of low pH (i.e., <4.5) are not confined to humic waters as has been postulated, but also occur in soft, non-humic waters where concentrations of labile, non-organically bound aluminium may be elevated.     

Metal concentrations and mycorrhizal status of plants colonizing copper mine tailings: potential for revegetation

A field survey of metal concentrations and mycorrhizal status of plants growing on copper mine tailings was conducted in Anhui Province, China. Available phosphorus and organic matter in the tailings were very low. High concentrations of Pb, Zn, As and Cd as well as Cu were observed on some sites. The dominant plants growing on mine tailings belonged to the families Gramineae and Compositae, and the most widely distributed plant species were Imperata cylindrica, Cynodon dactylon and Paspalum distichum. Coreopsis drummondii also grew well on the arid sites but not on wet sites. Very low or zero arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization was observed in most of the plants, but extensive mycorrhizal colonization was recorded in the roots of C. drummondii and C. dactylon. Metal concentrations in plant tissues indicated that l.cylindrica and P. distichum utilized avoidance mechanisms to survive at high metal concentrations. The investigation suggests that remediation and revegetation of heavy metal contaminated sites might be facilitated by selection of tolerant plant species. Isolation of tolerant AM fungi may also be warranted.     

Establishment of a Vegetation Cover on Tundra Kimberlite Mine Tailings: 2. A Field Study

High erosion potential of dewatered kimberlite mine tailings after diamond extraction has prompted research at the Ekati Diamond Mine in the Canadian subarctic heath tundra ecosystem. Greenhouse and field studies aimed at establishing a permanent vegetation cover on these dewatered tailings began in spring 2000. Coarse texture, no organic component, lack of available macronutrients, and a serpentine chemistry are the principal limitations of kimberlite tailings to plant colonization. Structure‐improving (peat moss, lake sediment, and sewage sludge) and nutrient‐providing (fertilizer, rock phosphate, calcium carbonate, and gypsum) amendments were tested to ameliorate these conditions, facilitating the establishment of a permanent vegetation cover, which stabilizes surface materials and promotes natural colonization by the surrounding tundra vegetation. Seven native grass species (Arctagrostis latifolia, Calamagrostis canadensis, Poa glauca, Poa alpina, Deschampsia beringensis, Deschampsia caespitosa, and Festuca rubra) were used to measure amendment success. With the addition of structure‐improving and nutrient‐providing amendments, plant growth on these kimberlite tailings under field conditions was significantly improved over unamended tailings material. Tailings properties, including cation exchange capacity, organic carbon, and macronutrient availability, were also improved with amendment addition.     

Salamander diversity of reforested abandoned surface coal mines in the Appalachian Region,U.S.A.

Surface coal mining is a pervasive form of land use and leading cause of deforestation in the Appalachian Region of the United States. Contemporary reclamation practices tend to produce strongly altered landscapes that inhibit forest succession, so there is a need for the development of alternative methods. Surface coal mines that preceded modern reclamation laws, known as abandoned mine lands, have become reforested in many locations and may serve as a model for improving the restoration of forests in postmining landscapes. I compared salamander diversity between 5 forests growing atop abandoned surface coal mines to 5 similar aged reference forests in southeastern Ohio using time constrained transect searches in autumn 2012 and spring 2013. The survey revealed 1,480 salamander individuals, representing 11 different species from 3 different families. The vast majority of salamanders (93%) were from the family Plethodontidae. Salamander species richness was significantly higher in reference forests than in mined forests, but this difference was contingent on the presence of stream‐dependent species in the reference forests. Salamander relative abundance was not significantly different between reference and mined forests. This survey demonstrates that reforested abandoned surface coal mines can provide suitable habitat for many forest‐dependent, terrestrial salamander species, but impaired water quality of headwater streams may limit the colonization of these forests by stream‐dependent species.     

龙南钾矿区常见蕨类植物可培养内生真菌的多样性

植物内生真菌作为一类特殊的微生物资源,与宿主在长期的生态系统演化过程中形成了互惠共生关系,通过多样化途径来增强植物体的营养生理和抗性机能,对宿主植物产生多种有益生物学作用,在植物演替过程中具有重要的生态学意义。这种特殊微生物资源近年来倍受关注,而利用植物-真菌共生体强化植物在矿区逆境中生长,提高矿区生物修复效率是一个新的研究热点。为探明钾矿区不同蕨类植物内生真菌的物种多样性、群落组成以及生态分布规律,该研究以芒萁、狗脊、禾秆蹄盖蕨、海金沙、华中铁角蕨、井栏边草和乌蕨等植物为材料,采用组织分离、形态学鉴定等方法,对其内生真菌多样性进行分析。结果表明:从7种植物中共分离获得377株内生真菌,总分离率在2.50%~4.52%之间。经鉴定377个菌株隶属于链格孢属、曲霉属、枝孢菌属和轮枝孢属等25个分类单元,其中链格孢属、曲霉属、枝孢菌属和轮枝孢属等在所有被调查蕨类植物中都有分布,为优势属,共计为185株,占总株数的49.07%,但它们在每种植物的分布存在明显差异;7种蕨类植物内生真菌总定植率为叶高于根状茎(P0.05),多样性指数在0.502~0.867之间,但每种植物及其不同组织部位的内生真菌定植率和多样性指数存在一定的差异;从相似性分析来看,同一个钾矿区不同蕨类植物内生真菌菌群之间的相似性程度较低,相似性系数在0.189~0.587之间。该研究结果不仅丰富了植物内生真菌种质资源,而且为进一步开展植物内生真菌强化宿主植物在钾矿区生长适应机制的研究奠定了基础。     

Sediment chemistry of lakes formed by surface-mining for coal in the midwestern U.S.A.

Sediment from lakes on abandoned coal mines in the Midwestern U.S.A. was examined to determine the factors controlling chemical composition and the role the sediment plays in lake neutralization. Sediment concentrations of many cations, (especially heavy metals) are strongly correlated with sediment sulfide concentration, but poorly correlated with the pH of the overlying water. Leaching the sediment of one lake with 1 N ammonium acetate, 0.1 N HCl, and 6 N HCl revealed that cations were mostly bound in weak acid-leachable and strong acid-leachable forms. The weak acid-leachable form is likely to be metal sulfides and calcium carbonate. The sulfide-poor sediments of extremely acid lakes contained few weak acid-leachable cations. Raw mine-spoil contained large amounts of easily leached cations. There is little relationship between changes in sediment chemistry over time determined from cores of lake sediment and past lake pH. Rates of sulfide deposition were examined in sediment cores because sulfate reduction and deposition has been suggested as a major source of alkalinity in lakes influenced by acid precipitation. Although the rate of sulfate deposition in surface mine lakes is high, it alone seems to be insufficient to cause neutralization.