abstract
This study aimed to compare the variation on the accumulation and translocation of potentially harmful chemical elements and nutrients (As, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in Cistus ladanifer L. belonging to populations growing in different mine areas from the Portuguese Iberian Pyrite Belt (Brancanes, Caveira, Chan double dagger a, Lousal, Neves Corvo, So Domingos). These mines are abandoned (except Neves Corvo that is still operating) and have different contamination levels. Composite samples of soils (n = 31), developed on different mine wastes and/or host rock, and C. ladanifer plants (roots and shoots) were collected in the mine areas. Soils were characterized for pH, NPK and organic C, by classical methodologies. Soils (total fraction-four acid digestion, and available fraction-extracted with aqueous solution of diluted organic acids, simulating rizosphere conditions) and plants (ashing followed by acid digestion) elemental concentrations were determined by ICP. Soil-plant transfer and translocation coefficients were calculated. Principal components analysis in both ways, the classical method and a second approach with adaptations used mostly in multivariate statistical processes control data, were done in order to compare the plants populations. Soils had large heterogeneity in their characteristics. Caveira, Lousal, Neves Corvo and So Domingos soils showed the highest total concentrations of As, Cu, Pb and Zn. Independently of the mine, available fractions of elements were low. Intra- and inter-population variations in accumulation and translocation of elements were evaluated. Plants were not accumulators of the majority of the analysed elements. Nutrients were mainly translocated from roots to shoots, while trace elements were stored in roots (except in Neves Corvo for As and Pb, and So Domingos for As). Elements concentrations in plant populations from Lousal, Chan double dagger a and So Domingos did not present much variation. Brancanes soils and plants presented strong differences compared to other areas. Cistus ladanifer plants are able to survive in mining areas with polymetallic contamination at different elements concentrations in total and available fraction. This species presented variations inter- and intra-populations in accumulation and translocation of chemical elements; however, all studied populations, except Brancanes, can belong to the same population cluster.
keywords
TRACE-ELEMENTS; ENVIRONMENTAL-IMPACT; DEGRADED SOILS; MINING AREAS; PLANTS; SPAIN; TOLERANCE; METALS; BIOACCUMULATION; BIOAVAILABILITY
subject category
Environmental Sciences & Ecology; Agriculture
authors
Santos, ES; Abreu, MM; Batista, MJ; Magalhes, MCF; Fernandes, E
our authors
