Seagrass soil archives reveal centennial-scale metal smelter contamination while acting as natural filters

Lafratta, Anna; Serrano, Óscar; Masqué, Pere; Fernandes, Milena; Gaylard, Sam; Lavery, Paul S.

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.400

Cited by 19 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 46 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The 2.5-fold increase in Hg levels of the dead matte and the enrichment factor of 3.5 in the post-industrial period indicates the severe contamination by Hg in Priolo Bay and reflects the capacity of dead matte to serve as an environmental archive, similar to the case of living Posidonia mattes (Serrano et al, 2011;Serrano et al, 2016a;Lafratta et al, 2019). The vertical resolution of the dead matte cores was 6 -9 years which provided a sufficient record to reconstruct the history of contamination.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

The Importance of Dead Seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) Matte as a Biogeochemical Sink

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We assessed the potential of dead seagrass Posidonia oceanica matte to act as a biogeochemical sink and provide a coherent archive of environmental change in a degraded area of the Mediterranean Sea (Augusta Bay, Italy). Change in sediment properties (dry bulk density, grain size), concentration of elements (Corg, Cinorg, N, Hg) and stable isotope ratios (δ13C, δ 15N) with sediment depth were measured in dead P. oceanica matte and unvegetated (bare) sediments in the polluted area, and an adjacent P. oceanica meadow. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed a clear clustering by habitat, which explained 72% of variability in our samples and was driven mainly by the accumulation of N and Hg in finer sediments of the dead matte. Assessment of the temporal trends of Corg, N and Hg concentrations in the dead matte revealed changes in the accumulation of these elements over the last 120 years, with an increase following the onset of industrial activities 65 y BP (i.e., yr. 1950) that was sustained even after seagrass loss around 35 y BP. Despite a decrease in Hg concentrations in the early 1980s following the onset of pollution abatement, overall Hg levels were 2-fold higher in the local post-industrial period, with a Hg enrichment factor of 3.5 in the dead matte. Mean stocks of Corg, N and Hg in 25 cm thick sediment deposits (4.08 ± 2.10 kg Corg m-2, 0.14 ± 0.04 kg N m-2, 0.19 ± 0.04 g Hg m-2) and accumulation in the last 120 yr (35.3 ± 19.6 g Corg m-2 y-1, 1.2 ± 0.4 g N m-2 y-1, 0.0017 ± 0.0004 g Hg m-2 y-1) were higher in the dead matte than bare sediment or adjacent P. oceanica meadow. Our results indicate that dead P. oceanica matte maintained its potential as a biogeochemical sink and, like its living counterpart, dead matte can serve as an effective archive to allow for reconstructing environmental change in coastal areas of the Mediterranean where severe perturbations have led to P. oceanica loss. Appropriate management for contaminated areas should be prioritized to prevent release of pollutants and carbon from dead mattes.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

The Importance of Dead Seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) Matte as a Biogeochemical Sink

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The feedback relationship documented here between environmental pollution, inequality, regulations and socio‐economic trends have profound implications for understating how particular territories have been progressively and long lastingly impaired. This process appears in several regions around the world (Dionne, 2016; Lafratta et al., 2019; Li et al., 2018; Thevenon et al., 2011). Dong et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The feedback relationship documented here between environmental pollution, inequality, regulations and socio-economic trends have profound implications for understating how particular territories have been progressively and long lastingly impaired. This process appears in several regions around the world(Dionne, 2016;Lafratta et al, 2019;Li et al, 2018;Thevenon et al, 2011) Dong et al (2021). stress out that there is not a consistent global upward trend in pollution by metal(loid)s through the twentieth century, but rapid increases brought by human activities have occurred localized around industrial areas.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Cross‐Cutting Approach for Relating Anthropocene, Environmental Injustice and Sacrifice Zones

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Anthropocene is an uneven phenomenon. Accelerated shifts in the functioning of the Earth System are mainly driven by the production and consumption of wealthy economies. Social, environmental and health costs of such industrialization, however, bear on low‐income communities inhabiting severely degraded territories by polluting activities (i.e., sacrifice zones). How global, national and local socio‐economic and governance processes have interacted in perpetuating socio‐environmental inequalities in these territories has been rarely explored. Here, we develop an historical quantitative approach integrating a novel chemostratigraphic record, data on policy making, and socio‐economic trends to evaluate the feedback relationship between environmental injustice and Anthropocene in sacrifice zones. We specifically outline a case study for the Puchuncaví valley ‐one of the most emblematic sacrifice zones from Chile‐. We verify an ever‐growing burden of heavy metals and metalloids over the past five decades paced by the staggering expansion of local industrial activities, which has ultimately been spurred by national and transnational market forces. Local poverty levels have declined concomitantly, but this path toward social equality is marginal as costs of pollution have grown through time. Indeed, national and international pollution control actions appear insufficient in mitigating the cumulative impact brought by highly toxic elements. Thus, our sub‐decadal reconstruction for pollution trends over the past 136 years from a sediment record, emerges as a science‐based tool for informing the discussion on Anthropocene governance. Furthermore, it helps to advance in the assessment of environmental inequality in societal models that prioritize economic growth to the detriment of socio‐environmental security.

show abstract

“…VCE are typically located in close proximity to urban areas, and resultantly, coastal discharges. When anthropogenic discharges or and terrestrial runoff enters coastal habitats the plants, algae and organisms cycle and assimilate nutrients and other pollutants (e.g., metals) reducing the likelihood of an adverse effect, thereby providing regulating and maintenance services that treat wastes (Nayar et al, 2012;Lafratta et al, 2019). These wastes are taken into the biomass of VCE plants, algae and biota, cycled through growth and reproduction and can be stored in sediments or exported to different systems (e.g., offshore deep waters) (Duarte and Cebrián, 1996).…”

Section: Mediation Of Wastes or Toxic Substances Of Anthropogenic Originmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These wastes are taken into the biomass of VCE plants, algae and biota, cycled through growth and reproduction and can be stored in sediments or exported to different systems (e.g., offshore deep waters) (Duarte and Cebrián, 1996). VCE assimilate metals, which are trapped by habitats accumulating and storing metals as a sink (Lafratta et al, 2019), reducing their bioavailability (Marin-Guirao et al, 2005). Services provided by VCE can offset or in some cases replace the cost of traditional waste treatment processes such as technological upgrades in wastewater treatment plants or industrial facilities (Sagoff, 2011).…”

Section: Mediation Of Wastes or Toxic Substances Of Anthropogenic Originmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of Coast and Marine Ecosystems in Temperate Australia Demonstrates a Wealth of Ecosystem Services

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Seagrass soil archives reveal centennial-scale metal smelter contamination while acting as natural filters

Cited by 19 publications

References 46 publications

The Importance of Dead Seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) Matte as a Biogeochemical Sink

The Importance of Dead Seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) Matte as a Biogeochemical Sink

A Cross‐Cutting Approach for Relating Anthropocene, Environmental Injustice and Sacrifice Zones

Review of Coast and Marine Ecosystems in Temperate Australia Demonstrates a Wealth of Ecosystem Services

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About