Soil algal communities inhabiting zinc and lead mine spoils

Abstract

Algal communities inhabiting four calamine mine spoils differing in time since cessation of exploitation and loaded with high concentrations of zinc (20,284-61,599 μg g −1 soil DW), lead (2,620-3,885 μg g −1 DW) and cadmium (104-232 μg g −1 DW) were studied. In dump soils of slightly alkaline pH (7.28-7.52) and low nutrient (P À PO 3À 4 , N À NH þ 4 , N À NO À 3 ) concentrations, chlorophyll a content ranged from 0.41 to 2.27 μg g −1 soil DW. In total, 23 algal species were recorded. Chlorophyta were the dominant taxonomic group (42-55% of all identified species) followed by Cyanobacteria (28-36%) and Heterokontophyta (13-21%). The highest species richness (18) was observed in the oldest dump (120 years old) with natural succession, while in younger dumps it was lower (11-15). Total algal abundance ranged between 5.5 and 19.1×10 2 ind. g −1 soil DW, and values of Margalef's diversity indices (1.59-2.25) were low. These results may suggest that both high concentrations of heavy metals and low nutrient content influenced the algal communities in all the dumps studied. The differences in algal microflora observed between tailing dumps may indicate that habitat quality improved with time and that algae isolated from Zn/Pb-loaded soils may be Zn/Pbresistant ecotypes of ubiquitous species.

Role of Soil Algae on the Initial Stages of Soil Formation in Sandy Polluted Areas

“…and Ulothrix sp. Algae in post-mining areas contaminated with heavy metals in neighboring of investigated areas has been described by some authors [13][14][15].…”

“…Algae developing on the sand surface in the early-spring wet seasons form an easily-seen green coat which vanishes in seasons of water deficiency at the beginning of the summer. In the soil-algal crust, 15 Greater morphological variability is shown by Chlorophyta occurring in unicellular, colonial and filamentous forms. Filamentous forms have the highest pedogenic significance due to their domination and their ability to stabilize loose sand by binding sand grains (Fig.…”

Microbial communities of urban stormwater sediments: the phylogenetic structure of bacterial communities varies with porosity

“…It is noteworthy that large proportions of Cyanobacteria are present in the early stages of soil formation in the absence of vegetation, for instance in desert biological crusts (Garcia‐Pichel et al ., ; Gundlapally & Garcia‐Pichel, ; see also below), tailing dumps resulting from a former Zn‐Cd mine (Trzcińska & Pawlik‐Skowrońska, ) and early successional soils from a receding glacier (Nemergut et al ., ). The presence of this pioneer phylum suggests that this urban sediment is a soil in early successional state.…”

Soil Algal Colonization and Its Ecological Role in an Environment Polluted by Past Zn–Pb Mining and Smelting Activity

“…are significant in soil crust formation. Species distribution in the Algae and Cyanophyta groups indicates a similarity between these algal communities in the Olkusz area and those described from areas of former Zn-Pb ore exploitation in the Bolesław region (Trzcińska and Pawlik-Skowrońska 2008). Projects researching the ecological meaning and role of soil algae in the colonization of areas changed as a result of human activity are undertaken relatively rarely (Cabała and Rahmonov 2004;Rahmonov and Piątek 2007).…”