Vegetation and Environmental Changes on Contaminated Soil Formed on Waste from an Historic Zn-Pb Ore-Washing Plant

Abstract

Post-mining waste from Zn-Pb ore exploitation undergoes processes of spontaneous succession and changes in soil chemical composition. The Zakawie area was industrially transformed by historical mining activity, ore enrichment, and the metallurgical processing of Zn-Pb ore. The subject of the study was to analyse the rate of vegetation succession (from 1999 to 2019), soil chemistry, and the relationships between them in an anthropogenic habitat with high concentrations of potentially toxic metals. Ecological and geochemical studies were carried out in an area contaminated with waste from a disused Zn-Pb ore-washing plant. Between 1999 and 2019, the transformation of grassland and meadow vegetation into scrub and forest–grassland communities was observed. This transformation led to a decrease in the area of Molinietum caeruleae meadow (from 25.8% in 1999 to 10.7% in 2019), whose place was taken by Prunus spinosa and Rhamnus cathartica. The community of xerothermic limestone grasslands completely disappeared, being replaced in favour of the Diantho-Armerietum and Prunus spinosa community. In this period, the share of lifeforms of plants and species composition (46 and 60, respectively) also changed. The Shannon and Simpson biodiversity index reached high values in the second investigation period, and it was 0.893 and 0.86, respectively. The anthrosols had a high content of Zn—85,360 mg kg−1, Pb—28,300 mg kg−1, Cd—340 mg kg−1, and As—1200 mg kg−1. Carbonates, clay minerals, and fe-oxides are predominant in the mineral composition of the rhizosphere; the metal-bearing phases are stable; and hardly soluble minerals include smithsonite, cerussite, monheimite, hemimorphite, and oxides of Fe and Fe-Mn. Mineralisation/crust processes formed on the epidermis, and their influences on root development were found. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy studies on rhizosphere soil components provide information on the type of minerals and their susceptibility to heavy metals release. The identification of some biotic and mineral structures in rhizospheres can be an interesting source of information on pedogenic processes identified in back-scattered electron images.

The Properties of Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia L. to Selectively Accumulate Chemical Elements from Soils of Ecologically Transformed Areas

“…Often, they must adapt to life in areas without soil cover. One of such plants is the black locust Robinia pseudoacacia L. commonly used in Poland for anthropogenically the reclamation of degraded areas [10][11][12][13]. It is an invasive species that has come to Poland in the 18th century and quickly spread throughout the country [12].…”

Soil and Vegetation Development on Coal-Waste Dump in Southern Poland

“…The process and rate of spontaneous succession in the area analysed bears a similarity to other coal heaps in Europe [ 4 , 6 , 18 , 22 , 23 , 59 ] in comparison with intentionally reclaimed areas [ 16 ].…”

“…The extraction of mineral resources contributes to economic development, yet their exploitation also leads to serious and often irreversible changes in natural systems [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. These changes are most visible in ecological systems in the form of the complete degradation of soil and plant cover [ 4 , 5 ]. Hard-coal mining and related technological processes bring about long-term changes in the environment, as well as in the landscape of mining areas and those in their vicinity [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ].…”

The Perception of Urban Forests in Post-Mining Areas: A Case Study of Sosnowiec-Poland

“…In terms of species composition, the analyzed forests are very poor due to the age of the stand and habitat conditions, which are often extreme here. The biodiversity of post-mining forests is undoubtedly enhanced by wetlands and aquatic areas [ 72 ] within the study sites. In terms of species composition and the vertical structure, the studied forest phytocenoses differ in post-mining areas associated with limestone mines and coal mines.…”

“…The ecosystem benefits approach supports and facilitates evidence-based decision-making to improve human well-being. For this reason, it has been recognized as a useful approach for various planning practices, including spatial planning [ 86 ], planning and managing protected areas [ 87 ], environmental damage assessment, environmental impact assessment [ 72 , 88 ], and strategic environmental assessment [ 89 ].…”