title: Evaluation of the boron tolerant grass, Puccinellia distans, as an initial vegetative cover for the Phytorestoration of a boron-contaminated mining site in Southern California.
abstract: Land damaged by boron (B) mining should be restored to its natural state with a zero net impact on biodiversity. In an earlier study (Environ. Sci. Technol.2010,44, 7089-7095), we characterized a Turkish ecotype of the grass, Puccinellia distans, which exhibited extreme tolerance to B. Here we evaluated the use of a US ecotype of P. distans as an initial vegetative cover for the phytorestoration of a B mine in southern California. Hydroponic studies revealed that this P. distans ecotype tolerated B concentrations >100 mg B/L and could be germinated and grown in B-contaminated soils taken from the sites to be restored. P. distans grew well in moderately B-contaminated soil (∼88 mg B/L saturated extract) amended with added organic matter (peat moss); other soil treatments such as gypsum addition or pH correction were not needed. P. distans also grew in severely B-contaminated soil (∼1506 mg B/L) provided that toxic levels of soil B were diluted by the addition of sand and/or organic matter. Our results provide evidence in support of the concept of using the US ecotype of P. distans as an initial vegetative cover for the phytorestoration of B-contaminated soil.
authors: Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-3102, USA.
authors: Amanda R
authors: AR
authors: Stiles
authors: Chunguang
authors: C
authors: Liu
authors: Yuriko
authors: Y
authors: Kayama
authors: Josephine
authors: J
authors: Wong
authors: Harvey
authors: H
authors: Doner
authors: Roger
authors: R
authors: Funston
authors: Norman
authors: N
authors: Terry
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001895:Boron / Q000378:metabolism*; D002140:California; D008906:Mining; D006109:Poaceae / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001895:Boron