title: Usefulness of pioneer vegetation for the phytomanagement of metal(loid)s enriched tailings: grasses vs. shrubs vs. trees.
abstract: The goal of this work was to assess the selection of the most suitable combination of plant species for the phytomanagement of mine tailings, by comparing among different plant life-forms (grasses, shrubs and trees). A comparison on induced rhizosphere changes generated by four plant species (the grass Piptatherum miliaceum, the shrub Helichrysum decumbens, and the trees, Pinus halepensis and Tetraclinis articulata) and high density vegetation patches (fertility islands) at a mine tailing located at Southeast Spain and the description of their physiological status employing stable isotopes analyses were carried out. The edaphic niches for plant growth were determined by salinity, organic matter and total soil nitrogen while metal(loid)s concentrations played a minor role. Induced changes in plant rhizospheres had a significant impact in soil microbiology. While grasses and shrubs may play an important role in primary ecological succession, trees seem to be the key to the development of fertility islands. The low δ(15)N values (-8.00‰) in P. halepensis needles may reflect higher ectomycorrhizal dependence. Large differences in leaf δ(18)O among the plant species indicated contrasting and complementary water acquisition strategies. Leaf δ(13)C values (-27.6‰) suggested that T. articulata had higher water use efficiency than the rest of species (-29.9‰). The implement of a diverse set of plant species with contrasting life forms for revegetating tailings may result in a more efficient employment of water resources and a higher biodiversity not only in relation to flora but soil microbiology too.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agraria, Paseo Alfonso XIII 48, ES-30203 Cartagena, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Parraga-Aguado
authors.affiliation: Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura CEBAS-CSIC, Conservación de Suelos y Aguas y Manejo de Residuos Orgánicos, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, PO Box 164, ES-30100 Espinardo-Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose-Ignacio
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Querejeta
authors.affiliation: Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agraria, Paseo Alfonso XIII 48, ES-30203 Cartagena, Spain.
authors.forename: María-Nazaret
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: González-Alcaraz
authors.affiliation: BIOCYMA, Consultora en Medio Ambiente y Calidad, S.L. C/Acisclo Díaz, N°9 4°K, ES-30005 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Cárceles
authors.affiliation: Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agraria, Paseo Alfonso XIII 48, ES-30203 Cartagena, Spain. Electronic address: hector.conesa@upct.es.
authors.forename: Héctor M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Conesa
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D008670:Metals / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008906:Mining; D006109:Poaceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D014197:Trees / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals
keywords: Endemic flora; Metal pollution; Metal(loid) tolerance; Phytostabilisation; Semiarid climate; Stable isotopes