Revegetation of extremely acid mine soils based on aided phytostabilization: A case study from southern China.
Acidification is a major constraint for revegetation of sulphidic metal-contaminated soils, as exemplified by the limited literature reporting the successful phytostabilization of mine soils associated with pH<3 and high acidification potential. In this study, a combination of ameliorants (lime and chicken manure) and five acid-tolerant plant species has been employed in order to establish a self-sustaining vegetation cover on an extremely acid (pH<3) polymetallic pyritic mine waste heap in southern China exhibiting high acidification potential. The results from the first two-year data showed that the addition of the amendments and the establishment of a plant cover were effective in preventing soil acidification. Net acid-generating potential of the mine soil decreased steadily, whilst pH and acid neutralization capacity increased over time. All the five acid-tolerant plants colonized successfully in the acidic metal-contaminated soil and developed a good vegetation cover within six months, and subsequent vegetation development enhanced organic matter accumulation and nutrient element status in the mine soil. The two-year remediation program performed on this extremely acid metalliferous soil indicated that aided phytostabilization can be a practical and effective restoration strategy for such extremely acid mine soils.
School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, PR China; College of Bio-resources and Environmental Science and Hunan Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Control and Remediation of Heavy Metal Pollution from Mn-Zn Mining, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Manganese-Zinc-Vanadium Industrial Technology (the 2011 Plan of Hunan Province), Jishou University, Jishou 416000, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China.
Sheng-Xiang
SX
Yang
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China.
Bin
B
Liao
School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, PR China.
Zhi-Hui
ZH
Yang
School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, PR China.
Li-Yuan
LY
Chai
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China. Electronic address: lijtian@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Jin-Tian
JT
Li
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002681:China; D008906:Mining; D063245:Plant Development; D010944:Plants; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants
Acidification; Aided phytostabilization; Heavy metal; Polymetallic pyrite mine; Revegetation