title: A field study on heavy metals phytoattenuation potential of monocropping and intercropping of maize and/or legumes in weakly alkaline soils.
abstract: The study focused on the phytoattenuation effects of monocropping and intercropping of maize (Zea mays) and/or legumes on Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd in weakly alkaline soils. Nine growth stages of monocropping maize were chosen to study the dynamic process of extraction of heavy metals. The total content of heavy metals extracted by the aerial part of monocropped maize increased in a sigmoidal pattern over the effective accumulative temperature. The biggest biomass, highest extraction content, and lowest heavy metals bioaccumulation level occurred at physiological maturity. Among the different planting patterns, including monocropping and intercropping of maize and/or soybean (Glycine max), pea (Pisum sativum), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa), the extraction efficiency of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd varied greatly. Only intercropping of maize and soybean yielded relatively higher extraction efficiency for the four metals with no significant difference in the total biomass. Moreover, the heavy metals concentrations in dry biomass from all the planting patterns in the present study were within China's national legal thresholds for fodder use. Therefore, slightly polluted alkaline soils can be safely used through monocropping and intercropping of maize and/or legumes for a range of purposes. In particular, this study indicated that intercropping improves soil ecosystems polluted by heavy metals compared with monocropping.
authors.affiliation: a Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University , Lanzhou , China.
authors.forename: Saiyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: a Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University , Lanzhou , China.
authors.forename: Xinwang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: a Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University , Lanzhou , China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: a Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University , Lanzhou , China.
authors.forename: Shiwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ai
authors.affiliation: a Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University , Lanzhou , China.
authors.forename: Bailin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: a Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University , Lanzhou , China.
authors.forename: Wenya
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: a Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University , Lanzhou , China.
authors.forename: Yingmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002681:China; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D000455:Medicago sativa / Q000378:metabolism; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000378:metabolism*; D018532:Pisum sativum / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D013025:Glycine max / Q000378:metabolism; D003313:Zea mays / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants
keywords: Heavy metals; intercropping; legume; maize; monocropping; phytoextraction