Ecosystem development and natural succession in surface coal mine reclamation

Biotic and abiotic factors involved in surface coal mine reclamation were evaluated on 81 mine sites in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, USA. Soil moisture and organic content were the two most important factors in determining the establishment and growth of vegetation on mined lands. Soil bacteria and fungi populations were also related to these soil conditions, and soil micro-organisms were important in the decomposition of organic materials as well as factors in the rate and type of natural succession occurring on these lands. The succession of native plant species increases the density and stability of plant communities on mined lands. The importance of natural succession in mined-land reclamation and the use of these lands by wildlife is discussed.Supported by Grant-In-Aid, Natural Geographic Society.     

海州露天煤矿区土壤线虫的群落特征

2010年7月—8月间对海州露天煤矿区的采场、排土场、排矸场不同年龄梯田层以及矿区农田、村庄周围土壤线虫群落特征进行研究。研究结果表明：露天煤矿区土壤线虫群落中,植物寄生类群线虫数量占主导优势（77.8%）,其次是食细菌类群（16.64%）、食真菌类群（5.80%）,捕食/杂食类群数量最少（0.39%）,排土场（除覆盖表土层）、排矸场土壤线虫数量随着梯田年限增加而增高;捕食/杂食类在远郊山坡最高（每kg干土67条）,排土场与排矸场混排岩土中、农田、村庄周围土壤中没有发现敏感的捕食/杂食类线虫;线虫成熟指数在排土场稳定土壤环境中较高,在严重干扰地如农田、年轻梯田中很低。土壤线虫群落特征的研究为露天煤矿区土壤生态系统稳定性、土壤生物评价实践提供科学依据。     

Evaluating the eco-environment benefit of land reclamation in the dump of an opencast coal mine

Land reclamation significantly affects the ecological and environmental conditions of mining areas. However, quantifying the exact effects is difficult because of the lack of reliable data. The estimation of eco-environment benefit contributes to clarify the ecological and environmental changes caused by land reclamation and to provide useful information for policy-makers concerned with sustainable development. The aim of this study is to investigate variations in eco-environment benefit in response to land use changes during land reclamation. The West dump, one of the earliest regions to implement ecological restoration in Liaoning Province, is selected as the study area. The widely used methods for eco-environment benefits based on the land use change were proposed and applied to the West dump in 2004, 2009, and 2014. The total eco-environment benefits in study areas were 0.98 million dollars in 2004, 1.39 million dollars in 2009, and 1.43 million dollars in 2014, with an increase of 0.41 million dollars from 2004 to 2009 mainly because of the increasing areas of artificial woodland and reclaimed cropland. The combined eco-environment benefits of artificial woodland, improved grassland, and reclaimed cropland were over 90% of the total benefits. Soil formation and protection, biodiversity protection, and gas regulation were the top three functions with high eco-environment benefits, contributing about half of the total eco-environment benefits. The results suggest that future studies estimating eco-environment benefits should pay more attention to ecosystems in fragile ecological regions where various human interferences happen frequently. All of the abovementioned results made the techniques of estimation of the eco-environment benefit of land reclamation are more meaningful in guiding the future exploitation and reclamation of mining areas.     

黄土高原矿区土壤细菌群落对地表塌陷和土地复垦的响应

中国一半的煤炭生产能力集中于生态脆弱的黄土高原,采矿活动进一步加剧了当地生态环境恶化,尤其是土壤退化.微生物是土壤物质转化的动力,对外界干扰十分敏感,厘清其变化对生态恢复和治理尤为重要.为此,本研究以黄土高原大柳塔煤矿及黑岱沟煤矿为对象,利用高通量测序技术和分子生态网络分析方法,揭示土壤细菌群落多样性及不同活动影响下土壤细菌群落之间的联系与差异.结果表明,不同活动对土壤理化性状影响显著,塌陷区有机质、速效磷、速效钾呈显著性下降(P0.05),复垦区土壤有机质、水分、pH和电导率则显著增加(P0.05),塌陷对土壤理化性状产生了抑制作用,复垦呈现促进作用.不同活动对土壤细菌群落产生不同的影响,塌陷区多样性指数降低了约20%,复垦则多样性指数增加了63%,但塌陷区、复垦区优势菌门保持一致.不同活动对土壤细菌分子生态网络的影响迥异:塌陷后分子生态网络趋于复杂,网络连接数及互作关系明显增强;复垦后则生态网络模块增加,模块内部趋于简单.为应对地表塌陷和土地复垦,土壤细菌往往改变菌种间关系作适应性变化.塌陷更多地促进相互合作以适应养分的贫瘠,复垦则促进模块数增加并趋于合作以获取更多的资源.     

Land reclamation and strip-mined coal production in appalachia

This study quantifies the short-run impacts of reclamation on strip mining costs, coal prices, production, and employment in Appalachia. A process analysis model is developed and used to estimate short-run strip-mined coal supply functions under conditions of alternative reclamation requirements. Then, an econometric model is developed and used to estimate coal demand relations. Our results show that full reclamation has rather minor impacts. In 1972, full reclamation would have increased strip-mined coal production costs an average of $0.35 per ton, reduced strip-mined coal production by 10 million tons, and cost approximately 1600 jobs in Appalachia.     

Use of hold-gro erosion control fabric in the establishment of plant species on coal mine soil

Experiments were conducted on the Black Mesa Coal Mine, Kayenta, Arizona in 1977 and 1978 to study the effectiveness of Hold-Gro Erosion Control Fabric (a product from the Gulf States Paper Corporation, Tuscaloosa, Alabama) in the establishment of plants on coal mine soil following the surface mining of coal. Four plant species were planted: (1) spring barley (Horduem vulgare L.), an annual grass (2) crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum L.), a perennial grass (3) alfalfa (lucerne) (Medicago sativa L.), a perennial legume and (4) fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens Pursh.), a perennial shrub. Seeds of each plant species were planted in reclaimed coal mine soil in the spring of the year by both broadcast seeding (conventional culture) and the incorporation of seeds in Hold-Gro Erosion Control Fabric. Average numbers of seedlings established and percent ground cover for all species studied were higher in areas where conventional culture was used than they were in areas where seeds were incorporated in Hold-Gro Erosion Control Fabric. The incorporation of seeds in Hold-Gro Erosion Control Fabric in the establishment of plant species on coal mine soil was not an effective cultural practice in the southwestern United States. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of M.A. Norem with portions of the research involving this contribution. The authors also express their appreciation to the Gulf States Paper Corporation in Tuscaloosa. Alabama for providing the Hold-Gro Erosion Control Fabrie used in this research. Contribution from the Arizona Agr. Exp. Stn., University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721. Approved for publication as Arizona Agr. Exp. Stn. Research Contribution No. 3767.     

徐州煤矿混推复垦区土壤重金属分布特征及潜在风险评价

以徐州煤矿混推复垦区为研究对象,采用Tessier连续提取法,对该复垦区土壤Zn、Pb、Ni、Mn、Cu、Cr等6种重金属含量进行分析和风险评价.结果表明,除Cr外,复垦区土壤Zn、Pb、Ni、Mn和Cu的含量均大于当地土壤背景值,但均未超过国家土壤环境质量二级标准,不同复垦年限下土壤重金属含量差异较大,Zn、Mn总体上随复垦年限延长,积累越明显.形态分析表明,Pb和Mn以铁锰氧化物结合态为主;Zn、Ni、Cu和Cr以残渣态为主.徐州煤矿复垦区土壤重金属的生物可利用系数(BF)的平均值大小为MnPbCuZnCrNi.各重金属的生态风险程度大小为PbCuNiMnCrZn.徐州煤矿复垦区土壤重金属的潜在生态风险指数范围是16.71—25.94,平均值为21.56,属于轻微生态危害.不同复垦年限下土壤重金属的综合潜在生态风险指数大小为1997年复垦2006年复垦1987年复垦2010年复垦塌陷未复垦未塌陷,各复垦年限下土壤重金属均属于轻微生态风险.     

Soil sampling strategies for site assessments in petroleum-contaminated areas

Environmental site assessments are frequently executed for monitoring and remediation performance evaluation purposes, especially in total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH)-contaminated areas, such as gas stations. As a key issue, reproducibility of the assessment results must be ensured, especially if attempts are made to compare results between different institutions. Although it is widely known that uncertainties associated with soil sampling are much higher than those with chemical analyses, field guides or protocols to deal with these uncertainties are not stipulated in detail in the relevant regulations, causing serious errors and distortion of the reliability of environmental site assessments. In this research, uncertainties associated with soil sampling and sample reduction for chemical analysis were quantified using laboratory-scale experiments and the theory of sampling. The research results showed that the TPH mass assessed by sampling tends to be overestimated and sampling errors are high, especially for the low range of TPH concentrations. Homogenization of soil was found to be an efficient method to suppress uncertainty, but high-resolution sampling could be an essential way to minimize this.     

贵州煤矿集中开采区地表水重金属污染特征

对贵州煤矿集中开采区地表水重金属污染情况进行评价,掌握重金属污染迁移特征,采用数理统计分析、Pearson相关性分析以及综合污染指数评价法对贵州省摆沙河流域煤矿区周边13个监测点共9项污染指标进行评价分析.结果表明,该区域地表水中总铁、锰、铝和汞的富集程度较高,浓度均值分别为68.48、2.75、9.91 mg·L~(-1)和0.0035 mg·L~(-1),均超出了地表水质量标准限定值,且汞超标率高达100%.总铁、锰、铬、铝、锌属于高度变异,部分地区污染严重,且区域性极强,污染情况随矿区位置不同而呈现显著差异.总铁、锰、铝、锌之间具有较显著的正相关关系,表明该4种污染物质来源一致或相似,总铁及铝均与pH呈强负相关性,说明pH影响重金属的浸出性能.13个地区中毛坡栗(G_8)污染程度较轻,新寨2(G_2)、陆家桥(G_(13))为重度污染,其他10个监测点均为严重污染,其中翁威主矿处(G_4)污染最为严重;总铁、锰、汞的影响权重值较高,新寨1(G_1)、翁威主矿处(G_4)、两岔河(G_6)、楼梯冲(G_7)、瓦厂河(G_9)总铁、锰污染程度较高,新寨2(G_2)、翁威2(G_5)、豆芽井(G_(10))、上坝(G_(11))、蛋托厂(G_(12))、陆家桥(G_(13))地区受汞污染影响严重.     

长河流域矿区地表水水化学特征及驱动因子分析

为了研究晋城市长河流域采煤区地表水水质情况、查清其水化学特征,明晰其影响因素及主要离子来源.现场采集了地表水水样9组,采用数理统计方法分析水化学特征,运用Piper三线图分析水化学类型,通过Gibbs图和离子相关分析等方法探讨了地表水主要离子的来源及其影响因素.结果 表明,研究区地表水TDS为126-604 mg·L-...     

某市北郊污水处理厂新址环境地质影响因素分析

湖南某市北郊污水处理厂的建设对该城市的生产和人民群众的日常生活影响重大.该工程投资较大,属较重要的环保建设项目.文章在对该厂选址区的地质环境所做调查的基础上,对影响该区的地质环境因素进行分析,为该厂的选址建设可行性提供环境地质技术依据.表1,参4.     

Environmental geochemical characteristics of rare-earth elements in surface waters in the Huainan coal mining area,Anhui Province,China

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - This study investigated the environmental geochemical characteristics of rare-earth elements (REEs) in surface waters in the Huainan mining area, Anhui...     

Reproductive plasticity,oviposition site selection,and maternal effects in fragmented landscapes

Traditionally, evolutionary ecology and conservation biology have primarily been concerned with how environmental changes affect population size and genetic diversity. Recently, however, there has been a growing realization that phenotypic plasticity can have important consequences for the probability of population persistence, population growth, and evolution during rapid environmental change. Habitat fragmentation due to human activities is dramatically changing the ecological conditions of life for many organisms. In this review, we use examples from the literature to demonstrate that habitat fragmentation has important consequences on oviposition site selection in insects, with carryover effects on offspring survival and, therefore, population dynamics. We argue that plasticity in oviposition site selection and maternal effects on offspring phenotypes may be an important, yet underexplored, mechanism by which environmental conditions have consequences across generations. Without considering the impact of habitat fragmentation on oviposition site selection, it will be difficult to assess the effect of fragmentation on offspring fitness, and ultimately to understand the impact of anthropogenic-induced environmental change on population viability.     

Relationship between plant biodiversity and heavy metal bioavailability in grasslands overlying an abandoned mine

Abandoned metal mines in the Sierra de Guadarrama, Madrid, Spain, are often located in areas of high ecological value. This is true of an abandoned barium mine situated in the heart of a bird sanctuary. Today the area sustains grasslands, interspersed with oakwood formations of Quercus ilex and heywood scrub (Retama sphaerocarpa L.), used by cattle, sheep and wild animals. Our study was designed to establish a relationship between the plant biodiversity of these grasslands and the bioavailability of heavy metals in the topsoil layer of this abandoned mine. We conducted soil chemical analyses and performed a greenhouse evaluation of the effects of different soil heavy metal concentrations on biodiversity. The greenhouse bioassays were run for 6 months using soil samples obtained from the mine polluted with heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd) and from a control pasture. Soil heavy metal and Na concentrations, along with the pH, had intense negative effects on plant biodiversity, as determined through changes in the Shannon index and species richness. Numbers of grasses, legumes, and composites were reduced, whilst other species (including ruderals) were affected to a lesser extent. Zinc had the greatest effect on biodiversity, followed by Cd and Cu. When we compared the sensitivity of the biodiversity indicators to the different metal content variables, pseudototal metal concentrations determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) were the most sensitive, followed by available and soluble metal contents. Worse correlations between biodiversity variables and metal variables were shown by pseudototal contents obtained by plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Our results highlight the importance of using as many different indicators as possible to reliably assess the response shown by plants to heavy metal soil pollution.     

湖南南部铅锌矿区铅锌富集植物筛选研究

在湖南省桂阳县铅锌矿区采用调查和室内分析相结合的方法,采集植物和土壤样品112个,分别测定了土壤和植物样品的铅锌含量,筛选铅锌富集植物。结果表明：矿区土壤铅锌污染十分严重,矿区土壤铅和锌的平均质量分数分别为：2177.22、3165.89 mg·kg^-1。植物样品根系的铅锌质量分数分别为：264.00、666.11 mg·kg^-1,地上部铅锌质量分数平均为165.56、363.87 mg·kg^-1,植物根系的铅锌含量与土壤的铅锌含量呈显著正相关。通过对比分析,以地上部铅质量分数大于450 mg·kg^-1、锌质量分数大于750 mg·kg^-1、转运系数大于1、植物地上部形态高大为筛选条件,筛选出5种铅富集植物分别是：糯米团（Hyrtanandra）、水蓼（Polygonum hydropiper）、酸模（RumexacetosaLinn）、毛叶堇菜（Viola verecumda A.Gray）、地榆（Garden Burnet Root）;3种锌富集植物分别是：鬼针草（Bidens pilosa L.）、博落回（Macleaya cordata（Willd.） R. Brown）和糯米团;糯米团茎叶的铅锌质量分数分别为635.48、919.51 mg·kg^-1,可作为铅锌复合污染土壤修复的备选植物品种。     

露天开采生态环境影响识别与修复技术的探讨——以崇阳露天石煤钒矿矿山开发环评为例

矿山开采活动在获得最大的经济利益的同时,势必给原有的生态环境带来严重破坏和影响.结合矾矿露天采矿特点,讨论矿山开采各个环节对生态因子的影响及强度,筛选主要影响因子,分析露天矿山开采可能引起的地形地貌、土地占用、土壤侵蚀、破坏野生动植物生境、地表水水质、景观格局等方面对环境的影响,并提出相应的优化施工方案、闭坑露天矿山土地、植被复垦等生态环境保护对策,对科学开发崇阳钒矿具有一定参考意义.     

Soil factors associated with zinc deficiency in crops and humans

Zinc deficiency is the most ubiquitous micronutrient deficiency problem in world crops. Zinc is essential for both plants and animals because it is a structural constituent and regulatory co-factor in enzymes and proteins involved in many biochemical pathways. Millions of hectares of cropland are affected by Zn deficiency and approximately one-third of the human population suffers from an inadequate intake of Zn. The main soil factors affecting the availability of Zn to plants are low total Zn contents, high pH, high calcite and organic matter contents and high concentrations of Na, Ca, Mg, bicarbonate and phosphate in the soil solution or in labile forms. Maize is the most susceptible cereal crop, but wheat grown on calcareous soils and lowland rice on flooded soils are also highly prone to Zn deficiency. Zinc fertilizers are used in the prevention of Zn deficiency and in the biofortification of cereal grains.