Does Samarco's spilled mud impair the growth of native trees of the Atlantic Rainforest?

Cruz, Fernanda Vieira da Silva; Gomes, Marcelo Pedrosa; Bicalho, Elisa Monteze; Torre, Felipe Della; Garcia, Queila Souza

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.110021

Cited by 31 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…The tailings, which consist mainly of iron oxides, diluted the contents of the other predisaster soil elements in the areas where they were deposited. Similar results were also observed by Cruz et al (2020), Davila et al (2020), and Segura et al (2016). According to Rodrigues et al (2013b), the Zn content in sediments from alluvial terraces and cutbacks of this region is related to the natural occurrence of the sulfide‐bearing rocks containing chalcopyrite and galena.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…Further studies revealed a pH value of 6.7 in the affected areas, while the unaffected soil presented a pH value of 5.1 (Coelho et al, 2020). Higher pH levels in affected soils were also noted by Cruz et al (2020), who found values of 6.1 in soils with tailings and 4.8 in control area soils. Also, according to Cruz et al (2020) pH levels of the soils in the affected areas tend to reduce over time, returning to their natural acid state, typical of the local soils, which will probably increase the soil metal bioavailability.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

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Evaluation of metal accumulation in the forage grass Brachiaria decumbens Stapf grown in contaminated soils with iron tailings

Ferreira

Gaião

Kozovits

et al. 2021

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

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The biggest world tailing dam rupture occurred in Brazil in 2015, releasing approximately 32 million m3 of iron tailings in the Doce River watershed, along its 660 km trajectory, reaching the Atlantic Ocean. This disaster significantly altered water and soil properties, increasing the soil metal contents, mainly iron concentration. Little is known about the concentration of toxic elements in plants grown in these areas. Brachiaria decumbens stands out as the most cultivated grass in the affected areas and is widely used for cattle grazing. This study verified the metal contents in soils and in samples of B. decumbens grown in the initial pathway of the debris flow. It was noted that the tailing deposition altered the substrate chemically, increasing Fe by 181% and reducing Zn soil contents by 188%. However, the metal contents in the forage grass were below the toxic limit for cattle feed. In addition, the results suggest that the natural geological characteristics of the region also influenced the metal contents in plants since those plants grown in nonaffected areas also showed high metal concentrations. The impacted area soils had a slightly basic pH, which can reduce the metal availability. Considering that, in the future, these soils would return to their natural acid state, the metal contents in plants grown in the affected regions could probably increase. Thus, long‐term studies are needed to ensure the food safety of the forage production in these areas. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:528–538. © 2021 SETAC

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Evaluation of metal accumulation in the forage grass Brachiaria decumbens Stapf grown in contaminated soils with iron tailings

Ferreira

Gaião

Kozovits

et al. 2021

Integr Envir Assess & Manag

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“…Mining waste interferes with physical properties of the soil (Silva et al, 2016) and so with root development, that in turn affects the uptake of H 2 O and nutrients by plant roots (Andrade et al, 2018), reflecting in a lower development of the plant. Other plant species also raised in soil with high concentration of mining waste from the Fundão dam showed low development, such as Oryza sativa (Andrade et al, 2018), Chrysopogon zizanioides, Cymbopogon citratus, and Cymbopogon winterianus from Poaceae (Zago, das Dores, & Watts, 2019), Albizia polycephala and Peltophorum dubium, both from Fabaceae, and Cybistax antisyphilitica, Handroanthus heptaphyllus, and Handroanthus impetiginosus from Bignoniaceae (Cruz et al, 2020). Thus, why did A. subterraneus workers select leaf disks from plants grown in soil with higher concentration of mining waste?…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Often these species produce induced chemical defenses through low concentrations of highly potent, qualitative compounds, whose production could be restricted by the availability of chemical elements in the soil (Kempel et al., 2011). Therefore, plants growing in soil contaminated with mining waste experience water and nutrient deficiency, hindering their development (Cruz et al., 2020; Guittonny, Larchevêque, Bussière, & Pednault, 2016) and making them more susceptible to herbivores.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does mining waste concentration in the soil interfere with leaf selection by Acromyrmex subterraneus (Formicidae)?

et al. 2021

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Revegetation programs are proposed to recover the soil and biodiversity of disturbed sites, this being the case of the Rio Doce basin, Brazil. This region was hugely affected by a mining waste dam disruption, whose leakage on the soil altered its chemical and physical characteristics, and consequently the physiology and performance of plants. The expected alterations of the plants can make them more attractive for leaf-cutting ants, as lower water content induces an increase of non-structural carbohydrates. In this context, we evaluated whether Acromyrmex subterraneus workers differentiate among plants grown on soil with different mining waste concentrations. Leaf disks from plants grown in soil containing 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of mining waste were simultaneously offered to workers from laboratory ant colonies. The number of transported disks from each mining waste concentration was recorded until all disks of any concentration had been transported. Leaf selection assays were repeated after 30 days due to the novelty effect phenomenon. Leaf thickness, water, starch, and total soluble carbohydrates (TSC) contents were determined. Leaf disks from plants grown in soil with 100% of mining waste concentration were preferentially selected in both selection assays. Leaf thickness and water content were significantly lower in plants from the aforementioned treatment, while starch and TSC were higher. Results suggest that seedlings implanted in sites with high mining waste concentration are under high predation risk. Revegetation programs must measure the impact of leafcutting ants as both herbivorous and soil ecosystem engineers, for the best management of these insects.

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“…However, one of the few options for the destination of these contaminated plants is incineration. In soil phytoremediation programs, in turns, woody species are often used to reclaim contaminants (Sant'Anna-Santos et al 2019;Cruz et al 2020;Gomes et al 2020a). Nevertheless, due to their long-life cycle, the use of woody species can result in long-lived projects and slowly recuperation rates of contaminated areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phytoremediation by ornamental plants: a beautiful and ecological alternative

Rocha

Kochi

et al. 2021

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly and economical technology in which plants are used for the removal of contaminants presents in the urban and rural environment. One of the challenges of the technique is the proper destination of the biomass of plants. In this context, the use of ornamental plants in areas under contamination treatment improves landscape, serving as a tourist option and source of income with high added value. In addition to their high stress tolerance, rapid growth, high biomass production, and good root development, ornamental species are not intended for animal and human food consumption, avoiding the introduction of contaminants into the food web in addition to improving the environments with aesthetic value. Furthermore, ornamental plants provide multiple ecosystem services, and promote human well-being, while contributing to the conservation of biodiversity. In this review, we summarized the main uses of ornamental plants in phytoremediation of contaminated soil, air, and water. We discuss the potential use of ornamental plants in constructed buffer strips aiming to mitigate the contamination of agricultural lands occurring in the vicinity of sources of contaminants. Moreover, we underlie the ecological and health benefits of the use of ornamental plants in urban and rural landscape projects. This study is expected to draw attention to a promising decontamination technology combined with the beautification of urban and rural areas as well as a possible alternative source of income and diversification in horticultural production.

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Does Samarco's spilled mud impair the growth of native trees of the Atlantic Rainforest?

Cited by 31 publications

References 30 publications

Evaluation of metal accumulation in the forage grass Brachiaria decumbens Stapf grown in contaminated soils with iron tailings

Evaluation of metal accumulation in the forage grass Brachiaria decumbens Stapf grown in contaminated soils with iron tailings

Does mining waste concentration in the soil interfere with leaf selection by Acromyrmex subterraneus (Formicidae)?

Phytoremediation by ornamental plants: a beautiful and ecological alternative

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