Drought resistance of native pioneer species indicates potential suitability for restoration of post-mining areas

Abstract

Abstract. In order to test whether invasive exotic species, predominantly used for restoring post-mining areas in north-eastern Vietnam, may be replaced by ecologically superior native pioneer species, we conducted a drought stress experiment in a greenhouse. We hypothesized that juvenile individuals of four native pioneer tree and two native pioneer grass species have a drought resistance comparable to two exotic reference species. Our results confirm this hypothesis: even under drought, native trees had a higher biomass and root : shoot ratio than exotic trees, although their maximum relative elongation rate and biomass were reduced more strongly than for exotic trees with respect to well-watered conditions. Native grasses had a higher root length density and a similar drought-induced reduction of stomatal conductance compared to exotic trees. In spite of a higher biomass reduction, native grasses produced more biomass under drought in absolute terms. Notwithstanding that further investigations of other adverse environmental factors need to be performed, our results indicate with respect to drought resistance that native pioneer species are a potential alternative to exotic species for the ecological restoration of subtropical post-mining areas, which may accelerate secondary succession.

Trait‐based selection of nurse plants to restore ecosystem functions in mine tailings

“…show to effectively recover in post-mining areas but impede forest establishment (Hammond, 1999;Winkler et al, 2014). In our study, most perennial grasses seem to facilitate the establishment of dwarf shrubby and annual Mediterranean semi-arid communities (Table 1), but have a limited effect in triggering forest communities and little influence on soil fertility and productivity (Table 2 and Figures S3-S4).…”

“…Pioneers are usually early‐colonizers that both resist abiotic stress (high EC, metal concentration and temperature) and are efficient competitors for soil resources, and thus can lead to an arrested plant succession (Walker & del Moral, ). This is the case of some perennial grasses that show to effectively recover in post‐mining areas but impede forest establishment (Hammond, ; Winkler et al., ). In our study, most perennial grasses seem to facilitate the establishment of dwarf shrubby and annual Mediterranean semi‐arid communities (Table ), but have a limited effect in triggering forest communities and little influence on soil fertility and productivity (Table and Figures –).…”

Towards a Comprehensive Framework for Climate Change Multi-Risk Assessment in the Mining Industry

“…For instance, in order to combat drought phenomena, mining companies adopt measures such as wastewater recycling, seawater desalination, worked water storage increase, water losses reduction, the use of drought-resistant and native plant species in rehabilitation projects, etc. [19,[93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100]. Similarly, mines operating in Canadian Arctic regions in order to deal with permafrost thaw in infrastructure foundations (such as tailing ponds or water treatment facilities) use thermosyphons, insulation, or other reinforcement techniques [101].…”

Ανάπτυξη Μεθοδολογίας Για Την Εκτίμηση Της Οικονομικής Διακινδύνευσης Των Εξορυκτικών Έργων Από Την Κλιματική Αλλαγή

“…Η βασική αρχή όλων των μεθοδολογιών αυτοματοποιημένης συμπλήρωσης των ΠΔΠ στηρίζεται στην εξαγωγή συμπερασμάτων για τις επιδράσεις που έχουν οι παράγοντες μεταξύ τους, όταν είναι γνωστές κάποιες σχέσεις με ιδιαίτερη έμφαση που λέγονται «άγκυρες». Τα συμπεράσματα αυτά σχηματίζουν τις αγκυρωμένες κατανομές δεσμευμένης πιθανότητας (anchor conditional probability distributions, A-CPDs), οι οποίες με διάφορες τεχνικές παρεμβάλλονται στους ΠΔΠ (Mkrtchyan et al, 2015;Rohmer, 2020 (Fenton et al, 2007;Fenton and Neil, 2013, p. 244;Laitila and Virtanen, 2016) (Gao et al, 2017;Hodgkinson and Smith, 2018;Huxtable, 2003;Kong et al, 2014;Nelson and Schuchard, 2011;Onederra and Gonzalez, 2018;Sánchez-Salguero et al, 2015;UNFCCC, 2012;Winkler et al, 2015 (Zhang et al, 2011). Στη μελέτη των Sharma et al (2013, pp.…”

“…Για παράδειγμα, στην περιοχή των Κυκλάδων η λειψυδρία αντιμετωπίζεται με αυτοφυή φυτά στις αποκαταστάσεις, τα οποία έχουν ελάχιστες απαιτήσεις σε νερό. Το εύρημα αυτό συνάδει με άλλες έρευνες από τη διεθνή βιβλιογραφία (Acclimatise, 2010;Gao et al, 2017;Hodgkinson et al, 2014;Hodgkinson and Smith, 2018;Huxtable, 2003;ICMM, 2012a;Kong et al, 2014;Nelson and Schuchard, 2011;Onederra and Gonzalez, 2018;Sánchez-Salguero et al, 2015;Winkler et al, 2015). Μάλιστα, οι συμμετέχοντες στην έρευνα επισήμαναν ότι ορισμένα χρόνια φαινόμενα θα αποτελέσουν ευκαιρίες για τις δραστηριότητες των εξορυκτικών επιχειρήσεων, π.χ.…”