Journal of Ecology and Rural Environment ›› 2022, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (3): 399-408.doi: 10.19741/j.issn.1673-4831.2021.0506

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The Accumulation Characteristics of Heavy Metals in Dominant Herbaceous Plants in the Abandoned Pb-Zn Mining Area of Huize

YUAN Xin-qi1,2, YU Nai-qi1, GUO Zhao-lai1,2, WANG Si-chen1,2, TANG Chun-dong1,2, YANG Hua-ju1,2, LIU Chang-e1,2, DUAN Chang-qun1,2   

  1. 1. School of Ecology and Environment, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China;
    2. Key Laboratory of Plateau Mountain Ecology and Degraded Environment Restoration of Yunnan Province, Kunming 650091, China
  • Received:2021-08-19 Online:2022-03-25 Published:2022-03-23

Abstract: Soil samples were collected from the abandoned Pb-Zn mining area in Huize, Yunnan Province during October of 2020. The dominance degree of the herbaceous plants was evaluated to screen the dominant herbaceous plants suitable for planting in the abandoned mining areas. Soil physical and chemical properties and the heavy metal contents in soil samples were determined. Also, heavy metal contents in the shoots and roots of plants were measured to analyze the accumulation and transportation characteristics of heavy metals in individual or combinations of dominant herbaceous plants. The results show that the soil in the research area is slightly acidic or slightly alkaline. The contents of Mn, Zn, Cd and Pb in soil samples are far exceeding the background value of the area. Cd and Pb are the main pollutants in this area. There are a total of ten dominant herbaceous plants:Setaria viridis, Artemisia lavandulifolia, Cynodon dactylon, Bidens pilosa, Imperata cylindrica, Miscanthus sinensis, Woodwardia japonica, Ageratina adenophora, Chloris virgata and Polygonum hydropiper. Among them, Woodwardia japonica, Polygonum hydropiper and Cynodon dactylon are excellent in the accumulation of Cu, Cd and Pb (bioaccumulation factors between 0.5 and 1.0), and they have a high performance for Mn transportation (transportation factors between 1.0 and 1.5). Therefore, they can be used as a dominant combination for constructing plant communities. Artemisia lavandulifolia and Imperata cylindrica tend to accumulate Cu and Zn in the overground part (bioaccumulation factors between 0.5 and 1.0) and transfer Mn, Cd and Pb in the roots (transportation factors between 1.0 and 1.5). Thus, they can be used as a sub-dominant combination for constructing new plant communities. The other five dominant plants have various performances in heavy metal enrichment and transportation. Among them except for Ageratina adenophora, the other four dominant plants can be used as auxiliary species in new communities. In conclusion, nine dominant herbaceous plants are founded to be suitable for heavy metal pollution treatment and plant diversity restoration. The corresponding plant combinations can be selected according to the type of heavy metal pollution.

Key words: Pb-Zn mine, heavy metal, bioaccumulation factor, transportation factor, cluster analysis

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