Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Soil Algal Colonization and Its Ecological Role in an Environment Polluted by Past Zn–Pb Mining and Smelting Activity

  • Published:
Water, Air, & Soil Pollution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The research was carried out around dumps made at the beginning of twentieth century linked to Zn–Pb ore mining of deposits of Mississippi Valley type in Southern Poland. Soil algae communities were investigated near spoil dumps rich in Zn, Pb, Fe, Cd, and Tl. In algal crusts, Chlorophyta and Cyanophyta occur in filament forms such as Stichococcus bacillaris, Stichococcus chlorelloides, S. cf. fragilis, and Cylindrocapsa sp. The algal crusts form aggregates containing metal-bearing minerals and algal organic material. The development of the crusts occur on sandy-clayey soils poor in water and highly enriched in heavy metals (up to 68,800 mg kg−1 for Zn, 85,060 mg kg−1 for Pb, 369 mg kg−1 for Cd and 355 mg kg−1 for Tl). Algal-crust formation is an important initial stage which facilitates vascular plant succession and topsoil formation. The results of investigation of algal material with ESEM are presented and the mineral phases in the top soil layer based on the XRD and EDS are described. The results indicate the presence of secondary labile minerals of lead, e.g., anglesite and plumbojarosite and minerals of Zn, e.g., smithsonite and minrecordite.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bauerek, A., Cabala, J., & Smieja-Krol, B. (2009). Mineralogical alterations of Zn–Pb flotation wastes of the Mississippi Valley Type ores (Southern Poland) and their impact on contamination of rain water runoff. Polish Journal of Environmental Study, 18(5), 781–788.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Belnap, J. (1993). Recovery rates of cryptobiotic crusts: Inoculants use assessment methods. Great Basin Naturalist, 53, 89–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Belnap, J. (2003). Factor influencing nitrogen fixation and nitrogen release in biological soil crusts. In Belnap, J., Lange, O.L. (eds): Biological soil crusts: structure, function, and management. Ecological Studies. 150, pp. 241-261

  • Belnap, J. K., Harper, T., & Warren, S. D. (1994). Surface disturbance of cryptobiotic soil crusts: Nitrogenase activity, chlorophyll content, and chlorophyll degradation. Arid Soil Research and Rehabilitation, 8, 1–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Büdel, B. (2003). Biological soil crusts in European Temperate and Mediterranean regions. In Belnap, J., Lange, O.L. (eds), Biological soil crusts: structure, function, and management. Ecological Studies. 150, pp. 75-86

  • Cabala, J. (2009). Heavy metals in ground soil environment of the Olkusz area of Zn-Pb ore exploitation. Trans. University of Silesia 2729, p. 130 (in Polish with English summary).

  • Cabała, J., & Rahmonov, O. (2004). Cyanophyta and algae as an important component of biological crust from the Pustynia Błędowska desert (Poland). Polish Botanical Journal, 49(1), 93–100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabala, J., & Teper, L. (2007). Metalliferous constituents of rhizosphere soils contaminated by Zn-Pb mining in southern Poland. Water Air and Soil Pollution, 178, 351–362.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cabala, J., Zogala, B., & Dubiel, R. (2008). Geochemical and geophysical study of historical Zn-Pb ore processing waste dump areas (Southern Poland). Polish Journal Environmental Study, 17(5), 693–700.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cabala, J., Krupa, P., & Misz-Kennan, M. (2009). Heavy metal in mycorrhizal rhizospheres contaminated by Zn-Pb mining and smelting around Olkusz in Southern Poland. Water Air and Soil Pollution, 199, 139–149.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eldridge, D.J. (2003). Biological soil crusts and water relations in Australian Deserts. In Belnap, J., Lange, O.L. (eds), Biological soil crusts: Structure, function, and management. Ecological Studies. 150, pp. 315-325.

  • Evans, R. D., & Belnap, J. (1999). Long-term consequences of disturbance on nitrogen dynamics in arid ecosystems. Ecology, 80, 150–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, R.D., Lange, O.L. (2003). Biological soil crusts and ecosystem nitrogen and carbon dynamics. In Belnap, J., Lange, O.L. (eds), Biological soil crusts: Structure, function, and management. Ecological Studies. 150, pp. 263-279.

  • Johansen, J. R. (1993). Cryptogamic crusts of semiarid and arid lands of North America. Journal of Phycology, 29, 140–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luster, J., Göttlein, A., Nowack, B., & Sarret, G. (2009). Sampling, defining, characterising and modeling the rhizosphere – the soil science tool box. Plant and Soil, 321(1–2), 457–482.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malam, I. O., Le Bissonnais, Y., Défarge, C., & Trichet, J. (2001). Role of a cyanobacterial cover on structural stability of sandy soils in the Sahelian part of western Niger. Geoderma, 101, 15–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nierop, K. G. J., van Lagen, B., & Buurman, P. (2001). Composition of plant tissues and soil organic matter in the first stages of a vegetation succession. Geoderma, 100, 1–24.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rahmonov, O. (1999). Processes of overgrowing in the Błędów Desert (Southern Poland). University of Silesia, Faculty of Earth Sciences Publishing, p. 71.

  • Rahmonov, O. (2007). Relation between Vegetation and Soil in initial phase of succession in sandy areas (in Polish, with long abstract in English), University of Silesia Publishing. 2506, p. 198.

  • Rahmonov, O., & Piątek, J. (2007). Sand colonization and initiation of soil development by cyanobacteria and algae. Ekológia (Bratislava), 26(1), 51–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salgado, L. T., Andrade, L. R., & Gilberto Filho, M. A. (2005). Localization of specific monosaccharides in cells of the brown alga Padina gymnospora and the relation to heavy-metal accumulation. Protoplasma, 225, 123–128.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shtina, E. A., & Gollerbakh, M. M. (1976). Ecology of soil algae (p. 143). Moscow: Nauka.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soczynska, U. (1997). Dynamic hydrology. Warszawa: Sci Edit PWN.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trzcińska, M., & Pawlik-Skowrońska, B. (2008). Soil algal communities inhabiting zinc and lead mine spoils. Journal of Applied Phycology, 20, 341–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • VIEP (2009). Voivodship inspectorates for environmental protection Cracow - monitoring data, www.krakow.pios.gov.pl, access September 2009.

  • West, N. E. (1990). Structure and function of microphytic soil crusts in wildland ecosystems of arid to semi-arid regions. Advances in Ecological Research, 20, 197–223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yair, A. (2003). Effects of biological soil crusts on water redistribution in the Negev Desert, Israel: a case study in longitudinal dunes. In Belnap, J., Lange, O.L. (eds), Biological soil crusts: structure, function, and management. Ecological Studies. 150, pp. 303-314.

  • Zaady, E., Gutterman, Y., & Boefdken, B. (1997). The germination of mucilagionous seeds of Plantago coronopus, Reboudia pinnata, and Carrichtera annua on cyanobacterial soil crusts from the Negev Desert. Plant and Soil, 190, 247–252.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Żerański, M. (2000). Cracow-Częstochowa Jura – A guide. Agency “TD”, Białystok (in Polish).

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are deeply grateful to Dr. Pádhraig S. Kennan (University College Dublin, Ireland) for the final English correction and comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Earth Sciences, University of Silesia, Bedzinska 60, 41-200, Sosnowiec, Poland

    J. Cabala, O. Rahmonov, M. Jablonska & E. Teper

Authors
  1. J. Cabala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. O. Rahmonov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Jablonska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. E. Teper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Cabala.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cabala, J., Rahmonov, O., Jablonska, M. et al. Soil Algal Colonization and Its Ecological Role in an Environment Polluted by Past Zn–Pb Mining and Smelting Activity. Water Air Soil Pollut 215, 339–348 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0482-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0482-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation