Impacts of Manganese Mining Activity on the Environment: Interactions Among Soil, Plants, and Arbuscular Mycorrhiza

• Published in: Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 64; no. 2; pp. 219 - 227
• Main Authors: Rivera-Becerril, Facundo, Juárez-Vázquez, Lucía V., Hernández-Cervantes, Saúl C., Acevedo-Sandoval, Otilio A., Vela-Correa, Gilberto, Cruz-Chávez, Enrique, Moreno-Espíndola, Iván P., Esquivel-Herrera, Alfonso, de León-González, Fernando
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.02.2013; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abandoned mines; Agriculture; Ambrosia; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Chenopodium; Cynodon dactylon; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental impact; Environmental Monitoring; Flowers & plants; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Indicator organisms; Industrial Waste; Leaves; Manganese - analysis; Manganese - toxicity; Mexico; Mining; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Mycorrhizae - drug effects; Mycorrhizae - physiology; Plant Physiological Phenomena; Plants - drug effects; Plants - microbiology; Pollution; Polygonum hydropiperoides; Soil - chemistry; Soil contaminants; Soil Microbiology; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - toxicity; Soil Science & Conservation; Soils; Studies; Terrestrial environment, soil, air; Toxicity; Vegetation; Wigandia; Zea mays; Mexico; Mexico, Hidalgo; Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus; Arbuscular Mycorrhiza; Native Vegetation; Canonical Correspondence Analysis; Mine Waste; Mining; Plant; Endomycorrhiza; Interaction; Mycorrhiza; Soil pollution; Manganese
• ISSN: 0090-4341; 1432-0703
• DOI: 10.1007/s00244-012-9827-7

The mining district of Molango in the Hidalgo State, Mexico, possesses one of the largest deposits of manganese (Mn) ore in the world. This research assessed the impacts of Mn mining activity on the environment, particularly the interactions among soil, plants, and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) at a location under the influence of an open Mn mine. Soils and plants from three sites (soil under maize, soil under native vegetation, and mine wastes with some vegetation) were analyzed. Available Mn in both soil types and mine wastes did not reach toxic levels. Samples of the two soil types were similar regarding physical, chemical, and biological properties; mine wastes were characterized by poor physical structure, nutrient deficiencies, and a decreased number of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spores. Tissues of six plant species accumulated Mn at normal levels. AM was absent in the five plant species ( Ambrosia psilostachya , Chenopodium ambrosoides , Cynodon dactylon, Polygonum hydropiperoides, and Wigandia urens ) established in mine wastes, which was consistent with the significantly lower number of AMF spores compared with both soil types. A. psilostachya (native vegetation) and Zea mays showed mycorrhizal colonization in their root systems; in the former, AM significantly decreased Mn uptake. The following was concluded: (1) soils, mine wastes, and plant tissues did not accumulate Mn at toxic levels; (2) despite its poor physical structure and nutrient deficiencies, the mine waste site was colonized by at least five plant species; (3) plants growing in both soil types interacted with AMF; and (4) mycorrhizal colonization of A. psilostachya influenced low uptake of Mn by plant tissues.