Phytoindicational properties of the vegetation in landscape transformation studies on Sibay chalcopyrite deposits (Southern Urals)

• Published in: Contemporary problems of ecology Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 301 - 314
• Main Authors: Opekunova, M. G., Opekunov, A. Ju, Papyan, E. E., Somov, V. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.05.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cadmium; Chalcopyrite; Chromium; Cobalt; Contingency; Copper; Deposits; Ecological conditions; Ecology; Interspecific; Iron; Landscape ecology; Lead; Life Sciences; Manganese; Minerals; Mining; Nickel; Properties (attributes); Sediments; Stresses; Thymus; Vegetation; Zinc; Ural Mountains; environment; bioindication; pollution; heavy metals; plants; mining industry
• ISSN: 1995-4255; 1995-4263
• DOI: 10.1134/S1995425517030076

Changes in biogeochemical, morphological, floristic, and phytocenotic vegetation properties around Sibay chalcopyrite deposits at different distances from mining facilities have been studied. Heavy metal (HM) (Cu, Zn, Fe, Pb, Cd, Ni, Co, Cr, and Mn) content has been measured in samples of soils, waters, bottom sediments, total aboveground phytomass, and several plant species ( Artemisia austriaca, Salvia stepposa, Thymus marschallianus, Veronica incana, Caragana frutex, Phlomis tuberosa, Achilea setacea, Galium verum , and Phragmites australis ). Groups (pleiadas) of species have been identified based on interspecific contingency coefficient. These pleiadas correspond to ecological conditions and level of anthropogenic stress of the habitats. The set of features for evaluating natural territorial transformations of complexes by means of phytoindication is proposed.