Simulated Effects of Iron Dust and Acidity During the Early Stages of Establishment of Two Coastal Plant Species

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution Vol. 196; no. 1-4; pp. 287 - 295
• Main Authors: Kuki, K. N, Oliva, M. A, Costa, A. C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 2009; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: acid deposition; Acidity; Acids; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical spills; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Coastal ecosystems; coastal soils; Coasts; Dust; dust emissions; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecosystems; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environment; Environmental monitoring; Flowers & plants; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Germination; Hydrogeology; Indigenous plants; Indigenous species; iron; Iron compounds; Iron deficiency; Iron ores; metal tolerance; Native species; plant growth; Plant species; Pollutants; roots; Schinus terebinthifolius; seed germination; seedling emergence; Seeds; Simulation; soil pollution; Soil Science & Conservation; Sophora tomentosa; Stationary sources; Studies; Sulfur; Terrestrial environment, soil, air; Vegetation; Water Quality/Water Pollution; Brazil; Atmospheric pollution; Ecological risk; Acidic deposition; Iron particulate matter; Risk; Early stage; Acidity; Ecology; Iron; Coastal zone; Atmospheric pollution, Ecological risk; Marine environment; Aquatic environment; Suspended particle; Dust; pH; Air pollution
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-008-9776-y

In Brazil's littoral, many iron ore industries are located in areas of restinga, a type of coastal ecosystem; such industries represent stationary sources of iron and acid particulates. The industrial sector is under expansion, threatening the already fragile ecosystem. In the present study, the simulated impact of these emissions was studied on the early establishment stages of two native plant species, Sophora tomentosa and Schinus terebinthifolius. The results indicate that S. tomentosa display deficient germination and low root tolerance when exposed to iron dust and acidity. Toxic iron concentrations were found to accumulate only in the roots of S. tomentosa plants exposed to increasing doses of iron dust. In these plants, initial growth was reduced, leading to the conclusion that S. tomentosa was unable to regulate, and, thus, to overcome, the effects of the iron dust in the substrate. In contrast, the germination, root tolerance index, and initial growth of S. terebinthifolius were not affected by iron dust and acidity, revealing the species' resistance to these pollutants. We propose that under similar field conditions, S. tomentosa would be adversely affected, whereas S. terebinthifolius would thrive. On a long-term basis, this imbalance is likely to interfere in the vegetational composition and dynamics of the affected ecosystem.