%0 Journal Article
%T Establishing grassland mixtures on mine wastes - a two-year mesocosm study.
%A Franzaring J
%A Kamradt A
%A Büttner P
%A Schweiger A
%J Int J Phytoremediation
%V 0
%N 0
%D 2024 Jun 20
%M 38900190
%F 4.003
%R 10.1080/15226514.2024.2368889
%X Plant growth on mine wastes is restricted by the lack of water, nutrients, phytotoxic responses and the absence of a seedbank. In a mesocosm study, we addressed the establishment of vegetation on metalliferous mine wastes from two seed mixtures. Besides the composition of the vegetation and the increase in plant cover and biomass over time, we studied concentrations of heavy metals in the shoot and analyzed the quantity of throughflow, its pH and EC to follow pollutant discharge. We hypothesized that the types of mine wastes and sown grasslands will affect species composition and the formation of a protective plant cover. Our platform was well-suited to study build-up and succession of a vegetation layer and its potential to stabilize mine wastes. However, the establishing community was less diverse than expected. The dilution of wastes increased species number and biomass, and we found a reduction of material discharge with increasing vegetation cover. Over time, drainage was reduced, while pH of the throughflow did not change. However, it was higher under the addition of greywater. Interestingly, the use of greywater led to a higher biomass in one mixture and slight changes in the chemistry of the throughflow and the plant matter.<BR>Here, we present an integrative method to test the greening potentials of mine wastes. In the mesocosm approach different mine wastes, additives and seed mixtures can be screened and the potential of the establishing vegetation to reduce drainage and runoff may be addressed at the same time. Furthermore, analyses of pollutants in plants, soil substrates and drainage waters serve to study the phytoextraction and phytostabilization potentials of the established vegetation and their ecological services.