Geochemistry International最新文献

Abstract—The territory of modern central Donbass was considered as an experimental site for the implementation of an ingredient biomonitoring program. Bryophytes were transplanted and exposed in the geolocalities directly influenced by coal mining and processing complexes, metallurgical and chemical industry, ruderal and residential ecotopes. For bryobionts with a wide amplitude of resistance to technogenic pollution (Amblystegium subtile (Hedw.) Schimp., Brachythecium campestre (Muell.Hal.) Bruch et al., Bryum argenteum Hedw., Bryum caespiticium Hedw., Bryum capillare Hedw., Ceratodon purpureus (Hedw.) Brid and Pylaisia polyantha (Hedw.) Schimp.), the following criteria of anthropotolerance were selected: (1) the ability to accumulate elements, (2) the ability to accumulate specific pollutants, (3) structural and functional reactions and manifestation of atypical morphogenesis (teratogenesis) of plant organisms and (4) shifts in the characteristics of the survival strategy of species under conditions of deep transformation of the Donbass landscape systems. Peculiarities in the accumulation of Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, Mo, Cd, Sb, I, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Yb, Hf, Ta, W, Hg, Pb, Th, U in indicator plants used as seasonal phytotest monitors to assess the pollution of natural environment has been defined. At a radical violation of geochemical cycles in plant life support systems, cases of specific chlorosis and necrosis of point localization, hypo- and hypergenesis and deformation, as well as fasciation, prolification, dystopia, oligomerization of vegetative organs, peculiarities in the development of individual groups of cells in the integumentary, and conformational tissues of the leaf apparatus of bryobionts have been recorded. The revealed abnormalities were used as a phytoindication characteristics when conducting an express analysis of the level of technogenic stress in field diagnostics. The coefficients of biological absorption and technogenic concentration of elements in biosubstrates were calculated when assessing the geochemical contrast of the environment. The difference in the accumulative capacity of bryobionts for individual elements or their associative groups in different ecotopes was defined. The related morphogenetic heterogeneity of the structure and elemental composition of plants is an individual case of compliance with V.I. Vernadsky’s ideas of the concentration, information and environment-forming functions of living matter.

Abstract—The paper considers the participation of small mammals (SM) in the migration of essential (Cu, Zn) and toxic (Cd, Pb) trace elements (TEs) in forest ecosystems under conditions of severe industrial pollution of the environment (1990–2000) by a large copper smelter (Middle Urals, Russia) and after a significant reduction of its emissions (2010–2019). The peculiarity of transit food flows (TFF) in the pollution gradient was determined by the composition and abundance of animals of different trophic groups (phytophages, mixophages, zoophages), as well as the specifics of their diet. The reduction of emissions was accompanied by positive changes in the SM communities expressed in an increase in the abundance of some species and structural rearrangements of trophic groups (TG), which led to partial changes in the composition and amount of food consumed, as well as the concentrations of TEs in them. By the end of the observation period in the background zone, the animal-controlled TFFs remained stable for most TEs (Cu, Zn, Cd), and decreased by a factor of 2 for Pb, but not as a result of reduced emissions. At the polluted areas, the TFF value has not changed for Zn, has increased for Cd, and has decreased for Cu and Pb. It was concluded that in the taiga zone the main contribution to the dynamics of biogenic TEs flows in time and space was made by a group of mixophages that dominated in the pollution gradient.