Abstract
Numerous wetlands and streams have been impacted by acid mine drainage (AMD) resulting in lowered pH and increased levels of toxic heavy metals. Remediation of these contaminated sites requires knowledge on the response of microbial communities (especially epiphytic) and aquatic plants to these altered environmental conditions. We examined the effect of coal pile runoff waters as an example of AMD in contrast to natural water from Carolina Bays with low pH and levels of metals on Salvinia minima, a non-native, metal accumulating plant and associated epiphytic bacteria. Treatments included water from two Carolina Bays, one AMD basin and Hoagland’s Solution at two pH levels (natural and adjusted to 5.0–5.5). Using controlled replicated microcosms (N = 64) we determined that the combination of low pH and high metal concentrations has a significant negative impact (p < 0.05) on plant condition and epiphytes. Solution metal concentrations dropped indicating removal from solution by S. minima in all microcosms.
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Financial support was provided from the U.S. Department of Energy Financial Assistance Award no. DE-FC09-96SR18546 to the University of Georgia Research Foundation.
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Lindell, A.H., Tuckfield, R.C. & McArthur, J.V. Differences in the Effect of Coal Pile Runoff (Low pH, High Metal Concentrations) Versus Natural Carolina Bay Water (Low pH, Low Metal Concentrations) on Plant Condition and Associated Bacterial Epiphytes of Salvinia minima . Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 96, 602–607 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-1756-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-1756-0