Aboveground and Belowground Colonization of Vegetation on a 17-Year-Old Cover with Capillary Barrier Effect Built on a Boreal Mine Tailings Storage Facility

Acid mine drainage is an important environmental risk linked to the surface storage of reactive mine tailings. To manage this problem, a cover with a capillary barrier effect (CCBE) can be used. This oxygen barrier cover relies on maintaining a fine-grained material layer (moisture-retaining layer,...

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Main Authors: Alex Proteau, Marie Guittonny, Bruno Bussière, Abdelkabir Maqsoud
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-08-01
Series:Minerals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/8/704
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author Alex Proteau
Marie Guittonny
Bruno Bussière
Abdelkabir Maqsoud
author_facet Alex Proteau
Marie Guittonny
Bruno Bussière
Abdelkabir Maqsoud
author_sort Alex Proteau
collection DOAJ
description Acid mine drainage is an important environmental risk linked to the surface storage of reactive mine tailings. To manage this problem, a cover with a capillary barrier effect (CCBE) can be used. This oxygen barrier cover relies on maintaining a fine-grained material layer (moisture-retaining layer, MRL) with a high degree of saturation. CCBEs can be colonized by surrounding plants. Plant roots pump water and could impact CCBE’s performance. This performance is predicted with unsaturated water flow numerical models in which vegetation parameters can be included. Vegetation parameters may be specific in a CCBE environment. Therefore, analyzing and quantifying the vegetation that colonizes this type of cover is necessary. Plant colonization was investigated through cover and density surveys on 12 transects on a 17-year-old CCBE in the mixed forest of Quebec, Canada. Then, aboveground vegetation and root colonization intensity at three depths in the MRL were characterized on 25 plots of five dominant vegetation types (<i>Salix</i>, <i>Populus</i>, <i>Alnus</i>, <i>Picea</i> sp., and herbaceous species). The mean root length density under plots dominated by <i>Salix</i> sp. was higher than in the other plots. Root colonization of the MRL was concentrated in the first 10 cm and occurred under all woody and herbaceous species as well. This work quantitatively describes, for the first time, the vegetation colonizing a CCBE both at the above- and belowground levels. These data will be useful to better predict the long-term performance of this engineered reclamation cover.
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spelling doaj.art-3cf6be501359464abe825b868becbdbc2023-11-20T09:32:50ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2020-08-0110870410.3390/min10080704Aboveground and Belowground Colonization of Vegetation on a 17-Year-Old Cover with Capillary Barrier Effect Built on a Boreal Mine Tailings Storage FacilityAlex Proteau0Marie Guittonny1Bruno Bussière2Abdelkabir Maqsoud3RIME–Research Institute on Mines and the Environment, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 675, 1re Avenue, Val-d’Or, QC J9P 1Y3, CanadaRIME–Research Institute on Mines and the Environment, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 445 boul. de l’Université, Rouyn-Noranda, QC J9X 5E4, CanadaRIME–Research Institute on Mines and the Environment, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 445 boul. de l’Université, Rouyn-Noranda, QC J9X 5E4, CanadaRIME–Research Institute on Mines and the Environment, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 675, 1re Avenue, Val-d’Or, QC J9P 1Y3, CanadaAcid mine drainage is an important environmental risk linked to the surface storage of reactive mine tailings. To manage this problem, a cover with a capillary barrier effect (CCBE) can be used. This oxygen barrier cover relies on maintaining a fine-grained material layer (moisture-retaining layer, MRL) with a high degree of saturation. CCBEs can be colonized by surrounding plants. Plant roots pump water and could impact CCBE’s performance. This performance is predicted with unsaturated water flow numerical models in which vegetation parameters can be included. Vegetation parameters may be specific in a CCBE environment. Therefore, analyzing and quantifying the vegetation that colonizes this type of cover is necessary. Plant colonization was investigated through cover and density surveys on 12 transects on a 17-year-old CCBE in the mixed forest of Quebec, Canada. Then, aboveground vegetation and root colonization intensity at three depths in the MRL were characterized on 25 plots of five dominant vegetation types (<i>Salix</i>, <i>Populus</i>, <i>Alnus</i>, <i>Picea</i> sp., and herbaceous species). The mean root length density under plots dominated by <i>Salix</i> sp. was higher than in the other plots. Root colonization of the MRL was concentrated in the first 10 cm and occurred under all woody and herbaceous species as well. This work quantitatively describes, for the first time, the vegetation colonizing a CCBE both at the above- and belowground levels. These data will be useful to better predict the long-term performance of this engineered reclamation cover.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/8/704biological monitoringcover with capillary barrier effectreclamationmine tailingsacid mine drainageoxygen barrier cover in forest environment
spellingShingle Alex Proteau
Marie Guittonny
Bruno Bussière
Abdelkabir Maqsoud
Aboveground and Belowground Colonization of Vegetation on a 17-Year-Old Cover with Capillary Barrier Effect Built on a Boreal Mine Tailings Storage Facility
Minerals
biological monitoring
cover with capillary barrier effect
reclamation
mine tailings
acid mine drainage
oxygen barrier cover in forest environment
title Aboveground and Belowground Colonization of Vegetation on a 17-Year-Old Cover with Capillary Barrier Effect Built on a Boreal Mine Tailings Storage Facility
title_full Aboveground and Belowground Colonization of Vegetation on a 17-Year-Old Cover with Capillary Barrier Effect Built on a Boreal Mine Tailings Storage Facility
title_fullStr Aboveground and Belowground Colonization of Vegetation on a 17-Year-Old Cover with Capillary Barrier Effect Built on a Boreal Mine Tailings Storage Facility
title_full_unstemmed Aboveground and Belowground Colonization of Vegetation on a 17-Year-Old Cover with Capillary Barrier Effect Built on a Boreal Mine Tailings Storage Facility
title_short Aboveground and Belowground Colonization of Vegetation on a 17-Year-Old Cover with Capillary Barrier Effect Built on a Boreal Mine Tailings Storage Facility
title_sort aboveground and belowground colonization of vegetation on a 17 year old cover with capillary barrier effect built on a boreal mine tailings storage facility
topic biological monitoring
cover with capillary barrier effect
reclamation
mine tailings
acid mine drainage
oxygen barrier cover in forest environment
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/10/8/704
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