Growth and elemental content of two tree species growing on abandoned coal fly ash basins. [Liquidambar styraciflua L. ; Platanus occidentalis]
- Savannah River Ecology Lab., Aiken, SC (USA)
Differences in aboveground tissue concentrations of trace elements were assessed for sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) and sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis L.) growing on two abandoned coal fly ash basins and a control soil. The wet basin (pH = 5.58) had originally received precipitator ash in an ash-water slurry, while the dry basin (pH = 8.26) had received both precipitator and bottom ash in dry form. In general, trees from the wet basin exhibited elevated trace element concentrations in comparison to the controls, while the dry basin trees exhibited reduced concentrations. On eof the most striking differenced in elemental concentrations among the ash basin and control trees was observed for Mn, with the control trees exhibiting concentrations orders of magnitude greater than the ash basin trees. Differences in foliar trace element concentrations among the sites can generally be explained by differences in substrate trace element concentrations and/or substrate pH. While trees from the wet ash basin generally had the highest trace element concentrations, these trees also attained the greatest height and diameter growth, suggesting that the elevated trace element concentrations in the wet basin substrate are not limiting the establishment of these two species. The greater height and diameter growth of the wet basin trees is presumably a result of the greater water-holding capacity of the substrate on this site. Differences in growth and tissue concentrations between sweetgum and sycamore highlight the importance of using more than one species when assessing metal toxicity or deficiency on a given substrate.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-76SR00819
- OSTI ID:
- 5263786
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States) Vol. 20:3; ISSN JEVQA; ISSN 0047-2425
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
010900 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOL WASTES
ASHES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EQUIPMENT
EVALUATION
FLY ASH
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GROWTH
LEAVES
MANAGEMENT
MANGANESE
METALS
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
POWER PLANTS
RESIDUES
STORAGE
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TREES
UPTAKE
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES