Ecological aspects of selenium effects on plant growth and species diversity in soils with elevated concentrations of salinity and selenium
A field study was conducted in soils with elevated concentrations of salinity and selenium during 1986-1990 at Kesterson Reservoir, Merced County, California. The investigation was conducted in three stages of plant habitat restoration: (1) wet habitat, (2) dry habitat, and (3) fill dirt cover habitat. The total water extractable selenium concentrations of wet habitat, dry habitat and fill dirt cover habitat were 2260-3700, 90-670, and undetectable-37 [mu]g/kg dry soil, respectively. Among the vascular flowering plants, saltgrass (Distichlis spicata L.) was the dominant species in dry habitat, and cattail (Typha latifolia L.) was the dominant species in wet habitat in the evaporation ponds at Kesterson. High concentrations of selenium were found in Kesterson marsh plant species. In wet habitat, selenium concentrations averaged 12.50 ppm ([mu]g/g dry wt) in Distichlis spicata leaves, 15.20 ppm in Typha latifolia leaves and 4.10 ppm in Juncus mexicanus leaves, respectively. In dry habitat, the tissue selenium concentration was about 1.5 ppm for Distichlis spicata and 4 ppm for Atriplex species. In fill dirt cover habitat, plant tissue selenium concentrations ranged from 1 to 19 ppm. Biomass distribution, species richness, and selenium accumulation of plants were studied for four sites during 1988-1990. At two sites, the surface soil consisted of fill dirt. Another two sites were native-soil cover (including Kesterson sediment).
- Research Organization:
- California Univ., Davis, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 6914225
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Selenium accumulation and selenium tolerance of salt grass from soils with elevated concentrations of Se and salinity
Wetlands Research Program Bulletin. Volume 5. Number 1
Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
SELENIUM
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
HABITAT
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
SOILS
ELEMENTS
GROWTH
SEMIMETALS
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology