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Ecological and Toxicological Effects of Exposure to an Acidic, Radioactive Tailings Storage

Ecological and Toxicological Effects of Exposure to an Acidic, Radioactive Tailings Storage The persistence of an island of remnant vegetation within a tailings retention system provided an opportunity to conduct a pilot study to develop hypothesis concerning the impacts of acid spray and radiation on arid zone flora and fauna. Ecological changes were investigated by comparing species abundance and condition on both the study island and remote control areas. Hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa), geckos and a common ant species, Iridomyrmex rufoniger sp. B were abundant in control regions but absent from the study region, whereas densities of colonising plant species, Helea beetles and scorpions were unusually high at the impacted site. These disparities are probably attributable to acid spray at the impacted site and hence are potentially useful bioindicators of these impacts. Dragon and skink populations were apparently unaffected by the polluted ecosystem, although Ctenophorus nuchalis proved to be a significant bioaccumulator of radionuclides. Bioaccumulation of the radionuclides, 238U, 230Th, 210Pb and particularly 210Po were significantly greater than that reported elsewhere in the literature. Further radionuclide monitoring of herbivorous dragon species, possibly concentrating upon 210Po levels, was the suggested outcome of this pilot study. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Springer Journals

Ecological and Toxicological Effects of Exposure to an Acidic, Radioactive Tailings Storage

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References (70)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 by Kluwer Academic Publishers
Subject
Environment; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Environmental Management; Ecotoxicology; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Ecology
ISSN
0167-6369
eISSN
1573-2959
DOI
10.1023/A:1005901014386
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The persistence of an island of remnant vegetation within a tailings retention system provided an opportunity to conduct a pilot study to develop hypothesis concerning the impacts of acid spray and radiation on arid zone flora and fauna. Ecological changes were investigated by comparing species abundance and condition on both the study island and remote control areas. Hopbush (Dodonaea viscosa), geckos and a common ant species, Iridomyrmex rufoniger sp. B were abundant in control regions but absent from the study region, whereas densities of colonising plant species, Helea beetles and scorpions were unusually high at the impacted site. These disparities are probably attributable to acid spray at the impacted site and hence are potentially useful bioindicators of these impacts. Dragon and skink populations were apparently unaffected by the polluted ecosystem, although Ctenophorus nuchalis proved to be a significant bioaccumulator of radionuclides. Bioaccumulation of the radionuclides, 238U, 230Th, 210Pb and particularly 210Po were significantly greater than that reported elsewhere in the literature. Further radionuclide monitoring of herbivorous dragon species, possibly concentrating upon 210Po levels, was the suggested outcome of this pilot study.

Journal

Environmental Monitoring and AssessmentSpringer Journals

Published: Oct 2, 2004

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