ABSTRACT

Spoil heaps arising from mineral ore mining and smelting are a potential source of air, water and soil’s metalliferous contamination. However, the importance of such man-made sites as biodiversity refuge for rare or endangered species is assuredly undoubted, as the natural habitats are in decline. It is questionable, how potential risk elements, including heavy metals and metalloids released into the environment of spoil heaps, affect this phenomenon, since just the soil fauna representatives are in close contact with contaminants. Surface-dwelling soil macrofauna, with special emphasis on the carabids, were surveyed at spoil heaps within two metal post-mining areas in Eastern Slovakia. Contents of potential risk elements, including heavy metals and metalloids, were determined in substratum and selected invertebrate taxa too. Iron and aluminium dominated in substratum at both localities, where the environmentally most hazardous elements As, Cd, Cu, Pb and especially Hg exceeded permissible limits. The highest concentrations of Al and Fe were also found in the invertebrates. Regarding Zn, Cd and Sb, soil macrofauna representatives figured as their macro-concentrators. Our results indicate that metal post-mining spoil heaps have the potential to offer suitable habitats, especially for psammophilous species and groups preferring sites with the bare soil and sparse vegetation.

摘要

矿物开采和冶炼产生的废渣堆是空气、水和土壤含金属污染的潜在来源。然而，随着自然栖息地的减少，这些人造场所作为稀有或濒危物种的生物多样性避难所的重要性是毋庸置疑的。值得怀疑的是，释放到弃土堆环境中的重金属和类金属等潜在风险元素如何影响这种现象，因为只有土壤动物代表与污染物密切接触。在斯洛伐克东部的两个金属后采矿区的弃土堆中对地表栖息的土壤大型动物群进行了调查，特别强调了carabids。测定了基质和选择的无脊椎动物类群中潜在危险元素的含量，包括重金属和类金属。铁和铝在这两个地方的基质中占主导地位，其中对环境危害最大的元素 As、Cd、Cu、Pb，尤其是 Hg 超过了允许的限度。在无脊椎动物中也发现了最高浓度的铝和铁。关于 Zn、Cd 和 Sb，土壤大型动物代表被视为它们的大型集中器。我们的结果表明，金属开采后的弃土堆有可能提供合适的栖息地，特别是对于喜欢裸露土壤和稀疏植被的沙粒物种和群体。土壤大型动物代表被视为他们的大型集中器。我们的结果表明，金属开采后的弃土堆有可能提供合适的栖息地，特别是对于喜欢裸露土壤和稀疏植被的沙粒物种和群体。土壤大型动物代表被视为他们的大型集中器。我们的结果表明，金属开采后的弃土堆有可能提供合适的栖息地，尤其是对于喜欢裸露土壤和稀疏植被的沙粒物种和群体。