Oliveira V H, Fonte B A, Costa F, Sousa A I, Henriques B, Pereira E, Dolbeth M, Díez S, Coelho J P
ECOMARE - Laboratory for Innovation and Sustainability of Marine Biological Resources, CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Estrada do Porto de Pesca Costeira, 3830-565, Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal.
ECOMARE - Laboratory for Innovation and Sustainability of Marine Biological Resources, CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Estrada do Porto de Pesca Costeira, 3830-565, Gafanha da Nazaré, Portugal.
Chemosphere. 2023 Dec;345:140438. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140438. Epub 2023 Oct 16.
Mercury's extreme toxicity and persistence in the environment justifies a thorough evaluation of its dynamics in ecosystems. Aveiro Lagoon (Portugal) was for decades subject to mercury effluent discharges. A Nature-based Solution (NbS) involving Zostera noltei re-colonization is being tested as an active ecosystem restoration measure. To study the effect of Zostera noltei on the sediment contaminant biogeochemistry, seasonal (summer/winter) sediment, interstitial water and labile mercury vertical profiles were made in vegetated (Transplanted and Natural seagrass meadows) and non-vegetated sites (Bare-bottom area). While no significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed in the sedimentary phase, Zostera noltei presence reduced the reactive/labile mercury concentrations in the top sediment layers by up to 40% when compared to non-vegetated sediment, regardless of season. No differences were found between vegetated meadows, highlighting the fast recovery of the contaminant regulation ecosystem function provided by the plants after re-colonization and its potential for the rehabilitation of historically contaminated ecosystems.
汞在环境中的极端毒性和持久性使得对其在生态系统中的动态进行全面评估成为必要。数十年来，葡萄牙的阿威罗泻湖一直受到汞废水排放的影响。一种基于自然的解决方案（NbS），即重新引入泰来藻，正在作为一种积极的生态系统恢复措施进行测试。为了研究泰来藻对沉积物污染物生物地球化学的影响，在有植被的区域（移植和天然海草草甸）和无植被的区域（裸底区域）进行了季节性（夏季/冬季）沉积物、间隙水和活性汞垂直剖面的研究。虽然在沉积相中未观察到显著差异（p>0.05），但与无植被的沉积物相比，无论季节如何，泰来藻的存在使表层沉积物中活性/不稳定汞的浓度降低了多达40%。在有植被的草甸之间未发现差异，这突出了植物重新定殖后污染物调节生态系统功能的快速恢复及其对历史污染生态系统恢复的潜力。
