Effect of cultivation time on soil heavy metal accumulation and bioavailability in Phyllostachys praecox stands

Abstract

Phyllostachys praecox is a bamboo species cultivated for edible shoots under intensive management. However, the potential pollution risk of heavy metals in bamboo soils is not clear under the intensive management for a long term. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of cultivation time on soil heavy metal accumulation and bioavailability in bamboo stands subjected to intensive management. Soil samples were collected from a chronosequence of bamboo stands which had been cultivated for 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 10 years in Lin'an, Zhejiang Province of China. Eight heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cd, As, and Hg) present in the soil were selected, and their potential pollution risk was evaluated by chemical speciation analysis. Possible heavy metal sources were explored using multivariate and cluster analysis. Our results showed that Zn, Cu, Hg, and Cd contents in the soil increased with the cultivation time, while Ni, Cr, Pb, and As levels were similar among all stands. Furthermore, the bioavailabilities of all analyzed heavy metals increased with the cultivation time. Multivariate and cluster analysis showed that sources of Ni, Cr, Pb, and As were likely lithogenic in origin, whereas input of Zn, Cu, Hg, and Cd was mainly due to cultivation practices. Current bamboo management strategies raised the potential risks of heavy metal pollution in bamboo shoots in the long term. Soil acidification in P. praecox stands induced by intensive cultivation should be controlled since it stimulated and improved the bioavailability of heavy metals. Appropriate management strategies should thus be adopted to ensure safe and sustainable production of bamboo shoots.