Forest restoration methods, seasonality, and penetration resistance does not influence aboveground biomass stock on mining tailings in Mariana, Brazil.

Ítalo F Campanharo,Andreia A Dias,Pedro M Villa,Gabriel C Kruschewsky,Fabio Nabeta,Sebastião V Martins

doi:10.1590/0001-3765202120201209

Ítalo F Campanharo, Andreia A Dias + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202120201209

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Abstract

The restoration methods applied on the areas affected by the Fundão tailings dam collapse have a high priority in Mariana region. We evaluated the effect of different restoration methods and site preparation techniques, depth and seasonality on penetration resistance of tailings, and how these predictors affect tree aboveground biomass in areas affected by the Fundão dam collapse in Mariana, Brazil. No significant differences in penetration resistance and aboveground biomass between treatments were observed, but significant differences were observed between seasonal periods. The main univariate model explained the significant effects of depth and seasonality, mainly by a negatively wet effect on penetration resistance. According to the best models (univariate and multivariate) were those that had depth as a predictor. This study showed how penetration resistance can be an indicator to select the best period for restoration process in areas affected by the collapse of the Fundão dam, but no limit to the aboveground biomass recovery on tailing.

Highlights

The Fundão dam collapsed, in Marina, Brazil, on November 5th, 2015, unleashed approximately 40 million m3 of tailings (80% of the total contained volume) in the Gualaxo do Norte River (Carmo et al 2017)
We evaluated the effect of different restoration methods and site preparation techniques, depth and seasonality on penetration resistance of tailings, and how these predictors affect tree AGB stock in areas affected by the Fundão dam collapse in Mariana, Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil
No significant differences in penetration resistance between treatments were observed (Figure 3); significant differences were observed between periods (Figure 4)

Summary

Introduction

The Fundão dam collapsed, in Marina, Brazil, on November 5th, 2015, unleashed approximately 40 million m3 of tailings (80% of the total contained volume) in the Gualaxo do Norte River (Carmo et al 2017). Almost five years after the collapse, active and passive restoration methods on the Atlantic forest affected are being applied (Campanharo et al 2020, Martins et al 2020a, b). Identifying ecological indicators related to natural forest recovery is essential to improve the management criteria of different active and passive restoration methods (Martins 2018, Holl et al 2020). Aboveground biomass (AGB) is one of the main ecological indicators of tropical forests recovery using either active or passive restoration methods (Holl et al 2020). Active restoration might be more effective to speed up the recovery process

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