Abstract
In this paper the biodiversity studies on macroinvertebrates were conducted in the area post-flotation tailings pond “Wartowice”, which poses a serious threat to the en vironment. The analysis of the biodiversity was done with two methods: the use of biodiversity indices along with taxonomic identification to family level and with the application of morphospecies method. Both were assessed concerning their usefulness. Macrofauna was sampled in a five sites characterized by different level of pollu tion. We found the dependence of macroinvertebrates structure on habitat type. Both methods, although not very accurate, were found suitable for the assessment of such disturbance type.
Highlights
In the area of Lower Silesia, in the “Old Copper Mining Region” landfill sites, which are excluded from use, are still present
In this paper we focused on “Wartowice” tailings pond No 3, whose reclamation causes many problems resulting from the pond size – 232 ha, changeability of the basin surface of waste depending on meteorological conditions, water erosion and peculiar properties of the deposited waste which are disadvantageous to the growth of plants including: granulometric composition, small aeration and big retention of rain water, which is unavailable to plants, bad air-water conditions, weak affluence with assimilable nutrients, deficiency in the organic matter and the chemical composition and waste dryness
The objective of this work was to assess the influence of post-flotation sludge on macroinvertebrates to answer the question if there is an impact of such type of land contamination on macroinvertebrates assemblages, and if so, is it possible to asses them by the application of simplified methods, which were estimated in relation to their usefulness
Summary
In the area of Lower Silesia, in the “Old Copper Mining Region” landfill sites, which are excluded from use, are still present. The end of extracting copper ores, was the end of the use of these three settlers. These postflotation tailings ponds require reclamation which is extremely tough [Grabas et al 2012, Spiak et al 2012]. Compounds as CaO, SiO2, Al2O3, MgO, K2O dominate in the chemical composition of the waste [Grabas et al 2012]. The influence of such transformations on plant communities was investigated extensively [Spiak et al 2012]. Sensitive species may be replaced by tolerant ones, which give similar results concerning species diversity species composition can be completely different [Clements and Newman 2002]
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