The impacts of intensive mining on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems: A case of sediment pollution and calcium decline in cool temperate Tasmania, Australia

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dc.contributor.authorBeck, KKen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMariani, Men_AU
dc.contributor.authorFletcher, MSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSchneider, Len_AU
dc.contributor.authorAquino-López, MAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorGadd, PSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHeijnis, Hen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSaunders, KMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorZawadzki, Aen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2021-06-28T20:57:20Zen_AU
dc.date.available2021-06-28T20:57:20Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2020-10-01en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-06-16en_AU
dc.description.abstractMining causes extensive damage to aquatic ecosystems via acidification, heavy metal pollution, sediment loading, and Ca decline. Yet little is known about the effects of mining on freshwater systems in the Southern Hemisphere. A case in point is the region of western Tasmania, Australia, an area extensively mined in the 19th century, resulting in severe environmental contamination. In order to assess the impacts of mining on aquatic ecosystems in this region, we present a multiproxy investigation of the lacustrine sediments from Owen Tarn, Tasmania. This study includes a combination of radiometric dating (14C and 210Pb), sediment geochemistry (XRF and ICP-MS), pollen, charcoal and diatoms. Generalised additive mixed models were used to test if changes in the aquatic ecosystem can be explained by other covariates. Results from this record found four key impact phases: (1) Pre-mining, (2) Early mining, (3) Intense mining, and (4) Post-mining. Before mining, low heavy metal concentrations, slow sedimentation, low fire activity, and high biomass indicate pre-impact conditions. The aquatic environment at this time was oligotrophic and dystrophic with sufficient light availability, typical of western Tasmanian lakes during the Holocene. Prosperous mining resulted in increased burning, a decrease in landscape biomass and an increase in sedimentation resulting in decreased light availability of the aquatic environment. Extensive mining at Mount Lyell in the 1930s resulted in peak heavy metal pollutants (Pb, Cu and Co) and a further increase in inorganic inputs resulted in a disturbed low light lake environment (dominated by Hantzschia amphioxys and Pinnularia divergentissima). Following the closure of the Mount Lyell Co. in 1994 CE, Ca declined to below pre-mining levels resulting in a new diatom assemblage and deformed diatom valves. Therefore, the Owen Tarn record demonstrates severe sediment pollution and continued impacts of mining long after mining has stopped at Mt. Lyell Mining Co. ©2020 Elsevier Ltden_AU
dc.identifier.articlenumber114695en_AU
dc.identifier.citationBeck, K. K., Mariani, M., Fletcher, M.-S., Schneider, L., Aquino-López, M. A., Gadd, P. S., Heijnis, H., Saunders, K. M. & Zawadzki, A. (2020). The impacts of intensive mining on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems: A case of sediment pollution and calcium decline in cool temperate Tasmania, Australia. Environmental Pollution, 265, 114695. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114695en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0269-7491en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleEnvironmental Pollutionen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114695en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/10918en_AU
dc.identifier.volume265en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevieren_AU
dc.subjectEcosystemsen_AU
dc.subjectSedimentsen_AU
dc.subjectPollutionen_AU
dc.subjectDiatomsen_AU
dc.subjectHeavy metalsen_AU
dc.subjectMiningen_AU
dc.subjectCalciumen_AU
dc.subjectTasmaniaen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.titleThe impacts of intensive mining on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems: A case of sediment pollution and calcium decline in cool temperate Tasmania, Australiaen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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