Vegetation response of Australian native grass species redgrass (Bothriochloa macra (Steudel) S.T. Blake) and spider grass (Enteropogon acicularis (Lindl.) Lazarides) in saline and arsenic contaminated gold mine tailings: A glasshouse study

Abstract

The stabilization of sulphidic wastes produced by underground gold mining is challenging because these materials are often structureless, saline and contain elevated levels of toxic metalloids. A glasshouse study was conducted to test a milled benign waste rock and topsoil. The test species were, Bothriochloa macra (Steud) S.T. Blake and Enteropogon acicularis (Lindl.) Lazarides, two warm season drought-tolerant native grasses from Australia with the potential to be used for phytostabilization. Rhizocylinders were used in order to examine root structures for plants grown in the various treatments. Soil water samples were also extracted from the various substrates and analyzed for soluble ars..