Spatial distribution and potential ecological and health risks associated with heavy metals in the Ijero-Ekiti mining site,Nigeria

Artisanal gold mining,a labor-intensive and antiquated technique,is a growing industry and the source of income for rural communities all over the world.However,artisanal gold mining has potential negative and long-term effects on economy,environment,and society.This study collected soil samples from 16 sample points including a control point to examine the pollution degrees and spatial distribution of heavy metals,as well as ecological and health risks associated with heavy metal pollution in the Ijero-Ekiti mining site,Nigeria.Geographical Information System(GIS)and remote sensing technologies were used to identify regions with high concentrations of heavy metals and assess the environmental impact of gold mining activities.The results show that the mean heavy metal concentrations of 16 soil pointa are 8.94(±5.97)mg/kg for As,0.18(±0.54)mg/kg for Cd,0.11(±1.06)mg/kg for Co,14.32(±3.43)mg/kg for Cr,6.89(±0.64)mg/kg for Cu,48.92(±11.77)mg/kg for Fe,135.81(±30.75)mg/kg for Mn,5.92(±0.96)mg/kg for Ni,5.72(±1.66)mg/kg for Pb,and 13.94(±1.38)mg/kg for Zn.The study reveals that heavy metal concentration in soils follows the order of Mn>Fe>Cr>Zn>As>Cu>Ni>Pb>Co>Cd.An analysis of soil samples indicates that 3 principal components(PCs)account for 70.008%of the total variance and there are strong positive correlations between various pairs of heavy metals.The total potential ecological risk index(309.599)in the study area is high.Non-carcinogenic risk suggests that there may be long-term health impacts on people who work in the mining areas due to chronic exposure to the environment.Based on the study,the hazard index of carcinogenic health risks associated with heavy metals through ingestion is 520.00×10^(–4).Dermal contact from As and Cr also increases the risk of cancer,with the highest hazard index value of 18.40×10^(–4).The lowest exposure pathway,with the hazard index value of 0.68×10^(–4),indicates that the inhalation of heavy metals has a comparatively low risk of cancer.This study recommends the formulation of policies to monitor the Ijero-Ekiti mining site and other regions in Nigeria where indiscriminate artisanal gold mining activities exist.

Ecological risk assessment and early warning of heavy metal cumulation in the soils near the Luanchuan molybdenum polymetallic mine concentration area,Henan Province,central China

The Luanchuan molybdenum polymetallic mine concentration area is rich in mineral resources and has a long history of mining.The environmental impact of long-term mining activities cannot be ignored.It is of great significance to study the ecological risk and the accumulation trends of heavy metals in the soil of mining areas for scientific prevention and control of heavy metal pollution.Taking the Taowanbeigou River Basin in the mine concentration area as the research object,the ecological pollution risk and cumulative effect of heavy metals in the soil of the basin were studied by using the comprehensive pollution index method,potential ecological risk assessment method and geoaccumulation index method.On this basis,the cumulative exceeding years of specific heavy metals were predicted by using the early warning model.The comprehensive potential ecological risk of heavy metals in the soil near the Luanchuan mine concentration area is moderate,and the single element Cd is the main ecological risk factor,with a contribution rate of 53.6%.The overall cumulative degrees of Cu and Pb in the soil are“none-moderate”,Zn and Cd are moderate,Mo has reached an extremely strong cumulative level,Hg,As and Cr risks are not obvious,and the overall cumulative risks order is Mo>Cd>Zn>Cu>Pb>Hg.According to the current accumulation rate and taking the risk screening values for soil contamination of agricultural land as the reference standard,the locations over standard rates of Cu,Zn and Cd will exceed 78%in 90years,and the over standard rate of Pb will reach approximately 57%in 200 years.The cumulative exceeding standard periods of As,Cr and Hg are generally long,which basically indicates that these elements do not pose a significant potential threat to the ecological environment.Mining activities will accelerate the accumulation of heavy metals in soil.With the continuous development of mining activities,the potential pollution risk of heavy metals in the soil of mining areas will also increase.

Health risk assessment of heavy metals in soils and crops in a mining area(Au-Ag-Cutrona-oil et al.) of the Nanyang Basin, Henan Province, China

Heavy metal distribution in mining areas has always been a hot research topic due to the special environment of these areas. This study aims to explore the impact of heavy metal pollution on soils and crops in the study area, ensure the safety of local crops and the health of local residents, and provide a basis for the subsequent environmental restoration and the prevention and control of environmental pollution. Based on the analysis of the heavy metal concentrations in local soils and crops, the study investigated the spatial distribution, pollution degrees, and potential ecological risks of heavy metals in the farmland of a mining area in the southeastern Nanyang Basin, Henan province, China explored the sources of heavy metals and assessed the health risks caused by crop intake. The results of this study are as follows. The root soils of crops in the study area suffered heavy metal pollution to varying degrees. The degree of heavy metal pollution in maize fields is higher than that in wheat fields, and both types of fields suffer the most severe Cd pollution. Moreover, the root soils of different crops suffer compound pollution.The root soils in the maize fields suffer severe compound pollution at some sampling positions, whose distribution is similar to that of the mining area. Cd poses the highest potential ecological risks among all heavy metals, and the study area mainly suffers low and moderate comprehensive potential ecological risks. The principal component analysis(PCA) shows that the distribution of Zn, Cd, Pb, and As in soils of the study area is mainly affected by anthropogenic factors such as local mining activities;the distribution of Cr and Ni is primarily controlled by the local geological background;the distribution of Hg is mainly affected by local vehicle exhaust emissions, and the distribution of Cu is influenced by both human activities and the geological background. Different cereal crops in the study area are polluted with heavy metals dominated by Cd and Ni to varying degrees, especially wheat. As indicated by the health risk assessment results, the intake of maize in the study area does not pose significant human health risks;however, Cu has high risks to human health, and the compound heavy metal pollution caused by the intake of wheat in the study area poses risks to the health of both adults and children. Overall, the soils and crops in the study area suffer a high degree of heavy metal pollution, for which mining activities may be the main reason.

Source apportionment and ecological risk assessment of PAHs in surface sediments from the Liaodong Bay,northern China

The sources and ecological risk from sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediment in the Liaodong Bay were investigated from 2014 to 2015.The total concentrations of PAHs ranged from 88.5 to 347.1 ng/g,and the high value occurred in the central region of the Liaodong Bay.Cluster analysis identified two site clusters representing the coastal region affected by land-based pollution and the central region of the Liaodong Bay.Principal component analysis-multiple linear regression and diagnostic ratios suggested that PAHs contaminants originated from a mixture of combustion and petroleum sources,and the major was combustion sources.Based on sediment quality guideline,naphthalene,acenaphthylene,acenaphthene,phenanthrene and dibenz[a,h]anthracene may occasionally cause adverse biological effects in some stations.The toxic equivalent concentrations of carcinogenic PAHs indicated low carcinogenic risk for the Liaodong Bay.The ecological risk and toxic pollution levels of PAHs were higher in the central region than in the coastal region along the Liaodong Bay.

Probabilistic ecological risk assessment of cadmium in the Bohai Sea using native saltwater species

Predicted no-effect concentration （PNEC） is often used in ecological risk assessment to determine low-risk concentrations for chemicals. In the present study, the chronic data from native saltwater species were used to calculated PNEC values using four methods： log-normal distribution （ETX 2.0）, log-triangle distribution （US EPA＇s water quality criteria procedure）, burr III distribution （BurrliOZ） and traditional assessment fac-tor （AF）. The PNECs that were calculated using four methods ranged from 0.08 μg/L to 1.8 μg/L. Three of the SSD-derived PNECs range from 0.94 to 1.8 μg/L, about a factor of two apart. To demonstrate the use of SSD-based PNEC values and comprehensively estimate the regional ecological risk for cadmium in surface water of the Bohai Sea, in the Liaodong Bay, Bohai Bay, and Laizhou Bay, China, the dissolved cadmium con-centrations were measured and obtained 753 valid data covering 190 stations from July 2006 to November 2007. Based on three ecological risk assessment approaches, namely hazard quotient （HQ）, probabilistic risk quotient and joint probability curve （JPC）, the potential ecological risk of cadmium in surface water of the Liaodong Bay, Bohai Bay, and Laizahou Bay were estimated. Overall, the ecological risk of cadmium to aquatic ecosystem in the whole Bohai Sea was at acceptable ecological risk level, the order of ecological risk was Liaodong Bay〉Bohai Bay〉Laizhou Bay. However, more concerns should be paid to aquatic ecological risk in the Liaodong Bay which is the home of many steel, metallurgy and petrochemical industrial in China.

Heavy Metal Pollution and Ecological Risk Assessment of Cultivated Land Soil in the Farming Areas of Coastal China:A Case Study of Donghai County,Jiangsu Province

Classical statistics,Inverse Distance Weighted and Hakasnson potential ecological index were used to study the distribution characteristics of 8 kinds of heavy metals( Cr,Ni,Cu,Zn,As,Cd,Pb and Hg) as well as their potential ecological risks in the topsoil( 0-20 cm) of cultivated land in Donghai County,a typical agricultural area along the Southeast Coast of China.The results showed that the average content of heavy metals in the cultivated soil of Donghai County was not over the risk screening values set in the Environmental Quality Standard for Soils.However,it was worth noting that in some of the sampling points,the content of Cr exceeded the risk screening value,and the standard exceeding points accounted for 24.74% of the total.In addition,the average content of Cr,Ni,As,Cd,Pb and Hg exceeded the soil background values of Jiangsu Province,and values for Cd,Cr and Pb were more than 1.5 times of the soil background value of Jiangsu Province.The heavy metals were at the medium integrated potential ecological risk level,and the potential ecological risk indices were high in the east and low in the west,and distributed in interlaced island shape.The potential ecological risk indices of the plains in the east were higher than those of the central gentle slope area and the western hillock area.The potential ecological risk was at a high level in Niushan Town which was situated the county center and in some regions with high urbanization levels.

Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in surface seawater and sediment near the outlet of a zinc factory in Huludao City, Liaoning Province, China

At present, the methods widely applied to assess ecological risk of heavy metals are essentially single-point estimates in which exposure and toxicity data cannot be fully used and probabilities of adverse biological effects cannot be achieved. In this study, based on investigation of concentrations of six heavy metals(As, Hg, Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn) in the surface seawater and sediment near the outlet of a zinc factory, located in Huludao City, Liaoning Province, China, a tiered approach consisting of several probabilistic options was used to refi ne ecological risk assessment for the individuals. A mixture of various heavy metals was detected in the surface seawater, and potential ecological risk index(PERI) was adopted to assess the potential ecological risk of heavy metals in the surface sediment. The results from all levels of aquatic ecological risk assessment in the tiered framework, ranging from comparison of single effects and exposure values to the use of distribution-based Hazard Quotient obtained through Monte Carlo simulation, are consistent with each other. Briefl y, aquatic Zn and Cu posed a clear ecological risk, while Cd, Pb, Hg, and As in the water column posed potential risk. As expected, combined ecological risk of heavy metal mixture in the surface seawater was proved signifi cantly higher than the risk caused by any individual heavy metal, calculated using the concept of total equivalent concentration. According to PERI, the severity of pollution by the six heavy metals in the surface sediment decreased in the following sequence: Cd>Hg>As>Pb>Cu>Zn, and the total heavy metals in the sediment posed a very high risk to the marine environment. This study provides a useful mathematical framework for ecological risk assessment of heavy metals.

Spatial Distribution and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediment of Songhua River,Northeast China

The Songhua River,one of the seven major rivers in China,locates in Northeast China with 1897 km long.This study aims to investigate the concentrations,distribution,source apportionment and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals including copper(Cu),zinc(Zn),cadmium(Cd),lead(Pb),nickel(Ni)and chromium(Cr)in main stream and tributaries of the Songhua River in Jilin Province,Northeast China.Surface sediment samples(0–15 cm)were collected from 39 sampling sites in the Songhua River in July 2012.Concentrations of Cu,Zn,Cd,Pb,Ni and Cr were analyzed.The mean concentrations of heavy metals were(24.0±9.2)mg/kg,(59.3±18.0)mg/kg,(4.0±2.1)mg/kg,(39.0±27.9)mg/kg,(18.5±8.6)mg/kg and(56.1±17.6)mg/kg for Cu,Zn,Cd,Pb,Cr and Ni,respectively.The average contents of Cu,Cd,Pb,Cr and Ni were higher than their background values.Higher concentrations of heavy metals were found in the lower reaches with industrial enterprises and cities along the Songhua River.Zn,Pb and Ni might come from industrial sewage and mineral processing,while Cu and Cd were derived from electroplating wastewater and agricultural non-point source sewage.Cr originated from lithogenic sources.The concentrations of Cu,Zn and Cr were below the effect range low(ERL)at all sites,while Cd,Pb and Ni concentrations were detected ranging from ERL to the effect range median(ERM)at more than 15%of samples.Concentrations of Ni exceeded ERM in more than 50%of samples.The mean toxic units of heavy metals in the Songhua River decreased following the order:Cd(6.7)>Pb(2.2)>Ni(1.6)>Cu(0.7)>Cr(0.5)=Zn(0.5).Potential ecological risk index was found to be higher in middle and lower reaches of the Songhua River,where Cd could impose an extremely high ecological risk.

Potentially toxic metal concentration,spatial distribution,and health risk assessment in drinking groundwater resources of southeast Iran

In this study, the concentration and spatial distribution of potentially toxic metals(PTMs), including arsenic(As), cadmium(Cd), chromium(Cr), lead(Pb), copper(Cu), iron(Fe), manganese(Mn), and magnesium(Mg) in 23 wells and drinking groundwater distribution networks of Rafsanjan, located in southeast Iran were evaluated. Moreover, the assessment of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks was estimated by Monte Carlo simulation(MCS). The results showed that the concentrations of As and Pb in more than 99% and 23.46% of the study area, respectively, were higher than the maximum concentration level(10 μg/L). The mean concentration of other metals, including Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, and Mn in all drinking water resources was within the WHO standard level. The mean hazard quotient(HQ) for As in the age group of children was 9.246 and adults 2.972, indicating high non-carcinogenic risk of As in the study area. The lifetime cancer risk(LTCR) of As was 1.36 E-3 for adults and 1.52 E-2 for children, indicating high non-carcinogenic risk of As. The level of HQ and LTCR for Pb in both age groups was in the acceptable range. The results of sensitivity analysis showed that the most effective variables were pollutant concentration and body weight(BW), respectively. Finally, it can be concluded that exposure to PTMs, especially As through drinking water in the study area can have significant effects on people’s health living in the area;therefore, it is necessary to treat and remove As from groundwater resources before drinking or using for domestic purpose.

Distribution and Ecological Risk Assessment of HCHs and DDTs in Surface Seawater and Sediment of the Mariculture Area of Jincheng Bay,China

The distribution of hexachlorocyclohexanes(HCHs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes(DDTs) in the surface seawater and sediment of Jincheng Bay mariculture area were investigated in the present study. The concentration of total HCHs and DDTs ranged from 2.98 to 14.87 ng L-1 and were < 0.032 ng L-1, respectively, in surface seawater, and ranged from 5.52 to 9.43 and from 4.11 to 6.72 ng g-1, respectively, in surface sediment. It was deduced from the composition profile of HCH isomers and DDT congeners that HCH residues derived from a mixture of technical-grade HCH and lindane whereas the DDT residues derived from technical-grade DDT and dicofol. Moreover, both HCH and DDT residues may mainly originate from historical inputs. The hazard quotient of α-HCH, β-HCH, γ-HCH and δ-HCH to marine species was 0.030, 0.157, 3.008 and 0.008, respectively. It was estimated that the overall probability of adverse biological effect from HCHs was less than 5%, indicating that its risk to seawater column species was low. The threshold effect concentration exceeding frequency of γ-HCH, p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDE and p,p'-DDT in sediment ranged from 8.3% to 100%, and the relative concentration of the HCH and DDT mixture exceeded their probable effect level in sediment. These findings indicated that the risk to marine benthos was high and potentially detrimental to the safety of aquatic products, e.g., sea cucumber and benthic shellfish.

Spatial distribution,sources and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in Shenjia River watershed of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area

Surface soil/sediment samples were collected from the Water-Level Fluctuation Zone(WLFZ), cultivated land and forest land at 50 different grid points from Shenjia watershed, the Three Gorges Reservoir area in August 2013. The spatial distribution, sources and ecological risk assessment for Arsenic(As), Cadmium(Cd),Chromium(Cr), Copper(Cu), Nickel(Ni), Lead(Pb)and Zinc(Zn) were analyzed in this study. The results showed all tested metals had similar distribution patterns except Ni and Cr, with areas of high concentrations distributed in the southwest(WLFZ and watershed outlet) of the study area. Ni and Cr,which were highly positively correlated and present in high concentrations, were primarily distributed in the south and middle zones of the study area. Lower concentration areas of all metals were uniformly distributed west of the high-elevation zones and forest land. Factor analysis(FA) and factor analysismultiple linear regression(FA-MLR) showed that the major sources of Cd were fertilizer and traffic sources,which together accounted for 87% of Cd. As, Zn and Cu levels were primarily supplied by industrial and domestic sources, accounting for 76% of As, 75% of Cu and 67% of Zn. Surface soils/sediments of the study watershed contaminated by Cd represent a high ecological risk, whereas other metals represent low ecological risks. The potential ecological risk index(PERI) analysis indicated that it had a low(widerange) ecological risk and a moderate(small-range)ecological risk primarily distributed in the outlet of the study watershed. Fertilizers and traffic are the primary sources of Cd pollution, which should be more closely controlled for the purposes of water quality and ecological conservation.

Ecological risk assessment of the Gannan Plateau,northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Desertification, soil salinization and grassland degradation are the major environmental hazards faced by the Gannan Plateau, northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Ecological risk assessment plays an important role in formulating environmental management strategies yet little attention to this region. In this study, we established an ecological risk assessment index system based on 30 evaluation indices in the categories of hydrometeorology, ecological environment, ground surface disturbance, and society and economy for the Gannan Plateau. An entropy method was used to calculate an index weight,and subsequently the matter-element method was used together with extension theory to establish a matter-element extension model of ecological risk. We assessed the ecological risk in this region by calculating the degree of association between index layer, system layer and target layer, and the cumulative ecological risk index. The degrees of ecological risk for the counties of the region were determined by using Arc GIS which would represent a spatial heterogeneity of the risk grade in production. Our results showed that the areas of high ecological risk were in Zhouqu County and Zhuoni County, and others were of low risk(Hezuo City, Diebu County, Xiahe County and Lintan County) or intermediate risk(Maqu County). The results of the assessment were in accord with the actual observed situation. Thus, our ecological risk assessment index system is appropriate for this region and suggests that high risk counties need a priori ecological protection. Such research could provide a technological support which would potentially prevent or reduce disasters by establishing an ecological barrier to promote the sustainable development of Gannan Plateau.

An ecological risk assessment for heavy metals of the lead-zinc ore tailings

The structure of Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd in lead zinc ore tailing soils in Yongzhou, Hunan is analyzed by the optimized BCR sequential extraction procedure. The content and proportion of heavy metals of the mine are measured. Meanwhile, the ecological risks are evaluated with the Lars Hakanson’s potential ecological risk exponential method. The analysis shows that the content of heavy metals is very high, reaching the level of serious pollution. The order of metal pollution degrees are Cd>Pb>Cu>Zn. On the other hand, it is very possible that the heavy metals may combine together as compounds or cling to the crystal form of clay. Since the form of soluble acid and free metals are very little, it is not an easy job for metal eluting or restoration of plants. Yet it is possible to take out those heavy metals adopting the chemical extraction technology. DTPA and EDTA, indicated by a research, both have iterative value and strong conformity effect. So they are effective elutriants to restore the polluted soil. A chemical extraction method is put forward in this paper.

Levels and Potential Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Sediments of Longjiang Wetland in Binzhou City

Wetland is a unique habitat with great biodiversity and important ecological functions between land and water on the earth. With the irrational utilization of wetland resources, the ecological destruction and pollution of wetland are becoming more and more serious. To evaluate the pollution of heavy metals in the sediments of Longjiang Wetland in Binzhou City, chromium(Cr), copper(Cu), zinc(Zn), cadmium(Cd) and lead(Pb) were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Concentrations of Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in the sediments were 5.3–13.6, 5.6–15.0, 16.6–33.0, 0.1–0.4 and 7.9–24.9 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. The concentrations of heavy metals in Longjiang Wetland was lower than soil background values of Shandong Province and in lower level compared with those reported in sediments/soils of wetlands in some other locations. Based on geo-accumulation index(Igeo), Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb showed low levels of contamination at all stations, while Cd was observed at a moderate pollution degree. Potential ecological risk factor(E_r^i) and risk index(RI) values showed low ecological risk of heavy metals in sediments of the wetland.

Distribution and risk assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments of coastal mudflats on Leizhou Peninsula,China

Mudflats play a vital role in maintaining the dynamic balance between sea and land.To understand the characteristics,sources,and pollution risks of six heavy metals(As,Cd,Cr,Cu,Hg,and Pb)in the coastal mudflats on the Leizhou Peninsula,257 surface sediment samples were studied using mathematical statistics,correlation analysis,and factor analysis.The results show that the overall concentrations of these heavy metals are low although there are several high abnormal points in the local areas.The strong correlation between these heavy metals indicates that the sources of some of the metals are similar,yet their elemental combinations in different cities(counties)varied.According to the calculated enrichment factor(EF),anthropogenic activity-induced heavy metals were determined in order of decreasing influence:As,Cd,Pb,Cr,Cu,and Hg.The low EF values of Hg indicate that it does not present as a contaminant in the study area,while low values of Cr and Cu from the Lianjiang City suggest that these two metals were also attributed to natural sources.The presence of As,Cd,Cr,Cu,and Pb from the remaining cities(counties)should be influenced by anthropogenic activities.The overall potential ecological risk index indicates that the ecological risks posed by the six analyzed heavy metals to the Leizhou Peninsula mudflats,in order of decreasing risk,are Cd,As,Hg,Pb,Cu,and Cr.It is noteworthy that only Cd in Lianjiang City demonstrated substantial ecological risk.Other examined heavy metals in other cities of the study area showed slight ecological risk.

Content and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediment in Weishan Lake

[Objective] The aim was to analyze the content of heavy metals in surface sediment in Weishan Lake and further assess its ecological risk.[Method] Heavy metal pollution in surface sediment in Weishan Lake was studied,and the pollution indices and potential ecological risk indices of Cu,Zn,Pb,Cd and Cr were calculated to assess the potential ecological risk of heavy metal pollution.[Result] In surface sediment in Weishan Lake,the average contents of Cu,Zn,Pb,Cd,Cr and Ni were 64.78,185.05,78.76,0.17,37.76 and 46.84mg/kg respectively.Cr and Cd weren’t beyond standards in all stations,while Cu and Pb exceeded standards in all stations,with average super-standard multiple of 0.85 and 0.31,respectively,and Zn content wasn’t beyond standard in S2 station,with average super-standard multiple of 0.24.The average pollution indices of Cu,Zn,Pb,Cd and Cr were 1.85,1.23,1.31,0.34 and 0.47 respectively,with average comprehensive pollution index of 5.21,which showed that heavy metal pollution was light.In addition,heavy metal pollution in entryway portion and sea-route portion were more serious than that of breeding portion.Potential ecological risk assessment showed that the average potential ecological risk indices of Cu,Zn,Pb,Cd and Cr were 9.25,1.23,6.56,10.34 and 0.94 respectively,with average comprehensive potential ecological risk index of 28.33,and it revealed that potential ecological risk of heavy metals was slight.Besides,the potential ecological risk order of heavy metal pollution was sea-route portion>entryway portion>breeding portion.[Conclusion] The study could provide references for the regulation and improvement of ecological environment in Weishan Lake in the east route of south-to-north water transfer project.

Potential Distribution of Alien Invasive Species and Risk Assessment:a Case Study of Erwinia amylovora in China

Alien invasive species represent a severe risk to biodiversity and economy, as in the case of fire blight （Erwinia amylovora）, a bacterial disease that originated in North America, which may be released into new locations by means of fruit trade. On the basis of the knowledge of Erwinia amylovora＇s biophysical characteristics and environmental data, the geographic information system （GIS） has been applied to determine areas where Erwinia amylovora can potentially invade China. Temperature and precipitation, during the blossoming period, are considered to be two critical factors affecting the Erwinia amylovora＇s suitable climatic zones. This spatial modeling approach was validated from a case study in Europe, where the occurrence of Erwinia amylovora has been proven. The model prediction agreed with the occurrence of the bacteria recorded in Europe, and the same procedure has been applied to produce a potential establishment area in China＇s two preferential apple cultivation regions, Bohai Bay region and Huangtu Altiplano region. It has been found that areas belonging to the high-risk category are more or less the main apple producing areas, accounting for their great economic importance in China. This methodology provides an initial baseline for assessment, prevention, and management of alien species that may become invasive under certain environmental conditions. In addition, this modeling approach provides a tool for policy makers to use, in making decisions on management practices where alien species are involved.

Ecological Risk Assessment of World Heritage Sites Using RS and GIS:A Case Study of Huangshan Mountain, China

Ecological risk assessment(ERA) is an indispensable method for systematic monitoring of World Heritage Sites(WHSs) exposed to various anthropogenic factors and natural disasters. Remote sensing(RS) and geographical information systems(GIS) can eliminate many limitations in traditional ERA methods. In this study, changes in ecological risk at Huangshan Mountain, the first mixed WHS in China, over the period of 1984–2019 were explored using remote sensing images and products by considering both natural disasters and human disturbance. Results show that of the four land cover types in Huangshan Mountain, namely water, forest, building and farmland, the main land cover type is forest. During the 35 yr, lands categorised at low or relatively low ecological risk levels are dominant in Huangshan Mountain, with the lowest and highest ERIs(ecological risk index) in 1990 and 2010, respectively. The areas at the five ecological risk levels have declined as follows: relatively low > low > medium > relatively high > high. Changes in ecological risks are closely related to changes in land cover and natural disasters. Even though major natural disasters may affect the ecological risk level in the whole region, changes in land cover caused by human activities will shift the ecological risk level in some areas. Our attempts can be modified and applied to other sites, and offer policy implications for protection and preservation of WHSs.

Ecological Risk Assessment of Shan Xin Mining Area Based on Remote Sensing and Geography Information System Technology

In this paper, introducing new remote sensing and geographic information technology to solve the problem of data collection and analysis, this makes the study of ecological risk assessment very quick and accurate. Taking the Shan Xin mining area of the tin mine in Lengshuijiang of Hunan Province as the research object, using the remote sensing image data of three periods in 2005, 2010 and 2015, the remote sensing image is classified carefully and the landscape classification map of the mining area is obtained. The ecological risk index is introduced and the ecological risk values are sampled and interpolated on the ArcGIS platform. The ecological risk spatial distribution map based on the landscape pattern index was obtained. The ecological risk was divided into 5 levels by using the Jenks natural classification method, and each ecological risk grade area was counted. The research results show that: from year 2005 to year 2010, landscape ecological risk trend of the mining area is growing up;the trend rising area of landscape ecological risk is mainly in the southwest and northeast of the Shan Xin mining field;the area of higher and high ecological risk is increasing year by year;and the trend of dispersed development in space is obvious;the development trend of ecological risk in the mining area is rapidly increasing;in 2010 - 2015, the higher and high ecological risk area decrease slightly with the increasing of area of grassland and residential low vulnerability of landscape types;the ecological risk area showed a slow decreasing trend. The research results provide an objective reference for decision making of ecological environment governance.

Research on the ecological risk of heavy metals in the soil around a Pb–Zn mine in the Huize County, China

The soil pollution by heavy metals was characterized in the mine tailings and surrounding soils of an old Pb–Zn mine in Huize County. Three hundred and ninety-six samples of agricultural and non-agricultural soil were analyzed for the total metal concentration by acid digestion and sixty-eight selected soil samples were used to determine the chemical fractionation of heavy metals with the modified BCR sequential extraction method. The pollution index of the heavy metals indices for As, Cd, Cr, Cu,Hg, Pb and Zn of non-agricultural soil and agricultural soils in the study area indicated the spreading of heavy metal pollution. Sequential extraction showed that most of Cd existed in an exchangeable form(31.2 %). The available content of Pb, Cu and Zn was mainly distributed in acid extractable fractions and Fe/Mn oxide fractions(27.9, 30 and 27.2 %), and Hg, As and Cr were mainly associated with residual fractions(90.4, 72.9 and 76.8 %). The risks of heavy metals were also evaluated by the risk assessment code(RAC) and potential ecological risk index, respectively. The results of RAC showed a medium and high risk of Cd(45.6 and 54.4 %), medium risk of Zn(100 %), low and medium risk of Cu(41.2 and 58.8 %), largely no risk of Hg(97.1 %), and mainly low risk of As and Pb(92.6and 91.8 %). The range of the potential ecological risk of soil was 58.2–1839.3, revealing a considerably high ecological risk in the study area, most likely related to acid mine drainage and the mining complexes located in the area. The results can be used during the ecological risk screening stage, in conjunction with the total concentrations and metal fractionation values, to better estimate ecological risk.