Proyectos

Mining activities have discharged large amounts of wastes or mine tailings to the environment, which represent an important environmental issue. Mine tailings are mainly characterised by poor physicochemical properties that limit the plant establishment and development. The most negative property in these mine wastes is the high content of metals and metalloids [metal(loid)s], which are often highly toxic due to acid pH that increases metal(loid) bioavailability. This negatively affects living organisms and ecological functioning since soil microorganisms are pioneer colonisers that mediate the plant establishment. Also, mine tailings are usually deposited in abandoned locations of large land cover; from where, due to their physical characteristics, they can be transported by air and water, affecting communities and the environment in surrounding areas. There are several industrial strategies focused on the physical and chemical management of mine tailings, but these are highly expensive and occasionally not effective. These strategies have not been suitable techniques to reduce negative impacts of mine tailings on the environment. In this context, biological approaches, such as phytoremediation, have been proposed as more appropriate strategies due to low cost, easy applicability, and promising results. Nevertheless, most of the studies focused on phytoremediation of mine tailings, especially Chilean studies, have been performed in laboratory conditions. Although these studies show promising conclusions, in many cases unsuccessful results are obtained at field conditions, mainly due to laboratory experiments do not consider the dynamic field variability and potential ecological interactions. Based on the above, the proposed research aims to evaluate the effect of the initial addition of organic-mineral amendments and the bioaugmentation of microbial communities with “core microbiome” from the root-zone of native herbaceous on the growth and development of native plants and microbial communities at copper mine tailings. We hypothesise that the growth and development of native plants in mine tailings will be promoted by the improvement of physicochemical properties of modified mine tailings (incipient technosols) through the addition of organic-mineral amendments, and the bioaugmentation of microbial communities with “core microbiome” involved in plant fitness obtained from copper mine tailings and surrounding soils. To evaluate the mentioned hypothesis, this study will be executed in three phases: 1) Initial field characterisation: this will be done for mine tailings and soils under sclerophyllous forest; 2) Collection and recruitment of “core microbiome”: this will study the composition, function, and interactions of “core microbiome” obtained from the root-zone of native herbaceous established on mine tailings and soils under sclerophyllous forest, by which a laboratory-scale assay it is needed to produce inoculum of such ecological units (cores); 3) Restoration field experiment: this consists on the field establishment of native herbaceous species by bioaugmentation with “core microbiome” from root-zone mine tailings and root-zone soil on incipient technosols produced by the addition of organic-mineral amendments on mine tailings. These phases are designed to be performed in three years. This study can provide insights of the promotion of ecological process and natural resilience on microbial communities of mine tailings and surroundings, which can allow the initial plant establishment a development for later possible plant recruitment from the native sclerophyllous forest. This would also evaluate whether mine tailings can be in situ managed instead of been totally removed, which implies high costs and workflow to enterprises. Additionally, this study would represent the first approach of the evaluation of the biological functioning and composition of microbial communities from root-zone mine tailings in Chile, from its current state to the subsequent restoration process.

Mining activities have discharged large amounts of wastes or mine tailings to the environment, which represent an important environmental issue. Mine tailings are mainly characterised by poor physicochemical properties that limit the plant establishment and development. The most negative property in these mine wastes is the high content of metals and metalloids [metal(loid)s], which are often highly toxic due to acid pH that increases metal(loid) bioavailability. This negatively affects living organisms and ecological functioning since soil microorganisms are pioneer colonisers that mediate the plant establishment. Also, mine tailings are usually deposited in abandoned locations of large land cover; from where, due to their physical characteristics, they can be transported by air and water, affecting communities and the environment in surrounding areas. There are several industrial strategies focused on the physical and chemical management of mine tailings, but these are highly expensive and occasionally not effective. These strategies have not been suitable techniques to reduce negative impacts of mine tailings on the environment. In this context, biological approaches, such as phytoremediation, have been proposed as more appropriate strategies due to low cost, easy applicability, and promising results. Nevertheless, most of the studies focused on phytoremediation of mine tailings, especially Chilean studies, have been performed in laboratory conditions. Although these studies show promising conclusions, in many cases unsuccessful results are obtained at field conditions, mainly due to laboratory experiments do not consider the dynamic field variability and potential ecological interactions. Based on the above, the proposed research aims to evaluate the effect of the initial addition of organic-mineral amendments and the bioaugmentation of microbial communities with “core microbiome” from the root-zone of native herbaceous on the growth and development of native plants and microbial communities at copper mine tailings. We hypothesise that the growth and development of native plants in mine tailings will be promoted by the improvement of physicochemical properties of modified mine tailings (incipient technosols) through the addition of organic-mineral amendments, and the bioaugmentation of microbial communities with “core microbiome” involved in plant fitness obtained from copper mine tailings and surrounding soils. To evaluate the mentioned hypothesis, this study will be executed in three phases: 1) Initial field characterisation: this will be done for mine tailings and soils under sclerophyllous forest; 2) Collection and recruitment of “core microbiome”: this will study the composition, function, and interactions of “core microbiome” obtained from the root-zone of native herbaceous established on mine tailings and soils under sclerophyllous forest, by which a laboratory-scale assay it is needed to produce inoculum of such ecological units (cores); 3) Restoration field experiment: this consists on the field establishment of native herbaceous species by bioaugmentation with “core microbiome” from root-zone mine tailings and root-zone soil on incipient technosols produced by the addition of organic-mineral amendments on mine tailings. These phases are designed to be performed in three years. This study can provide insights of the promotion of ecological process and natural resilience on microbial communities of mine tailings and surroundings, which can allow the initial plant establishment a development for later possible plant recruitment from the native sclerophyllous forest. This would also evaluate whether mine tailings can be in situ managed instead of been totally removed, which implies high costs and workflow to enterprises. Additionally, this study would represent the first approach of the evaluation of the biological functioning and composition of microbial communities from root-zone mine tailings in Chile, from its current state to the subsequent restoration process.

Mining activities have discharged large amounts of wastes or mine tailings to the environment, which represent an important environmental issue. Mine tailings are mainly characterised by poor physicochemical properties that limit the plant establishment and development. The most negative property in these mine wastes is the high content of metals and metalloids [metal(loid)s], which are often highly toxic due to acid pH that increases metal(loid) bioavailability. This negatively affects living organisms and ecological functioning since soil microorganisms are pioneer colonisers that mediate the plant establishment. Also, mine tailings are usually deposited in abandoned locations of large land cover; from where, due to their physical characteristics, they can be transported by air and water, affecting communities and the environment in surrounding areas. There are several industrial strategies focused on the physical and chemical management of mine tailings, but these are highly expensive and occasionally not effective. These strategies have not been suitable techniques to reduce negative impacts of mine tailings on the environment. In this context, biological approaches, such as phytoremediation, have been proposed as more appropriate strategies due to low cost, easy applicability, and promising results. Nevertheless, most of the studies focused on phytoremediation of mine tailings, especially Chilean studies, have been performed in laboratory conditions. Although these studies show promising conclusions, in many cases unsuccessful results are obtained at field conditions, mainly due to laboratory experiments do not consider the dynamic field variability and potential ecological interactions. Based on the above, the proposed research aims to evaluate the effect of the initial addition of organic-mineral amendments and the bioaugmentation of microbial communities with “core microbiome” from the root-zone of native herbaceous on the growth and development of native plants and microbial communities at copper mine tailings. We hypothesise that the growth and development of native plants in mine tailings will be promoted by the improvement of physicochemical properties of modified mine tailings (incipient technosols) through the addition of organic-mineral amendments, and the bioaugmentation of microbial communities with “core microbiome” involved in plant fitness obtained from copper mine tailings and surrounding soils. To evaluate the mentioned hypothesis, this study will be executed in three phases: 1) Initial field characterisation: this will be done for mine tailings and soils under sclerophyllous forest; 2) Collection and recruitment of “core microbiome”: this will study the composition, function, and interactions of “core microbiome” obtained from the root-zone of native herbaceous established on mine tailings and soils under sclerophyllous forest, by which a laboratory-scale assay it is needed to produce inoculum of such ecological units (cores); 3) Restoration field experiment: this consists on the field establishment of native herbaceous species by bioaugmentation with “core microbiome” from root-zone mine tailings and root-zone soil on incipient technosols produced by the addition of organic-mineral amendments on mine tailings. These phases are designed to be performed in three years. This study can provide insights of the promotion of ecological process and natural resilience on microbial communities of mine tailings and surroundings, which can allow the initial plant establishment a development for later possible plant recruitment from the native sclerophyllous forest. This would also evaluate whether mine tailings can be in situ managed instead of been totally removed, which implies high costs and workflow to enterprises. Additionally, this study would represent the first approach of the evaluation of the biological functioning and composition of microbial communities from root-zone mine tailings in Chile, from its current state to the subsequent restoration process.

Los bienes y servicios ecosistémicos (BSE) del bosque nativo de la zona central de Chile son fundamentales en cuanto a provisión de agua, lo que se ha acentuado frente a la crisis climática y de escasez hídrica que afecta a la zona, generando un escenario propicio para la sistematización y estructuración de esquemas de Pago por Servicios Ecosistémicos (PSE) en cuencas de clima mediterráneo en Chile Central. En paralelo y debido a la crisis hídrica del país acentuada por la Megasequía presionada por las proyecciones de cambio climático, la Dirección General de Aguas (DGA), ha impulsado el desarrollo de “Planes Estratégicos de Gestión Hídrica (PEGH)” en las 101 cuencas chilenas, de las cuales 10 ya se encuentran en preparación. Estos planes consideran la implementación de modelos de balance hídrico orientados a la simulación y evaluación de distintos escenarios tanto climáticos como de gestión del territorio, los que de acuerdo a lo planteado en el presente proyecto se postulan como una herramienta que facilitaría la cuantificación de los BSE del bosque nativo y permitiría apoyar mediante la entrega de información relevante, la implementación de esquemas de PSE sostenibles en el tiempo. El clima y la hidrología se rigen por procesos no estacionarios, que varían en el tiempo y que se afectan por tendencias debido tanto a variabilidad natural como a cambios producto de la actividad humana. De la misma forma, la afectación y la respuesta de los servicios ecosistémicos del bosque nativo frente a los cambios hidroclimáticos y de gestión local son no estacionarios, por lo que los esquemas de PSE debieran ser flexibles y ajustables a las condiciones cambiantes futuras. En este contexto, el presente proyecto de investigación se enmarca en la línea de investigación número 4 relativa a Provisión de Servicios Ecosistémicos, que tiene como objetivo el identificar, cuantificar y evaluar la vulnerabilidad y variabilidad a largo plazo de los principales bienes y servicios ecosistémicos provistos por los bosques mediterráneos de Chile Central, usando como caso la cuenca de Aculeo en la Región Metropolitana. Una vez entendida la relación de estos servicios ecosistémicos se evaluarán distintos escenarios de intervención y sus efectos en la provisión bajo condiciones no estacionarias, definidos y priorizados por distintos actores tanto privados como públicos, y alimentados por los modelos de balance hídricos producidos en el marco de los PEGH de la DGA. Este proyecto busca desarrollar estrategias y políticas públicas en sinergia con otras iniciativas como la de los PEGH, para la mantención y conservación de aquellos servicios ecosistémicos que serán prioritarios bajo las condiciones de mayor incertidumbre frente al cambio climático. La metodología contempla cuatro aproximaciones: Primero dendrocronología y teledetección para un análisis del estado de conservación del bosque. Segundo, simulación climática e hidrológica para la vinculación y evaluación de la resiliencia de indicadores de estado del bosque con niveles variables de bienes y servicios ecosistémicos. Tercero, simulación de escenarios climáticos para explorar la variación en bienes y servicios ecosistémicos. Cuarto, mediante trabajo con los actores tanto público como privados, traducción de los resultados de las proyecciones de las variaciones de los BSE del bosque nativo, en Paquetes de Pago por Servicios Ecosistémicos y estrategias y políticas de conservación del bosque nativo que consideren la no estacionariedad del clima futuro. Los resultados entregables son: 1) Diagnóstico de la relación entre el clima histórico y el bosque nativo, 2) Simulación de la variación entre estado del bosque nativo, la hidrología y los bienes y servicios ecosistémicos, 3) Desarrollo de combinación de Paquetes de Pago por Servicios Ecosistémicos para bienes y servicios prioritarios obtenidos a partir de una metodología participativa, incluyendo propuestas de tablas de valores para futuras bonificaciones y memorias de cálculo, y 4) Lineamientos de políticas y guía para sinergia entre iniciativas de conservación del bosque y/o ecosistemas de las cuencas. La novedad de la propuesta no es solo la inclusión de la incertidumbre climática como criterio para la selección de indicadores clave y una propuesta PSE flexible, sino también en proponer y demostrar la utilidad de la herramienta de simulación hidrológica de los PEGH como un elemento clave que puede generar sinergias entre distintas iniciativas a nivel de cuencas que pueden resultar en las bases legales para el Pago por Servicios Ecosistémicos y la conservación y restauración de ecosistemas de bosque nativo como establece la Ley de Bosque Nativo. Finalmente, esta herramienta integrada de calidad del bosque, balance hídrico y servicios ecosistémicos, puede derivar en un sistema automatizado de apoyo a las decisiones que permita modificar además el cambio en las prioridades de los beneficiarios.

Diplomado gestión sostenible de sistemas pecuarios