Bioindicator species of contamination by mining tailings in the Samne Sector, La Libertad-Peru, 2021

Abstract

The evaluation of the ecological disturbance that could be generated in terrestrial environments contaminated by heavy metals in Peru, due to the presence of hundreds of tailings deposits present in various regions of our country, requires an inventory of vascular plant species that indicate contamination and with phytoremediation capacity. In the present investigation, the prospection of the flora was carried out during anthesis (flowering) and fruiting in two areas of mining tailings deposit in the district of Samne, Otuzco province, La Libertad region, Peru (Cushmun and Virgen de la Puerta Minerals Processing Plant Sectors). The sampling of each plant taxon was carried out in a non-probabilistic way in each tailings deposit. The results allowed us to identify 52 species of plants, in the Cushmun Creek, the Equisetopsida Class stands out with nine Orders and a greater representation of the Poales and Caryophyllales order; as well as 11 Families where the Poaceae Family is the one that stands out the most. Comparatively in the second environment, a single Class (Equisetopsida) was inventoried, 11 Orders with a greater representation of the Solanales order; as well as 13 Families where the Asteraceae and Solanaceae families are the ones that stand out the most. It is concluded that the prospects for the use of this natural vegetation for phytoremediation purposes is highly promising for our country.