236
be planted with native Phragmites australis due to its capacity to grow in the same
acidic and metal polluted sediments than S. densiflora. In fact, planting P. australis
in estuaries and river banks in areas already invaded by or susceptible to invasion by
S. densiflora has been suggested as viable option for creating a barrier to denseflowered cordgrass expansion (Mahmoud-Abbas 2012). On the other hand, these
plantations should be accompanied with Typha dominguensis, Juncus sp. and
Scirpus sp. to increase biodiversity and resilience of the restored marshes. Further
actions should be focused on planting phytoextracter species and their progressive
substitution by native species, once the contamination has decreased to safe levels.
These actions need to be carefully designed, minimizing any impact on such ecosystem that has begun to be considered as a highly complex ecosystem with high
scientific interest. In any case, this alien is being controlled in other areas along the
SW Iberian Peninsula coastal frame.
7.7 Conclusions
Soil contamination in salt marshes and estuaries is an increasing problem, and
proper management actions are needed. Such actions may take into account the
particular contamination traits and other threats in each case, as well as the sedimentary and successional dynamics, so concrete management designs can be developed and implemented. Soft management identifies phytoremediation as one of the
main green tools, showing notable efficiency in costs and efforts. Recovery of the
lower marsh limits through plantations with the European cordgrass S. maritima
seems to be an efficient approach to phytoremediate trace elements pollution, avoid
erosion and recover the natural plant community in European salt marshes. In addition, it imposes certain limits to alien invasion. A wide variety of salt marsh species
have been identified as suitable tools for phytoremediation of the main polluting
trace elements along the elevation gradient in salt marshes, either as phytostabilizer
or phytoextractor, including the alien S. densiflora that can be indeed used inside its
natural range.
References
Almeida CMR, Mucha AP, Vasconcelos MTSD (2006) Comparison of the role of the sea club-rush
Scirpus maritimus and the sea rush Juncus maritimus in terms of concentration, speciation and
bioaccumulation of metals in the estuarine sediment. Environ Pollut 142:151–159
Álvarez Rogel J, Ortiz Silla R, Alcaraz Ariza F (2001) Edaphic characterization and soil ionic
composition influencing plant zonation in a semiarid Mediterranean salt marsh. Geoderma
99:81–98
Andrades-Moreno L, Cambrollé J, Figueroa ME, Mateos-Naranjo E (2013) Growth and survival
of Halimione portulacoides stem cuttings in heavy metal contaminated soils. Mar Pollut Bull
75:28–32
S.M. Vallés et al.
be planted with native Phragmites australis due to its capacity to grow in the same
acidic and metal polluted sediments than S. densiflora. In fact, planting P. australis
in estuaries and river banks in areas already invaded by or susceptible to invasion by
S. densiflora has been suggested as viable option for creating a barrier to denseflowered cordgrass expansion (Mahmoud-Abbas 2012). On the other hand, these
plantations should be accompanied with Typha dominguensis, Juncus sp. and
Scirpus sp. to increase biodiversity and resilience of the restored marshes. Further
actions should be focused on planting phytoextracter species and their progressive
substitution by native species, once the contamination has decreased to safe levels.
These actions need to be carefully designed, minimizing any impact on such ecosystem that has begun to be considered as a highly complex ecosystem with high
scientific interest. In any case, this alien is being controlled in other areas along the
SW Iberian Peninsula coastal frame.
7.7 Conclusions
Soil contamination in salt marshes and estuaries is an increasing problem, and
proper management actions are needed. Such actions may take into account the
particular contamination traits and other threats in each case, as well as the sedimentary and successional dynamics, so concrete management designs can be developed and implemented. Soft management identifies phytoremediation as one of the
main green tools, showing notable efficiency in costs and efforts. Recovery of the
lower marsh limits through plantations with the European cordgrass S. maritima
seems to be an efficient approach to phytoremediate trace elements pollution, avoid
erosion and recover the natural plant community in European salt marshes. In addition, it imposes certain limits to alien invasion. A wide variety of salt marsh species
have been identified as suitable tools for phytoremediation of the main polluting
trace elements along the elevation gradient in salt marshes, either as phytostabilizer
or phytoextractor, including the alien S. densiflora that can be indeed used inside its
natural range.
References
Almeida CMR, Mucha AP, Vasconcelos MTSD (2006) Comparison of the role of the sea club-rush
Scirpus maritimus and the sea rush Juncus maritimus in terms of concentration, speciation and
bioaccumulation of metals in the estuarine sediment. Environ Pollut 142:151–159
Álvarez Rogel J, Ortiz Silla R, Alcaraz Ariza F (2001) Edaphic characterization and soil ionic
composition influencing plant zonation in a semiarid Mediterranean salt marsh. Geoderma
99:81–98
Andrades-Moreno L, Cambrollé J, Figueroa ME, Mateos-Naranjo E (2013) Growth and survival
of Halimione portulacoides stem cuttings in heavy metal contaminated soils. Mar Pollut Bull
75:28–32
S.M. Vallés et al.