0934-B1
Elena Dulchenko[1]
This paper reports on the research done to determine microelement concentrations in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) of Central Kamchatka that are traditionally used by indigenous and local communities. One of the research objectives was to determine the source and character of hazardous biochemical content of some NTFPs in order to give recommendations for accurately determining sites for commercial harvesting of selected NTFP species used by local communities.
Sites where NTFPs are currently being harvested often coincide with areas of technogenic pollution or natural harmful influences. Pollution influences the quality of traditional food resources, in which some microelements may exceed accepted Russian and international concentration levels, including hazardous heavy metals. Major components of wild harvested plants used to make herbal teas were investigated following requests from indigenous and local communities who are starting local herbal tea businesses. Samples of widely and traditionally used NTFPs that are potentially attractive for commercial development, as well as samples of undersoil rocks and soil itself were analysed for their content of 34 elements. Microelement content in some NTFPs on several research sites exceeded accepted levels. The sites not recommended for NTFP harvesting were determined for all of the investigated plants, except for berries of Rhodococcum vitis-idaea. Berries do not accumulate hazardous amounts of harmful elements even in most unfavourable locations, while in the plant’s leaves the excess of Pb was up to 2.5 times that of control plants. This data was used as a basis for recommending which sites are safe for harvesting.
Sites where NTFP are currently being harvested, including those in Bystrinski district of Kamchatka, the Russian Far East, where the research was conducted, often coincide with areas of technogenic pollution (roads, farms, geological prospecting) or natural harmful influence (hot springs, natural geochemical anomalies, volcanic ash falls, etc.). Without doubt, this pollution influences the quality of traditional food resources, in which some microelements can possibly exceed accepted Russian and international concentration levels, including hazardous heavy metals of the first and second classes of danger (Dulchenko at al. 1996; Dulchenko 1996; 1999; 2002). The risk in the variation of metals' normal concentration, specifically in resources traditionally used by communities relates to their important physiological role as components of ferments, hormons, vitamins (Vetrov, Kuznetsova 1997). Therefore it is very important to determine natural base levels for these microelements especially on territories of pre-industrial stage of development, to which the area of the researches and about 90 % of the total territory of Kamchatka relate. In Russia the level of ecological or ecogeochemical comfort of environment for humans is traditionally determined by the Maximum Allowable
Concentration (MAC) of this or that substance or microelements. MAC is a minimal amount of harmful substance in the environment that does not practically influence human health or causing unfavorable effect on posterity in case of constant or periodical contact with people (Reymers, 1990).
The area of the research is located in central part of Kamchatka peninsula (the Russian Far East) on a joint of two large geomorphological areas: the Central Kamchatka Depression and Sredinniy Khrebet Mountain Ridge (Kazakov at al., 1993) - it is the Bystrinsky District of Kamchatka Region, which administrative center is in a village of Esso. The geological structure of the research area, that basically determines the geochemical and most of the biogeochemical features of research sites, is represented by underlying rocks of various genesis originated in miocene-pliocene and up to modern era (Patoka at al., 1987). The microelement content in traditionally used non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is made by means of complex geochemical and biogeochemical research of key sites (Instruction 1983). Major components of wild harvested plants used to make herbal teas were investigated following requests from Indigenous and local communities who are starting local herbal tea businesses: fireweed Chamerion angustifolium - overground part of a plant, wild rose hips Rosa, mountain cranberry Rhodococcum vitis-idaea - berries and leaves, berries of edible honey suckle Lonicera caerulea. Locations with good harvest of mentioned above plants for commercial gathering and traditional use were considered. Besides that, the selected sites for geochemical sampling sufficiently represented natural complexes of the research area, and also features, character and level of hazardous influence. The research was carried out in two stages. The first stage was carried out in field; second one was an office work. During the first stage two key sites were selected and sampled.
The key site N° 1 is Shekhman. It is located in Central Kamchatka Depression in a valley of the river Kamchatka. The site is a plane old forest burn covered by abundant mountain cranberries. Shekhman is a favorite place of cranberries and leaves for local and aboriginal inhabitants and population of the whole area. The site is far away (more than 20 km) from roads and settlements; technogenic influence is absent. Two profiles were made there. One was developed between rivers Shekhman and Sehlun, where economic activities - logging - have been stopped after a forest fire of 1978, the second one was in immediate closeness to the Old Bystrinsky Bridge, on the forest fire burn of 1992. Underlying rocks, soil, leaves and berries of cranberry were sampled. Besides, berries of edible honeysuckle and fruits of wild rose hips were sampled.
Key site N° 2 is a village of Esso and an adjacent area of wild plants gathering. It is located in eastern foothills of Sredinni Khrebet Mountain Ridge, in the valley of the river Bystraya-Kozirevka. The population is about 2000 people of which 400 are aboriginals. Large industrial objects are absent. Possible factors influencing the quality of traditional NTFPs are anthropogenic factor, roads, thermal water from natural and technogenic sources. Taking into account sources of possible influence and traditional wild plants harvesting sites five profiles were made. One is in the first over flood-lands terrace of the river Uksichan, cutting thermal platforms of natural and technogenic thermal sources, the second one - in a second over flood- lands terrace, possibly influenced by technogenic factors, the third one - in the third over flood- lands terrace, cutting a truck road of small intensity and the forest fire burn of 1997, the fourth is located at the centre of Esso, it has all spectrum of the anthropogenic and technogenic influences, and the last one, the fifth profile - at the right bank of the river Bystraya, so called "Gornolyzhka" - an abandoned hill skiing site - the popular place of wild plants gathering, the technogenic influence is absent there. Samples were collected at all listed sites.
The Central Chemical Laboratory of Kamchatka Mining Prospecting and Survey Expedition made the complete spectral analysis of all selected samples. Results of biogeochemical research are submitted below. The research was funded by Competition of Individual Research Projects Program of the Program on Global Safety and Steady Development of John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and IUCN - The World Conservation Union and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Project "Building Partnerships for Forest Conservation and Management in Russia."
As it was mentioned above, the complex geochemical, biochemical and hydrochemical sampling was accomplished for determination of microelement composition of NTFPs, used by local communities as major components of their herbal teas and for environmental assessment of harvesting sites at three research sites. Along with NTFPs, soil, underlying rocks and water were sampled.
Analyzed results of field and laboratory research demonstrate that local geochemical background for most of the 34 researched elements a bit (less than twice) exceeds their clarkes. However, for four elements this index is much higher. For Yb it exceeds at 6.7 times, Mo - 2.7 times, Pb and Sc - 2 times. The index of anomalyness - ratio of underlying soil concentration at key sites to local background concentration - is about 1, and only at sites with some technogenic influence slightly exceeds the background (1.1 - 1.3). The maximum anomalyness index number for Ag is 1.5 at a natural thermal field. The following means that soils of key sites have no profound natural geochemical anomalies, which can possibly influence the quality of biological resources. Technogenic influence is also very weak. For soils anomalyness ratios are more contrast, but in general no major anomalies are found. However, it was mentioned above that MAC are developed for soil concentration of several elements, which determine the quality of soils, one of the major elements of environment, which in their turn determine the quality of NTFPs. The research result analysis demonstrate that all researched sites has substantial excess of Cu (from 3 to 7.5 times above the level of MAC), Co (up to 5.6 times), Cr - up to 2000 times, Sn - up to 200 times, some slight excess or upper limit boundary of Zn, V, Mn, Mo, Ni, and Ba. Based on analyzed soil samples results we thought that in terms of NTFPs quality Esso village site was the less healthy, and the most favorable sites are Old bystrinski Bridge and Shekhman. But the reality turned to be very different.
Content of Pb in ground parts of fireweed exceeding its MAC in all research sites without an exception. The most secure site of fireweed gathering is the area of the Old Bystrinsky Bridge, where the content of lead in a dry phytomass of a plant is only reaching and a little bit exceeding the MAC on 0,33 mg/kg. The most unfavorable gathering site is the first over flood-lands terrace of the river Uksichan, where the content of lead exceeded MAC from 3 up to 5 times, excess of Sb for more than 500 times is observed, some excess on Ni and Cr - up to 2 times is also observed. At the popular site of various wild plants gathering - Gornolyzhka, the content of lead also exceeds MAC in 3 times. At the centre of the village of Esso the microelement content of fireweed is the same fireweed collected at Gornolyzhka, but to that also have to be added the excess of MAC on chromium and nickel - in 2 times. At the centre of Esso, and also in immediate closeness to a thermal platform the double excess of a usual (backgroung) level on Mn, Ni and some excess of Cr is observed. In ashes of fireweed collected in immediate closeness to a natural thermal platform Co was found. The influence of roads on fireweed has traced on the distance up to 300 meters, with maximal concentrations at a distance of 20-100 M from the source.
The massive of this plant was carried out at two profiles of the key site Shekhman - in the area of the Old Bystrinsky Bridge and also between rivers Shekhman and Sehlun (actually Shekhman). Both territories are places of traditional cranberry harvesting, mainly berries, for many inhabitants of the peninsula in general and specifically for Bystrinsky District. As it was mentioned above, the research was carried out by sampling of significant volume of plant parts from each point, separately for berries, leaves and the entire plant. Besides the Esso site, cranberries were sampled in a zone of the complex technogenic influence.
Cranberry has appeared to be an extremely curious plant from a biochemical the point of view. Its leaves and stems do accumulate a number of microelements in concentrations exceeding MAC. For example the content of Pb in cranberry leaves at all tested sites is reaching or exceeding the MAC level, and maximal excess is at Shekhman. There in a dry phytomass of cranberry leaves the concentration of Pb exceeds MAC in 2,5 times. In the area of the Old Bystrinsky Bridge the Pb content in cranberry leaves is only reaching the MAC level or very insignificantly, on some hundredths of a mg is exceeding it. Besides, some excess of MAC on Ni on all tested sites and also some excess in clarkes of vegetation of Mn and Ba at the centre of Esso and at Shekhman is observed. In general, a cranberry plant is less active (relatively to leaves) in accumulating microelements. Nevertheless, at the centre of Esso in a dry phytomass of all plants the double excess of MAC on Pb and more than double on Ni and also excess of clarkes of vegetation on Mn and Ba - more than in 2 times are observed. Microelements in fruit - in a berry of cranberry behave in a surprisingly interesting manner. Not in one of the tested sites neither of microelements exceeded the MAC level. The only difference between berries growing in favorable conditions (with less microelements affecting them) from those berries which were gathered at unfavorable sites is increased (in times) the content (in berries) of Ag, which however does not exceed the clarke of Ag for vegetation. In unfavourable conditions berries do not accumulate microelements; including regulated, in dangerous concentrations and only lose silver. It is possible to assume that berries subjected to technogenic influence do not become toxic, becoming only less "useful". The most favorable among all studied sites for cranberries gathering is the area the Old Bystrinsky Bridge.
Sampling of honeysuckle fruit was carried out at all profiles except of the site at the Old Bystrinsky Bridge. Samples were taken in spots including those in immediate closeness to sources of pollution (roads, thermal sources, dumps etc). In samples of honeysuckle Pb, Ni, Cu - elements of the first and second classes of danger, are present at all profiles, and the question of determination of their concentration in many respects was determined by dry or fresh phytomass was measured. There are three sites favorable for gathering honeysuckle, both to get fresh and dry berries as a product. Shekhman, third over flood-lands terrace of the right flank of Usikchan, not closer than in 50 M from not heavily used dirt road and flood-lands of the river Bystraya, not closer than in 50 M from a dirt road. But in case of drying of a honeysuckle from these sites, contents of Pb in them will be equal to MAC and on Ni could exceed MAC in 2 times. On a popular place of wild plants gathering - Gornolyzhka, content of Pb in a dry phytomass honeysuckle berries exceeded MAC in 6 times, and in fresh - more than in 2 times. The concentration of Ni in a dry phytomass is hardly more then MAC, and in fresh - within the normal limits. We can observe an interesting correlation for samples collected within the immediate closeness to sources of pollution. In honeysuckle berries gathered along roads the maximum concentration of Pb is observed in an interval from 15-20 M up to 50 m from a road. That means that in an interval of 0 - 15, 0 - 20 M from a road is a sort of "a dead zone" where the influence is not observed. The similar situation is with samples taken in immediate closeness to thermal platforms. There "a dead zone" is also observed, in that case within first 5-10 M, than at the distance of 30-40 M is the highest level, and in 100 M the influence practically is not observed.
At all sites except for the first and third over flood-lands terraces of the right flank of the river Uksichan samples of fruit of a wild rose have Pb in concentrations exceeding MAC. The maximum high content of Pb is at Shekhman, 5 times more over the MAC level, besides this, the content of Ni at this site is also reaching MAC level. At Gornolyzhka and in the settlement Esso fruit of a wild rose are containing similar amount of Pb, a little bit over the MAC level. At all other profiles contents of Pb are exceeding MAC in 3-4 times. It appears that fruit of wild rose do not react especially to geochemical anomaly connected with thermal sources, the pollution occurs more probably because of sediments of microelements from hot spring's steam. In immediate closeness to technogenic source of thermal water, fruit of wild rose have the increased content of Cr, in 2,5 times more than MAC. Besides, in fruit of wild rose some weak accumulation of Sr takes place. Wild rose hips harvesting it is recommended at the first over flood-lands terrace of the river Uksichan, not less than in 100 M up the stream off natural thermal platforms, where wash out regime of migration of microelements is supporting their optimum concentration in wild rose hips.
At all tested sites, in all investigated NTFPs the insignificant accumulation of microelements, including those of the first, second and third classes of danger is observed. Mostly Pb, Cu, Zn and Ni are found in significant quantities, less often Cr, Mo, Mn, Sr occur. Practically for all NTFPs, except for mountain cranberry berries and leaves, the sites are determined where content of Pb, Ni, to a lesser degree Cr, Mo, and Cu are exceeding the MAC level. Besides, for wild rose a weak accumulation of Sr, and for fireweed rather strong accumulation of Sb is observed. Taking into account that the researched territory, basically, is at pre-industrial stage of development, with exceptions of roads and villages, we can assume, that the increased content of lead in plant resources is explained by strong old forest fires. The increased content of Cr and Mo, most likely, is connected with a hydrothermal activity, mainly of a natural origin, less often of a technogenic character. Content of Pb and Ni along the roads are reaching maximum in an interval from 15 up to 30 M from the road. In the whole range of influence from researched sources of pollution, both of technogenic and natural origin, could reach 300 M, thus the influence of natural factors is more intensive. It means that a virgin landscape, s and absence of major geochemical anomalies or technogenic influence is not a guarantee, that environment is safe for humans. Taking into consideration the research results, for NTFPs gathering only "clean" from a point of view of biogeochemistry sites could be recommended. At sites, where researches were not conducted, it is recommended to harvest NTFPS not closer than 300 meters from any possible source of pollution and always in upper stream off it, if the site of gathering is bordering with water current.
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