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Researchers have made significant strides in identifying a novel method to monitor illegal gold mining activities in the Amazon rainforest. This approach, intriguingly, relies on the natural attributes of trees, which, being inanimate, are free from the risks of betrayal often associated with human intelligence operations.
For generations, the rich natural resources of the Amazon have attracted human exploitation, especially gold. As easily accessible deposits dwindle, illegal mining operations have intensified their efforts to extract fine gold particles from the soil. This process frequently involves the use of highly toxic mercury, which combines with gold to create an amalgam that can then be extracted by burning off the mercury. This practice releases harmful mercury vapor into the atmosphere, adversely affecting both the environment and nearby communities.
The growth rings of specific tree species possess much more than just age indicators; they serve as vital repositories for environmental data over time. Researchers from Cornell University, alongside an international team, sought to explore whether these tree rings could reflect elevated levels of atmospheric mercury. Their findings were shared in a study released on April 8 in Frontiers in Environmental Science.
The investigation involved taking core samples from fig trees at five distinct locations. Out of these, two sites were situated far from mining activities, while three were located within approximately 3.1 miles of known mining towns notorious for amalgam burning practices. One of these sites was adjacent to protected forested areas.
Analysis of the tree samples yielded striking results. Mercury concentrations were significantly higher in wood from mining-adjacent sites when compared to those farther away from such operations. This trend aligned with the historical increase in mercury emissions from amalgam burning that has occurred since the early 2000s.
Jacqueline Gerson, an associate professor of biological and environmental engineering at Cornell University and the lead author of the study, stated, “We demonstrated that Ficus insipda tree cores can effectively serve as biomonitors, characterizing the spatial and potentially temporal impacts of mercury emissions linked to artisanal gold mining in the neotropics.”
While the tree rings can indicate when mercury levels started to rise, they do not provide specific locations of illegal mining activity. Nonetheless, higher mercury concentrations in certain areas could offer valuable reference points for detecting nearby mining operations. Thus, these tree “spy rings” present a cost-effective and powerful tool for ongoing monitoring and conservation efforts in the Amazon rainforest.
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