Abstract:Purpose: To investigate the heavy metal enrichment and spatial distribution characteristics of plants around tailings ponds in typical karst areas, and to screen the dominant plant varieties. Methods: The enrichment coefficient was calculated to determine the enrichment ability of different plants to different heavy metals. The spatial distribution model of plant heavy metals was established utilizing general Kriging interpolation and semi-variance function analysis using geographic information analysis software (GIS). The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to analyze the correlation between various heavy metals in plants and soil pH value. Results: Among the 28 plants around the tailings pond, Peristrophe roxburghiana of Solanaceae, Gynura crepidioides of Compositae, and Boehmeria tricuspis of Nettle family had strong enrichment ability of Cd, and Cd pollution was serious in plants. Lyginodendron oldhamium Potonie of Blechnaceae, Bridelia insulana of Euphorbiaceae had strong enrichment capacity for Pb. There was no enrichment of Cu and Zn in all plants. The spatial distribution model of heavy metals showed that Cd was mainly distributed in the south, southwest, southeast and northwest parts of the tailings pond. Pb is mainly distributed in the southeast, the stream under the dam, and the south. Cu was mainly distributed in the south, southwest and the stream direction under the dam. Zn is mainly distributed in the west, southwest, northwest and north. In the semi-variance model parameters, Cd and Zn were dominated by random errors, and the spatial correlation of each point was weak, while Pb and Cu were dominated by structural errors, and the spatial correlation was strong. The spatial variability and correlation of heavy metal content in plants were Zn < Cd < Cu < Pb. There was a moderately positive correlation between Cd and Cu, and a weakly positive correlation between Cd and Pb and Zn. There was no strong correlation between the contents of heavy metals in plants and soil pH value. Conclusion: Some of the selected dominant plants could be used as alternative varieties for heavy metal accumulation and transfer in soil and bioreactor, and the migration law of heavy metals between soil and plants in this area was preliminaries understood, which provided a basis for carrying out heavy metal pollution control in the mining area.