## 3 Results and Discussion
### Plant Survival  
Figure 1 presents the survival percentages of stem cuttings at week 5 (mid-term) and at the end of the experiment (week 8). The highest survival rate was recorded in the control substrate (B) at 48.5%, while the lowest occurred in CP + CI (17.4%). Notably, survival in CP (42.8%) was comparable to that in the uncontaminated control, suggesting that high trace metal concentration in the mine tailings did not prevent rooting and sprout development. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Substrates**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**pH**} & **CEC** & **C** & **N** & **P (Bioavailable)** \\ \cline{2-6}  & & **[meq 100 g Substrate\({}^{-1}\)]** & **[\%]** & **[\%]** & **[\%]** & **[mg kg\({}^{-1}\)]** \\ \hline B & 5.5 \(\pm\) 0.1 & 23.2 \(\pm\) 0.5 & 3.9 \(\pm\) 0.5 & 0.07 \(\pm\) 0.01 & 29.0 \(\pm\) 1.08 \\ CP & 7.3 \(\pm\) 0.1 & nd \({}^{*}\) & 6.5 \(\pm\) 0.1 & nd & nd \\ CP + CI & 7.5 \(\pm\) 0.1 & 11.0 \(\pm\) 0.7 & 7.1 \(\pm\) 0.3 & 0.08 \(\pm\) 0.01 & 13.6 \(\pm\) 0.8 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}  
* nd: data below the detection limits.  
\end{table} 
Table 2: Physical and chemical properties of the substrates before the plantation (Means \(\pm\) SE, \(n\) = 3). \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Substrates**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Aqua Regis-Extractable**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**EDTA-Extractable**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**KNO\({}_{3}\)-Extractable**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**H\({}_{2}\)O-Extractable**} \\ \cline{2-10}  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**(mg kg\({}^{-1}\))**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**(mg kg\({}^{-1}\))**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**(mg kg\({}^{-1}\))**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**(mg kg\({}^{-1}\))**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**(mg kg\({}^{-1}\))**} \\ \cline{2-10}  & **Cd** & **Pb** & **Zn** & **Cd** & **Pb** & **Zn** & **Cd** & **Pb** & **Zn** & **Cd** & **Pb** & **Zn** \\ \hline B & nd \({}^{*}\) & 6.36 \(\pm\) 2.24 & 36.5 \(\pm\) 1.3 & nd & nd & 8.4 \(\pm\) 0.8 & nd & nd & nd & nd \\ CP & 70.1 \(\pm\) 2.7 & 3041 \(\pm\) 4.9 & 1279 \(\pm\) 33.4 & 332 \(\pm\) 2.0 & 1066 \(\pm\) 56.1 & 2407 \(\pm\) 9.0 & nd & nd & 7.1 \(\pm\) 0.8 & nd & nd & 6.6 \(\pm\) 1.4 \\ CP + CI & 31.6 \(\pm\) 2.5 & 1226 \(\pm\) 102.5 & 5368 \(\pm\) 513 & 135 \(\pm\) 6.1 & 361 \(\pm\) 88.6 & 1003 \(\pm\) 49.7 & nd & nd & 4.6 \(\pm\) 0 & nd & nd & 5.5 \(\pm\) 0.3 \\ \hline Substrates & Cu & Mg & Mn & Cu & Mg & Mn & Cu & Mg & Mn & Cu & Mg & Mn \\ \hline B & 11.8 \(\pm\) 0.8 & 1400 \(\pm\) 8.13 & 280 \(\pm\) 10.4 & 3.33 \(\pm\) 0.2 & 330 \(\pm\) 14.9 & 106 \(\pm\) 18.8 & nd & 515 \(\pm\) 0.5 & 26.3 \(\pm\) 1.8 & nd & 31.1 \(\pm\) 1.04 & 1.07 \(\pm\) 0.07 \\ CP & 35.4 \(\pm\) 5.3 & 60,948 \(\pm\) 729 & 316 \(\pm\) 29.6 & 14.5 \(\pm\) 0.5 & 1370 \(\pm\) 83.7 & 115 \(\pm\) 0.6 & nd & 129 \(\pm\) 6.5 & 0.35 \(\pm\) 0.07 & nd & 36.8 \(\pm\) 3.1 & 0.5 \(\pm\) 0.08 \\ CP + CI & 34.6 \(\pm\) 1.9 & 31,959 \(\pm\) 273.2 & 761 \(\pm\) 4.6 & 6.43 \(\pm\) 1.6 & 1799 \(\pm\) 1.20 & 135 \(\pm\) 20.6 & nd & 228 \(\pm\) 3.5 & 11.5 \(\pm\) 0.7 & 10.8 \(\pm\) 0.1 & 7.13 \(\pm\) 1.11 & 2.0 \(\pm\) 0.4 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}  
* nd = data below the detection limits. Cd: cadmium: Pb: lead; Zn: zinc; Cu: copper; Mg: magnesium; Mn: manganese.  
\end{table} 
Table 3: Concentration of Cd, Pb, and Zn (i.e., model contaminants), and Cu, Mg, and Mn (i.e., model SRM) in the experimental substrates at the beginning of the tests, with different extraction methods. (Means \(\pm\) SE, \(n\) = 3). The limited survival observed in CP + CI may be attributed to the proliferation of Sciaridae larvae (dark-winged fungus gnats), which developed in the humid, organic-rich compost. The insect infestation likely contributed to early root damage, particularly during the first weeks, and was mitigated by the application of a pest control treatment (avermectins) in all pots.