Differential elemental uptake in three pseudo-metallophyte C4 grasses in situ in the eastern USA

Abstract

Background and aims Elemental uptake in serpentine floras in eastern North America is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to determine major and trace element concentrations in soil and leaves of three native pseudo-metallophyte C4 grasses in situ at five sites with three very different soil types, including three serpentine sites, in eastern USA. Methods Pseudo-total and extractible concentrations of 15 elements were measured and correlated from the soils and leaves of three species at the five sites. Results Element concentrations in soils of pseudo-metallophytes varied up to five orders of magnitude. Soils from metalliferous sites exhibited higher concentrations of their characteristic elements than non-metalliferous. In metallicolous populations, elemental concentrations depended on the element. Concentrations of major elements (Ca, Mg, K) in leaves were lower than typical toxicity thresholds, whereas concentrations of Zn were higher. Conclusions In grasses, species can maintain relatively low metal concentrations in their leaves even when soil concentrations are richer. However, in highly Zn-contaminated soil, we found evidence of a threshold concentration above which Zn uptake increases drastically. Finally, absence of main characteristics of serpentine soil at one site indicated the importance of soil survey and restoration to maintain serpentinophytes communities and avoid soil encroachment.

Rock-type control of Ni, Cr, and Co phytoavailability in ultramafic soils

“…Most of the species is characterized by the TF for Ni, Cr, and Co lower than 1 suggesting strategy for exclusion in Polish ultramafic vegetation. It was reported also for plants from Spain, USA, and Taiwan (Oze et al 2008;Lago-Vila et al 2015;Gonneau et al 2017;Hseu and Lai 2017). The exclusion can be explain by sequestration of metals in the vacuoles of roots or binding to the exchange sites of cell walls in xylem (Seregin and Kozhevnikova 2006;Yusuf et al 2011).…”

“…Whittaker 1954;Main 1974;Main 1981;Galey et al 2017;Gonneau et al 2017;Van der Ent et al 2017;Van der Ent et al 2018). Although knowledge about relationships between metals with other elements or factors in plants is broad, it is still difficult to final identify the causes of differences in Ni, Cr, and Co content in plants from Polish ultramafic soils.…”

Framework for assessment and phytoremediation of asbestos-contaminated sites

“…We collected soil with asbestos containing materials from two locations at BoRit: from what had been a reservoir before the removal of water and along the banks of a stream. We collected bulk soil and rock also from two locations at Nottingham: a grassland area with native C 4 grasses as the main constituents of the plant community (Gonneau et al 2017), and at the waste pile of a former chromite mine. Soil samples were collected in zip-lock plastic bags, and a well-mixed portion of soil was stored at 4°C for mineralogical studies whereas another portion was air-dried for 48 h. The latter was used to characterize soil elemental content and for performing an ecotoxicology test…”