Natural variation in cadmium tolerance and its relationship to metal hyperaccumulation for seven populations of Thlaspi caerulescens from western Europe

Thlaspi caerulescens J. & C. Presl is a distinctive metallophyte of central and western Europe that almost invariably hyperaccumulates Zn to> 1.0% of shoot dry biomass in its natural habitats, and can hyperaccumulate Ni to> 0.1% when growing on serpentine soils. Populations from the Ganges region of southern France also have a remarkable ability to accumulate Cd in their shoots to concentrations well in excess of 0.01% without apparent toxicity symptoms. Because hyperaccumulation of Cd appears to be highly variable in this species, the relationship between Cd tolerance and metal accumulation was investigated for seven contrasting populations of T. caerulescens grown under controlled conditions in solution culture. The populations varied considerably in average plant biomass (3.1‐fold), shoot : root ratio (2.2‐fold), Cd hyperaccumulation (3.5‐fold), shoot : root Cd‐concentration ratio (3.1‐fold), and shoot Cd : Zn ratio (2.6‐fold), but the degree of hyperaccumulation of Cd and Zn were strongly correlated. Two populations from the Ganges region were distinct in exhibiting high degrees of both Cd tolerance and hyperaccumulation (one requiring 3 µM Cd for optimal growth), whereas across the other five populations there was an inverse relationship between Cd tolerance and hyperaccumulation, as has been noted previously for Zn. Metal hyperaccumulation was negatively correlated with shoot : root ratio, which could account quantitatively for the differences between populations in shoot Zn (but not Cd) concentrations. On exposure to 30 µM Cd, the two Ganges populations showed marked reductions in shoot Zn and Fe concentrations, although Cd accumulation was not inhibited by elevated Zn; in the other five populations, 30 µM Cd had little or no effect on Zn or Fe accumulation but markedly reduced shoot Ca concentration. These results support a proposal that Cd is taken up predominantly via a high‐affinity uptake system for Fe in the Ganges populations, but via a lower‐affinity pathway for Ca in other populations. Total shoot Cd accumulated per plant was much more closely related to population Cd tolerance than Cd hyperaccumulation, indicating that metal tolerance may be the more important selection criterion in developing lines with greatest phytoremediation potential.     

Cd胁迫下苎麻的生长响应与富集、转运特征研究

通过盆栽试验,分析了苎麻湘苎三号在Cd胁迫下生长响应及其富集、耐性和迁移特征.结果表明,低浓度Cd处理(≤100mgmg·kg^-1)能促进苎麻生长发育,株高、茎粗、有效分蘖数和生物量都有所增加,以50mg·kg^-1胁迫处理最佳;此后则随处理浓度增加抑制效应越明显,到500mg·kg^-1时,各营养生长指标较对照显著减少,但仍生长较好,表明苎麻对重金属Cd胁迫具有很强的耐性.地下部与地上部Cd含量随处理浓度提高而增加,至500 mg.k g-1浓度时达最高值,分别为221.95mg.kg-1和390.61mg·kg^-1.苎麻Cd富集系数和转运系数分别为0.47～1.10和0.57～0.94.因此,苎麻不属于Cd超富集植物,而只是Cd富集植物,鉴于其具有根系发达、保水固土能力强和地上部生物量大等特点,苎麻是目前重金属Cd污染修复较理想的植物.     

Effects of glyphosate on interspecific competition between Solidago canadensis and Imperata cylindrica

Aims The extensive use of herbicide to control invasive plants would change the relationship between alien and neighboring plants. In order to provide data for rational use of herbicide and a theoretical reference for further studies on the ecological effects of glyphosate, we explored the variation of the relationship between an invasive plant Solidago canadensis and a native plant Imperata cylindrica when they were sprayed glyphosate.
Methods A replacement series experiment was conducted from June to August 2016 in Wetland Ecosystem Research Station of Hangzhou Bay, State Forestry Administration, to examine the effects of glyphosate at seven concentration levels (0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2, 1.5, 1.8 mL·L^-1) on the growth and interspecific competition of S. canadensis and I. cylindrica.
Important findings (1) Glyphosate treatment significantly inhibited the growth of S. canadensis and I. cylindrica (p < 0.05). During the test, cumulative growth of height and leaf number of S. canadensis were apparently reduced with the increase of glyphosate concentration, but the leaf number of S. canadensis treated with 0.3- 1.5 mL·L^-1 glyphosate was re-growing with time, while the one treated with 1.8 mL·L^-1 was mostly dead. The withering rate of tiller and green leaf of I. cylindrica also significantly increased with the increase of glyphosate concentration, and the growth indices of this plant treated with 0.3-0.6 mL·L^-1 were also re-growing with time. (2) Glyphosate treatment significantly affected interspecific competition (p < 0.05), which diminished as the glyphosate concentration increased. (3) Interspecific competition has significant influence on the biomass allocation of S. canadensis (p < 0.05). When facing competition, S. canadensis would allocate more organic matter to root and thus increase the ratio of root to shoot. Competition only inhibited the tiller number and total biomass of I. cylindrica, but insignificantly affected its ratio of root to shoot. (4) The interaction between glyphosate treatment and S. canadensis-I. cylindrica interspecific relationship also significantly influenced the biomass of S. canadensis and I. cylindrica (p < 0.05), but insignificantly affected the root/shoot ratio of two plants. Different plants have different tolerance to glyphosate stress. Compared with native plant I. cylindrica, S. canadensis has stronger tolerance to glyphosate. Low-concentration glyphosate could decrease the competitive intensity between S. canadensis and I. cylindrica, which may disturb the structure and dynamics of plant communities.     

车桑子幼苗生物量分配与叶性状对氮磷浓度的响应差异

调整叶性状和生物量分配格局是植物适应环境变化的主要途径, 研究车桑子(Dodonaea viscosa)幼苗生物量分配与叶性状对氮磷浓度的响应对认识车桑子在氮磷浓度变化下的适应策略具有重要意义。该研究通过砂培法, 测定不同氮浓度(3、5、15、30 mmol·L^-1)与不同磷浓度(0.25、0.5、1、2 mmol·L^-1)下车桑子幼苗的生长、生物量分配、叶性状的响应特征及其相互关系。结果表明: 高浓度氮(30 mmol·L^-1)促进了车桑子幼苗生长、叶片氮含量和生物量积累, 其余氮添加条件(3、5、15 mmol·L^-1)下车桑子幼苗各性状无显著差异, 但相比高氮水平, 其生物量积累和叶片氮含量显著降低, 根冠比和氮利用效率显著增加。随着磷添加浓度的增加, 车桑子幼苗生物量显著增加, 低磷条件(0.25、0.5 mmol·L^-1)限制了车桑子幼苗生长和生物量积累, 其根冠比和磷利用效率均没有发生显著变化, 但比叶面积和叶/茎生物量比例显著增加, 叶干物质含量显著降低。氮处理下, 叶片氮含量与根冠比显著负相关; 磷处理下, 叶片氮含量与比叶面积显著正相关。同时, 氮处理下, 车桑子幼苗株高、基径、总生物量等生长性状均与根冠比显著负相关, 与叶片氮含量显著正相关, 表明根冠比和叶片氮含量的调整在车桑子适应氮限制中发挥重要作用; 而磷处理下, 株高、基径、总生物量与比叶面积显著负相关, 与叶干物质含量显著正相关, 表明叶片结构性状的调整在车桑子适应低磷环境中具有重要意义。该研究表明, 车桑子幼苗生物量分配和叶性状及性状间的权衡策略对氮、磷的响应具有明显差异性, 在今后的研究中, 应关注氮和磷对植物性状影响的差异性。     

Different responses of biomass allocation and leaf traits of Dodonaea viscosa to concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus

调整叶性状和生物量分配格局是植物适应环境变化的主要途径, 研究车桑子(Dodonaea viscosa)幼苗生物量分配与叶性状对氮磷浓度的响应对认识车桑子在氮磷浓度变化下的适应策略具有重要意义。该研究通过砂培法, 测定不同氮浓度(3、5、15、30 mmol·L^-1)与不同磷浓度(0.25、0.5、1、2 mmol·L^-1)下车桑子幼苗的生长、生物量分配、叶性状的响应特征及其相互关系。结果表明: 高浓度氮(30 mmol·L^-1)促进了车桑子幼苗生长、叶片氮含量和生物量积累, 其余氮添加条件(3、5、15 mmol·L^-1)下车桑子幼苗各性状无显著差异, 但相比高氮水平, 其生物量积累和叶片氮含量显著降低, 根冠比和氮利用效率显著增加。随着磷添加浓度的增加, 车桑子幼苗生物量显著增加, 低磷条件(0.25、0.5 mmol·L^-1)限制了车桑子幼苗生长和生物量积累, 其根冠比和磷利用效率均没有发生显著变化, 但比叶面积和叶/茎生物量比例显著增加, 叶干物质含量显著降低。氮处理下, 叶片氮含量与根冠比显著负相关; 磷处理下, 叶片氮含量与比叶面积显著正相关。同时, 氮处理下, 车桑子幼苗株高、基径、总生物量等生长性状均与根冠比显著负相关, 与叶片氮含量显著正相关, 表明根冠比和叶片氮含量的调整在车桑子适应氮限制中发挥重要作用; 而磷处理下, 株高、基径、总生物量与比叶面积显著负相关, 与叶干物质含量显著正相关, 表明叶片结构性状的调整在车桑子适应低磷环境中具有重要意义。该研究表明, 车桑子幼苗生物量分配和叶性状及性状间的权衡策略对氮、磷的响应具有明显差异性, 在今后的研究中, 应关注氮和磷对植物性状影响的差异性。     

不同镉水平下大麦幼苗生长和镉及养分吸收的品种间差异

利用水培试验研究了不同Cd水平下大麦幼苗的Cd和几种矿质元素吸收、积累、生长和生物学产量的品种间差异 .结果表明 ,1μmol·L-1Cd处理显著降低麦苗株高、绿叶数、叶绿素计读数、地上部和根系干重 ,显著抑制植株对Zn、Mn、Cu的吸收和累积 ;品种之间存在着显著差异 ,无芒六棱受抑制最为严重 ,米麦 114和浙农 1号表现出相对较强的抗性 .麦苗Cd含量和累积量品种之间也有显著差异 ,浙农 1号的Cd含量最高 ,米麦 114最低 .相关分析表明 ,麦苗生物学产量与地上部Cd含量、累积量及根系Cd含量呈显著负相关 ,其中与地上部Cd含量的相关性最强 ,与根系Cd累积量无显著相关 .     

丛枝菌根真菌促进湿地植物对污染水体中镉的吸收

丛枝菌根真菌(AMF)具有促进植物生长、增强植物耐重金属毒害及修复重金属污染生境的作用.本试验于模拟湿地系统中设0、5、10和20 mg·L^-1镉浓度,对芦苇和狼尾草分别进行接种和不接种摩西斗管囊霉(Fm)、根内根孢囊霉(Ri)处理.结果表明: 镉污染降低了AMF侵染;接种AMF提高了芦苇和狼尾草的株高、干质量、叶绿素含量、地上部与根内的氮和镉含量,增强了根系对镉的富集能力,降低了镉转移系数.在5 mg·L^-1镉处理下,接种Fm的芦苇处理的各项指标均高于其他处理,其AMF侵染率为60.6%,每毫米根长的侵入点和泡囊数分别为2.3和3.7;与不接种对照相比,接种Fm的芦苇地上部与根系干质量分别提高69.1%和75.0%,地上部与根系氮含量分别提高38.7%和27.8%,叶绿素含量和株高分别增加3.8%和11.1%.湿地系统镉浓度与植株地上部和根内的镉含量呈显著正相关.在20 mg·L^-1镉处理下,接种Fm的芦苇地上部和根内镉含量达到最大值182.4和663.3 mg·kg^-1,镉转移系数最低,为0.27,而富集系数最高,为0.55.Fm+芦苇是本试验条件下吸收富集污染水体中镉的最佳组合.     

Antioxidative defense and proline/phytochelatin accumulation in a newly discovered Cd-hyperaccumulator, Solanum nigrum L.

Changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), chlorophyll, free proline and phytochelatins (PCs) in Solanum nigrum, the newly discovered Cd-hyperaccumulator were examined and compared with a non-hyperaccumulator Solanum melongena. It was indicated that leaf SOD and POD activity of S. nigrum was significantly higher than that of S. melongena. The Cd treatments significantly increased root SOD activity, leaf POD activity, and CAT activity and free proline content in the leaves and roots of S. nigrum. On the contrary, the Cd treatments decreased SOD activity, and did not change CAT activity in the leaves and roots of S. melongena. Moreover, there were no significant differences in free proline levels in the roots of S. melongena. These results validated that S. nigrum had a greater capacity than S. melongena to adapt to oxidative stress caused by Cd and free proline accumulation might be responsible for the tolerance of S. nigrum to Cd. Treated with 10 μg Cd g⁻¹, growth of S. nigrum and its contents of chlorophyll and MDA were basically unaffected. In contrast, there were a decrease in the growth and chlorophyll content, and an increase in MDA in the roots of S. melongena. Although lipid peroxidation was promoted in both the hyperaccumulator and non-hyperaccumulator by high Cd stress, the greater increase took place in the tissues of S. melongena. The PCs level in roots of S. nigrum was significantly lower than that of S. melongena. On the contrary, the content of leaf PCs was much higher in S. nigrum than that in S. melongena. These results further suggested that antioxidative defense in the Cd-hyperaccumulator might play an important role in Cd tolerance, and PCs synthesis is not the primary reason for Cd tolerance although PCs in S. nigrum increased significantly by Cd.     

Accumulation of zinc, cadmium, and lead in four populations of Sedum alfredii growing on lead/zinc mine spoils

Sedum alfredii Hance is a newly reported zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator native to China. In this study,four populations of S. alfredii were collected from Yejiwei (YJW), Jinchuantang (JCT) and Qiaokou (QK) lead (Pb)/Zn mines located in Hunan Province as well as Quzhou (QZ) Pb/Zn mine located in Zhejiang Province for exploring the intraspecies difference of this plant in metal accumulation. Although they grew in the Pb/Zn spoils with relatively similar levels of Zn,Cd and Pb, remarkable differences among the four populations in tissue heavy metal concentrations were observed. The shoot Zn concentration of QZ population (11 116 mg/kg) was highest and nearly five times higher than that of the JCT population (1930 mg/kg). Furthermore, the shoot Cd concentration observed in the QZ population (1 090 mg/kg) was also highest and 144 times higher than that found in the JCT population (7.5 mg/kg). As for Pb concentrations In the shoot of different populations, a fourfold difference between the highest and the lowest was also found. Such difference on metal accumulation was opulation-specific and may be significantly explained by differences in the soil properties such as pH, organic matter (OM), and electrical conductivity (EC). Taking biomass and metal concentration in plants into consideration, the QZ, YJW and QK populations may have high potential for Zn phytoremediation, the QZ population may have the highest potential in Cd phytoremediation, and the QK population may be the most useful in Pb phytoremediation.     

青藏高原20种灌木抗旱形态和生理特征

该研究以青藏高原地区采集的柠条锦鸡儿(Caragana korshinskii)等20种灌木树种为研究对象, 将其二年生幼苗移栽至苗圃培育, 通过田间试验测定三年生苗木生物量根冠比(RSR)、叶片蒸腾速率(T_r)、瞬时水分利用效率(WUE_i)、稳定碳同位素组成(δ¹³C)、叶片解剖结构特征和根系特征(长度、表面积、体积和根尖数)指标, 综合分析其抗旱性能差异, 为青藏高原干旱地区灌木树种抗逆性(耐旱)评价指标的建立、优良抗逆性树种的筛选及各种灌木树种的合理立地配置提供必要的理论依据。研究结果表明: 所选20种灌木为适应长期的干旱逆境, 不同植物种具有不同的抗旱策略。研究中将灌木抗旱机制划分为6个类型: 根系特征抗旱型、叶片旱生结构型、叶片旱生形态型、生物量分配型、节水型、高水分利用效率型。不同属和同属不同种灌木抗旱性有所差异, 沙棘属(Hippophae)植物总体抗旱性不佳, 而金露梅(Potentilla fruticosa)、豪猪刺(Berberis julianae)、树锦鸡儿(Caragana arborescens)、绣线菊(Spiraea salicifolia)和蒙古沙棘(Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. mongolica)综合抗旱性能较好, 总体上属于根系和叶片抗旱特征明显、低耗水、高生产效率的抗旱性强树种, 可以在青藏高原地区植被恢复树种筛选时优先考虑。根系特征值之间存在极显著正相关关系, 叶片结构特征指标之间也存在不同程度的相关关系, 但RSR、T_r、WUE_i和δ¹³C与根系特征值和叶片解剖结构特征指标之间总体上相关性不显著。主成分分析结果显示灌木全根和细根的长度、表面积、体积、根尖数和叶片栅栏组织厚度、海绵组织厚度、瞬时水分利用效率因子载荷较高, 能较好地反映青藏高原灌木树种抗旱性差异相关信息。此外, 灌木树种原产地与抗旱性也存在一定的联系, 青海西宁地区采集的灌木树种总体抗旱性优于甘肃天水和西藏拉萨地区。     

Growth and mineral element composition in two ecotypes of Thlaspi caerulescens on Cd contaminated soil

The heavy metal hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens occurs both on heavy metal polluted soils (metallicolous ecotype MET) and on soils with normal heavy metal content (non-metallicolous ecotype: NMET). In order to assess the extent and structure of variation in growth, shoot accumulation of Cd, Zn and mineral element (Ca, Mg, K, Fe), a MET ecotype from Belgium and a NMET ecotype from Luxembourg were studied. Seven maternal families from two populations of each ecotype were grown on both Cd and Zn contaminated soil. Although both ecotypes presented a similar heavy metal tolerance in the experimental conditions tested, they differed in several points. The MET populations had markedly higher biomass and higher root:shoot ratio compared to NMET populations. The Zn, and at lesser extent, the Cd hyperaccumulation capacity tended to be higher in the NMET populations. The same trend was observed for the foliar concentrations of Mg, Ca and Fe with NMET populations having higher concentrations compared to MET ones. Cd and Zn concentrations were negatively correlated with the biomass of both ecotype. However, the negative correlation between the Zn and biomass was much lower in MET ecotype suggesting a tighter control of internal Zn concentration in this ecotype. Finally, although the Cd phytoextraction capacity was similar in both ecotype, a higher Zn phytoextraction capacity was detected in NMET ecotype when these plants grow on moderate Cd and Zn concentrations.     

Variation in selenium tolerance and accumulation among 19 Arabidopsis thaliana accessions

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for many organisms but also toxic at higher levels. The objective of this study was to identify accessions from the model species Arabidopsis thaliana that differ in Se tolerance and accumulation. Nineteen Arabidopsis accessions were grown from seed on agar medium with or without selenate (50 microM) or selenite (20 microM), followed by analysis of Se tolerance and accumulation. Tissue sulfur levels were also compared. The Se Tolerance Index (root length+Se/root length control) varied among the accessions from 0.11 to 0.44 for selenite and from 0.05 to 0.24 for selenate. When treated with selenite, the accessions differed by two-fold in shoot Se concentration (up to 250 mgkg(-1)) and three-fold in root Se concentration (up to 1000 mgkg(-1)). Selenium accumulation from selenate varied 1.7-fold in shoot (up to 1000 mgkg(-1)) and two-fold in root (up to 650 mgkg(-1)). Across all accessions, a strong correlation was observed between Se and S concentration in both shoot and root under selenate treatment, and in roots of selenite-treated plants. Shoot Se accumulation from selenate and selenite were also correlated. There was no correlation between Se tolerance and accumulation, either for selenate or selenite. The F(1) offspring from a cross between the extreme selenate-sensitive Dijon G and the extreme selenate-tolerant Estland accessions showed intermediate selenate tolerance. In contrast, the F(1) offspring from a cross between selenite-sensitive and -tolerant accessions (Dijon GxCol-PRL) were selenite tolerant. The results from this study give new insight into the mechanisms of plant selenium (Se) tolerance and accumulation, which may help develop better plants for selenium phytoremediation or as fortified foods.     

Morphological traits and physiological characteristics in drought tolerance in 20 shrub species on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

Aims Providing indispensably theoretical evidence for establishing indices of evaluation on drought tolerance in shrubs, and screening for tree species that are drought tolerant for afforestation in arid regions or for matching their characteristics with suitable habitat conditions are the key to vegetation restoration in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. However, these issues are not adequately addressed in recent research due to lack of systematic methods. Therefore, our objective was to make a comprehensive evaluation on drought tolerance in 20 shrub species collected from different areas in Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, and to study their underlying mechanisms in drought tolerance.
Methods We made measurements on variables depicting root characteristics, including the root length (TRL), surface area (TRSA), volume (TRV), and tips number (TRTN) of all roots, the root length (FRL), surface area (FRSA), volume (FRV), and tips number (FRTN) of fine roots (d≤2 mm), and derived plant characteristic indices including thickness of cuticle (CT), thickness of palisade tissue (TPT), thickness of spongy tissue (TST), TPT/TST, thickness of leaf (LT), palisable tissue cell density, and tissue structural tense ratio (CTR = TPT/LT × 100%) and spongy tissue loosened ratio (SR = TST/LT × 100%) of leaf anatomical structure, root to shoot ratio (RSR), leaf transpiration rate (T_r), instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE_i), and carbon isotopic composition (δ¹³C) of the 20 shrub species through field experiments. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis were performed on the 19 variables and indices.
Important findings Different shrubs had different mechanisms of drought tolerance. In this study, the character- istics of drought tolerance were mainly categorized into 6 types, involving modifications of (1) root systems, (2) leaf anatomical structure, (3) leaf pattern, and (4) biomass allocation, or via (5) low water-consumption and (6) high WUE_i. Different genera or different tree species within the same genus clearly differed in drought tolerance. The species of the genus Hippophae were relatively poorly tolerant to drought, whereas several shrubs including Potentilla fruticosa, Berberis julianae, Caragana arborescens, Spiraea salicifolia and Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. mongolica occurred to be more drought tolerant than other shrub species investigated in this study. On the other hand, there were highly significant correlations among the characteristics of root systems and among characteristics of leaf anatomical structure. The results of principal component analysis on 19 variables and indices showed that TRL, TRSA, TRV, TRTN, FRL, FRSA, FRV, FRTN, CT, TPT, TST and WUE_i could be effective indicators of drought tolerance of shrubs in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. In addition, the drought tolerance of shrubs had a close connection with their origin of collections; the shrubs collected from Xining prefecture in Qinghai Province were more drought tolerant than those from Tianshui Prefecture in Gansu and Lasa Prefecture in Xizang.     

Phenotypic plasticity and genetic differentiation of quantitative traits in genotypes of Leymus chinensis

Aims Adaptation mechanisms of plants to environment can be classified as genetic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity (environmental modification). The strategy and mechanism of plant adaptation is a hot topic in the field of evolutionary ecology. Leymus chinensis is one of constructive species in the Nei Mongol grassland. Particularly, Leymus chinensis is a rhizomatous and clonally reproductive grass, a genotype that can play an important role in the community. In this study, we aimed to (1) investigate the phenotypic plasticity of L. chinensis under different conditions, and (2) test the genetic differentiation and reaction norms (the relationship between the environment and the phenotype of an individual or a group of individuals) under four environmental conditions among different genotypes of L. chinensis. Methods Ten genotypes of L. chinensis were randomly selected. Under the control condition, we studied the effects of genotype, defoliation, drought and their interactions on 11 quantitative traits of growth (8 traits including photochemical efficiency of photosystem II, maximum net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, specific leaf area, relative growth rate, the number of tillers increased, aboveground and underground biomass growth), defense (total phenol concentration of leaf) and tolerance (non-structural carbohydrate content of root, root/shoot ratio) of L. chinensis. We studied the phenotypic plasticity, genetic differentiation and reaction norms mainly through tested the effect of environment and genotype on these traits. Important findings First, all 11 traits showed obvious phenotypic plasticity (i.e., significant effect of drought, defoliation and their interactions). The expression of 10 genotypes of L. chinensis was divergent under different environmental conditions. Interactions of genotype and environment significantly affected the maximum net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, specific leaf area, relative growth rate, total phenolic concentration of leaf, and total non-structural carbohydrate content of root. This indicated that the phenotypic plasticity of these five traits exhibited genetic differentiation. Second, the increase of number of tillers, belowground biomass and non-structural carbohydrate content of root did not show genetic differentiation under the same condition. The other eight traits showed significantly genetic differentiation, and the heritabilities (H²) of six traits related to growth were higher than 0.5. The leaf total phenol concentration and root/shoot ratio showed genetically differentiation only under the drought and defoliation condition, with the heritabilities being 0.145 and 0.201, respectively. These results explained why L. chinensis widely distributed in the Nei Mongol grassland, and provided genetic and environmental basis for related application and species conservation in this grassland ecosystem.     

Nickel and copper tolerance and toxicity in three Tuscan populations of Silene paradoxa

Three Tuscan ecotypes of Silene paradoxa L. were studied to evaluate the occurrence of multiple tolerance or co-tolerance mechanisms and to underline some tolerance strategies in plants naturally adapted to toxic concentrations of heavy metals. Seeds were collected from non-toxic calcareous soil, a serpentine outcrop with high nickel content and a copper mine dump. The evaluation of the toxic effects of the metals on root growth showed the copper-tolerant population as nickel co-tolerant, whereas the opposite was not the case. This suggests the occurrence of a non-reciprocal co-tolerance mechanism.
The nickel-tolerant population seemed able to tolerate nickel by limiting its inhibiting effect on the peroxisomal H₂O₂ scavenging enzymes since, in the sensitive population, this inhibition revealed itself as one of the causes of nickel-induced oxidative stress. A very low copper root and shoot concentration seemed to be characteristic of the copper-tolerant population, combined with a low susceptibility to metal-induced oxidative stress.     

Solubility of zinc and interactions between zinc and phosphorus in the hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens

The relationship between Zn and P in the Zn hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens J. & C. Presl was investigated using hydroponic culture. Total concentrations of Zn in the shoots increased from 0·2 to 27 g kg^–1 dry mass when solution Zn increased from 1 to 1000 mmol m^–3. Water-soluble Zn accounted for > 80% of the total Zn in the shoots containing > 5 g Zn kg^–1 dry mass. Total P was maintained at about 3 g kg^–1 dry mass in the shoots containing < 20 g Zn kg^–1 dry mass, but significantly decreased with higher Zn concentrations. Linear regression between insoluble P and insoluble Zn in the shoots produced a small slope, suggesting that co-precipitation of Zn and P was not an important detoxification mechanism in the shoots. In contrast, there was a strong correlation between insoluble P and insoluble Zn in the roots, with a linear slope of 0·3 — close to the P:Zn ratio in Zn₃(PO₄)₂. Foliar sprays of phosphate did not affect shoot dry mass significantly, but decreased root length and root dry mass significantly at Zn concentrations in solution from 10 to 3000 mmol m^–3. Foliar P was translocated to roots to enhance co-precipitation of Zn and P, although this did not enhance Zn tolerance. The results suggest that T.caerulescens possesses mechanisms which allow it to accumulate and sequester huge amounts of Zn in the shoots without causing P deficiency.     

Plant Cd2+ and Zn2+ status effects on root and shoot heavy metal accumulation in Thlaspi caerulescens

* In this study we address the impact of changes in plant heavy metal, (i.e. zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd)) status on metal accumulation in the Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator, Thlaspi caerulescens. * Thlaspi caerulescens plants were grown hydroponically on both high and low Zn and Cd regimes and whole-shoot and -root metal accumulation, and root (109)Cd(2+) influx were determined. * High-Zn-grown (500 microm Zn) plants were found to be more Cd-tolerant than plants grown in standard Zn conditions (1 microm Zn). Furthermore, shoot Cd accumulation was significantly greater in the high-Zn-grown plants. A positive correlation was also found between shoot Zn accumulation and increased plant Cd status. Radiotracer (109)Cd root flux experiments demonstrated that high-Zn-grown plants maintained significantly higher root Cd(2+) influx than plants grown on 1 microm Zn. It was also found that both nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu) shoot accumulation were stimulated by high plant Zn status, while manganese (Mn) accumulation was not affected. * A speculative model is presented to explain these findings, suggesting that xylem loading may be one of the key sites responsible for the hyperaccumulation of Zn and Cd accumulation in Thlaspi caerulescens.     

Trade-off between cadmium tolerance and relative growth rate in 10 grass species

Plant species exhibit great differences in heavy metal accumulation and tolerance. In this study we compared interspecific differences in responses to Cadmium (Cd) stress among 10 C₃ grass species by growing hydroponically under the conditions of different Cd treatments (0, 5, 10 and 50 μM). Responses of plant shoot dry mass to Cd treatments (resistance) were separated into avoidance (the response of shoot Cd concentration to Cd treatments) and tolerance (the response of shoot dry mass to shoot Cd concentration). The relative growth rate (RGR) and leaf structural properties of plants were measured under optimum growth condition. There were large differences in resistance, avoidance and tolerance among the species. Avoidance and tolerance were attributed independently to total Cd resistance. Resistance and tolerance were correlated negatively with RGR, leaf water content (LW), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf elongation rate (LER), and leaf length (LL), but the leaf dry matter concentration (LMDC), and nuclear DNA content showed a positive correlation with resistance and tolerance. These results indicate a trade-off between growth rate and tolerance to Cd stress. Species with higher Ca/Mg ratios showed low avoidance (r = −0.943***), suggesting uptake inhibition by Ca²⁺ to develop avoidance against Cd stress.     

Roles of root and shoot tissues in transport and accumulation of cadmium, lead, nickel, and strontium

The review considers the roles of root and shoot tissues in transport and accumulation of heavy metals in plants of two contrast groups, i.e., excluders and hyperaccumulators. The regularities in distribution of cadmium, lead, nickel, and strontium are summarized. Effects of other cations, calcium in particular, on accumulation and distribution of heavy metals are analyzed. Specific patterns of metal distribution in hyperaccumulator plants are discussed together with morphological and functional features underlying the ability of plants to accumulate heavy metals in the aboveground organs. Based on the data available, the root and shoot tissues are classified according to their roles in transport and distribution of the metals examined.