Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Leavitt, S.W
• Dueser, R.D
• Goodell, H.G

Titel

Plant regulation of essential and non-essential heavy metals

Ist Teil von

• The Journal of applied ecology, 1979-04, Vol.16 (1), p.203-212

Ort / Verlag

Oxford [Eng.]: Blackwell Science Publications

Erscheinungsjahr

1979

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• (1) Vegetation and soils were sampled along two traverses near Mineral, Virginia (U.S.A.), and analysed for concentrations of Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd and Pb. The concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in plants were lowest in leaves; concentrations of Cd and Pb increased with age of twigs. Quercus alba L. and the hybridized Quercus rubra L./falcata Michx./velutina L. group contained the highest Cd and lowest Pb concentrations, whereas Cornus florida L. contained the lowest Cd and highest Pb. (2) Evidence of selective uptake of Cu, relative to Ag, occurred in Q. alba, since Cu/Ag ratios in twigs were the inverse of those in soils, since the Cu/Ag ratios were greater in twigs than in soils, and since Cu and Ag concentrations were not correlated within the twigs. On the other hand, there was evidence of non-selectivity of Cd, compared with Zn, in both Q. alba and Q. rubra/falcata/velutina, since Zn and Cd concentrations were correlated within several organs and between different organs. Other species studied showed greater selectivity in their uptake and distribution of Cd compared with Zn. (3) On the basis of the graphical method of Timperley et al. (1970), Cu and Zn were defined as essential, while Pb and Ag were non-essential. Cd appeared to be essential, but this was probably due to non-selective uptake of Cd. The limitations of the method are briefly discussed.