Aluminum accumulation in nineteen Melastomataceae species from three contrasting plant formations in acid soils

Abstract

AbstractThis study describes the aluminum (Al) accumulation in relation to macronutrient and micronutrient elements in 19 Melastomataceae species in the Guayana Region in Venezuela. The purpose was to investigate the Al accumulation in four tribes and different life forms. Aluminum accumulation was predicted in the basal tribes Miconieae and Merianieae in contrast to the derived tribes and herbs from any tribe, which generally do not accumulate Al. The survey was done in a vegetation continuum, which includes a savanna shrubland, a palm‐swamp community, and an evergreen forest in the Guayana region in southeastern Venezuela. The highest value of soil Al concentration was found in the savanna shrubland, where ten lignified Miconiae and one Merianeae Al accumulators were present. At the forest, the site with highest soil acidity, four Al‐accumulator tree species from Miconiae were found. Miconia lepidota showed similar Al foliar concentrations in the savanna shrubland and forest, but foliar Ca was lower in the forest, even though it was the site with highest Ca in the soil. At the palm‐swamp community, the Melastomeae shrub Macairea pachyphylla was found with an Al concentration of 0.59 g kg–1 in leaves and 0.16 g kg–1 in bark. At the same site, Al accumulation occurred in one Microlicieae species, one Miconieae species, and in the Melastomeae herbs Pterogastra divaricata (13.25 g [kg dry mass]–1) and Pterolepis trichotoma (17.83 g kg–1). The report of Al hyperaccumulation in P. trichotoma is new for the genus, and Al accumulation in herbs is considered exceptional. The foliar Al concentration was positively correlated (p < 0.005) with Fe (r = 0.64, n = 20) and Zn (r = 0.63). The analysis of the relationships between soil Al, Fe, or Zn and the concentrations of these elements in leaves revealed they were not significantly correlated. The results indicate Al hyperaccumulation in two herbaceous Melastoamataceae species and suggest Al accumulation in this life form deserves future research. However, they also confirm the highest number of Al accumulators in lignified species of the ancient tribe Miconiae (14 out of 19 species studied).