Abstract
Metalliferous soils can selectively shape plant species’ physiology towards tolerance of high metal concentrations that are usually toxic to organisms. Some adapted plant species tolerate and accumulate metal in their tissues. These metals can serve as an elemental defence but can also decrease growth. Our investigation explored the capacity of natural metal accumulation in a tropical tree species, Eremanthus erythropappus (Asteraceae) and the effects of such bioaccumulation on plant responses to herbivory. Seedlings of E. erythropappus were grown in a glasshouse on soils that represented a metal concentration gradient (Al, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn), and then the exposed plants were fed to the herbivores in a natural habitat. The effect of herbivory on plant growth was significantly mediated by foliar metal ion concentrations. The results suggest that herbivory effects on these plants change from negative to positive depending on soil metal concentration. Hence, these results provide quantitative evidence for a previously unsuspected interaction between herbivory and metal bioaccumulation on plant growth.
Highlights
Metalliferous soils can selectively shape plant species’ physiology towards tolerance of high metal concentrations that are usually toxic to organisms
E. erythropappus were grown in soils with different metal concentrations (Al, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) to test the hypothesis that bioaccumulation of metals in E. erythropappus represents a trade-off between two conflicting effects of metals: (i) their impairment of plant growth and (ii) their deterrence of herbivory
Candeia trees accumulated metal ions in their leaves in concentrations smaller than the values found in typical hyperaccumulator o rganisms[9], despite growing in soils rich in metals
Summary
Metalliferous soils can selectively shape plant species’ physiology towards tolerance of high metal concentrations that are usually toxic to organisms. E. erythropappus were grown in soils with different metal concentrations (Al, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) to test the hypothesis that bioaccumulation of metals in E. erythropappus represents a trade-off between two conflicting effects of metals: (i) their impairment of plant growth and (ii) their deterrence of herbivory.
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