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Seasonal fluctuations of selenium and sulfur accumulation in selenium hyperaccumulators and related nonaccumulators
Author(s) -
Galeas Miriam L.,
Zhang Li Hong,
Freeman John L.,
Wegner Mellissa,
PilonSmits Elizabeth A. H.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2006.01943.x
Subject(s) - hyperaccumulator , selenium , biology , botany , dry weight , growing season , plant physiology , phytoremediation , chemistry , ecology , organic chemistry , contamination
Summary• Some plants hyperaccumulate selenium (Se) up to 1% of dry weight. This study was performed to obtain insight into whole‐plant Se fluxes in hyperaccumulators. • Selenium hyperaccumulators Astragalus bisulcatus and Stanleya pinnata were monitored over two growing seasons for seasonal fluctuations in concentrations of Se and the chemically similar element sulfur (S). The related nonhyperaccumulators Astragalus sericoleucus , Oxytropis sericea and Thlaspi montanum were included for comparison. • In both hyperaccumulators leaf Se decreased from April to October, coinciding with Se hyperaccumulation in flowers and seeds. Root Se levels were lowest in summer. Selenium concentration decreased with leaf age in both hyperaccumulators. Leaf S levels peaked in summer in all plant species, as did Se levels in nonhyperaccumulators. Selenium and S levels tended to be negatively correlated in hyperaccumulators, and positively correlated in nonhyperaccumulators. • These results suggest a specific flow of Se in hyperaccumulator plants over the growing season, from root to young leaves in spring, followed by remobilization from aging leaves to reproductive tissues in summer, and back to roots in the autumn.