Soil copper levels and the distribution and growth of Pteris melanocaulon Fee [Philippines]
1986
Borja, M.L.V.T. (Philippines Univ., Diliman, Quezon City (Philippines). Dept. of Botany)
The distribution and growth of the fern, Pteris melanocaulon Fee, were studied in terms of soil copper levels. The plant does not thrive in mining areas of the Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation in Cebu [Philippines] where soil copper levels were below 300 ppm. Plant density or degree of clumping as well as the copper content of plant ash directly correlated with soil copper concentration. Since the amount of copper in plant ash were much higher than those in the rhizosphere, plant tissues apparently accumulate the heavy metal for normal development. In plants subjected to varying levels of soil copper, frond formation correlated directly with soil copper concentration. These observations strongly indicate that this heavy metal is an essential macro-nutrient in this species.
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