Tolerance and accumulation of copper in the salt-marsh shrub Halimione portulacoides

Cambrollé, J.; Mancilla-Leytón, J.M.; Muñoz-Vallés, S.; Luque, T.; Figueroa, M.E.

Tolerance and accumulation of copper in the salt-marsh shrub Halimione portulacoides

2012

Cambrollé, J. | Mancilla-Leytón, J.M. | Muñoz-Vallés, S. | Luque, T. | Figueroa, M.E.

The present study evaluated the tolerance and accumulation potential in the salt-marsh shrub Halimione portulacoides under moderate and high external Cu levels. A greenhouse experiment was conducted in order to investigate the effects of a range of external Cu concentrations (0 to 60mmoll⁻¹) on growth and photosynthetic performance by measuring gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and photosynthetic pigments. We also determined total copper, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur concentrations in the plant tissues. H. portulacoides survived with external Cu concentrations of up to 35mmolCul⁻¹, although the excess of metal resulted in a biomass reduction of 48%. The effects of Cu on growth were linked to a drastic reduction in net photosynthesis. However, H. portulacoides tolerated Cu levels of up to 15mmolCul⁻¹ without suffering adverse physiological effects. Our results indicate that this species could play an important role in the restoration of Cu-contaminated soils.

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