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Ofoe R, Thomas RH, Asiedu SK, Wang-Pruski G, Fofana B, Abbey L. Aluminum in plant: Benefits, toxicity and tolerance mechanisms. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1085998. [PMID: 36714730 PMCID: PMC9880555 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1085998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Aluminum (Al) is the third most ubiquitous metal in the earth's crust. A decrease in soil pH below 5 increases its solubility and availability. However, its impact on plants depends largely on concentration, exposure time, plant species, developmental age, and growing conditions. Although Al can be beneficial to plants by stimulating growth and mitigating biotic and abiotic stresses, it remains unknown how Al mediates these effects since its biological significance in cellular systems is still unidentified. Al is considered a major limiting factor restricting plant growth and productivity in acidic soils. It instigates a series of phytotoxic symptoms in several Al-sensitive crops with inhibition of root growth and restriction of water and nutrient uptake as the obvious symptoms. This review explores advances in Al benefits, toxicity and tolerance mechanisms employed by plants on acidic soils. These insights will provide directions and future prospects for potential crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Ofoe
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Bible Hill, NS, Canada
| | - Raymond H. Thomas
- School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Grenfell Campus, Corner Brook, NL, Canada
| | - Samuel K. Asiedu
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Bible Hill, NS, Canada
| | - Gefu Wang-Pruski
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Bible Hill, NS, Canada
| | - Bourlaye Fofana
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Bible Hill, NS, Canada
- Charlottetown Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
| | - Lord Abbey
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Bible Hill, NS, Canada
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Cross AT, Lambers H. Calcicole-calcifuge plant strategies limit restoration potential in a regional semi-arid flora. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:6941-6961. [PMID: 34141267 PMCID: PMC8207153 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To examine calcicole and calcifuge plant strategies, as well as nutrient-acquisition strategies, as drivers of the distribution of species in response to edaphic factors, and the degree to which these strategies may act as filters to species establishment in ecological restoration on heavily altered or reconstructed substrates. LOCATION An 82,000-ha area within a major mining province in the Mid-West region of Western Australia, harboring vegetation communities ranging from species-poor halophytic scrub on saline flats to dense biodiverse shrubland on the skeletal soils of ancient Banded Ironstone Formations (BIF). METHODS Univariate and multivariate analyses were employed to examine how variation in soil chemistry and landscape position (undulating plains, slopes, and BIF crests and ridges) influenced patterns of floristic diversity, calcifuge plant strategies, and nutrient-acquisition strategies in 538 plant species from 830 relevés. RESULTS Landscape position was the strongest driver of species richness and vegetation functional composition. Soils became increasingly acidic and P-impoverished along an increasing elevational gradient. Vegetation from different landscape positions was not compositionally dissimilar, but vegetation of BIF crests and ridges was up to twice as biodiverse as vegetation from adjacent lower-relief areas and harbored higher proportions of calcifuge species and species with mycorrhizal associations. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Topographic and edaphic complexity of BIF landforms in an otherwise relatively homogenous landscape has likely facilitated species accumulation over long time periods. They represent musea of regional floristic biodiversity, excluding only species that cannot establish or are inferior competitors in heavily weathered, acidic, skeletal, and nutrient-impoverished soils. Plant strategies likely represent a major filter in establishing biodiverse, representative vegetation on postmining landforms in geologically ancient regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam T. Cross
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWAAustralia
- EcoHealth NetworkBrooklineMAUSA
| | - Hans Lambers
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityBentleyWAAustralia
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWAAustralia
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Gao J, Wang F, Ranathunge K, Arruda AJ, Cawthray GR, Clode PL, He X, Leopold M, Roessner U, Rupasinghe T, Zhong H, Lambers H. Edaphic niche characterization of four Proteaceae reveals unique calcicole physiology linked to hyper-endemism of Grevillea thelemanniana. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 228:869-883. [PMID: 32726881 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Endemism and rarity have long intrigued scientists. We focused on a rare endemic and critically-endangered species in a global biodiversity hotspot, Grevillea thelemanniana (Proteaceae). We carried out plant and soil analyses of four Proteaceae, including G. thelemanniana, and combined these with glasshouse studies. The analyses related to hydrology and plant water relations as well as soil nutrient concentrations and plant nutrition, with an emphasis on sodium (Na) and calcium (Ca). The local hydrology and matching plant traits related to water relations partially accounted for the distribution of the four Proteaceae. What determined the rarity of G. thelemanniana, however, was its accumulation of Ca. Despite much higher total Ca concentrations in the leaves of the rare G. thelemanniana than in the common Proteaceae, very few Ca crystals were detected in epidermal or mesophyll cells. Instead of crystals, G. thelemanniana epidermal cell vacuoles contained exceptionally high concentrations of noncrystalline Ca. Calcium ameliorated the negative effects of Na on the very salt-sensitive G. thelemanniana. Most importantly, G. thelemanniana required high concentrations of Ca to balance a massively accumulated feeding-deterrent carboxylate, trans-aconitate. This is the first example of a calcicole species accumulating and using Ca to balance accumulation of an antimetabolite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Gao
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
- Environmental Resources and Soil Fertilizer Institute, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Feng Wang
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
- Environmental Resources and Soil Fertilizer Institute, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Kosala Ranathunge
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - André J Arruda
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Gregory R Cawthray
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Peta L Clode
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
- Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Xinhua He
- Center of Excellence for Soil Biology, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Matthias Leopold
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Ute Roessner
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Vic, 3010, Australia
| | - Thusitha Rupasinghe
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Vic, 3010, Australia
| | - Hongtao Zhong
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Hans Lambers
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
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Mahmud K, Burslem DFRP. Contrasting growth responses to aluminium addition among populations of the aluminium accumulator Melastoma malabathricum. AOB PLANTS 2020; 12:plaa049. [PMID: 33376588 PMCID: PMC7750992 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plaa049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Aluminium (Al) hyper-accumulation is a common trait expressed by tropical woody plants growing on acidic soils. Studies on Al accumulators have suggested that Al addition may enhance plant growth rates, but the functional significance of this trait and the mechanistic basis of the growth response are uncertain. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that differential growth responses to Al among populations of an Al accumulator species are associated with variation in biomass allocation and nutrient uptake. We conducted two experiments to test differential responses to the presence of Al in the growth medium for seedlings of the Al accumulator shrub Melastoma malabathricum collected from 18 populations across Peninsular Malaysia. Total dry mass and relative growth rate of dry mass were significantly greater for seedlings that had received Al in the growth medium than for control plants that did not receive Al, but growth declined in response to 5.0 mM Al addition. The increase in growth rate in response to Al addition was greater for a fast-growing than a slow-growing population. The increase in growth rate in response to Al addition occurred despite a reduction in dry mass allocation to leaves, at the expense of higher allocation to roots and stems, for plants grown with Al. Foliar concentrations of P, K, Mg and Ca increased in response to Al addition and the first axis of a PCA summarizing foliar nutrient concentrations among populations was correlated positively with seedling relative growth rates. Some populations of the Al hyper-accumulator M. malabathricum express a physiological response to Al addition which leads to a stimulation of growth up to an optimum value of Al in the growth medium, beyond which growth declines. This was associated with enhanced nutrient concentrations in leaves, which suggests that Al accumulation functions to optimize elemental stoichiometry and growth rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khairil Mahmud
- Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AB242UU Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
- School of Agricultural Science, Faculty of Bioresources and Food Industry, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Besut Campus, Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - David F R P Burslem
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, AB242UU Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
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