title: Changes in plant communities along soil pollution gradients: responses of leaf antioxidant enzyme activities and phytochelatin contents.
abstract: This work describes an ecological and ecotoxicological study of polluted wasteland plant communities in a former coke-factory located in Homécourt (France). Ecological analyses were performed along two transects to investigate changes in plant community structure through species richness (S), biological diversity (H') and evenness (J). Five species (Arrhenatherum elatius, Bromus tectorum, Euphorbia cyparissias, Hypericum perforatum and Tanacetum vulgare) were then selected to assess cellular responses through antioxidant enzyme activities and phytochelatins (PCs) contents. The results showed that species richness and biological diversity correlated negatively to Cd and Hg concentrations in soil suggesting that soil concentration of non-essential heavy metals was the primary factor governing vegetation structure in the industrial wasteland. Moreover, for all studied species, abundances were partly related to metal levels in the soils, but also to plant antioxidant systems, suggesting their role in plant establishment success in polluted areas. Data for PC contents led to less conclusive results.
authors.affiliation: Université Paul Verlaine-Metz-Laboratoire "Interactions Ecotoxicologie, Biodiversité, Ecosystèmes"-CNRS UMR 7146, Campus Bridoux, Rue du Général Delestraint, 57070 Metz, France. dazy@univ-metz.fr
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dazy
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Béraud
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cotelle
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grévilliot
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Férard
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Masfaraud
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D054811:Phytochelatins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D054811:Phytochelatins; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase