title: Variation in Heavy Metal Accumulation and Genetic Diversity at a Regional Scale Among Metallicolous and Non-Metallicolous Populations of the Facultative Metallophyte Biscutella laevigata subsp. laevigata.
abstract: Biscutella laevigata is a facultative metallophyte, with populations on non-metalliferous and metalliferous soils. Some of its metallicolous populations have been shown to hyperaccumulate thallium or lead in nature. Only Tl hyperaccumulation has been experimentally confirmed. We aimed to compare the patterns of metal (hyper)accumulation and genetic diversity among populations of B. laevigata subsp. laevigata in NE Italy. None of the populations exhibited foliar hyperaccumulation of Cu, Zn, or Pb. The root-to-shoot accumulation rates for these metals were unchanged or decreased rather than enhanced in the metallicolous populations, in comparison with the non-metallicolous ones. Hyperaccumulation of Tl was confined to the population of the Cave del Predil mine. This population was genetically very distinct from the others, as demonstrated by AFLP-based cluster analysis. The two other mine populations did not surpass the threshold for Tl hyperaccumulation, but showed enhanced foliar Tl concentrations and root-to-shoot translocation rates, in comparison with the non-metallicolous populations. Genetic analysis suggested that adaptation to metalliferous soil must have been independently evolved in the metallicolous populations.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences , Università degli Studi di Udine , Via delle Scienze , Udine , Italy.
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pošćić
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fellet
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vischi
authors.forename: Valentino
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Casolo
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schat
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marchiol
mesh_terms: D054458:Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019607:Brassicaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007558:Italy; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012989:Soil Pollutants
keywords: Biscutella laevigata subsp. laevigata; NE Italy; amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP); heavy metals; hyperaccumulation; population; thallium