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Australian Journal of Botany Australian Journal of Botany Society
Southern hemisphere botanical ecosystems
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Biogeochemistry and geobotany of the serpentine soils of the Rezvanshahr area in northwestern Iran: a preliminary investigation

Ahmad Mohtadi A C and Seyed M. Ghaderian B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Biology, Yasouj University, Yasouj, 75918-74831, Iran.

B Department of Biology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, 81746-73441, Iran.

C Corresponding author. Email: a.mohtadi@yu.ac.ir

Australian Journal of Botany 63(4) 367-371 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT14250
Submitted: 27 September 2014  Accepted: 8 March 2015   Published: 23 April 2015

Abstract

Ultramafic rocks occur in many areas in Iran. These rocks consist predominantly of partly serpentinised peridotite. The Rezvanshahr area is one of the ultramafic areas in north-western Iran. It has an elevation of 1100–1700 m above sea level and an average rainfall of ~400 mm. In this study, soils and plants from this area were collected, identified and analysed for serpentine-associated metals. Analysis of the total acid-extractable elemental concentrations in the soil showed Ni, Cr, Co, Mn, Fe, Mg and Ca concentrations up to 1823, 727, 73, 2497, 47 778, 98 452 and 6440 μg g–1 soil DW respectively. In this study, 22 plant species belonging to 13 families were collected. The highest concentration of Ni (239 μg g–1 leaf DW) was found in Trifolium tricocephalum Pursh (Fabaceae). The highest concentrations of Cr (266 μg g–1) and Mn (332 μg g–1) were found in Trifolium clusii Godr. & Gren. (Fabaceae). The most significant positive correlations were found between Ni and Mn, and Ni and Co in soil samples. Polygonum persicaria Gray contained low concentrations of Ni, Cr and Co, and may possess exclusion mechanisms to restrict excessive metal uptake.

Additional keywords: endemic, hyperaccumulator, metal, soil, plant, ultramafic.


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