Response of ectomycorrhizal Pinus banksiana and Picea glauca to heavy metals in soil

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 105; no. 2; pp. 265 - 271
• Main Authors: DIXON, R.K., BUSCHENA, C.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Martinus Nijhoff Publishers 01-01-1988; Springer
• Subjects: Acid soils; Agricultural soils; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Economic plant physiology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Ectomycorrhizae; Forest soils; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi; Heavy metals; Sandy loam soils; Seedlings; Soil and water pollution; Soil pollution; Soil science; Soil treatment; Symbiosis (nodules, symbiotic nitrogen fixation, mycorrhiza...); Terrestrial environment, soil, air; Plant tissue; Picea glauca; United States; Growth; Plant juvenile growth stage; Minnesota; Forest soil; Pinus banksiana; North America; Heavy metal; Fungi; Phytotoxicity; Sandy loam soils; America; Gymnospermae; Needle; Softwood forest tree; Mycorrhiza; Coniferales; Spermatophyta; Chemical concentration; Colonization; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/BF02376791

Pinus banksiana and Picea glauca inoculated or not with the ectomycorrhizal fungus Suillus luteus were grown in a sandy loam soil containing a range of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations. Ectomycorrhizal colonization rates were significantly reduced on Pinus and Picea seedlings by the heavy metals, particularly Cd and Ni. Needle tissue metal concentrations were lower in ectomycorrhizal seedlings at low soil metal concentrations. However, at higher soil concentrations, heavy metal concentrations of needle tissue were similar in ectomycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal plants. The growth of nonmycorrhizal seedlings exposed to heavy metals was reduced compared to those inoculated with Suillus luteus. Apparently ectomycorrhizal colonization can protect Pinus and Picea seedlings from heavy metal toxicity at low or intermediate soil concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn.