Bioaccumulation of Macro- and Microelementsi Herbaceous Plants in the River Valley

Abstract

The research was done in the upper course of Kamienna Creek which is the left side tributary of River Słupia situated in the northern part of Poland within Leśny Dwór Forest Inspectorate area. The aim of the study was the comparison of accumulation properties of herbaceous plants in spring niches in relation to macro- and microelements. The shoots of research plant species showed a good supply of macro- and micronutrients. The highest values of nutrients were found in the shoots of Athyrium filix-femina (Ni), Caltha palustris (Mg, Ca, Sr), Cardamine amara (K, Zn, Fe, Al), Carex rostrata (Mn) and Solanum dulcamara (N, P, Cu), and the lowest in shoots of Ajuga reptans (P, Zn, Mn), Cardamine amara (N, Cu) and Carex rostrata (K, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ni, Fe, Al). Herbaceous plants accumulated from 1767.23 mmolc.kg-1 (Carex rostrata) to 2739.87 mmolc.kg-1 (Caltha palustris) of all the analyzed elements. Macronutrients dominated in all herbaceous plant species (>99%), and microelements ranged from 0.33% in Solanum dulcamara to 0.67% in shoots Cardamine amara. The share of nitrogen was from 38.8% to 56.8% of this amount, phosphorus from 2.9% to 3.9%, potassium from 28.5% to 40.6%, magnesium from 4.8% to 7.6%, and calcium from 4.6% to 16.4%. A large share of iron (from 33.7% Athyrium filix-femina to 39.5% Caltha palustris), manganese (from 9.2% Cardamine amara to 28.8% Carex rostrata) and aluminum (from 16.7% Carex rostrata to 40.8% Cardamine amara) in total measured components indicates excessive downloading them through plants. During the three years of research done in spring niches, it was found that some plant species take up nutrients in the quantities exceeding their physiological demand, which enables to use some of them for forming e.g. artificial wetlands, stopping many impurities and forming protective barriers. Keywords: riparian forest, peatbogs, herbaceous plants, nutrients, accumulation

Keywords

• nutrients
• accumulation
• riparian forest
• peatbogs
• herbaceous plants