Effects of Heavy Metal Stress on Physiology, Hydraulics, and Anatomy of Three Desert Plants in the Jinchang Mining Area, China

Tianpeng Gao (), Haoming Wang, Changming Li, Mingbo Zuo, Xueying Wang, Yuan Liu, Yingli Yang, Danghui Xu, Yubing Liu and Xiangwen Fang
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Tianpeng Gao: School of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Xi’an University, Xi’an 710065, China
Haoming Wang: School of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Changming Li: School of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Xi’an University, Xi’an 710065, China
Mingbo Zuo: College of Life Sciences, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Xueying Wang: Institute of Environmental Health Science in Xi’an, Xi’an 710065, China
Yuan Liu: School of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Yingli Yang: College of Life Sciences, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Danghui Xu: State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Yubing Liu: State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Xiangwen Fang: State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-19

Abstract: The physiological mechanisms and phytoremediation effects of three kinds of native quinoa in a desert mining area were studied. We used two different types of local soils (native soil and tailing soil) to analyze the changes in the heavy metal content, leaf physiology, photosynthetic parameters, stem hydraulics, and anatomical characteristics of potted quinoa. The results show that the chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate of Kochia scoparia were decreased, but intercellular CO 2 concentration (Ci) was increased under heavy metal stress, and the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was decreased due to non-stomatal limitation. The gas exchange of Chenopodium glaucum and Atriplex centralasiatica showed a decrease in Pn, stomatal conductance (Gs), and transpiration rate (E) due to stomatal limitation. The three species showed a similar change in heavy metal content; they all showed elevated hydraulic parameters, decreased vessel density, and significantly thickened vessel walls under heavy metal stress. Physiological indicators such as proline content and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) increased, but the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH), as well as catalase (CAT) activity, decreased in these three plants. Therefore, it can be concluded that these three species of quinoa, possibly the most dominant 30 desert plants in the region, showed a good adaptability and accumulation capacity under the pressure of heavy metal stress, and these plants can be good candidates for tailings remediation in the Jinchang desert mining area.

Keywords: heavy metal; gas exchange; hydraulics; stem anatomy; tailings; quinoa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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