10th

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
ON SERPENTINE ECOLOGY

12-16 JUNE 2023 NANCY, FRANCECONFERENCE
GUIDE

Summary
1. Welcome to ICSE 2023!.................................................................... p. 4
2. History of ICSE’s................................................................................ p. 5
3. Discover Nancy................................................................................. p. 6
4. ICSE 2023 Committees..................................................................... p. 7
5. Hosts & Co-hosts.............................................................................. p. 8
6. Conference venue............................................................................ p. 10
7. Access & transport........................................................................... p. 12
8. Social program................................................................................. p. 13
9. Post-tour conference........................................................................ p. 15
10. Keynotes......................................................................................... p. 17
11. Scientific sessions of the conference............................................. p. 21
12. Presentation instructions............................................................... p. 22
13. Scientific program: Overview......................................................... p. 23
14. Scientific program: Detailed........................................................... p. 24
15. Abstracts........................................................................................ p. 48

Welcome to ICSE 2023!
We are pleased to welcome you to the 10th International Conference on
Serpentine Ecology in Nancy, France on 12–16 June 2023.
The International Conference on Serpentine Ecology (ICSE), directed by The
International Serpentine Ecology Society (ISES), has been held every three
years since 1991.
It is one of the major international scientific forums in the field ofserpentine ecology, bringing together botanists, zoologists, microbiologists,
physiologists, geneticists, geologists, soil scientists, and other applied
specialists studying the ecology of ultramafic rocks and soil.
A notable aspect of the ICSE is the multidisciplinary nature of research on
ultramafic biota, including diversity, ecology, evolution, physiology, andapplied research in phytotechnologies and conservation. The main goal of
the ICSE is to create a platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences,and to promote scientific dialogue, among scientists from numerous fields
who share interests in the study of ultramafic habitats worldwide.

Guillaume Echevarria
Antony Van der Ent

HISTORY OF ICSE’S
Since 1991, researchers from approximately 45 nations have participated in nine International
Conferences on Serpentine Ecology (ICSE). Conference delegates have come from all cornersof the world, including Albania, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cuba, Czech Republic,
DR Congo, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, South Korea, New Caledonia,
New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, UK, and USA, among others.
The ICSE conferences are coordinated by the International Serpentine Ecology Society(ISES), a formal research society whose members study geological, pedological, biological,
and applied aspects of ultramafic ecosystems worldwide. Each conference has highlighted aregion with intriguing ultramafic soil-biota relations.
• 1st ICSE in Davis, California, 1991
• 2nd ICSE in Nouméa, New Caledonia, 1995
• 3rd ICSE in Kruger National Park, South Africa, 1999
• 4th ICSE in Havana, Cuba, 2003
• 5th ICSE in Siena, Italy, 2006
• 6th ICSE in Maine, United States 2008
• 7th ICSE in Coimbra, Portugal, 2011
• 8th ICSE in Sabah, Malaysia, 2014
• 9th ICSE in Tirana, Albania, 2017
• 10th ICSE in Nancy, France, 2023
These conferences have provided an international forum to discuss and synthesize
multidisciplinary research and have provided opportunities for scientists in distinct fields andfrom different regions of the world to conduct collaborative and interdisciplinary research.
The 8th ICSE was hosted by Sabah Parks in Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, and attracted thelargest delegation to date, 174 participants from 31 countries. The ninth edition took placein Albania in 2017.
Progep'Events accompanied you in 2017, and will also accompany you for this edition in
2023, we simply changed our name. Progep'Events has become UL Propuls!

9th International Conference on Serpentine Ecology

The city of Nancy is delighted to welcome
you for the 10th International Conference on
Serpentine Ecology (ICSE 2023).
Nancy is located in North-East of France, inthe heart of Europe, not far from Luxembourg,
Germany and Belgium. Nancy is a city of Art andScience. With its 18th century UNESCO World
Heritage Sites, its rich “Art Nouveau” heritage,
outdoor terraces and relaxed way of life, you
are guaranteed to fall in love with our city.
The “Place Stanislas” has been on the UNESCOWorld Heritage list since 1983 and is one of themost beautiful squares of the world. Famous
Place Stanislas will never fail to impress you.
Its striking beauty and lively ambiance give an
Italian air to the city, year round. The Placed’Alliance, which resembles a mini Place desVosges in Paris and The Place de la Carrière also
received the honour.
The artistic movement “Art Nouveau” wascreated in Nancy, this style celebrated thebeauty of Nature in a novel decorative art.
Manufactures of luxury decorative arts suchas Daum or Baccarat are still present around
Nancy.
Through the various social activities that will
be offered throughout your stay, we hope tomake you discover the different facets of thecity of Nancy, between “Art Nouveau” andgourmandise.

ICSE 2023 COMMITTEESORGANIZING COMMITTEEProf Emile BENIZRI, University of Lorraine, FranceProf Eleonora BONIFACIO, University of Turin, Italy
Dr Michel CATHELINEAU, University of Lorraine, France
Dr Michele Eugenio D’AMICO, University of Milan, Italy
Dr Alexis DURAND, University of Lorraine, FranceProf Guillaume ECHEVARRIA, Econick, France
Dr Sergio Enrico FAVERO LONGO, University of Turin, Italy
Dr Baptiste LAUBIE, University of Lorraine, FranceProf Jean-Louis MOREL, University of Lorraine, FranceProf Marie-Odile SIMONNOT, University of Lorraine, France
Dr Catherine SIRGUEY, University of Lorraine, France
Dr Antony VAN DER ENT, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEEProf Alan J.M. BAKER, School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne,
Melbourne, Australia*
Prof Aida BANI, Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania
Prof Robert BOYD, Auburn University, Alabama, USA
Prof Guillaume ECHEVARRIA, Econick, FranceProf Cristina GONNELLI, University of Florence, Italy
Dr Sandrine ISNARD, Institute of Research for Development, France
Dr Takafumi MIZUNO, Mie University, Japan
Prof Joe POLLARD, Furman University, USA
Prof Nishanta RAJAKARUNA, California Polytechnic State University,
San Luis Obispo, California, USA
Prof Roger D. REEVES, Palmerston North, New Zealand*
Dr Antony VAN DER ENT, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands*Founding members

HOSTS & CO-HOSTS
University of Lorraine
https://www.univ-lorraine.fr/

As a university of all disciplines, the University of Lorraine encourages the sharing of
knowledge. From the fundamental sciences to the humanities, it creates transdisciplinary
eco-systems for innovation, which accelerate the transition from knowledge to applications.
At the heart of Europe, the University of Lorraine relies on a network of partner universities
in the Greater Region and throughout the world. Its international influence is based on
the mobility of researchers, professors and students and on the internationalisation of its
programmes.

LSE

https://lse.univ-lorraine.fr/
LSE (Soil and Environment Laboratory) is a research laboratory of the University of Lorraine
and INRAE dedicated to the soils studies. The scientific strategy of LSE aims to answer theissues raised by the major anthropogenic pressures on soils, leading to their increasing
artificialization. Are concerned, major environmental issues such as the preservation of
biodiversity, the supply of biomass, or even the restoration of the quality of environments
often degraded by (multi) contamination. The result is the necessary development of soil
sciences in highly anthropized environments - methods and tools for the diagnostic of soil
quality based on knowledge of their functioning and their evolution - and of an agronomy ofhighly anthropized environments - optimization of culture based on a better knowledge ofthe interactions between soils, plants and organisms (microflora and soil fauna). The appliedpart of the research carried out by LSE calls for the development of treatment processes forhighly anthropized environments. These processes depend from both geosciences applied
to the environment (soil engineering - soil construction) and agronomic engineering (plantengineering - phytomanagement, agromining, urban agriculture). The activities of LSE also
contribute to the development of tools for taking soil into account in land planning strategies,
the objective being to have functional soils able to provide ecosystem services.

ECONICK

https://www.econick.fr/
Econick is a plant biotechnology company producing eco-friendly metals from plants. It isaimed at any customer wishing to engage in an ethical approach to metal sourcing. The
company develops unique solutions in the world making the most of the diversity andperformance of certain plants to offer customized metal compounds from sustainableproduction processes and develop turnkey projects to enhance the value of metal-richneglected land by establishing an economic activity that respects the environment.

INRAEhttps://www.inrae.fr/
INRAE, the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and theEnvironment, is the leading research organization specializing in its threescientific fields and is helping to meet these challenges. Through research,innovation and support to public policies, INRAE offers new orientations toassist the emergence of sustainable agricultural and food systems. INRAE’s
ambition is to provide solutions for life, humans and the earth.

ENSIC

https://ensic.univ-lorraine.fr/
ENSIC (National School of Chemical Industries) was founded in 1887 and ispart of the Université de Lorraine in Nancy, France. As a pioneer engineeringschool in the fields of chemical engineering and process engineering theschool aims to train engineers to rise to the challenges of the present andthe future: energy, chemistry, environment, sustainable development,
biotechnology, health and innovative technologies. Today there are over
4000 ENSIC engineers worldwide. Almost all of our professors at ENSIC are
also researchers and work in a research laboratory on site, whether it is
the LRGP (Reactions and Chemical Engineering Laboratory) or the LCPM
(Macromolecular Chemistry-Physics Laboratory).

UL Propuls

https://ul-propuls.fr/
UL Propuls’ objective is to contribute to innovation and developmentof territories, by helping to promote research activities (in particular byorganizing scientific congresses) and by facilitating access to the knowhow and companies of the know-how and equipment of the researchcomponents of the University. UL Propuls offers scientific and technicalservices for companies and communities, with the help of personnel andequipment of the research component of the University of Lorraine. UL
Propuls also supports the promotion and the scientific of its partners, byoffering them services for the offering them services for the organization ofscientific events (conferences, congresses, seminars).

CONFERENCE VENUE
AccessThe ICSE 2023 conference (10th International Conference Serpentine Ecology) will be held on
ENSIC Campus (Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Industries Chimiques). ENSIC is located in thecity center of Nancy, at a walking distance from the railway and tram station.
You can access the ENSIC by:• The entrance Grandville, by the large wooden door (ENSIC main entrance).
• The door of the Craffe, street of the Citadel, by the blue grid.
• The Sellier street, by the blue grid.
Address
ENSIC, 1 rue Grandville, 54000 Nancy, FRANCE.
Spaces used for the conference• Auditorium Donzelot: scientific sessions.
• Donzelot Hall: welcome desk.
• Rooms E5 & E6: coffee breaks, lunches and poster exhibition.
Auditorium
Donzelot

ENTRANCE SELLIER STREETSELLIER 1
SELLIER 2
ENTRANCE
DOOR OFTHE CRAFFE

Donzelot HallAADENTRANCE
GRANDVILLE

E

C

E5

E6

Conference badge
The ICSE conference is held on a university campus. We ask you to wear your badge for theduration of the congress, in particular to access coffee breaks, collect your lunch bag andparticipate in the social program.

Welcome desk
A permanence will be ensured at the reception desk for the duration of the conference, inDonzelot Hall, building Sellier 2. Do not hesitate to come to us if you want information aboutadministrative, technical, organizational social or scientific aspects.
Welcome desk opening hours
Monday 12th: 08:00 to 16:00
Tuesday 13th: 08:00 to 12:30
Wednesday 14th: No desk (Mid tour conference)
Thursday 15th: 08:15 to 15:45
Friday 16th: 08:00 to 12:30
Organization teamThe organizers of the congress will be easily identifiable,
wearing a brown scarf. Do not hesitate to contact them for any
questions.
Lunches and coffee breaks• On Monday 12th, a buffet lunch will be held in rooms E5 & E6 (ENSIC Campus).
• On Tuesday 13th, the lunch will take place to « Le Palais Gourmand » , which is very close to
the ENSIC Campus at a walking distance.
• On Wednesday 14th, lunch bags will be provided upon presentation of your badge during
the mid-conference tour.
• On Thursday 15th, the lunch will take place to « La Petite Cuillère », also very close to the
ENSIC Campus at a walking distance.
• On Friday 16th, a lunch bag will be provided upon presentation of your badge in Donzelot
Hall.
Morning coffee break

Lunch

Afternoon coffee break

Monday: 10:30 - 11:00
Tuesday: 10:00 - 10:30
Thursday: 10:25 - 11:00
Friday: 10:15 - 10:45

Monday: 12:15 - 13:30
Tuesday: 11:45 - 13:35
Thursday: 11:45 - 13:30
Friday: 12:15 - 13:15

Monday: 15:15 - 16:00
Tuesday: No coffee breakThursday: 15:15 - 15:45
Friday: 15:10 - 15:40

Wifi
Network

Login name

Password

eduroamw.icse@invites Jearwp57

Contact
icse@ul-propuls.fr+33 (0)3 72 74 37 14

ACCESS & TRANSPORT
Nancy is a city that can be visited on foot. You are always within 5 minutesof a park or garden, your hotel, or a good restaurant.
BIKE
If you want to move quickly in Nancy for short trips, VéloStanLib‘ offers
bicycles free access 24/24, 7/7 and in 29 stations particularly welldistributed in the city. Many bike paths allow you to go through Nancy.
It is an ecological way, simple and fast to move you in Nancy. Access the
VéloStanLib‘ website: www.velostanlib.fr/.
BUS
Taking the bus is the quickest and cheapest way going to/coming from thecity center. For a map of the bus routes and prices, check the Stan website
on www.reseau-stan.com. We suggest you to by a ticket named “PASS10”
which allowed you 10 trips (can be shared with another person).
TAXIS
Nancy taxis are available 24-hours a day, seven days a week
• Phone: +33 3 83 376 537• Email: contact@taxis-nancy.com• Website: www.taxis-nancy.com
LORRAINE SHUTTLES TO NANCY TRAIN STATION• If you are travelling from Lorraine TGV station or need to get there, you
can take a shuttle bus. Here are the timetables:
https://www.keolissudlorraine.com/fiche-horaires-navette-tgv/• Shuttles are also available for getting to and from Lorraine airport.
Access to schedules: https://lorraineaeroport.com/passagers/accesparking/Arrival and departure: Train station Nancy-St Léon.
This shuttle is available on arrival and departure from the main flights andtrain journey.
GALA DINNER
For the gala dinner, buses are provided to and from the venue.
Departure time from ENSIC: 18:45
Departure time from Fort Pélissier: 22:30

SOCIAL PROGRAM
Welcome reception

Monday, June 12th | 18:30 - 22:00 | ENSIC Campus
Included in the registration fees
You are warmly invited to the ENSIC Campus for the welcome reception.
Around appetizers, refreshments and other specialties of Lorraine,enjoy this moment to exchange with the organizers and participants, tofinish warmly this first day. The welcome cocktail will begin with an oralpresentation by Robert Boyd in Donzelot Auditorium and will continue inrooms E5 and E6.

City tour

Tuesday, June 13th | 16:30 - 18:00 | Starting: ENSIC campus side Porte dela Craffe | Arrival: Place Stanislas | Included in the registration fees
From the origins of Nancy to the meeting in the kingdom of France under
Stanislas, you will discover the emblematic sites, witnesses of the glory ofthe dukes of Lorraine (ducal palace, Cordeliers church, door of the Craffe,mansions …) as well as the royal ensemble classified by UNESCO including
the famous place Stanislas.
For this visit, a guide will come in front of one of the entrances to the
ENSIC Campus, where the conference will take place. It will end then Place
Stanislas, in full heart of the city. The visit will be organized in 3 groups of
25 people each.

SOCIAL PROGRAM
Mid-conference tour

Wednesday, June 14th | 08:00 - 18:00 | Starting: ENSIC Campus at 08:00| Arrival: ENSIC Campus at 18:00 | Included in the registration fees, lunchbags also included
During this conference, we will propose you a mid-conference tour in todiscover serpentines on the Vosges territory. You will observe the typicalserpentine soils anf vegetation of serpentine flora of the Vosges. You will becompletely taken care of the mid-conference tour.
Shuttles will pick you up directly at the ENSIC campus at 08:00 and willaccompany you throughout the day on the various sites. At the end of theday, you will be directly taken to the ENSIC campus. A lunch bag with astarter, a main course, a dessert and a bottle of water are included for thisexcursion.

Gala dinner

Tuesday, June 13th | 18:45 - 23:00 | Fort Pélissier | Meeting point: 18:45,
ENSIC Campus | Included in the registration fees
We invite you to the impressive Fort Pélissier, located 15km South of Nancy,on Thursday 15 June from 19:00 to 23:00, for the gala dinner. The dinner
will be served at the Auberge du Fort Pélissier restaurant. The panoramicview from the terrace and the chef’s refined cuisine will awaken all yoursenses. During your meal, enjoy the calm and the breathtaking view in theheart of nature.

POST-TOUR CONFERENCE
From Saturday, June 17th to Tuesday, June 20th

Post-symposium excursion in ultramafic areas of North-Western Internal Alps,
Valle d’Aosta and Piemonte, Italy
Departure on June, 17th to Saint Vincent (Italy)
Return on June 20th to Nancy (France)

Saturday 17 June

1st stop: Saint Vincent
Travel from Nancy to Saint Vincent. Serpentine area ofthe ‘Roman Bridge-Tsailleun’ Geosite (Saint Vincent,560-700 m a.s.l.), with a rich xerothermic (pseudosteppe) vegetation, including Alyssum argenteum andNotholaena maranthae, alternating with vineyards
and ancient cereal fields ‘suspended’ between theserpentinite outcrops. In the evening, we’ll reach thevillage of Champoluc (Val d’Ayas), at the feet of Monte
Rosa where we have dinner and sleep at a/somehotels.

Sunday 18 June

2nd stop: The Verra Grande Glacier forefield (ca. 2200 m asl, Val d’Ayas)
A moraine chronosequence where soil development
and vegetation succession can be seen. The limiting
conditions caused by pure serpentinite are particularly
visible, and even small amounts of P-richer gneiss
shape soil development and primary succession in avery short time. We will see the primary vegetation
succession and associated soils from pioneer
communities on fresh moraine tills to subalpine forest(climax conditions), with a rich set of serpentine
endemics like Cardamine plumieri, Noccaea sylvia
and Carex fimbriata. We will spend another night inChampoluc.

Monday 19 June

3rd stop: Around the Lanzo Peridotite Massif
After leaving Champoluc in the morning after
breakfast, we will exit Aosta Valley to reach theMetropolitan area of Torino. We’ll visit the Riserva
Naturale Madonna della Neve sul Monte Lera (1350 m;
Royal Park network). This lies in the Lanzo Peridotite
Massif, generated in an ocean-continent transition
context and still preserving slightly serpentinizedperidotites. Here, the mixed mesophilous forest
develops on a lherzolite substrate and this is thesole site of the serpentine endemic Euphorbia
gibelliana. Soils nearby (Varisella) show an impressive
development and “lateritic” crusts are common on
the river banks, as evidences of past climates.

Tuesday 20 June
4th stop: Balangero
On the last day, we’ll visit the northern part of
the Lanzo Massif and, particularly, the abandoned
chrysotile mine of Balangero and Corio (550-890m), the former largest asbestos mine in Western
Europe, where mining activities stopped in 1990. The
horizontal terraces of the open mine pit still host apioneer vegetation, including hyperaccumulators,
while a remarkable plant cover developed on thehuge deposits of mine tailing, which underwent
to hydrogeological stabilization and revegetationinterventions. After the visit, we will reach the Torino
Airport or we will travel back to Nancy, we will reachin the evening.

KEYNOTESKEYNOTE 1 - Dr. Robert BOYD
Auburn University’s first Assistant Provost for Institutional EffectivenessDay 1: Monday, June 12th - from 18:30 before the welcome reception

Dr. Robert (Bob) Boyd is Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Auburn
University in Alabama, USA. He received his PhD in Botany from the University of California,
Davis and in 1988 became Assistant Professor at Auburn University. Boyd became Professor
in 2000, became the department’s Undergraduate Program Officer in 2013, and served as
Interim Chair for Fall Semester 2015. In July 2019 he was named Associate Dean for Academic
Affairs in the College of Sciences and Mathematics and in January 2023 he became Auburn
University’s first Assistant Provost for Institutional Effectiveness. Boyd has taught courses
ranging from freshman introductory biology to graduate-level classes. His research interests
include the management of rare and endangered plants, as well as the ecology and evolutionof metal hyperaccumulator plants. He has published over 100 journal articles/book chapters,
has been a guest editor for special issues of three scientific journals, and has served on theeditorial boards of three additional scientific journals. A PLOS Biology paper from October
2020 listed him among the world’s top 2% of plant ecologists based upon his citation metrics.

KEYNOTESKEYNOTE 2 - Prof. Nishanta RAJAKANURA
Professor in plant biology, California Polytechnic State University
Day 2: Tuesday, June 12th - from 13:35 to 14:15

Nishi Rajakaruna is a geoecologist broadly interested in how ‘harsh’ soil conditions influenceplant, lichen, and microbe diversity from species to community levels. Nishi received his BA
in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic, Maine and his MS and Ph.D. in Botany fromthe University of British Columbia, Canada. He conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford
University and was a Fulbright US Scholar in Sri Lanka/India (2016-2017) and South Africa(2022-2023). He has taught botany for 18 years and is currently a Professor of Plant Biology
at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California. His primary area of
research is on the diversity, ecology, evolution, and conservation of plants and lichens ofserpentine and other ‘harsh’ soils. He has ongoing research in California, Maine, South Africa,
Russia, and Sri Lanka. Nishi has published over 90 peer-reviewed papers on geoecology andis the co-editor of two key treatments on plant life on serpentine soils--Serpentine: Evolution
and Ecology of a Model System and Soil and Biota of Serpentine: A World View--and a booktitled Plant Ecology and Evolution in Harsh Environments.

KEYNOTESKEYNOTE 3 - Prof. Roger REEVESFormer professor in chemistry, Palmerston North, New ZealandDay 4: Thursday, June 15th - from 08:45 to 09:25

Following Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemistry in New Zealand and doctoral studies
in Physical Chemistry in the US on the theory and practice of viscosity measurement of molten
electrolytes at high temperature, Roger Reeves was appointed in 1965 to a Lectureship in
Chemistry at Massey University (NZ). He soon became associated with Robert Brooks, whosebackground was in Analytical Chemistry, and they collaborated on many projects using
spectrometric methods for trace element analysis of a variety of geological and biologicalmaterials. In 1974, a chance meeting with Tanguy Jaffré, visiting NZ from New Caledonia, led
to collaborative work there, with a particular focus on several plant species found to haveaccumulated high nickel concentrations from the ultramafic soils.
Initially a side-line to Roger’s studies in atomic spectrometric methods of analysis (AA and
ICP) and their application to many types of samples, unusual examples of trace element
accumulation by plants became a major research interest, leading to almost 50 years ofcollaboration with plant scientists from more than 20 countries. This work now accounts
for more than 140 of Roger’s 200 publications. Periods of overseas leave from Massey werespent in the Chemistry Departments at the Universities of Florida and Manchester, the Botany
Departments of the Universities of Sheffield, Queensland and Melbourne, and at ENSAIA
in Nancy. The Massey University Metallophyte Herbarium, initiated by Robert Brooks, wasdeveloped through Roger’s extensive field work into a collection of 3000 plant specimensfrom metalliferous soils worldwide; it is now incorporated into the Herbarium of the Royal
Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.

KEYNOTESKEYNOTE 4 - Prof. Rufus CHANEY (remote)Day 5: Friday, June 16th - from 08:30 to 09:10

Dr. Rufus L. Chaney is a Senior Research Agronomist in the Environmental Management and
By-Product Utilization Laboratory of the USDA-Agricultural Research Service at Beltsville,
MD, where he conducts research on the fate, food-chain transfer, and potential effects, andremediation of hazards from soil microelements. The research includes studies on 1) plant
uptake of metals and translocation to edible plant tissues; considers plant-soil interactions
in microelement phytoavailability; 2) speciation of metals in plants and bioavailability toanimals; 3) development of hyperaccumulator crops to phytoextract and recycle metals incontaminated soils; 4) bioavailability of lead and other metals in soils, biosolids, and composts
directly ingested by animals; 5) development of «Tailor-Made Composts and Biosolids» toremediate Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni and other element contaminated soils including urban gardens; and6) potential methods to reduce food-chain transfer or toxicity of metals in organic resources
and potential regulatory approaches to protect food safety and soil fertility.
Since beginning his career in 1969, Dr. Chaney has 429 published papers and 267 publishedabstracts on these topics. He has cooperated with the US-Environmental Protection Agency,
the US-Food and Drug Administration, the Office of Management and Budget, and many
States in preparing advice and regulations for utilization of biosolids and remediation of
metal contaminated soils.

Last modified on 27 April 12:49

SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS OF THE CONFERENCE
I. FOCUS ON THE DIFFERENT SESSIONSCOLORSCIENTIFIC SESSION

PAGE

1. Geology, soils, & biogeochemical cycles

p. 26

2. Biodiversity: taxonomy and systematics

p. 28

3. Ecology and evolution

p. 29

4. Conservation and restoration

p. 31

5. Ecophysiology, molecular biology, and genetics

p. 32

6. Metal hyperaccumulation discovery & monitoring

p. 34

7. Plants of other edaphically challenging substrates

p. 36

8. Agromining and phytotechnologies

p. 37

PRESENTATION INSTRUCTIONSLast modified on 25 May 12:30

ICSE 2023: PRESENTATION INSTRUCTIONSGeneral information for all oral presentations
•
•
•

•
•
•
•

Your presentation must be in English.
Your presentation support saved as PowerPoint
or PDF format on a USB key.
For speakers on the first morning (Monday, June 12th), yourpresentation should be sent before the conference to icse@ulpropuls.fr indicating your session, the reference of your presentationand the title of the paper.
If you want to use particular formats such as video, sending yourpresentation in advance is mandatory.
We invite you to load your presentation before the beginning of yoursession, half a day before your presentation on the computer of yourconference room.
To avoid any technical bug and too long installation time, it ismandatory to only use the computer at your disposal. We ask thatyou do not use your personal computer (unless otherwise indicated).
A remote control with laser pointer will be at your disposal.

Keynote•You will have 40 minutes for your presentation (35 minutes ofpresentation + 5 minutes of question).

Regular talk•You will have 15 minutes for your presentation (12 minutes ofpresentation + 3 minutes of question).

Poster
•
•
•
•
•

•

•

Your poster should be printed in A0 format (84.1 cm x 118.9 cm)
in portrait orientation.
Your poster should be in English.
The posters will be displayed on grids and fixed with clips, which
will be given to you upon your arrival.
It is not possible to print your poster on site.
Thank you for hanging your poster the first morning of theconference, on Monday, June 12th, as soon as you arrive at thecongress. Thus, everyone will be able to watch it during the breaks
and the poster session.
Two poster sessions are scheduled, Monday, June 12th from 13:30
to 14:15 and Thursday, June 15th, from 13:30 to 14:00. During
these sessions we ask you to be present near your posters inorder to present them.
Please pick up your poster on the last day of the conference, on
Friday, June 16th, the remaining posters will not be retained.

2

16:30

18:30

SessionSession 1
Session 2
Session 3
Session 4
Session 5
Session 6
Session 7
Session 8

End

16:00
450470 - Igwe

16:15

450618 - Hidalgo-Triana

15:40

City tour

Retrospective by Robert Boyd &welcome cocktail (448254)
Donzelot auditorium for the speech
and then in rooms E5&E6

Name
Geology, soils, & biogeochemical cycles
Biodiversity: taxonomy and systematics
Ecology and evolution
Conservation and restoration
Ecophysiology, molecular biology, and genetics
Metal hyperaccumulation discovery & monitoring
Plants of other edaphically challenging substrates
Agromining and phytotechnologies

16:30
16:45
17:00

18:45
15:45
13:15
455163 - Teillaud

448789 - Aarts

15:40

14:30

450431 - Colzi

14:45

450308 - Palm

455459 - Schat

Coffee Break (30")
Rooms E5 & E6

446401 - Mizuno

16:00
454855 - Lin

16:15

450207 - Alfonso González

450324 - Isnard446258 - Ly
End

Gala Dinner
19:00-23:00
meeting at ENSIC (18:45)

16:15

16:00

15:45

10:00
450568 - Nascimento

10:15
Coffee Break (30")
Rooms E5 & E6

454855 - Lin

446401 - Mizuno

Coffee Break (30")
Rooms E5 & E6455459 - Schat450324 - Isnard446258 - Ly
End

450207 - Alfonso González

09:45

13:50

14:05

14:20

14:35

14:50

15:05

15:40

15:10

18:45

16:30
16:45
17:00

450431 - Colzi

450308 - Palm

09:30

442826 - DurandSession 4: Conservation andrestoration
Donzelot auditorium

Name
Geology, soils, & biogeochemical cycles
Biodiversity: taxonomy and systematics
Ecology and evolution
Conservation and restoration
Ecophysiology, molecular biology, and genetics
Metal hyperaccumulation discovery & monitoring
Plants of other edaphically challenging substrates

City tourEnd

448978 - Mislenović

Coffee Break (30")
Rooms E5 & E6
455073 - Jacquet

10:45

13:30

13:15

12:15

11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00

13:50

Session 8:
Agromining and phytotechnologies
Donzelot auditorium
Keynote: Rufus Chaney (remote)Gala Dinner
19:00-23:00
meeting at ENSIC (18:45)

450699 - Fogliani
General conclusion
Donzelot auditorium
Coffee Break (30")
Rooms E5 & E6
End

14:35
14:50
15:05

15:40

15:10

455915 - Ag-Nuddin
4469956 - Berazaín Iturralde

14:20

448684 - Carriconde

450641 - Favero Longo

Session 4: Conservation andrestoration
Donzelot auditorium

442826 - Durand455163 - Teillaud

Lunch (1:00)
Rooms E5 & E6

14:05

Time

General conclusion
Donzelot auditorium
Coffee Break (30")
Rooms E5 & E6
End450699 - Fogliani

SessionSession 1
Session 2
Session 3
Session 4
Session 5
Session 6
Session 7

Session 5: Ecophysiology, molecularbiology, and genetics
Donzelot auditorium

13:30

15:15

15:15

10:10

09:15

450641 - Favero Longo
448684 - Carriconde

4469956 - Berazaín Iturralde
455915 - Ag-Nuddin

Retrospective by Robert Boyd &welcome cocktail (448254)
Donzelot auditorium for the speech
and then in rooms E5&E6

Lunch (1:00)
Rooms E5 & E6

449549 - Selvi

450361 - Gervais-Bergeron

End

12:15

Coffee Break (35")
Rooms E5 & E6

15:00

09:55

450470 - Igwe

Poster session (30")
Rooms E5 & E6

454853 - Siebert

14:30
14:45

450660 - Pollard

450618 - Hidalgo-Triana

455073 - Jacquet

455171 - Prieto-Fernández
455380 - Guittonny
456272 - Echevarría
460650 - Chatzelli
450838 - Alvarez-López

454581 - Nagasawa

448789 - Aarts

461039 - Babst-Kostecka

08:30

18:30

15:15

Keynote: Roger Reeves (447530)

16:30

15:00

Coffee Break (45")
Rooms E5 & E6

Lunch (2:00)
La Petite Cuillère

10:45

448388 - Merlot

15:00

450705 - Bani
445105 - Reeves
11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00

450539 - Rabarimanarivo

14:00

454807 - Filis

13:30

14:45

11:45

442831 - Leglize

14:15
14:15

11:00
11:15
11:30

14:30

10:25

450674 - Bianchi

14:15

448388 - Merlot

09:40

442825 - Ancousture

Keynote: Nishanta Rajakaruna(442856)

14:00

Session 5: Ecophysiology, molecularbiology, and genetics
Donzelot auditorium

Poster session (30")
Rooms E5 & E6

450568 - Nascimento

10:00

10:15

455171 - Prieto-Fernández
455380 - Guittonny
456272 - Echevarría
460650 - Chatzelli
450838 - Alvarez-López

447587 - Salinitro
450778 - Simonnot

09:45455172 - Ag-Nuddin

09:15
09:30

Keynote: Rufus Chaney (remote)

08:30

Friday 16th
SessionSession 8:
Agromining and phytotechnologies
Donzelot auditorium

Thursday 15th
SessionSession 6:
Metal hyperaccumulation discovery& monitoring
Donzelot auditorium

16:15

End
09:25

16:00

449549 - Selvi
08:45

15:15

454853 - Siebert
Time

15:00

442831 - Leglize
th

14:45

14:45
13:35

Session 7: Plants of otheredaphically challenging substrates
Donzelot auditorium

Mid conference tour
Meeting at 08:00 at ENSIC
Back to ENSIC at 18:30
Session
7: Plantsof other(Including
lunch)
edaphically challenging substrates
Donzelot auditorium

449584 - Vignati

Session 2:
Biodiversity: taxonomy andsystematics
Donzelot auditorium

Lunch (1:45)
Le Palais Gourmand
13:30

448164 - Putra

Poster session (40")
Rooms E5 & E6

11:45

Lunch (1:45)
Le Palais Gourmand

Lunch (2:00)
La Petite Cuillère

450705 - Bani
445105 - Reeves

450555 - Takazoe

11:45

Coffee Break (30")
Rooms E5 & E6

11:45

11:00
11:15
11:30

450612 - Hidalgo-Triana

Lunch (1:15)
Rooms E5 & E6

Lunch (1:15)
Rooms E5 & E6450347 - Havlikova
442032 - Hulshof
468033 - Delerue
450615 - Sakaguchi
450448 - Quintela Sabarís

Coffee Break (35")
Rooms E5 & E6

448978 - Mislenović

448756 - Pillon
Wednesday 14
Mid tour

14:30

15:15
Session 3:
Ecology and evolution
Donzelot auditorium
ICSE 2023 Detailed Scientific Program

14:15

15:00
th

13:30

454581 - Nagasawa

14:45
Tuesday 13
Session

12:15

Keynote: Nishanta Rajakaruna(442856)

10:30
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:30

13:35
10:25

10:10

450361 - Gervais-Bergeron

09:45

450681 - Paul450463 - Amir
450629 - d'Amico
455457 - Kram
455458 - Tisserand

450347 - Havlikova
442032 - Hulshof
468033 - Delerue
450615 - Sakaguchi
450448 - Quintela Sabarís

Coffee Break (30")
Rooms E5 & E6

10:00

Coffee Break (30")
Rooms E5 & E6

10:00

09:55

09:30

11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00

450539 - Rabarimanarivo

14:30

449584 - Vignati

448164 - Putra

450660 - Pollard

09:15454757 - Tognacchini

09:45

09:40

461039 - Babst-Kostecka

09:00

10:30

Coffee Break (45")
Rooms E5 & E6
Time

10:15

14:15

442825 - Ancousture454685 - Ansart

10:30
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:30

450555 - Takazoe

Session 1: Geology, soils, &biogeochemical cycles

10:00

454807 - Filis
09:25

Opening ceremony
Donzelot auditorium

Keynote: Roger Reeves (447530)

454685 - Ansart

09:30

450681 - Paul450463 - Amir
450629 - d'Amico
455457 - Kram
455458 - Tisserand450612 - Hidalgo-Triana

454757 - Tognacchini

08:45

447363 - Yang

447363 - Yang

09:15

448756 - Pillon

Coffee Break (30")
Rooms E5 & E6

456114 - Andrade

Session 2:
Biodiversity: taxonomy andsystematics
Donzelot auditorium
09:00

456114 - Andrade

09:45

450674 - Bianchi

14:30

Session 1: Geology, soils, &biogeochemical cycles

Poster session (40")
Rooms E5 & E6

Session 3:
Ecology and evolution
Donzelot auditorium

Time

th

09:30

15:15

09:15

15:00
Thursday 15th
SessionSession 6:
Metal hyperaccumulation discovery& monitoring
Donzelot auditorium

10:00

Time

09:45

th

09:30

Wednesday 14
Mid tour

09:15

Opening ceremony
Donzelot auditorium

14:15
ICSE 2023 Detailed Scientific Program

08:45

08:45

th

Time
Monday 12
SessionMid conference tour
Meeting at 08:00 at ENSIC
Back to ENSIC at 18:30(Including lunch)

13:30
Tuesday 13
Session

12:15

Time

11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00

th

10:30

Monday 12
Session

10:15

Time

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM: OVERVIEW

Friday 16th
Session455172 - Ag-Nuddin

450778 - Simonnot

447587 - Salinitro

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

S1

ORAL SESSION

S.1

Regulartalk 1
09:15

Regulartalk 2
09:30

Regulartalk 3
09:45

Regulartalk 4
10:00

Regulartalk 5
10:15

SESSION 1:
Geology, soils & biogeochemical cycles

Monday, June 12th (09:15 – 12:15)
Chair: Guillaume ECHEVARRIA

15’

A newly-forming ecosystem in a mined ultramafic environment in Barro Alto,
Goiás State, Brazil
Leide ANDRADE1, Fabiana AQUINO1, Eduardo OLIVEIRA-FILHO1, Fábio REIS-JR1,
Cícero PEREIRA1, Juaci MALAQUIAS1, Edson SANO1 and Guillaume ECHEVARRIA2,3

15’

Characterization of chromium-bearing minerals in incipient and highlyweathered serpentine soil profiles in Taiwan
Chia-Yu YANG1, Wei-Hao LEE2 and Zeng-Yei HSEU1

1. Embrapa Cerrados, Brazil
2. INRAE, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, France
3. University of Queensland, Sustainable Minerals Institute, Centre for Mined Land
Rehabilitation, Australia

1.Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
2. Institute of Mineral Resources Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology,
TaiwanNi way! The tricky Ni-biogeochemical cycle in soils under hyperaccumulator of
New Caledonia
Claire ANSART1, Eric PAIDJAN2, Christophe CLOQUET1, Emmanuelle MONTARGÈSPELLETIER3, Sandrine ISNARD4, Cécile QUANTIN5, Yann SIVRY6 and Farid JUILLOT7
15’

15’

1. CRPG – Université de Lorraine, France
2. BIOGECO INRAE– Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, France
3. LIEC– Université de Lorraine, CNRS, France
4. AMAP – Université de Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, France
5. GEOPS– Université Paris Saclay, CNRS, France
6. IPGP – Sorbonne Paris Cité – Université Paris Diderot, France
7. IMPMC – Université Pierre et Marie Curie, CNRS, IRD, France

Nickel and chromium speciation in a small ultramafic catchment: implications forelemental bioavailability to freshwater organisms
Davide VIGNATI1, Elsa SALLES1, Thi Tuyen NGUYEN2, Céline SIMON1, Maximilien
BEURET1, Carole COSSU-LEGUILLE1, Alexis GROLEAU2, Yulia ERBAN KOCHERGINA3,
Yann SIVRY2 and Pavel KRAM3
1. LIEC, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, France
2. IPGP, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, France
3. Division of Geochemistry and Laboratories, Czech Geological Survey, Czech Republic

15’

Rhizosphere processes and nickel mobilization in the nickel hyperaccumulator
Odontarrhena chalcidica
Sören RISSE, Markus PUSCHENREITER and Alice TOGNACCHINI

Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences(BOKU), Vienna, Austria3Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

Regulartalk 6
11:00

Regulartalk 7
11:15

Regulartalk 8
11:30

Regulartalk 9
11:45

Regulartalk 10
12:00

Stocks and biogeochemical cycling of soil-derived nutrients in an ultramafic rain
forest in New Caledonia
Adrian PAUL1, Sandrine ISNARD2,3, Francis BREARLEY4, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA5,
Alan BAKER1,5,6, Peter ERSKINE1 and Antony VAN DER ENT1
15’

15’

1. Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation University of Queensland, Australia
2. AMAP, Université Montpellier, France
3. AMAP, Herbier de Nouvelle-Calédonie, New Caledonia
4. Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom
5. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, France
6. School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia

Studies on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in New Caledonian ultramafic soils: A
synthesis
Hamid AMIR, Yvon CAVALOC, Thomas CROSSAY, Valérie BURTET-SARRAMEGNA,
and Linda GUENTAS
Institut des Sciences Exactes et Appliquées (ISEA), Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie,
Noumea 98851, New Caledonia

15’

Ancient soils in non-glaciated mountain areas on peridotite: the Lanzo
Ultramafic Massif example (TO, NW Italy)
Michele E. D’AMICO1, Sara NEGRI2 and Eleonora BONIFACIO2
1. DISAA, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
2. DISAFA, Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy

Drivers of Cr and Ni Mobility in a Serpentine Catchment
Pavel KRÁM1,2, Jakub HRUŠKA1,2, Davide VIGNATI3, Katherine PÉREZ RIVERA4,1, JanČUŘÍK1,2, František VESELOVSKÝ1, Oldřich MYŠKA1,2, Yulia ERBAN KOCHERGINA1
and Filip OULEHLE1,2
15’

15’

1. Department of Environmental Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry, Czech Geological
Survey, Czechia
2. Department of Biogeochemical and Hydrological Cycles, Global Change ResearchInstitute ASCR, Czechia
3. LIEC, University of Lorraine, CNRS, France
4. Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, USA

The Nickel Biogeochemical Cycle in a Tropical Hyperaccumulator Soil-Plant
SystemRomane TISSERAND1, Antony VAN DER ENT1,2, Jean-Louis MOREL1, Sukaibin
Sumail3 and Guillaume ECHEVARRIA1,2,4
1. Université de Lorraine, INRA, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, France
2. University of Queensland, SMI, Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Australia
3. Sabah Parks, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
4. R&D Departement, Econick, France4

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

S2

ORAL SESSION

S.2

Regulartalk 1
14:15

Regulartalk 2
14:30

Regulartalk 3
14:45

Regulartalk 4
15:00

Regulartalk 5
16:00

Regulartalk 6
16:15

SESSION 2:
Biodiversity: taxonomy and systematics

Monday, June 12th (14:30 – 17:00)
Chairs: Prof Federico SELVI & Prof Cristina GONNELLI

15’

15’

Additions to the lichen flora of Albania
Elisabetta BIANCHI1, Renato BENESPERI2, Ilaria COLZI2

1. Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence,
Italy
2. Department of Biology, University of Florence, Italy

Seed endosphere of Brassicales and Asterales hyperaccumulating plants harbora stable core microbiome
Julien ANCOUSTURE, Alexis DURAND and Emile BENIZRI
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France

15’

Soil contamination levels of nickel imply changes in the bacterial communities
associated to the rhizosphere and endosphere of Odontarrhena chalcidica
Pierre LEGLIZE, Alexis DURAND and Emile BENIZRI

Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France

Grassland flora of serpentine areas in North Pindus (Greece)
Evangelos FILIS1, Dimitrios KYRKAS2,3, Nikolaos MANTZOS2, Panayiotis
DIMITRAKOPOULOS3, Georgios FOTIADIS4 and Maria KONSTANTINOU1

15’

15’

1. Department of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, Greece
2. Department of Agriculture, University of Ioannina, Greece
3. Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece
4. Department of Forestry and Natural Environment Management, Agricultural Universityof Athens, Greece

Investigating the Diversity and Function of Microorganisms in Serpentine and
Non-Serpentine Soils across California
Alexandria IGWE and Michelle AFKHAMI
Department of Biology, University of Miami, United States of America

15’

The checklist of serpentinophytes (serpentine restricted flora) as a tool for
researching and conservation in serpentine ecosystems (southern Iberian
Peninsula, Spain)
Federico CASIMIRO-SORIGUER SOLANAS, Andrés V. PEREZ-LATORRE and Noelia
HIDALGO-TRIANA
Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Malaga, Spain5

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

S3

ORAL SESSION

S.3

Regulartalk 1
09:00

Regulartalk 2
09:15

SESSION 3:
Ecology and evolution

Tuesday, June 13th (08:45 – 12:00)
Chairs: Prof Robert BOYD & Dr Takafumi MIZUNO

15’

15’

Community ionomics of a hyperdiverse shrubland: the maquis on ultramafic
substrates of New Caledonia
Juliette HOCEDEZ1, Karine GOTTY1, Vanessa HEQUET2,3, Audrey LEOPOLD4 andYohan PILLON1

1. Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales et Méditerranéennes (LSTM), IRD, INRAE, CIRAD,
Institut Agro, Univ. Montpellier, France
2. AMAP, IRD, CIRAD, Herbier de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, New Caledonia
3. AMAP, Univ Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, France
4. Institut Agronomique Néo-Calédonien (IAC), équipe SolVeg, New Caledonia

Functional groups and traits of plants in Mediterranean ultramafic shrublands(Sierra Bermeja, Spain)
Noelia HIDALGO-TRIANA1, Andrés V. PEREZ-LATORRE1, Aristide ADOMOU2, Michael
RUDNER3 and James H. THORNE4

1. Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Malaga, Spain
2. Department of Plant Biology, University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin
3. Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, University of Applied
Sciences, Germany
4. Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, USA

Parallel adaptation to ultramafic soils in Solidago virgaurea L. across theJapanese Archipelago
Kiyoto TAKAZOE1, Hiroaki SETOGUCHI1, Atsushi NAGANO2,3, Naoko ISHIKAWA4,
Kenji HORIE5, Motomi ITO6 and Shota SAKAGUCHI1

Regulartalk 309:30

15’Regulartalk 4
09:45

15’

The elemental defence hypothesis: Is there a ‘missing piece’?
Rocky PUTRA and Caroline MÜLLER

15’

The role of metal accumulation in serpentine adaptation in the group Alyssum
montanum s.l.
Karolína HAVLÍKOVÁ1, Sonia CELESTINI2, Filip KOLÁŘ2

Regulartalk 610:30

1. Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan
2. Faculty of Agriculture, Ryukoku University, Japan
3. Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Japan
4. Botanical garden, Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan
5. Asahikawa City Northern Wild Plants Garden, Japan
6. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan

Department of Chemical Ecology, Bielefeld University, Germany

1. Department of Ecology, Charles University, Faculty of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
2. Department of Botany, Charles University, Faculty of Science, Prague, Czech Republic

6Last modified on 13 July at 14:30
Ultramafic ecosystems as a macroecological model
Catherine HULSHOF1, Marko SPASOJEVIC2, Claudia GARNICA-DÍAZ3, Nishanta
RAJAKARUNA4,5
Regulartalk 7
10:45

15’

Regulartalk 811:00

15’Regulartalk 9
11:15

Regulartalk 10
11:30

15’

15’

1. Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States of America
2. Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California
Riverside, United States of America
3. Biology Department, University of Florida Gainesville, United States of America
4. Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, United States ofAmerica
5. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa

Above and belowground functional space of herbaceous serpentinicolous species
Florian DELERUE and Richard MICHALET
Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, Pessac, France

Genetic parallelism during recurrent serpentine adaptation in the Eurasiangoldenrod in Japan
Shota SAKAGUCHI1, Kenji HORIE2, Naoko ISHIKAWA3, Shuji SHIGENOBU4, Katsushi
YAMAGUCHI4, Mitsuyasu HASEBE4, Ayano MIKI1, Hiroaki SETOGUCHI1, Shosei
KUBOTA5, Osamu KURASHIMA5, Keitaro FUKUSHIMA6, Yoshihisa SUYAMA7, ShunHIROTA3 and Motomi ITO5
1. Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan
2. Northern Wild Plants Garden, Asahikawa, Japan
3. Botanic Garden of Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan
4. NIBB, Japan
5. The University of Tokyo, Japan
6. Fukushima University, Japan
7. Tohoku University, Japan

Tolerance to ultramafic soils is mediated by control of Ca:Mg ratio in Santolina
semidendata and associated taxa
Celestino QUINTELA-SABARÍS1, Rodrigo CARBALLAL2, Carmen MONTERROSO3, Julia
SÁNCHEZVILAS4, Miguel SERRANO2 and Santiago ORTIZ2
1. Department of Ecology and Animal Biology, University of Vigo, Spain
2. Department of Botany, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
3. Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, University of Santiago deCompostela, Spain
4. Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff University, UK7

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

S4

ORAL SESSION

S.4

Regulartalk 1
13:50

Regulartalk 2
14:05

Regulartalk 3
Tuesday,
June 13th
15:00

Regulartalk 4
15:05

Regulartalk 5
15:20

SESSION 4:
Conservation and restoration

Friday, June 16th (13:40– 16:00)
Chairs: Dr Sandrine ISNARD & Prof Stefan SIEBERT

15’

Revegetation of mine tailings in the abandoned asbestos mine of Balangero andCorio (Torino, Italy): Twenty years afterSergio FAVERO-LONGO1,2, Gianluca CHIEPPA1, Laura GUGLIELMONE1, Antonio
GHIONE2
1.Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Italy
2. Interdepartmental Center ‘G. Scansetti’ for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic
Particulates, University of Torino, Italy
3.R.S.A. S.r.l., Balangero, Italy

Characterising soil microbial diversity for conservation and restoration usinglarge-scale DNA-based methods in New Caledonian ultramafic ecosystems
Fabian CARRICONDE1, Laurent MAGGIA2,3, Alexia STOKES4, Monique GARDES5, Kelly
DINH1, Nicolas FERNANDEZ NUNEZ1,6, Julien DEMENOIS1,7,8,9, Pierre-LouisSTENGER1, Julie RIPOLL1,10, Audrey LEOPOLD1, Jenifer READ11 and Pierre
MOURNET2,3
15’

1. Equipe SolVeg, Institut Agronomique néo-Calédonien (IAC), Nouvelle-Calédonie
2. CIRAD, UMR AGAP Institut, France
3. CIRAD, UMP AGAP Institut, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université de Montpellier, France
4. UMR AMAP, INRAE, Université de Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, CNRS, France
5. UMR EDB, Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier, CNRS, IRD, France
6. UMI TransVIHMI, Université de Montpellier, INSERM, IRD, France
7. AIDA, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, France
8. CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Costa Rica
9. CATIE, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, Costa Rica
10. LIRMM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, France
11. School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Australia

15’

Even edaphic specialists can die from climate extremes: Plant mortality on
ultramafic soils after a heatwave and intense drought
Lorenzo LAZZARO1, Andrea COPPI1, Federico SELVI2

15’

Implementing Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) of Genetic Resources (GR)for Agromining in Sabah, Malaysia
Gerald JETONY1, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA2 and Julenah AG. NUDDIN3

15’

Plant communities of Cuban ultramafic soils and the impacts of climate change
Rosalina BERAZAÍN ITURRALDE1 and Ilsa María FUENTES MARRERO2

1. Department of Biology, University of Florence, Italy
2. Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, Laboratories of Botany,
University of Florence, Italy

1. Sabah Biodiversity Centre
2. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRAE, Université de Lorraine
3. Universiti Teknologi MARA

1. Jardín Botánico Nacional, University of Habana, Cuba
2. Institute of Ecology and Sistematic, CITMA, Cuba8

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

Regulartalk 6
15:35

S5

15’

Reproductive life traits of plants growing on ultramafic substrate on the
Koniambo massif (New Caledonia) as a tool to reinforce and reconnect
fragmented forests
Bruno FOGLIANI1, Yawiya ITITIATY2, Aurore MARTINI2 and Fabrice BRESCIA2
1.ISEA, University of New Caledonia, New Caledonia
2. ARBOREAL, New Caledonian Agronomic Institute, New Caledonia

ORAL SESSION

S.5

Regulartalk 1
14:00

Regulartalk 2
14:15

SESSION 5:
Ecophysiology, molecular biology, and genetics

Thrusday, June 15th (14:00 – 17:00)
Chairs: Prof Joe POLLARD & Prof Mark AARTS
Addressing the diversity of the mechanisms involved in nickel hyperaccumulation
Sylvain MERLOT1,5, Dubiel ALFONSO GONZALEZ2,3, Rolando REYES FERNANDEZ3,
Celestine BELLOEIL1, Vanesa GARCIA DE LA TORRE1, Sébastien THOMINE1 andYohan PILLON4
15’

15’

1. Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell, CEA, CNRS, Paris- Saclay University, France
2. Jardín Botánico Nacional, Universidad de La Habana, Cuba
3. Agronomy Faculty, Agrarian University of La Havana, Cuba
4. Laboratory of Tropical and Mediterranean Symbiosis, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier
University, France
5. Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Toulouse University Paul Sabatier, CNRS,INP Toulouse, France

Development of genetic tools for analysis of Ni/Zn/Cd hyperaccumulation in
Noccaea caerulescens
Jitpanu YAMJABOK, Laurens VAN OOSTROM, Lies VAN DER HEIJDEN, Hedayat
BAGHERI, Antony VAN DER ENT, Joost VAN DEN HEUVEL, Mark G.M. AARTS
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands

Regulartalk 314:30

15’Regulartalk 4
14:45

15’

Does polyploidy affect responses to Nickel in Ni-accumulating plants? Insightsfrom the model species Odontarrhena bertolonii (Brassicaceae)
Ilaria COLZI1, Cristina GONNELLI1 and Federico SELVI2

1. Department of Biology, University of Florence, Italy
2. Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Italy

Serpentine Tolerance in Mimulus guttatus: Gradual Acclimation to Low Ca:Mg
Emily PALM1, and Elizabeth VAN VOLKENBURGH2

1. Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milan-Bicocca, Italy
2. Department of Biology, University of Washington, USA9

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

Regulartalk 5
15:00

Regulartalk 6
15:45

Regulartalk 7
16:00

Regulartalk 8
16:15

Regulartalk 9
16:30

Regulartalk 10
16:45

15’

The Role of Free L-Histidine in Ni and Zn Translocation in Hyperaccumulator
and Non-accumulator Brassicaceae
Henk SCHAT1, Anna KOZHEVNIKOVA2 and Ilya SEREGIN2
1. Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
2. Timryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, RAS Moscow, Russia

X-ray Fluorescence herbarium ionomics on plants from ultramafic, calcareous,and volcanic soils in Japan
Takafumi MIZUNO1, Daichi KONDO2, Hiroto KASAI2, Imam PURWADI3, Antony VAN
DER ENT3,4, Yoshinori MURAI5, Atsushi HASHIMOTO1 and Toshihiro WATANABE6
15’

1. Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Japan
2. Faculty of Bioresources, Mie University, Japan
3. Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia
4. Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands
5. Department of Botany, National Museum of Nature and Science, Japan
6. Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Japan

15’

Indium Knocks at the Door: The Mechanism of Rice Inhibition by Emerging
Contamination Elements
Boon Huat CHEAH1, Pei-Chu LIAO1, Jing-Chi LO2, Yu-Tsen WANG, I-Chien TANG, KuoChen YEH, Dar-Yuan LEE and Ya-Fen LIN

15’

The hyperaccumulator Leucocroton havanensis overexpress two
Ferroportins/IREGs involved in nickel transportation
Dubiel ALFONSO GONZÁLEZ1,3, Vanesa GARCÍA DE LA TORRE2, Rolando REYES
FERNÁNDEZ3, Sébastien THOMINE2 and Sylvain MERLOT2

1. Department of Agronomy, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
2. Department of Horticulture and Biotechnology, Chinese Culture University, Taiwan
3. Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
4. Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

1. Jardín Botánico Nacional, University of Habana, Cuba
2. Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell, CEA, CNRS, Paris- Saclay University, France. 3Agronomy Faculty, Agrarian University of La Havana, Cuba

15’

Leaf elemental composition of species growing on contrasting soils in two
adjacent rainforest: serpentinized ultramafic versus volcano-sedimentary rock
Tanguy JAFFRE F1,2, Sandrine ISNARD2 and Thomas IBANEZ2
1. UMR AMAP, IRD, Herbier de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa, New Caledonia
2. UMR AMAP, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France

15’

Physiological response in relation to nickel hyperaccumulationin Bornmuellera emarginata cultivated in hydroponics over a nickel gradient
Serigne LY1, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA1,2, Mark G.M. AARTS3,
Stéphanie OUVRARD1 and Antony VAN DER ENT1,2,3
1. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine–INRAE, France
2. Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute,
The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia.
3. Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands

10Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

S6

ORAL SESSION

S.6
Keynote08:45

Regulartalk 1
09:25

Regulartalk 2
09:40

Regulartalk 3
09:55

SESSION 6: Metal hyperaccumulation
discovery & monitoring

Thursday, June 15th (08:30 – 11:40)
Chairman: Prof Roger REEVES & Prof Alan BAKER
40’

15’

The Discovery and Global Distribution of Hyperaccumulator Plants
Roger REEVESPalmerston North, New Zealand

Exploring the associations between soil microbiome, root architecture, and Zn &Cd accumulation in Arabidopsis halleri: results from a transplant experiment inrhizoboxes
Alicja BABST-KOSTECKA1, Kamila MURAWSKA-WLODARCZYK1, Priyanka
KUSHWAHA1, Yongjian CHEN1, Charlotte DIETRICH2, and Manzeal KHANAL1
1. Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, United States
2. W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Science, Poland

Metal Hyperaccumulators of Mexico and Central America: A Survey of Recent
Progress
Joe POLLARD1, Dulce NAVARRETE GUTIÉRREZ2,3, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA3,4, GraceMCCARTHA1,5, Haley DISINGER1 and Alan BAKER6
15’

1. Department of Biology, Furman University, USA
2. Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidad Autonoma Chapingo, Mexico
3. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, France
4. ECONICK, France
5. Natural Heritage New Mexico, The University of New Mexico, USA
6. School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia

Trace element hyperaccumulator plant traits: a call for trait data collection
Béatrice GERVAIS-BERGERON1, Adrian PAUL1, Pierre-Luc CHAGNON2, Alan
BAKER3,4,5, Antony VAN DER ENT3,5, Michel-Pierre FAUCON6, Celestino QUINTELASABARÍS7 and Michel LABRECQUE1
15’

1. Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal, Canada
2. Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, Canada
3. Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia
4. School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia
5. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, France
6. UniLaSalle, AGHYLE, France
7. Grupo de Ecoloxía Animal (GEA), Universidade de Vigo, Spain

XRF ionomics of herbarium specimens from the Balkan Peninsula
Tomica MIŠLJENOVIĆ1, Ksenija JAKOVLJEVIĆ1, Gordana TOMOVIĆ1, Alan
BAKER2,3,4,6, Antony VAN DER ENT2,3,5,6 and Guillaume ECHEVARRIA2,3,6
Regulartalk 4
10:10

15’

1. Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade,
Serbia2. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRAE, Université de Lorraine, France
3. Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of
Queensland, Queensland, Australia
4. School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
5. Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
6. Econick, Nancy, France11

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00
Nickel accumulation in plants from Shebenik mountain massif
Aida BANI1, Ermelinda GJETA2, Vjollca IBRO3, Dolja PAVLOVA4, SeitSHALLARI1,
Federico SELVI5, Christina HIPFINGER6, Marku PUSCHENREITER6, Guillaume
ECHEVARRIA7
Regulartalk 5
11:00

Regulartalk 6
11:15

15’

15’

1. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Faculty of Agronomy andEnvironment, Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirane, Albania
2. Department of Biology, Aleksander Xhuvani University, Elbasan
3. Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agronomy and Environment, Agricultural
University of Tirana, Tirane, Albania
4. Department of Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Sofia, Sofia 1504, Bulgaria
5. Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences, University of Florence,
P.le delle Cascine 28, 50144 Firenze, Italy
6. Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural
Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
7. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, 54000 Nancy, France

Biogeochemistry of the Serpentines of Rhodes and Cyprus
Roger REEVES1, Maria ALOUPI2, Emmanouil DAFTSIS3, John STRATIS3, Petros
MASTORAS2 and Panayiotis DIMITRAKOPOULOS2
1. Palmerston North, New Zealand
2. Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
3. Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

12

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

S7

ORAL SESSION

S.7

Keynote13:35

Regulartalk 1
14:15

Regulartalk 2
14:30

SESSION 7:
Plants of other edaphically challenging

Tuesday, June 13th (13:50 – 15:30)
Chairs: Prof Nishanta RAJAKARUNA & Dr Antony VAN DER ENT

40’

Lessons on Ecology and Evolution from the Study of Edaphic Specialization
Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,2

15’

Current update on floristic diversity of Malagasy inselbergs
Marina RABARIMANARIVO1, Sylvie ANDRIAMBOLOLONERA1 and Stefan
POREMBSKI2

1. Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, USA
2. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa

1. Research Unit, Missouri Botanical Garden Madagascar Program, Madagascar
2. Department of Botany and Botanical Garden, Rostock University, Germany

Genomic basis of tolerance to extremely low-pH in an extremophyte (Carex
angustisquama, Cyperaceae) in highly acidic volcanic soils in Japan
Koki NAGASAWA1, Hiroaki SETOGUCHI1, Ken NAITO2, Atsushi NAGANO3,4, Naoko
ISHIKAWA5 and Shota SAKAGUCHI1
15’

1. Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan
2. Research Center of Genetic Resources, National Agriculture and Food Research
Organization, Japan
3. Faculty of Agriculture, Ryukoku University, Japan
4. Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Japan
5. Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan

Setting an agenda for gypsum ecosystem research in southern Africa
Stefan SIEBERT1, Sara PALACIO1,2, Arantzazu LUZURIAGA3, Gillian MAGGSKÖLLING1,4, Eugene MARAIS4, Silvia MATESANZ3, María PRIETO3, Yolanda PUEYO5,
Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,6, Ana SÁNCHEZ3, Sarina CLAASSENS1

Regulartalk 3
14:45

15’

1. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University,
Potchefstroom, South Africa
2. Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), Jaca, Huesca, Spain
3. Área Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física Aplicada yQuímica Inorgánica, ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
4. Gobabeb - Namib Research Institute, Namibia
5. Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE, CSIC), Zaragoza, Spain
6. Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo,
United States13

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

S8

ORAL SESSION

S.8
Keynote08:30

Regulartalk 1
09:15

Regulartalk 2
09:30

Regulartalk 3
09:45

Regulartalk 4
10:00

SESSION 8:
Agromining and phytotechnologies

Friday, June 16th (14:55 – 15:20)
Chairman: Prof Alan BAKER, Dr Rufus CHANEY & Prof Jean-Louis MOREL
40’

Many Reasons for Study of Serpentine Ecology
Rufus L. CHANEY
Chaney Environmental LLC, USA

Agromining in Sabah, Malaysia: Current Status of Knowledge and Future
Potentials
Julenah AG. NUDDIN1, Rimi REPIN2, Antony VAN DER ENT3, Guillaume
ECHEVARRIA4
15’

1. Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Sabah, Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah, Malaysia
2. Sabah Parks, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
3. Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen,
Netherlands
4. Soils and Environment Laboratory, University of Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France

Developing speed-breeding techniques for European nickel metal crops
Mirko SALINITRO1, Antony van der ENT2,3,4, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA3,4, Annalisa
TASSONI1
15’

15’

1. Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna,
Italy
2. Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands.
3. Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of
Queensland, Queensland, Australia.
4. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRAE, Université de Lorraine, France

Environmental assessment tools applied to the agromining chain,from the field to marketable productsMarie-Odile SIMONNOT1, Baptiste LAUBIE1, Bastien JALLY and Marie-Noëlle PONS3
1. Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LRGP, 54000 Nancy, France

15’

Nickel accumulation and spatial distribution of metals assessed by SR- μXRF intropical hyperaccumulators
Luiz LIMA1, Sarah NICHOLAS2, Ryan TAPPERO2, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA3, Clístenes
NASCIMENTO1
1. Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil
2. National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, United States
3. INRAE, Soil & Environment Laboratory, France

14

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

Regulartalk 5
10:45

Regulartalk 6
11:00

Regulartalk 7
11:15

15’

Optimal co-cropping densities of Noccaea caerulescens with Sedum
plumbizincicola for zinc in situ phytoextraction depend on metal bioavailability
Julien JACQUET1,2, Gabrielle MICHAUDEL1, Emile BENIZRI2, Guillaume
ECHEVARRIA1,2,3 and Catherine SIRGUEY215’Biotechnological tools for improving Ni agromining in ultramafic soilsÁngeles PRIETO-FERNÁNDEZ1, Tania PARDO1,2, Beatriz RODRÍGUEZ-GARRIDO1,
Emile BENIZRI3, and Petra KIDD1

15’

Improving plant growth on mine tailings by using N-rich residual materials
from mine water treatment
Ricot ST-AIMÉ, Marie GUITTONNY and Carmen Mihaela NECULITA

1. Econick, France
2. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France
3. Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of
Queensland, Australia

1. Misión Biolóxica de Galicia (MBG) Sede Santiago de Compostela, CSIC, Spain
2. Unit of Plant Protection Products, INIA-CSIC, Spain
3. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France

Research Institute on Mines and the Environment, Université du Québec en AbitibiTémiscamingue, Canada

LIFE-AGROMINE, a pilot-scale demonstration carried out at EU level
Guillaume ECHEVARRIA1,2,3, Aida BANI4,5, Claire HAZOTTE3, Petra KIDD6, MariaKONSTANTINOU7, Tom KUPPENS8, Gaylord MACHINET9, Jean Louis MOREL1,
Ángeles PRIETO-FERNÁNDEZ6, Markus PUSCHENREITER10, Marie-Odile
SIMONNOT11, Evgenia TSIANOU12
Regulartalk 8
11:30

15’Regulartalk 911:45

15’

1. Université de Lorraine, INRAE, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, France
2. University of Queensland, Sustainable Minerals Institute, Centre for Mined Land
Rehabilitation, Australia
3. ECONICK, France
4. Agro-Environment and Economic Management Center, Albania
5. Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania
6. CSIC, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, Spain
7. Department of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, Greece
8. University Hasselt, Belgium
9. MICROHUMUS, France
10. BOKU, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Soil Research, Austria
11. Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Laboratoire Réactions et Génie des Procédés, France
12. Alchemia Nova, Austria

Preliminary results of optimizing Ni phytoextraction by Odontarrhena lesbiaca
Ioanna CHATZELLI, Maria ALOUPI and Panayiotis G. DIMITRAKOPOULOS
Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece15

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00
Changes on soil bacterial communities after an agromining field trial in the NW of
the Iberian Peninsula
Vanessa ÁLVAREZ-LÓPEZ1, Ángeles PRIETO-FERNÁNDEZ2, Beatriz RODRÍGUEZGARRIDO2, Carmela MONTERROSO3, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA4 and Petra KIDD2†

Regulartalk 10
12:00

15’Regulartalk 11
13:15

15’

Regulartalk 12
13:30

15’

S1

1. AQUATERRA - Gestión sostenible de los recursos hídricos y del suelo. CICA - Centro
Interdisciplinar de Química e Bioloxía. Facultad de Ciencias University of A Coruña, Spain
2. Suelos Biosistemas y Ecología Agroforestal, MBG-CSIC sede Santiago de Compostela,Spain
3. Departamento de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, University of Santiago de Compostela,Spain
4. Soils and Environment Laboratory, University of Lorraine, France†. Deceased

Substrate formulation for agromining of cobalt from aged mine tailings
Samuel TEILLAUD1,2, Lucie COUDERT1, Marie GUITTONNY1, Jean Louis MOREL1,3,
Baptiste LAUBIE2 and Marie-Odile SIMONNOT2
1. Institut de Recherche en Mines et en Environnement, Université du Québec en AbitibiTémiscamingue, Canada
2. Laboratoire Réaction et Génie des Procédés, CNRS, Université de Lorraine, France
3. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRAE, Université de Lorraine, France

Assisting nickel agromining using sustainable amendments
Alexis DURAND, Léa JAFEU, Pierre LEGLIZE and Emile BENIZRI

Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France

POSTER EXHIBITIONSESSION 1:
Geology, soils & biogeochemical cycles

Session 1 - posters

S1.P1

S1.P2

Application of clay minerals in remediation of heavy metal pollution in soil
Teuta BUSHI1, Aida BANI

1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Forest Sciences Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania
2. Department of Agro-Environment and Ecology, Faculty of Agronomy and Environment, Agricultural
University of Tirana, Albania

Assessing ecological, environmental, and human health risks associated with ultramafic
soils in Brazil
Luiz LIMA1, Clístenes NASCIMENTO2
1. Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil

S1.P3

Distribution of Heavy Metals in the Different Compartments in Lake Dushku, Albania
Aida BANI1, Dolja PAVLOVA2, Seit SHALLARI1
1. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Faculty of Agronomy and Environment,
Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
2. Department of Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Sofia, Sofia 1504, Bulgaria

16

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

S1.P4

Interactions of Cr(III)/Cr(VI) Mixtures with Freshwater Algae: a Stable Isotope Approach
Elsa SALLES1, Armand MAUL1, Carole COSSU-LEGUILLE, Thi Tuyen NGUYEN2, Maximilien
BEURET1, Alexis GROLEAU2, Yann SIVRY2, Yulia ERBAN KOCHERGINA3, Pavel KRAM3, Vincent
NORMANT1 and Davide VIGNATI1
1. LIEC, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, France
2. IPGP, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, France
3. Division of Geochemistry and Laboratories, Czech Geological Survey, Czech Republic

The influence of fire and fire retardant (Phos-chek®) on plant diversity and non-native
species abundance in California’s serpentine chaparral
Zach RAPOSO1,2, Chris HOWINGTON3, Alex PENA4, Luka NEGOITA5, Anthony FERRERO6, Peter
WALSH6, Dylan STEPHENS6 and Nishanta RAJAKARUNA6,7S1.P5

1. Geospatial & Environmental Department, Althouse and Meade, Inc., USA
2. Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences, California Polytechnic State University,
USA
3. Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture, USA
4. United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, USA
5. Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Ecuador
6. Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, USA
7. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa

S1.P6

Wettability of serpentine and other minerals upon rising temperatures
Sara NEGRI1, Mohammad Ali MONAJJEM1,2, Marta IANNICELLI1 and Eleonora BONIFACIO1S1.P7

Geochemical classification of Macrotermes falciger termite mounds on laterite profile
Serge Ilunga Ngoy1, Yannick Callec2, Denis Thieublemont2, Apolline Auclerc1, Françoise
Watteau1

S2

1. Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Italy
2. Soil Science Department, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

1. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement (LSE-INRAE), INRAE/Université de Lorraine (UL), France
2. Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM), France

POSTER EXHIBITIONSESSION 2:
Biodiversity: taxonomy and systematics

Session 2 - posters

S2.P1

Bacterial and fungal diversity found in serpentine and non-serpentine soil crusts
from two different climatic regions in South Africa
Danielle BOTHA1, Arthurita VENTER1, Sandra BARNARD1, Sarina CLAASSENS1, Nishanta
RAJAKARUNA1,2 and Stefan SIEBERT1
1. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa
2. Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, USA

New Stylochaeton species from ultramafic soil in South Africa
Madeleen STRUWIG1, Stefan SIEBERT2 and Abraham VAN WYK3
S2.P2

1. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, South
Africa2. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa.
3. H.G.W.J. Schweickerdt Herbarium, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria,
South Africa

17Last modified on 13 July at 14:30

S3.P6

The effect of substrate type and species richness on biomass production andnickel concentration
Panayiotis G. DIMITRAKOPOULOS, Maria ALOUPI, Dimitris SKOPIANOS, and Ioanna
CHATZELLI
Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece

Ultramafic lichens: an ecological investigation of an understudied organism in a wellstudied system.
Michael MULROY1, Jason DART2,3, Cameron WILLIAMS4, Rikke REESE NÆSBORG4, Alan
FRYDAY5, Scott JOHNSTON6, and Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,7
S3.P7

S3.P8

1. Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, USA
2. Althouse and Meade, Inc., USA
3. Robert F. Hoover Herbarium, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
4. Conservation Department, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, USA
5. Herbarium, Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, USA
6. Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, USA
7. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa

A microscopic description of the actinorhizal nodules of Casuarinaceae trees growing on
ultramafic areas in Sabah (Malaysia)
Celestino QUINTELA-SABARÍS1, Chor Wai LO2, Hasna BOUBAKRI3, Philippe NORMAND3 andJorge DOMÍNGUEZ1
1. Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Spain
2. Fakulti Sains Gunaan, Universiti Teknologi MARA- Cawangan Sabah, Malaysia
3. Laboratoire d’Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 1, France

S4

POSTER EXHIBITIONSESSION 4:
Conservation and restoration

Session 4 - posters

S4.P1

S4.P2

Germination and initial growth characteristics of Saussrea modesta (Asteraceae), an
endangered serpentine plant in Japan
Ryusuke INOUE1, Akihiro YAMAMOTO2, Jun WASAKI1 and Takayuki NAKATUBO2,3
1. Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Japan
2. Division of Cultivation and Exhibition, Hiroshima Botanical Garden, Japan
3. Hiroshima University Museum, Hiroshima University, Japan

Modeling Species Distributions of Select Obligate Metallophytes in Response to Climate
ChangeLauren EBERTH1, Haley DISINGER1, Joe POLLARD1 and John QUINN1
Department of Biology, Furman University, USA

S4.P3

Phytoremediation and Nurse Potential of Aloe Plants from Ultramafic Areas on
Mine TailingsJoão MARCELO-SILVA, Masego RAMABU and Stefan SIEBERTUnit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South
Africa19

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

S4.P4

Trace metal exclusion mechanisms enhance invasion of Mediterranean ultramafic
habitats by Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae)
Andrea COPPI1, Lorenzo LAZZARO1, Cristina GONNELLI1, Ilaria COLZI1, Michele MUGNAI1,2,
Isabella BETTARINI1,2 and Federico SELVI3

1. Department of Biology, University of Florence, Italy
2. NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133 3Department of Dept of Agriculture, Food,
Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Italy

S5

POSTER EXHIBITIONSESSION 5:
Ecophysiology, molecular biology, and genetics

Session 5 - posters

S5.P1

Assessing Nickel Tolerance and Accumulation in the Central American
Hyperaccumulator Blepharidium guatemalense Using Hydroponic Systems
Lauren EBERTH1, Dulce NAVARRETE GUTIÉRREZ2,3 and Joe POLLARD1

S5.P2

Exclusion and Accumulation: Metallophytes Employ Both Mechanisms to
Survive on Serpentine and Mining Habitats of Sekhukhuneland, South Africa
Sutapa ADHIKARI1, João MARCELO-SILVA1, Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,2 and Stefan SIEBERT1

S5.P3

Ion profiles of plant species distributed in two contrasting soils: serpentine soil
and volcanic acid soil, western Japan
Akihiro YAMAMOTO1, Ryusuke INOUE2, Toshihiro WATANABE3, Takayuki NAKATSUBO2,4 and
Jun WASAKI2

S6

1. Department of Biology, Furman University, USA
2. Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidad Autonoma Chapingo, Mexico
3. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, France

1. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa
2. Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, United States

1. Division of Cultivation and Exhibition, Hiroshima Botanical Garden, Japan
2. Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Japan
3. Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Japan
4. Hiroshima University Museum, Hiroshima University, JapanPOSTER EXHIBITIONSESSION 6: Metal hyperaccumulation
discovery & monitoring

Session 6 - posters

S6.P1

Element Accumulation by the Holoparasitic Species Cuscuta planiflora Ten. from
Serpentines in Bulgaria
Dolja PAVLOVA1, Irina KARADJOVA2 and Aida BANI3

1. Department of Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Sofia, Bulgaria
2. Department of Analytical chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Farmacy, University of Sofia, Bulgaria
3. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agronomy and Environment,
Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania

20

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

S6.P2

Assessing the metal accumulation capacity of plants to optimize phytoextraction of minetailings in arid and semi-arid ecosystems
Tomasz WLODARCZYK1, Kamila MURAWSKA-WLODARCZYK1, Yves-Marie LEGRAND3, Claude
GRISON3, Arthur LASBLEIZ3, Charlotte PEARSON2, Raina MAIER1 and Alicja BABST-KOSTECKA1

S6.P3

Atomic Spectroscopic Analysis of Macronutrients and Trace Elements in Potential
Hyperaccumulators from Sabah
N. S. SALIM1, M. MG BUANG2, S. SUMAIL2, Antony VAN DER ENT3, Julenah AG. NUDDIN1 andGuillaume Echevarria4

S6.P4

1. Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, United States
2. Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, The University of Arizona, United States
3. Laboratoire de Chimie Bio-Inspirée et d'Innovations Ecologiques, CNRS-Université de Montpellier,France1. Faculty of Applied Science Universiti Teknologi MARA Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
2. Herbarium, Sabah Parks, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
3. Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands
4. Laboratoire Sols et Environment, University of Lorraine, France

Does metal hyperaccumulation influence leaf traits? Morphological and anatomical
investigation of the ultramafic flora of New Caledonia
Lily CHENG-CLAVEL & Sandrine ISNARDUMR AMAP, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France

S6.P5

Herbarium and Field Studies of Nickel-Hyperaccumulating Plants from Ultramafic Soils in
GuatemalaHaley DISINGER1, Dulce NAVARRETE GUTIÉRREZ2,3, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA3,4, Alan BAKER5and Joe POLLARD1
1. Department of Biology, Furman University, USA
2. Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidad Autonoma Chapingo, Mexico
3. Laboratoire Sols et Environement, Université de Lorraine, France
4. ECONICK, France
5. School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia

Hyperaccumulation of Ni and Zn in Noccaea herbarium specimens
Ksenija JAKOVLJEVIĆ1, Tomica MIŠLJENOVIĆ1, Alan BAKER2,3,4,5, Antony VAN DER ENT2,3,5,6,
Vanessa INVERNON7 and Guillaume ECHEVARRIA2,3,5
S6.P6

S6.P7

1. Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
2. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRAE, Université de Lorraine, France
3. Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland,
Queensland, Australia
4. School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC 2010, Australia
5. Econick, Nancy, France
6. Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
7. National Museum of Natural History, France

Ni hyperaccumulation in the flora of Barro Alto, Goiás State, Brazil
Leide ANDRADE1, Fabiana AQUINO1, Zenilton MIRANDA1, Cícero PEREIRA1, Juaci
MALAQUIAS1, and Guillaume ECHEVARRIA2,3

1. Embrapa Cerrados, Brazil
2. INRAE, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, France
3. University of Queensland, Sustainable Minerals Institute, Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation,
Australia

21

Last modified on 11 July at 18:00

S6.P8

S7

Biotechnological tools for improving Ni agromining in ultramafic soilsÁngeles PRIETO-FERNÁNDEZ1, Tania PARDO1,2, Beatriz RODRÍGUEZ-GARRIDO1, Emile
BENIZRI3, and Petra KIDD1
1. Misión Biolóxica de Galicia (MBG) Sede Santiago de Compostela, CSIC, Spain
2. Unit of Plant Protection Products, INIA-CSIC, Spain
3. Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France

POSTER EXHIBITIONSESSION 7:
Plants of other edaphically challengingb

Session 7 - posters

S7.P1

S7.P2

S7.P3

Clay Endemism and Affinity in the California Floristic Province
Emma FRYER1, Alyssa SHON1, Hannah HUNTLEY1, Ryan O’DELL2 and Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,3
1. Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, USA
2. Bureau of Land Management, United States Department of the Interior, USA
3. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa

Hyperaccumulator Stanleya pinnata: In Situ Fitness in Relation to Tissue Selenium
Concentration
Michela SCHIAVON1, McKenna CASTLEBERRY2, Amy WANGELINE3, Bernadette AGUIRRE3,
Stefano DALL’ACQUA4, Elizabeth PILON-SMITS2, and Leonardo LIMA2,5
1. Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Italy
2. Biology Department, Colorado State University, USA
3. Biology Department, Laramie County Community College, USA
4. Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Italy
5. Donald Danforth plant Science Center, USA

Lessons Learned and Paths Forward: Ensuring Long-Term Success of Revegetation Efforts on
Metal-Contaminated Mine Tailings in Arid and Semi-Arid Ecosystems
Kamila MURAWSKA-WLODARCZYK1, Priyanka KUSHWAHA1, Julian SCHROEDER2, Raina
MAIER1 and Alicja BABST-KOSTECKA1
1. Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, United Stated
2. Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, United States

S7.P4

S7.P5

The Vertic Clay Flora of the San Joaquin Desert: Niche, Competition & Floral Mosaics on a
Novel Substrate
Emma FRYER1, Ryan O’DELL2 and Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,3
1. Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, USA
2. Bureau of Land Management, United States Department of the Interior, USA
3. Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa

Violets of the Allchar arsenic-thallium deposit (Republic of North Macedonia) – proof of
hyperaccumulation
Ksenija JAKOVLJEVIĆ1, Tomica MIŠLJENOVIĆ1, Katerina BAČEVA ANDONOVSKA2,
Guillaume ECHEVARRIA3,4,5, Alan J. M. BAKER3,4,5,6, Dennis BRUECKNER7 and Antony VAN DER
ENT3,4,5,8

22

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LIST OFABSTRACTS

Summary
Session 1: Geology, soils, & biogeochemical cycles....................

p. 53

Session 2: Biodiversity: taxonomy and systematics....................

p. 71

Session 3: Ecology and evolution................................................

p. 80

Session 4: Conservation and restoration....................................

p. 99

Session 5: Ecophysiology, molecular biology, and genetics........

p. 111

Session 6: Metal hyperaccumulation discovery & monitoring...

p. 126

Session 7: Plants of other edaphically challenging substrates...

p. 142

Session 8: Agromining and phytotechnologies..........................

p. 154

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Session 1 - Geology, soils& biogeochemical cycles

A newly-forming ecosystem in a mined ultramafic environment
in Barro Alto, Goiás State, Brazil
Leide ANDRADE1, Fabiana AQUINO1, Eduardo OLIVEIRA-FILHO1, Fábio REIS-JR1,
Cícero PEREIRA1, Juaci MALAQUIAS1, Edson SANO1 and Guillaume ECHEVARRIA2,3
1

Embrapa Cerrados, Brazil, INRAE, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, France
3
University of Queensland, Sustainable Minerals Institute, Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Australia
2leide.andrader@embrapa.br

ABSTRACTUltramafic soils of Barro Alto, Goiás State, Brazil (S14° 58' 6''; W048° 55' 12''), are rich in Fe, Mg, and someheavy metals, such as Cr, Ni, and Co, that are potentially toxic to most plants. Despite these limiting
conditions, many plant species grow naturally in these areas. Therefore, they are therefore strong candidates
for reclamation of environments degraded by Ni mining. Little is known about how soil parameters change
during the early stages of revegetation dynamics on newly restored Ni-mining spoils, particularly in tropicalregions (Alday et al., 2012). Characterization of soils from mining spoil heaps showed strong chemical andphysical heterogeneity, originated from their distinct mineralogy. There were negligible contents of organic
matter (OM), low levels of Ca, P, and K, high bioavailability of Mn, and Cr6+ that are potentially toxic to theenvironment, and low microbiological activity (by enzyme activity assessment). Our objective was to evaluatechanges in soil and in floristic and microbiological composition in an experiment on the revegetation of mine
spoils. Thirteen native herbaceous-shrubs species were selected based on their characteristics of abundance,
ability to colonize altered environments and to tolerate or accumulate high amounts of toxic elements. The
experiment consisted of hand-sowing seed cocktails composed of 13 native species (NAT), three soil
conditioners leguminous (SCL) species, a mixture of NAT+SCL, and no seeding (CONT), which were
distributed in 12 permanent plots (0.83m2 each). We monitored the soil and vegetation changes in those plots
for six years. We monitored the short-term interactions of changes in soil chemical properties, microbiologicalactivities, and plant species succession (composition and structure) in these newly-forming ecosystems. Soil
variables showed a general trend of increasing soil OM and pH over time, whereas P and bases saturation(Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+) showed negligible change. Due to the succession of plant species that establishedthemselves in those plots, there were an increase of OM, a four-fold increase in the activity of β-glucosidase
and arylsulfatase enzymes, nutrient cycling, and a reduction in the levels of Cr6+ content in the substrate ofmore than 80%. The chemical (mainly related to the accumulation of OM and pH increase) andmicrobiological changes promoted by the rhizospheric activity of native plants started the process offormation of living soil. Our results suggest that the soil-forming material was sufficiently beneficial for plantdevelopment. The floristic compositional differences among treatments were mainly driven by a short-term
combination of abiotic and stochastic factors. The evolution of this ecosystem allowed the revegetation of anenvironment that was once totally inhospitable. Based on this information, we developed a methodology for
propagation of selected species for planting in field conditions and produced a protocol to re-vegetate mining
spoils heaps using native species of ultramafic soils. They will favor the substitution of exotic species
commonly present in the seed cocktails used by most of mining companies in this revegetation process.
KEYWORDS: Cerrado native species, hexavalent chromium, mine spoil materials, soil enzyme activities,
ultramafic area.
REFERENCES[1]

Alday, J.G., Marrs, R.H., and Martínez-Ruiz, C. (2012) Soil and vegetation development during early
succession on restored coal wastes: a six-year permanent plot study: Plant Soil 353:305–320,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-011-1033-2

Characterization of chromium-bearing minerals in incipient and highlyweathered serpentine soil profiles in Taiwan
Chia-Yu YANG1, Wei-Hao LEE2 and Zeng-Yei HSEU1
1

2

Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
Institute of Mineral Resources Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taiwan
D10623003@ntu.edu.tw

ABSTRACT
Geogenic Cr in serpentine soils is from Cr-spinels and silicates [1]. Cr-spinels, such as magnetites
and chromites, have been considered to be strongly resistant to weathering, while labile Cr is mainly fromsilicates [2]. However, spinels also contributed to available Cr in serpentine soils, particularly in humid
tropics [3]. Thus, the characteristics of Cr-spinels remain unclear for the knowledge of Cr availability in thepedogenetic processes of serpentine soils. The Cr-bearing minerals have distinct magnetic properties.
Magnetites are ferrimagnetic with strong magnetism, whereas chromites are paramagnetic with weakmagnetism. On the other hand, silicates are commonly nonmagnetic. We collected soil horizon samples
from incipient and highly-weathered serpentine soils in eastern Taiwan. The air-dried soils were tested bya portable magnetic susceptibility meter (KT-10, Terraplus (Georadis)) for their magnetic susceptibility (K,SI unit), which is the ratio between the applied magnetic field and the induced magnification. Moreover,the soil samples were separated by applied magnetic field (B) produced by a wet magnetic separator. During
the processes, magnetic fractions were obtained under different B: strong magnetic (SM) fractions (B =1157 G) and weak magnetic (WM) fractions (B = 4650 G). Finally, the remaining were collected asnonmagnetic (NM) fractions. Regarding weight proportion (%), the NM fractions were about 92% in the bulk
soils instead of SM (3%) and WM (4%) fractions. However, the proportions of NM fractions gradually
decreased toward the surface soils. Additionally, the proportions of SM and WM fractions in the incipientpedon were higher than those in the highly-weathered pedon. The K values were higher in the surface soils
than in the subsoils in the two pedons. Nevertheless, the incipient pedon generally exhibited higher K
values (2.65-5.65 x 10-3 SI unit) than the highly-weathered pedon (1.95-2.92 x 10-3 SI unit). As for theelemental composition, Cr concentration in the SM fractions were the highest, ranging from 6252 mg kg-1 to
30 g kg-1, followed by the WM fractions (639 – 2898 mg kg-1) and NM fractions (453 – 1426 mg kg-1).
Summarily, the SM and WM fractions containing magnetites and chromites were corresponding to the low
K values in the highly-weathered serpentine soils, indicating that the pedogenesis caused to change in thecomposition of element in spinels. Hence, the research needed in the future is confirming the spatial
distribution of elements and leaching potential of Cr in these Cr-bearing minerals to identify the individual
source contribution of geogenic Cr from serpentine soils.
KEYWORDS: chromium, wet magnetic separator, magnetite, chromite, pedogenesis

REFERENCES[1]
Yang, C. Y., Nguyen, D. Q., Ngo, H. T. T., Navarrete, I. A., Nakao, A., Huang, S. T. and Hseu, Z. Y..
Increases in Ca/Mg ratios caused the increases in the mobile fractions of Cr and Ni in serpentinite-derived
soils in humid Asia, CATENA 216:106418, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106418[2]
Garnier, J., Quantin, C., Martins, E. S. and Becquer, T. (2006). Solid speciation and availability ofchromium in ultramafic soils from Niquelândia, Brazil, Journal of Geochemical Exploration 88(1-3):206-209,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2005.08.040[3]Hseu, Z. Y. and Iizuka, Y. (2013). Pedogeochemical characteristics of chromite in a paddy soil
derived from serpentinites, Geoderma 202:126-133, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.03.021

Ni way! The tricky Ni-biogeochemical cycle in soils under hyperaccumulator of
New Caledonia
Claire ANSART1, Eric PAIDJAN2, Christophe CLOQUET1, Emmanuelle MONTARGÈS-PELLETIER3,
Sandrine ISNARD4, Cécile QUANTIN5, Yann SIVRY6 and Farid JUILLOT7
1

CRPG – Université de Lorraine, France
BIOGECO INRAE– Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, France
3
LIEC– Université de Lorraine, CNRS, France
4
AMAP – Université de Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, France
5
GEOPS– Université Paris Saclay, CNRS, France
6
IPGP – Sorbonne Paris Cité – Université Paris Diderot, France
7
IMPMC – Université Pierre et Marie Curie, CNRS, IRD, France
2

claire.ansart@univ-lorraine.fr

ABSTRACTUltramafic (UM) soils are particularly challenging for plant growth and are often cover by a distinctive andhighly endemic vegetation. At particular, these soils are poor in essential plant nutrient and have highconcentrations of metals such as Fe, Mn, Co, Cr or Ni up to the percent level [1]. Among the adaptive
physiological strategies characterizing plants on these soils, metal hyperaccumulation leads to the preferential
uptake of metal at the soil-plant interface and the transfer of metal from the roots to the leaves, through sap
and latex. The Ni-hyperaccumulator Pycnandra accuminata, an endemic species of New Caledonia, is one ofthese species, and Ni concentrations in its latex can reach up to 26 wt.% (dry mass) while most plants containless than 15 ppm (dry mass) of Ni in their aerial organs [2]. This physiology is also suspected to redistributeorganic Ni to the soil via the leaf litter degradation and increasing Ni-bioavailability in the soil's surface [3, 4].
Such physiological transfers and processes are suspected to print the δ60Ni signatures in the different
compartments of the soil and plants. But the mechanisms and extent of Ni fractionation in UM soils due to Nihyperaccumulators are not clearly understood and still under debate. The present study focuses on soil profiles
developed under hyperaccumulators and non-hyperaccumulators, P. acuminata and its close related P.
fastuosa respectively, to unravel the effect of hyperaccumulators on the Ni biogeochemical cycle. Ni content
within the litter and soils developed under P. acuminata are significantly higher than in profiles developed
under P. fastuosa. In addition, the bioavailable Ni within soils developed under hyperaccumulator is also
higher compared to those developed under P. fastuosa,, especially in the uppermost horizons, which suggests a
non-negligible effect of the hyperaccumulation processes and the litter degradation in the Ni biogeochemical
cycle. Coupling the Ni-speciation and Ni isotope ratios in the soil will help us to shed light on biologicalprocesses leading to Ni isotope fractionation and highlights the influence of Ni-hyperaccumulators on the Nibiogeochemical cycle in the soil–plant interface.
KEYWORDS: Ultramafic soils, Nickel biogeochemical cycle, Ni-isotope, Hyperacccumulator, New
Caledonia
REFERENCES[1]
Trescases, J.-J. (1973) Weathering and geochemical behaviour of the elements of ultramafic rocks in
New Caledonia, Bureau of Mineral Ressources Geology and Geophysics Department of Minerals andEnergy Canberra Bulletin 114:149 - 16
[2]

Brooks, R.R., Lee, J., Reeves, R.D., Jaffré, T. (1977) Detection of nickeliferous rocks by analysis of
herbarium specimens of indicator plants, Journal of Geochemical Exploration 7:49 - 57

[3]

Boyd, R.S. and Jaffré, T. (2001) Phytoenrichment of soil Ni content by Serbetia acuminata in New
Caledonia and the concept of elemental allelopathy, South American Journal of Science 97:535 - 536[4]

Zelano, I.O., Cloquet, C., van der Ent, A., Echevarria, G., Gley, R., Landrot, R., Pollastri, S., Fraysse,
F. and Montargès-Pelletier, E. (2020) Coupling nickel speciation and isotope ratios to decipher nickel
dynamics in the Rinorea bengalensis-soil system in Malaysian Borneo, Plant and Soil 454:225-243

Nickel and chromium speciation in a small ultramafic catchment: implications
for elemental bioavailability to freshwater organisms
Davide VIGNATI1, Elsa SALLES1, Thi Tuyen NGUYEN2, Céline SIMON1, Maximilien BEURET1, Carole
COSSU-LEGUILLE1, Alexis GROLEAU2, Yulia ERBAN KOCHERGINA3, Yann SIVRY2 and Pavel
KRAM3
1

LIEC, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, France
IPGP, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, France

2
3

Division of Geochemistry and Laboratories, Czech Geological Survey, Czech Republic
david-anselmo.vignati@univ-lorraine.fr

ABSTRACTIn waters draining ultramafic catchments, concentrations of nickel (Ni) and chromium (Cr) naturally
exceed the corresponding environmental quality standards or guidelines (EQS or EQG). Such highconcentrations of Ni and Cr are of natural origin and ultramafic environments support several species ofadapted organisms. However, ultramafic minerals are also actively mined for Ni, a key element ingreen energies and technologies, or investigated as substrates for CO2 sequestration. These uses
may expose previously unacclimatized biota to potentially harmful levels of Ni and Cr. Identifying thelinks between Ni and Cr speciation and bioavailability is therefore of critical importance to ensure an
environmental friendly use of ultramafic resources. Examination of long-term monitoring data from asmall creek flowing through serpentine bedrock (Pluhuv Bor creek [1], Czechia) showed that total
filterable Ni concentrations were consistently above the European EQS of 4 µg/L (after bioavailability
correction). Similarly, total filterable Cr levels exceeded the EQG proposed by the World HealthOrganization: 4 µg/L for Cr(VI) and 10 µg/L for Cr(III). Combined chemical and biological investigations
were therefore carried out to understand if Ni and Cr bioavailability in Pluhuv Bor waters could be highenough to cause ecotoxic effects in organisms previously unexposed to Ni and Cr. Field work was carried out
in the Pluhuv Bor creek in Oct/Nov 2019 (baseflow), Nov/Dec 2021 (minor flood due to snowmelt) and
Sept 2022 (baseflow). Elemental speciation was studied using in situ Diffusive Gradients in Thin
Films, filtration (0.22µm ) – ultrafiltration (3kda) and ion-chromatography ICP-MS. The potential
combined bioavailability of Ni and Cr was evaluated using standard tests with the model freshwater alga
Raphidocelis subcapitata and the model crustacean Daphnia magna. Total filterable concentrations (allsampling periods) ranged from 33 to 194 µg/L for Ni and 1.9 to 23 µg/L for Cr with the highest values
recorded at high the highest flows. Sample fractionation by filtration–ultrafiltration (2021 and 2022
campaigns) showed that ultrafiltered Ni and Cr concentrations did not vary with flow, suggesting that
increases in total filterable concentrations at higher flows were caused by an increase in the corresponding
colloidal pools. DGT-labile concentrations were in reasonable agreement with ultrafilterable ones for bothelements. In the case of Cr, DGT measurements suggested that ultrafilterable Cr mostly occurred as Cr(VI).
These results were confirmed by IC ICP-MS analysis for samples collected in 2021. Filtered waters neverelicited adverse responses from R. subcapitata or D. magna, suggesting a limited bioavailability of Ni
and Cr. We surmise that the low Ni and Cr bioavailability are linked to the increase in their colloidal pools
at high flows.
KEYWORDS: filtration-ultrafiltration, diffusive gradients in thin films (DGTs), ecotoxicity, colloidal
carrier phases, ion-chromatography ICP-MS
REFERENCES[1]

Krám, P., Oulehle, F., Štědrá, V., Hruška, J., Shanley, J.B., Minocha, R. and Traister, E. (2009) Geoecology of aForest Watershed Underlain by Serpentine in Central Europe. Northeastern Naturalist 16, Spec. 5: 309-328.

Rhizosphere processes and nickel mobilization in the nickel hyperaccumulator
Odontarrhena chalcidica
Sören RISSE1, Markus PUSCHENREITER2 and Alice TOGNACCHINI3
1,2,3

Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna,
Austria
alice.tognacchini@boku.ac.at

ABSTRACT
Nickel hyperaccumulation is a rare phenomenon whereby plants accumulate Ni in aboveground biomass
exceeding concentrations of 1000 μg g-1 in dry weight [1, 2]. Hyperaccumulator plants targeting Ni commonlyoccur on ultramafic soils, which are characterised by low nutrients and extreme concentrations of certain
metals such as Ni, Cr, and Co. The hyperaccumulation trait makes these plants particularly good candidates for
phytomining, in which hyperaccumulators are planted to extract metals from soils and recover them frombiomass. However, whether hyperaccumulators are capable of mobilizing larger Ni pools than nonaccumulators is still debated. Furthermore, rhizosphere processes of hyperaccumulators are still largely
unknown. Especially the biogeochemistry of Fe, P and Ni is assumed to be tightly linked in ultramafic soils
since Fe oxides are important Ni and P bearing phases. To investigate the influence of labile and total Ni
concentrations in ultramafic soils upon Ni hyperaccumulator plant responses, a gradient of six soils withpseudo-total Ni concentrations ranging from 552 to 1465 mg kg-1 and labile (DTPA-extractable) Ni from 41.6
to 158 mg kg-1 was created by soil mixing and compared to an additional high pseudo-total (1613 mg kg-1) but
low labile (53.1 mg kg-1) Ni soil. The Ni hyperaccumulator Odontarrhena chalcidica was grown for 71 days inpots and pore water sampled four times during the experiment to monitor changes in soil solution ionome, pH,
and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content. Labile Ni and Fe fractions as well as P bioavailability were
determined before and after the experiment to investigate plant-induced changes. Results showed that porewater Ni and Fe concentrations were significantly increased by O. chalcidica as well as DOC concentrations,pore water, and soil pH compared to unplanted soils. Labile Ni was decreased as a result of excessive plant
uptake of the labile fraction and perhaps a reduction due to soil alkalinisation. A positive correlation between
Ni in shoots and pseudo-total concentrations and pH in soil was observed, although plant Ni concentrations did
not clearly show the same linear pattern with soil available Ni. Increased DOC concentrations in pore water
were the first indications of root exudation for O. chalcidica and presumably promoted enhanced Ni and Fe
solubilization in soil pore water. Our results showed a clear root-induced Ni and Fe mobilization in therhizosphere of O. chalcidica and suggested a nutrient uptake mechanism based on soil alkalinization andexudation of organic ligands.
KEYWORDS: hyperaccumulation, rhizosphere, mobilization
REFERENCES[1]
Baker AJM, Brooks R (1989) Terrestrial higher plants which hyperaccumulate metallic elements. A
review of their distribution, ecology and phytochemistry. Biorecovery 1:81–126[2]

van der Ent A, Baker AJM, Reeves RD, Pollard AJ, Schat H (2013) Hyperaccumulators of metal andmetalloid trace elements: facts and fiction. Plant Soil 362:319–334

Stocks and biogeochemical cycling of soil-derived nutrients in an ultramafic rain
forest in New Caledonia
Adrian PAUL1, Sandrine ISNARD2,3, Francis BREARLEY4, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA5, Alan BAKER1,5,6,
Peter ERSKINE1 and Antony VAN DER ENT1
1

Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation University of Queensland, Australia
2
AMAP, Université Montpellier, France
3
AMAP, Herbier de Nouvelle-Calédonie, New Caledonia
4
Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom
5
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, France
6
School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia
adrian.paul@umontreal.ca

ABSTRACTUltramafic rain forests in New Caledonia evolved on some of the most nutrient impoverished soils globallyand are some of the slowest-growing tropical forests known. This study aimed to determine nutrient stocks
and elucidate the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in a remnant lowland rain forest in southern New
Caledonia. Based on an inventory of a 1-ha permanent plot, exhaustive plant tissue sampling was undertakenof all large trees (diameter at breast height ≥ 15 cm) in a 0.25-ha subset of the plot in tandem with collecting
100 soil samples. All samples were analyzed for major nutrient concentrations and the results show that mostof the magnesium was contained in the soil (96.9%), whereas a large fraction of calcium (46.5%) andphosphorus (16.0%), and the majority of potassium (81.5%) were contained in the standing biomass. This
study has revealed how tightly these soil-derived nutrients are cycling in this system. Ultimately, thisinformation will be essential for efforts to restore rain forest in New Caledonia, where the biomass(and contained nutrients) has been removed.
KEYWORDS: Nutrients, Ultramafic, Biogeochemistry, Potassium, Phosphorus
REFERENCES[1][2]

Paul, A.L.D., Isnard, S., Brearley, F.Q., Echevarria, G., Baker, A.J., Erskine, P.D., and van Der Ent,
A. (2022). Stocks and biogeochemical cycling of soil-derived nutrients in an ultramafic rain forest in
New Caledonia. Forest Ecology and Management 509:120049
Paul, A. L.D, Isnard, S., Wawryk, C. M., Erskine, P. D., Echevarria, G., Baker, A. J., Kirby, J., andvan Der Ent, A. (2021). Intensive cycling of nickel in a New Caledonian forest dominated byhyperaccumulator trees. The Plant Journal 107:1040-1055.

Studies on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in New Caledonian ultramafic soils: A
synthesis
Hamid AMIR, Yvon CAVALOC, Thomas CROSSAY, Valérie BURTET-SARRAMEGNA, and Linda
GUENTAS
Institut des Sciences Exactes et Appliquées (ISEA), Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, Noumea 98851, New
Caledonia
hamid.amir@unc.nc

ABSTRACT
If the knowledge about New Caledonian serpentine ecosystems has increased greatly during the past halfcentury, research on soil microflora and plant symbionts started only in the nineties and was mainly publishedduring the last two decades. Here we synthesize the studies on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF), focusing particularly on ecological and restoration aspects. Research on AMF consisted firstly of a
global and inventory approach aiming to produce basic but essential lacking knowledge. These studies
showed that AMF are abundant in ultramafic soils and concerned nearly all plant species of theseecosystems. Even Ni-hyperaccumulator plants and sedges, generally considered non-mycorrhizal, were
found to be functionally colonized by AMF in New Caledonian ultramafic soils. The adaptation of AMF
communities to the extreme conditions of these soils led to high levels of metal tolerance (particularly to Ni)
and noticeable originality of the taxa. Several new species were described. A relatively high AMF
diversity was found in the studied serpentine ecosystems. The influence of these symbionts on plant
growth and adaptation was assessed in greenhouse and field conditions. An accurate selection of AMF
isolates that improve plant growth, and plant metal tolerance was performed. It was demonstrated thatcombinations of AMF isolates with complementary functional traits showed high synergistic effects onplant development. Finally, a partnership with a biotechnological company led to the production ofan efficient commercial inoculant now used in the ecological restoration of mine-degraded areas. Today
studies are focused mainly on the additive effects of AMF and mycorrhiza-helper bacteria.
KEYWORDS: AMF; serpentine ecosystems; abiotic stress; toxic metals; restoration ecology; New
Caledonia
REFERENCES[1]

Amir H., Cavaloc Y., Laurent A., Pagand P., Gunkel P., Lemestre M., Medevielle V., Pain A., McCoy
S. (2019) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and sewage sludge enhance growth and adaptation of
Metrosideros laurifolia on ultramafic soil in New Caledonia: A field experiment. Science of the Total
Environment 65:334-343, doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.153[2]

Bourles A., Guentas L., Charvis C., Gensous S., Majorel C., Crossay T., Cavaloc Y., BurtetSarramegna V., Jourand P., Amir H. (2020b. Co-inoculation with a bacterium and arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi improves root colonization, plant mineral nutrition, and plant growth of aCyperaceae plant in an ultramafic soil. Mycorrhiza. 30:121–131. doi:10.1007/s00572-019-00929-8[3]

Crossay T., Majorel C., Redecker D., Gensous S., Medevielle V., Durrieu G., Cavaloc Y., Amir H.
(2019) Is a mixture of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi better for plant growth than single-species
inoculants? Mycorrhiza 29:325–339, doi:10.1007/s00572-019-00898-y[4]

Maherali H., Klironomos J.N. (2007) Influence of Phylogeny on Fungal Community Assembly andEcosystem Functioning. Science. 316:1746–1748. doi:org/10.1126/science.1143082

Ancient soils in non-glaciated mountain areas on peridotite: the Lanzo
Ultramafic Massif example (TO, NW Italy)
Michele E. D’AMICO1, Sara NEGRI2 and Eleonora BONIFACIO21DISAA, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
DISAFA, Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy2

michele.damico@unimi.it

ABSTRACTThe Lanzo Ultramafic Massif (LUM) is one of the largest peridotite outcrops in the world; the peridotitic
rocks are only slightly serpentinized, and they are often deeply weathered, and they are substituted byantigoritic serpentinite only locally, in the westernmost part of the massif. Given the low elevation, the LUM
was never glaciated during the Quaternary, and the surface characterized by extremely well-developed
fossil periglacial features, such as blockstreams, blockfields and large-scale patterned ground (Paro, 2011).
These periglacial landforms have an age ranging the whole Quaternary, while Pliocene sediments areobserved close to the base of the massif (Forno et al., 2010) The vegetation is sparse, and rich in endemic
serpentine species, some of which are Ni hyperaccumulators. Inside and near the ancient landforms,
extremely well developed soils are found. In particular, deep Podzolic soils are often found below 1-2 m-thickblockstreams in the highest slopes, above 1000 m a.s.l., characterized by thick E and cemented Bsm horizons;
at lower elevations, soils between blockstreams are characterized by layers with increasing pedogenic
indicators with depth (clay coatings, rubification and fragipan formation), with the deepest
horizons strongly hardened by fragipan and deeply rubified. In the stream incisions, it is possible toobserved red, strongly cemented horizons likely developed during the Pliocene, under subtropicalconditions, partly resembling lateritic materials. The Fe and heavy metal concentrations is extremely high,and it is a strong ecological constraint even in these ancient soils.
KEYWORDS: paleosols; heavy metals; Plio-Pleistocene.
REFERENCES[1]

Forno, M.G., De Luca, D.A., Fioraso, G., and Gianotti, F. (2010) Hydrogeological implications of the
Pliocene-Pleistocene torrential and debris flow succession around the Lanzo Ultramafic Massif(Western Alps), Memorie descrittive della Carta Geologica d’Italia XC:97-112[2]

Paro, L., Relationships between cryotic processes and block streams evolution in the Lanzo Ultrabasic
Complex(Western
ItalianAlps),
ARPA
Piemonte,
Torino,
2011,
p.
201.

Drivers of Cr and Ni Mobility in a Serpentine Catchment
Pavel KRÁM1,2, Jakub HRUŠKA1,2, Davide VIGNATI3, Katherine PÉREZ RIVERA4,1, Jan ČUŘÍK1,2,
František VESELOVSKÝ1, Oldřich MYŠKA1,2, Yulia ERBAN KOCHERGINA1 and Filip OULEHLE1,2
1

2

Department of Environmental Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry, Czech Geological Survey, Czechia
Department of Biogeochemical and Hydrological Cycles, Global Change Research Institute ASCR, Czechia
3
LIEC, University of Lorraine, CNRS, France
4
Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, USA
pavel.kram@geology.cz

ABSTRACT
Hydrochemical changes between 1991 and 2022 were assessed based on weekly sampling of streamwater
at Pluhův Bor (PLB) in western Bohemia, Czech Republic. This small catchment (21.6 ha) is underlain mainly
by serpentinite, with occasional veins of tremolite schists, actinolite schists and blocks of amphibolite. It is
forested mainly by Norway spruce (Picea abies) with a small proportion of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)[1]. PLB exhibited one of the most dramatic decreases in streamwater sulfate concentrations ever recorded [2].
The annual discharge-weighted mean of sulfate concentrations declined from 50 mg/L in 1992 to 10 mg/L
in 2002 (-3.6 mg/L/yr) because of the desulfurization of lignite burning power plants in the region. A newsteady state with respect to sulfate concentrations was observed between 2010 and 2022, with concentrations
only between 6 and 9 mg/L. Steady increase of annual discharge-weighted mean dissolved organic carbon(DOC) concentrations in streamwater was observed at PLB (+0.8 mg/L/yr, P<0.001) for the entire period of
observations due to declining ionic strength of precipitation and drainage water, and thermally moderated
increased dissolution of soluble soil organic matter pools [3]. Atmospheric deposition of Cr and Ni at PLB
was negligible compared to large sources of geogenic nickel [1] and chromium [4] in bedrocks and soils at
PLB. Discharge-weighted mean streamwater concentrations were 30 μg Cr/L (±3 μg/L) and 156 μg Ni/L (±27μg/L), almost twice higher than simple mean values, thus reflecting a positive correlation of these metals with
discharge. Annual streamwater fluxes were 73 ± 19 g Cr/ha/yr and 419 ± 150 g Ni/ha/yr. Standard dissolved
fraction in streamwater, filtered by a membrane <0.45 μm, was 91% and 95% of total unfiltered Cr and Ni,
respectively. However, a recent study performed in 2021-2022 using ultrafiltration (< 3 kDa) showed that
truly dissolved fractions of Cr and Ni were much smaller with potential implications for ecotoxicity (Vignati etal., this volume). A slight increase of long-term Cr and Ni concentrations was observed at PLB. The positive
correlation of DOC, Cr and Ni streamwater concentrations in short-term (time scale of hours) is due towater flow paths routed through the organically rich surficial horizons during high-flow events mobilizing
carrier phases such as DOC or colloidal iron. This contribution was supported by the CSF (21-22810J), CGS(310690), eLTER PLUS and Fulbright.
KEYWORDS: forest catchment, long-term monitoring, streamwater, dissolved organic carbon, sulfate,chromium, nickel, filtered and unfiltered concentrations, element fluxes, hydrological events
REFERENCES[1]

Krám, P., Oulehle, F., Štědrá, V., Hruška, J., Shanley, J.B. et al. (2009) Geoecology of a Forested
Watershed Underlain by Serpentine in Central Europe, Northeastern Naturalist 17/Spec.5:309-328[2]

Majer, V., Krám, P. and Shanley, J.B. (2005) Rapid Regional Recovery from Sulfate and Nitrate
Pollution in Streams of the Western Czech Republic – Comparison to Other Recovering Areas,
Environmental Pollution 135:17-28[3]Monteith, D.T., Henrys, P.A., Hruška, J., de Wit, H.A., Krám, P., Moldan, F. et al. (2023) Long-term
Rise in Riverine Dissolved Organic Carbon Concentration is Predicted by Electrolyte Solubility Theory,
Science Advances 9,3:eade349,11-18, https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv. ade3491[4]

Novák, M., Krám, P., Šebek, O., Andronikov, A., Chrastný, V., Martinková, E. et al. (2017) Temporal
Changes in Cr fluxes and δ53Cr values in Runoff from a Small Serpentinite Catchment (Slavkov Forest,
Czech Republic), Chemical Geology 472: 22-30, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2017.09.023

The Nickel Biogeochemical Cycle in a Tropical Hyperaccumulator Soil-Plant
SystemRomane Tisserand1, van der Ent Antony1,2, Jean Louis Morel1, Sukaibin Sumail3
and Guillaume Echevarria1,2,4
1
Université de Lorraine, INRA, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, France
University of Queensland, SMI, Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Australia
3
Sabah Parks, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
4R&D Departement, Econick, France

2

tisserand.romane@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Nickel (Ni) hyperaccumulator plants play a major role in Ni recycling in ultramafic ecosystems, which may be
more pronounced in a wet tropical environment. In this study we present the biogeochemical cycling of Ni (andother elements) on an ultramafic Cambisol by a tropical Ni hyperaccumulator, i.e., Phyllanthus rufuschaneyi,
one of the most promising species globally for agromining. The objectives were: (i) to study the biogeochemical
cycling of a natural stand of Phyllanthus rufuschaneyi in order to assess and to evaluate the natural fluxes of Ni
and other elements in the ecosystem; (ii) to manipulate such an ecosystem in order to perform a sensitivity testof the ecosystem for the following flux of litter returning to the soil. Two parallel stands of P. rufuschaneyi were
instrumented, monitored and compared over two years (2018 and 2019), (i) a natural secondary 100-m2 forestand (ii) a densely planted experimental field, in which litter returns to the soil were calibrated; from no return(export) to a doubling of the return (i.e. 0, 1 and 2 kg m-2 per annuum).
This study did not confirm allelopathy of tropical hyperaccumulator plants, despite the extreme influence of Ni
hyperaccumulators in building up considerable available Ni stocks in topsoils. Results also confirmed rapid
lixiviation of Nickel from soils by natural waters despite plant recycling. Overall, nickel cycle was mainly driven
by internal fluxes, i.e. litter decay, degradation and recycling of the hyperaccumulator biomass. The percentage
of Ni recycled by litterfall tended to decrease with increasing litter addition to the soil and was not influenced
by coppicing, at least in such a short term. Nickel turnover should be taken into account when designing tropicalagromining crops and natural secondary forests are a good surrogate to assess the long term impacts ofagromining (e.g. soil nickel depletion). Results suggested a significant and steady contribution of mineralweathering to Ni available pools in the soil-plant system. Further study of the weathering processes would help
to specify the contribution of bedrock and soil mineral horizons in the Ni and nutrient budgets of the system andthe rates of rock weathering.
KEYWORDS :biogeochemistry; agromining; litter; nutrient turnoverApplication of clay minerals in remediation of heavy metal pollution in soil
Teuta BUSHI1, Aida BANI2,
1 Department of Physics, Faculty of Forest Sciences Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania
2 Department of Agro-Environment and Ecology, Faculty of Agronomy and Environment,
Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania

ABSTRACT

Soil pollution is the most important environmental issues causing serious problems to humans and allliving creatures. The problem of removing of heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, nickel,
chromium, iron, zinc and copper from soil is an important process and is becoming more important with
the increasing of industrial activities. Clay minerals have attracted much attention for metal stabilization
due to their high specific area, liming effect, excellent ion exchange capacity and abundantsurface hydroxyl groups, strong mechanical stability, stable chemical properties, lower cost andenvironmentally friendly. Bentonite is used as an adsorbent for removal of metal ions because of its
cation exchange capacity, larger surface area and adsorptive capacity for different organic andinorganic ions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adsorption ability of natural soil
components such as clays to the remediation of industrial contaminated soils in Albania. We
selected for study, the Bentonite of the Prrenjas area (south-east of Albania). Adsorption experiments
carried out using metal solutions of Cr, Ni, Zn, Fe extracted from soils polluted by industrial
activities in Albania. For extraction of Clay we used batch technique. We study: effect of contact timeon adsorption of metals ions; effect of pH on adsorption of metal ions; impact of the amount ofadsorbent on adsorption of metal ions; effects of initial metals concentration. The results suggested
us the application of clays to the contaminated soils for remediation.

Assessing ecological, environmental, and human health risks associated withultramafic soils in Brazil
Luiz LIMA1, Clístenes NASCIMENTO2
1

Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil
luizhenrique.vieira@hotmail.com

ABSTRACTUltramafic soils can pose ecosystem and human risks due to high levels of heavy metals (mainly Cr, Ni, and
Co). Soil chemical and mineralogical attributes control the mobility of these elements. In thetropics, weathering conditions can intensify the mobility and availability of these metals to living beings.
Therefore, environmental and human health risk assessments are necessary for ultramafic environments. In
this scenario, our objectives were to characterize Brazilian ultramafic soils and evaluate the contents andmobility of Cr, Ni, and Co in soils to estimate environmental, ecological, and human health risks fromexposure to ultramafic soils. We carried out chemical and mineralogical characterizations as well as the total,
pseudo total, available, bioaccessible (gastric, pulmonary, and dermal), and soil fractions analyses of Cr, Ni,
and Co in two ultramafic soils from different regions of Brazil (Niquelândia – Goiás state and Buenos
Aires – Pernambuco state). Additionally, the carcinogenic and (non)-carcinogenic risks were
estimated. The mean total metal concentrations (mg kg-1) for the Niquelândia and Buenos Aires soils,
respectively, were Co (373.5 and 349.2), Cr (1844.5 and 2485.5), and Ni (9597.5 and 1428.5), respectively.
The available concentrations (mg kg-1), in turn, were Ni (220.9 and 66.1), Co (2.4 and 1.0), and Cr (< LD).
The soil fractionation showed that Fe and Mn oxides were the main pools for Co in both soils and Ni in the
Buenos Aires soil, whereas Cr in both soils and Fe in Niquelândia soils were mostly retained in residual
fractions. No environmental risk was associated with Co and Cr in the soils, but low (1.1 %) and medium (13%) environmental risks regarding Ni were found for the Niquelândia and Buenos Aires soils, respectively. On
the other hand, ecological risks were estimated high for the Buenos Aires soil (PERI = 522.8) andsignificantly elevated in Niquelândia (PERI = 1759.9). The metals showed low pulmonary, gastric, anddermal bioaccessibility; hence, the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were acceptable. The highcontents of iron and manganese oxides in soils are likely responsible for metals' low availability andbioaccessibility. The high ecological risks found suggest that the microbial communities in theseenvironments are adapted to metalliferous conditions and that the erosion and transport of these soils candamage microorganisms elsewhere.
KEYWORDS: bioaccessibility, heavy metals, serpentine soils.

Distribution of Heavy Metals in the Different Compartments in Lake Dushku,
Albania
Aida BANI1, Dolja PAVLOVA2, Seit SHALLARI1
1Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Faculty of Agronomy and Environment,
Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
2Department of Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Sofia, Sofia 1504, Bulgaria
abani@ubt.edu.al

ABSTRACT
Lake Dushku is a natural eutrophic lake located in the base of Komjan mountain, Albania, at about 1200 m
asl (40°48'0.45"N, 20°19'45.48"E). Its total surface is 0.4 km2. The substrate of this area is dominated byserpentine rocks, formed during Oligocene. Lake Dushku is surrounded by a forests belt, dominated by
Pinus nigra Arn. Helophytes such as Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Stendel, Typha angustifolia L.,
T. latifolia L., Scirpus lacustris L., Heleoharis palustris (L.) Roemer & Schultes, Juncus inflexus L., andIris pseudacorus L., are the main components of the vegetation. They form stands or belts of different
width in the lake, frequently accompanied by the floating hydrophytes Nymphaea alba L. and Nuphar
lutea (L.) Sibth. & Sm. Heavy metal concentrations in water, sediment, Nymphaea alba, were investigatedat 12 selected sites and in the surrounded area. The surface water was found to have low levels of heavy
metals (10 μg/l), but the sediment contained very high levels with concentrations reaching 2750 mg/kg for
Ni, 670 mg/kg for Cr, 110mg/kg for Co. DTPA extraction of metals demonstrates that the available heavy
metals in the sediment are high (400 mg/kg Ni). Heavy metals were found in plants (stem, leaves andflowers of Nymphaea alba).
KEYWORDS: Heavy metals, · Lake Dushku, ·serpentine, · DTPA extraction

Interactions of Cr(III)/Cr(VI) Mixtures with Freshwater Algae:
a Stable Isotope Approach
Elsa SALLES1, Armand MAUL1, Carole COSSU-LEGUILLE, Thi Tuyen NGUYEN2, Maximilien
BEURET1, Alexis GROLEAU2, Yann SIVRY2, Yulia ERBAN KOCHERGINA3, Pavel KRAM3,
Vincent NORMANT1 and Davide VIGNATI1
1

LIEC, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, France
IPGP, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, France

2
3

Division of Geochemistry and Laboratories, Czech Geological Survey, Czech Republicelsa.salles@univ-lorraine.fr

ABSTRACTTrivalent and hexavalent chromium have contrasting environmental behavior, bioavailability and ecotoxicity.
Current consensus considers Cr(VI) as the most toxic form, but studies documenting nonnegligible bioavailability and ecotoxicity of Cr(III) are increasing. Furthermore, mixtures of Cr(VI) andCr(III) are usually found in natural environments. Apart from two seminal studies published in
2022 [1,2], the bioavailability and ecotoxicity of Cr(III)/Cr(VI) mixtures are virtually terra incognita.
Ecotoxicity testing of Cr(III)/Cr(VI) mixtures was carried out using the model green alga
Raphidocelis subcapitata following standardized procedures. Algae were exposed to Cr(III), Cr(VI) andCr(III)+Cr(VI) mixtures using solutions isotopically enriched in 50Cr(III) and 53Cr(VI). Absence ofCr(III)/Cr(VI) redox interconversions was previously verified [3]. Concentrations causing a 50% decrease
in algal growth (EC50) were about 60 µg/L for Cr(III) and 100 µg/L for Cr(VI), meaning that Cr(III) was
more toxic than Cr(VI). The combined effects of Cr(III)+Cr(VI) mixtures followed the response addition
model without evidence of synergisms or antagonisms between the two valence states. According to a three
dimensional surface model of algal response, Cr(III) and Cr(VI) had the same effect on algal growth ata concentration of 57 µg/L. However, filterable Cr(III) concentrations decreased by more than 90%
during the test. The actual Cr(III) mean concentration was therefore estimated at 13 µg/L, confirming that
Cr(III) was more toxic than Cr(VI). Analogous experiences were carried out in a test medium amended
with 0.4 mg/L goethite, a well-known colloidal carrier phase in natural waters. The individual EC50 of
Cr(III) and Cr(VI) in the presence of goethite were similar to those in the standard test medium. In
experiments with a ternary mixture of Cr(III), Cr(VI) and goethite, Cr(III) was more toxic than Cr(VI) andno interactions were identified between chromium and goethite. A third round of tests was performed infiltered waters (0.22 µm) from a small ultramafic creek (Pluhuv Bor, Czechia) containing colloidal Fe
and organic carbon. In these waters, Cr(VI) was found to be more toxic than Cr(III), suggesting a strongroleoforganic
matterin
regulating
Cr(III)andCr(VI)
ecotoxicity
toalgae.
KEYWORDS:
mixture ecotoxicity; colloidal carrier phases, ultramafic waters; stable isotopes
REFERENCES[1]

Aharchaou, A., Maul, A., Pons M.-N., Pauly, D., Poirot, H., Flayac, J., Rodius, F., Rousselle, P.,
Beuret, M., Battaglia, E. and Vignati, D.A.L. (2022) Effects and Bioaccumulation of Cr(III), Cr(VI)and Their Mixture in the Freshwater Mussel Corbicula fluminea, Chemosphere 297: 134090,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134090.

[2]

Chen, L., Liu, W., Wu, Y., Li, J. and Ma, Y. (2022). Identification and Quantification of the
Combined Phytotoxicity of one Element with Various Valences: Cr(III) and Cr(VI) for Barley Root
Elongationasan
Example,JournalofHazardous
Materials
430:
128430,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128430[3]

Aharchaou, A., Py, J.-S., Cambier S., Loizean, J.-L., Cornelis, G., Rousselle, P., Battaglia, E. andVignati, D.A.L. (2018). Chromium Hazard and Risk Assessment: New Insights from a Detailed
Speciation Study in a Standard Test Medium, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 37(4): 983992, https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4044

The influence of fire and fire retardant (Phos-chek®) on plant diversity and nonnative species abundance in California’s serpentine chaparral
Zach RAPOSO1,2, Chris HOWINGTON3, Alex PENA4, Luka NEGOITA5, Anthony FERRERO6,
Peter WALSH6, Dylan STEPHENS6 and Nishanta RAJAKARUNA6,72

1
Geospatial & Environmental Department, Althouse and Meade, Inc., USA
Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, USA
3
Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture, USA
4
United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, USA
5Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Ecuador
6
Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, USA
7
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa

zachr@alt-me.com

ABSTRACTFire and harsh soils play key roles in maintaining plant communities. However, the effects of fireretardant on plant diversity and soil geochemical dynamic on serpentine soils are unclear. We investigated
how fire and a nutrient-rich fire retardant, Phos-chek (PC), influence diversity and the relative abundance of
native and non-native species on serpentine soils. Our study area consisted of serpentine chaparral whichburned in 2017 and was treated with PC. Treatments consisted of burnt serpentine, unburnt serpentine treatedwith PC, and unburnt serpentine as the control. Soil chemistry and plant species cover were assessed yearly
for two years beginning 6 months after the fire. We tested the effect of PC and fire on diversity and nonnative abundance using generalized linear mixed-effect models, tukey pairwise comparisons, and thelikelihood-ratio test. We found no significant effect of burning or PC application on diversity of species.
However, non-native species abundance was significantly different among treatments directly following
the fire, with complete elimination of non-native abundance in the burned treatment, and an increase in nonnative abundance in the PC treatment. In subsequent years, non-native abundance returned to levels found in
the unburnt treatment, increasing on burnt serpentine and decreasing on unburnt serpentine treated with PC.
We explore the theoretical geochemical feedback potentially causing the underlying patterns on unburnt PC
treatments through the reaction and fates of the trioctahedral layer. This study helps better predict and plan for
shifts in species distributions in response to fire and PC in serpentine chaparral.
KEYWORDS: fire, fire retardant, biodiversity, biogeochemical, serpentine, chaparral

Wettability of serpentine and other minerals upon rising temperatures
Sara NEGRI1, Mohammad Ali MONAJJEM12, Marta IANNICELLI1 and Eleonora BONIFACIO1
1

Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Italy
2
Soil Science Department, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iraneleonora.bonifacio@unito.it

ABSTRACTThe North-Western Italian Alps are characterized by occurrence of serpentinite rocks1 and are not unfamiliar to fireoccurrence2. Both these aspects affect soil and above-ground vegetation3,4, originating landscapes with specific andunique features. Mountain serpentine regions are potentially prone to after-fire erosion phenomena due to a marked
steepness degree. Run-off and erosion are tightly related to the extent of soil water repellency (WR)5. Water
repellency often increases after fire, but is regulated by a variety of factors; among them, the contribution of theparent-material mineralogical composition to the actual soil WR remains widely obscure, despite the silicate
structure is expected to affect mineral-water interactions6.
Four pure silicate minerals(serpentine, smectite, kaolinite, biotite) were combined with two litter types (Fagus sylvatica L., BEECH, andPinus sylvestris L., PINE) in different proportions, so as to originate mixtures containing growing organic carbon(OC) contents (10-30-70 g kg-1). The mixtures were heated in a T-range from 100 to 300 °C and characterized. We
measured WR by Water Drop Penetration Time (WDPT) test, specific surface area (SSA), pH, and OM content andcomposition (by FT-IR and 13C NMR). At room temperature, all silicates were wettable, and WR increased withincreasing OC loads. No univocal differentiation upon OM type (BEECH vs. PINE) emerged for smectitemixtures, while WR induced by pine was twice as much that of beech in the caseof serpentine. WR was maximized at 200 °C and drastically lost above this T. Mineral mixtures generally exhibiteda higher WR in presence of greater OC loads, but no clear differences between the two types of litter emerged. The
OM characterization revealed that, albeit deriving from two distinct forest covers, the composition of the litter types
followed similar heat-induced transformations. Serpentine showed comparable WR upon heating to kaolinite andbiotite (WDPT>8.000 s at 200 °C), while smectite samples systematically displayed the lowest WDPT values, ca.
200 s at 200 °C. This suggests that the interaction between mineral phases and OM is primarily ruled by thesurfaces available for bond creation (SSA: 4-13 m2 g-1 vs >400 m2 g-1) and, only secondly, by the specificwettability of these surfaces (2:1 vs. 1:1 phyllosilicates). The mechanistic understanding on organo-mineral
associations
atthelab-scalerevealedthat
even
modestOM
contents(≤30gkg-1) would be sufficient to trigger WR in serpentine soils after heating and, thus, a similar behaviour is to
be expected at larger scales in natural fire-affected Alpine areas.
KEYWORDS: water repellency; thermal treatment; organic compounds; phyllosilicates; forest fires
REFERENCES[1]

D’Amico, M. E., Bonifacio, E. & Zanini, E. Relationships between serpentine soils and vegetation in a
xeric inner-Alpine environment. Plant and soil 376, 111–128 (2014).

[2]

Bovio, G. Forest fires and systemic silviculture. L’Italia Forestale e Montana 66, 239–243 (2011).

[3]

Certini, G. Effects of fire on properties of forest soils: a review. Oecologia 143, 1–10 (2005).

[4]

Oberhuber, W., Pagitz, K. & Nicolussi, K. Subalpine tree growth on serpentine soil: adendroecological analysis. Plant ecology 130, 213–221 (1997).

[5]

DeBano, L. F. The role of fire and soil heating on water repellency in wildland environments: a review.
Journal of hydrology 231, 195–206 (2000).

[6]

Solc, R., Gerzabek, M.H., Lischka, H. & Tunega, D. Wettability of kaolinite (001) surfaces—
molecular dynamic study. Geoderma 169, 47–54 (2011).

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Session 2 - Biodiversity:
taxonomy and systematics

Additions to the lichen flora of Albania
Elisabetta BIANCHI1, Renato BENESPERI2, Ilaria COLZI2
1

Department of Agriculture,
Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Italy2
Department of Biology, University of Florence, Italye.bianchi@unifi.it

ABSTRACT
Albania is characterized by several natural conditions suitable for a wide range of lichen species, as occurs
along the Balkan Peninsula. Despite this, it is still one of the least lichenologically investigated countries in
Europe. Its long isolation in the 20th century and the lack of resident lichenologists have contributed to limit
sources of lichen diversity information about the country. Over the last 20 years, Hafellner [1] has provided achecklist of lichens based on historical records by several authors, such as Markgraf [2], and data collected by
the colleague L. Kashta during some fieldwork on higher plants, resulting in a lichenological publication [3].
Since then, single species or additional records have been added by other authors [as for example in 4]. Afterthese publications, a greater number of epiphytic and epilithic lichens have been reported, however,considering the size of the country, the high habitat diversity, and the high-altitude gradient (0-2764 m) thatcharacterize its territory, there is still much to discover about lichen diversity and distribution in Albania. Thisis especially true for epilithic and terricolous lichens that colonize ultramafic habitats. In fact, serpentine rocks
and soils have so far been lichenologically scarcely explored, despite being rather common in the country,
probably due to their difficulty in being reached. Among the publications cited above, only two authors report
data from samples collected on serpentine, for a total of about 46 taxa [3,4]. During our recent field excursions
focused on metallophytes, several lichen specimens were collected across different ultramafic areas of Albania.
Most of the visited areas have never been covered for lichenological studies: rock pastures and rocky scrub
margins at Qafe Shtamë (Krujë district), overhanging cliffs of serpentine along Devoll river valley, pasturesand stony ground on ultramafic rocky soil in Vallamarë mountain (Gramsh district), ultramafic rocks and cliffs
in Moravë mountain and along Devoll river valley near Lozhan valley (Korcë district), from stones andultramafic soil rocks from the slag flows of a Cr mine in Pishkash (Librazhd-Perrënjas discrict). Specimens
have been identified using lichenological standard methods, including Thin Layer Chromatography analyses
and UV light, and deposited in private herbaria of the first author. More than 100 specimens of lichen havebeen collected among which there are several species never collected on serpentines and new recorded for
Albania before. This work is the first contribution of a larger project that will involve ad hoc sampling in the
country in the next few years.
KEYWORDS: biodiversity; lichen; ultramafic environments; flora of Albania
REFERENCES[1]
Hafellner, J. (2007) Checklist and bibliography of lichenized and lichenicolous fungi so far reported
from Albania (version 05-2007). – Fritschiana (Graz) 59: 1–18.
[2]

Markgraf, F. (1927) An den Grenzen des Mittelmeergebietes. Pflanzengeographie vonMittelalbanien. Feddes Repertorium Beiheft, 45:1-217, Vegetationskarte.

[3]

Hafellner, J. & Kashta, L. (2003) Miscellaneous records of lichens and lichenicolous fungi from
Albania. – Herzogia 16: 135–142.

[4]

Svoboda, D., Bouda, F., Malíček, J. & Hafellner, J. (2012) Ein Beitrag zur Kenntnis derlichenisierten und lichenicolen Pilze Albaniens. – Herzogia 25: 149–165.

[5]

Llop, E., Ekman, S. & Hladun, N. L. (2007) Bacidia thyrrenica (Ramalinaceae, lichenizedAscomycota), a new species from the Mediterranean region, and a comparison of European membersof the Bacidia rubella group. – Nova Hedwigia 85: 445–455.

Seed endosphere of Brassicales and Asterales hyperaccumulating plants
harbor a stable core microbiome
Julien ANCOUSTURE1, Alexis DURAND1 and Emile BENIZRI1Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France

1julien.ancousture@univ-lorraine.fr

ABSTRACTOur knowledge of rhizosphere microbial diversity is now well-established [1, 2]. Conversely, little is known
concerning the diversity of endophytic bacteria, particularly within seeds of hyperaccumulating plants, despiteseed germination being a critical stage in plant life cycle [3]. However, the seed microbiota is currently ofgreat interest in the scientific community. It is now understood that part of the seed microbiome iscomposed of vertically-transmitted endophytes that may have co-evolved with their host plant, with asymbiotic relationship shared across generations [4, 5]. It is even possible to consider that some endophytic
bacteria could be common to the seeds of hyperaccumulating plants, thereby conferring them an
evolutionary advantage over non-hyperaccumulating plants when confronted to biotic or abiotic stress. This
study focuses on the endophytic bacterial diversity of metal hyperaccumulating and nonhyperaccumulating plants (93 seed samples from Mediterranean regions, Oceania, South-East Asia) including
17 different genus and 45 species. Alpha diversity index readings were low. Furthermore, the difference incomposition between the endophyte communities was significantly explained by the botanical family andpartly by the hyperaccumulation trait. Thus, a set of 12 OTUs common to seeds of hyperaccumulating
Asterales and hyperaccumulating Brassicales was identified and could be considered as a ‘stable’ coremicrobiome. This could confer an adaptive advantage on hyperaccumulators when faced with abiotic
stresses with the potential expression of PGP traits.
KEYWORDS: endophytic bacterial diversity, seed, hyperaccumulator
REFERENCES[1]

Badri, D.V. and Vivanco, J.M. (2009) Regulation and function of root exudates. Plant, Cell andEnvironment 32:666-681, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3040.2009.01926.x[2]

Berendsen, R.L., Pieterse, C.M.J. and Bakker, P.A.H.M. (2012) The rhizosphere microbiome and plant
health. Trends in Plant Science 17:478-486, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2012.04.001[3]

Kitajima, K. and Fenner, M., Seeds: The ecology of regeneration in plant communities, Michael Fenner,
Wallingford, 2000, p. 331-359.

[4]

Durand, A., Sterckeman, T., Gonnelli, C., Coppi, A., Bacci, G., Leglize, P. and Benizri, E. (2021) A
core seed endophytic bacterial community in the hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens across 14
sites in France. Plant and Soil 459:203–216, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-020-04743-6[5]

Durand, A., Leglize, P., Lopez, S., Sterckeman, T. and (Benizri, E. (2022) Noccaea caerulescens seedendosphere: a habitat for an endophytic bacterial community preserved through generations andprotected from soil influence. Plant and Soil 472:257-278, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-05226y

Soil contamination levels of nickel imply changes in the bacterial communities
associated to the rhizosphere and endosphere of Odontarrhena chalcidica
Pierre LEGLIZE1, Alexis DURAND1 and Emile BENIZRI1
1

Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France
pierre.leglize@univ-lorraine

ABSTRACT
Some plants, called metal hyperaccumulators and endemic to soils naturally rich in metals, reached ahigh degree of adaptation and are able to accumulate large amounts of metals, such as nickel, in their aerial
parts. This was the origin of the development of agromining, a technology based on the culture of theseparticular plants, such as Odontarrhena chalcidica, in order to produce high value metal compounds, such as
nickel [1]. Recently, the concept of microbe-assisted agromining had been introduced to underline therole of plant-associated microorganisms, both rhizosphere and endophytic, in metal bioavailability anduptake by host plants [2]. However, the efficiency of plant-associated bacterial communities depends on acomplex array of interacting factors, including metal concentration in soil. A better understand of the
impact of different soil contamination levels of nickel on the structure and diversity of rhizosphereand endospheric bacterial communities is needed. In this work, we characterized, using highthroughput sequencing, the bacterial communities associated to Odontarrhena chalcidica growing incontrolled conditions on an ultramafic soil with various levels of nickel contamination obtained by nickelspiking in the soil. Our results support that an increase of the available nickel in soil induced changes of thedominant bacterial genus in the communities of the rhizosphere soil, but also in the root and shootendosphere. This increase of available nickel also implied changes in the relative abundance of the predictedfunctions, particularly for the rhizosphere and root endospheric bacterial communities. In addition,
topological features of the bacterial networks seemed to indicate that at intermediate level of nickel
contamination, two coexisting bacterial sub-communities were in competition, one adapted to « low » soil
nickel content and the other to higher nickel content, while the bacterial communities were morestable at the lowest and the highest nickel soil contamination levels. Finally, our results revealed shifts
in the microbial community's structure and functions depending of the gradient of soil nickel availability inthe soil.
KEYWORDS: bacterial diversity, hyperaccumulator, nickel
REFERENCES[1]

Chaney, R.L., Angle, J.S., Broadhurst, C.L., Peters, C.A., Tappero, R.V. and Sparks, D.L. (2007)
Improved understanding of hyperaccumulation yields commercial phytoextraction and phytomining
technologies.
JournalofEnvironmental
Quality
36:1429–1443.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/jeq2006.0514[2]

Afzal, I., Shinwari, Z.K., Sikandar, S. and Shahzad, S. (2019) Plant beneficial endophytic bacteria:
Mechanisms, diversity, host range and genetic determinants. Microbiological Research 221:36–49.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2019.02.001

Grassland flora of serpentine areas in North Pindus (Greece)
Evangelos FILIS1, Dimitrios KYRKAS2,3, Nikolaos MANTZOS2, Panayiotis DIMITRAKOPOULOS3,
Georgios FOTIADIS4 and Maria KONSTANTINOU1,
1

Department of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, Greece2
Department of Agriculture, University of Ioannina, Greece
3
Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece
4
Department of Forestry and Natural Environment Management, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece
vfilis@gmail.com

ABSTRACTIn Europe, the largest serpentine (ultramafic) outcrops are located in the Balkan Peninsula, presenting a highfloristic diversity and speciation. In Greece, the Pindus mountain range due to the presence of large serpentine
outcrops, is characterized as a floristic diversity hotspot including a large number of hyperaccumulators whichhave potential use in agromining. The present work is part of a more in-depth study of floristic compositionand ecology of plant communities in serpentine grasslands of the Pindus mountain range that started in 2021
and continues to date. During the field survey, 120 relevés were sampled according to the Braun-Blanquet
method at 12 sites. According to the results so far, 493 plant taxa belonging to 61 families have been
identified. Asteraceae, Poaceae and Fabaceae are the most abundant families. Of the total number of planttaxa, 20 taxa are Greek endemics, while 55 taxa are distributed in the Balkan Peninsula and 95 taxa in the
Mediterranean region. The highest number of plant species are hemicryptophytes (53%) and therophytes(22%). Eight species known as nickel hyperaccumulators (Centaurea thracica, Bornmuellera baldaccii,
Bornmuellera emarginata, Bornmuellera tymphaea, Noccaea boeotica, Noccaea tymphaea, Odontarrhena
chalcidica and Odontarrhena smolikana) were found in 109 relevés carried out at all sites, being importantmembers of the existing vegetation.
KEYWORDS: ultramafic, Balkans, nickel hyperaccumulators
REFERENCES[1]

Bani, A., Pavlova, D., Garrido-Rodríguez, B., Kidd, P.S., Konstantinou, M., Kyrkas, D., Morel, J.L.,
Prieto-Fernandez, A., Puschenreiter, M. and Echevarria, G. (2021). Element case studies in thetemperate/mediterranean regions of Europe: Nickel. In: van der Ent, A., Baker, A.J.M., Echevarria,
G., Simonnot, M.O. and Morel, J.L. (eds.), Agromining: Farming for Metals. Mineral Resource
Reviews, pp. 341-363, Springer, Cham., https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58904-2_16[2]Jakovljević, K., Bani, A., Pavlova, D., Konstantinou, M., Dimitrakopoulos, P.G., Kyrkas, D., Reeves,
R.D., Mišljenović, T., Tomović, G., van Der Ent, A., Baker, A.J.M., Bačeva Andonovska, K., Morel,
J.L. and Echevarria, G. (2022). Hyperaccumulator plant discoveries in the Balkans: accumulation,
distribution,andpractical
applications.
Botanica
Serbica
46(2):
161-178.
https://doi.org/10.2298/BOTSERB2202161J[3]

Kidd, P.S., Bani, A., Benizri, E., Gonnelli, C., Hazotte, C., Kisser, J., Konstantinou, M., Kuppens, T.,
Kyrkas, D., Laubie, B., Malina, R., Morel, J.L., Olcay, H., Pardo, T., Pons, M.N., Prieto-Fernández,
Á., Puschenreiter, M., Quintela-Sabarís, C., Ridard, C., Rodríguez-Garrido, B., Rosenkranz, T.,Rozpądek, P., Saad, R.F., Selvi, F., Simonnot, M.O., Tognacchini, A., Turnau, K., Ważny, R.,
Witters, N. and Echevarria, G. (2018). Developing sustainable agromining systems in agricultural
ultramafic soils for nickel recovery. Frontiers in Environmental Science 6:1-20.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2018.00044[4]

Stevanović, V., Tan, K. and Iatrou, G. (2003). Distribution of the endemic Balkan flora on serpentine
I. – Obligate serpentine endemics. Plant Systematics and Evolution 242:149–170.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-003-0044-8

Investigating the Diversity and Function of Microorganisms in Serpentine and
Non-Serpentine Soils across California
Alexandria IGWE1 and Michelle AFKHAMI1
Department of Biology, University of Miami, United States of America

1aigwe@miami.edu

ABSTRACT
Serpentine soils are known for their high levels of heavy metals and high magnesium-to-calcium ratios
which places a strong selective pressure on the plants and microorganisms that inhabit these soils.
Although some plants are endemic to serpentine soils, most plants cannot survive on these soils. Our
previous research has shown that serpentine-indifferent plants, which are able to thrive on both serpentine
and non-serpentine soils, may be partially sustained by their association with locally adapted plant growthpromoting bacteria. The role of microorganisms in supporting plant diversity and other ecosystem services
are continuing to be elucidated and characterizing the taxonomic and functional diversity of microbes on
and off serpentine soils will further those efforts. The goal of our project was to identify taxa that areassociated with either serpentine or nonserpentine soils and characterize the variation in plant-growthpromoting properties of microorganisms isolated from those soils across California. To achieve this,we conducted shotgun metagenomic sequencing and culture-dependent physiological assays. Soilsamples were collected from 23 sites across California between November and December 2020, andtaxonomic classification was conducted in Kaiju using the microbial subset of the NCBI BLAST
non-redundant protein database. Functional analysis was conducted using MEGAN6 Ultimate Edition.
After removing contaminants, 41,326 taxa were identified from the metagenome including 36,752
bacteria (89%), 2,881 eukaryotes (7%), and 1,693 archaea (4%). The relative abundance and alpha diversityof these kingdoms are similar across serpentine and nonserpentine soils. Our results show that soil chemistry
and site location play a significant role in shaping the bacterial and eukaryotic but not the archaeal
communities in both serpentine and non-serpentine soils. According to random forest analysis, some bacterialfeatures include Mesorhizobium, Rhizobium, and Pontibacter; some archaeal features include
Nitrosophaera and Natronomonas ; some eukaryotic features include Melanogaster , Serendipita , andPochonia . Most of these genera are more abundant in nonserpentine soils, but Nitrosophaera andPontibacter are more abundant in serpentine soils. Results of preliminary functional analysis show thatboth serpentine and nonserpentine soils have a Ni/Fe large and small subunit (Hyd1 + Hyd2) andfunctions related to siderophore production while only serpentine soils had a Ni/Fe metallocenter
assembly protein (HypCDE). Bacteria in serpentine soils showed higher levels of siderophore
production in the presence of nickel, while bacteria in non-serpentine soils showed higher levels ofsiderophore production in the absence of nickel. Approximately 50% of the isolated microorganisms
from both soil types were capable of fixing nitrogen, while 20% were able to solubilize phosphorus.
This study has the potential to contribute to our understanding of nutrient cycling in metal-rich anddrought-prone soils and has implications for basic science in plant-microbe interactions as well aspractical applications in agriculture and bioremediation. Additionally, the findings of this research will be
relevant to conservation policy as they can inform efforts to preserve and protect unique soil
ecosystems and the microorganisms that inhabit them.

KEYWORDS: plant growth-promoting bacteria; soil microbial diversity; local adaptation; kaiju; MEGAN6REFERENCES[1]

Igwe, A.N., Vannette, R.L. (2019) Bacterial communities differ between plant species and soil type,and differentially influence seedling establishment on serpentine soils, Plant and Soil 441:423–437,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04135-5

The checklist of serpentinophytes (serpentine restricted flora) as a tool for
researching and conservation in serpentine ecosystems (southern Iberian
Peninsula, Spain)

Federico CASIMIRO-SORIGUER SOLANAS1, Andrés V. PEREZ-LATORRE1 and Noelia
HIDALGO-TRIANA1,
1
Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Malaga, Spainnhidalgo@uma.es

ABSTRACTThe establishment of a complete ecological-floristic checklist of serpentine flora is essential forthe assessment, management, and conservation of serpentine ecosystems. The highly evolved andspecialized flora that manages to inhabit these harsh ecosystems includes a very specialized and highly
evolved group of plants known as serpentinophytes. Serpentinophytes are linked exclusively or almost
exclusively to serpentine ecosystems. The current existing list of obligate serpentinophytes (obligate
endemics) which exist in the serpentine ecosystems of the southern Iberian Peninsula (Spain) consists of 22
taxa (Pérez Latorre et al., 2013; Perez Latorre et al., 2018). However, new fieldwork and research using
GBIF.ORG have been done resulting in the description of new soil endemics and the discovery of new
populations of this specialized flora. The revised list is composed of 24 obligate serpentinophytes, 2
preferential and 4 subserpentinophytes in a total of 430 Km2 of serpentine ecosystems in the South Iberian
Peninsula outcrops. Serpentinophyte richness per outcrop has been calculated as a function of alogarithm-adjusted area. This updated checklist includes the following data for each serpentinophyte:taxonomical information, type of endemism following the classification of Pérez-Latorre & al.
(2013), biogeography, biological type, altitudinal range, vegetation (syntaxon in which it appears),
threat category ecology, and hyperaccumulation information. The obtained data can be useful for the
management of these valuable ecosystems.
KEYWORDS: Updated checklist, Spain, serpentiniphytes, conservation
REFERENCES
Pérez Latorre, A. V., N. Hidalgo-Triana, and B., Cabezudo. (2013). Composition, ecology and conservation of
the south-Iberian serpentine flora in the context of the Mediterranean basin. Anales del Jardín Botánico de
Madrid 70(1): 62-71. http://doi 10.3989/ajbm. 2334
Pérez Latorre, A. V., N. Hidalgo-Triana, and B., Cabezudo. (2013). New data on the southern Iberian
serpentinophyte flora (Andalusia, Spain). Mediterranean Botany 39(2): 151-155. http://dx.doi.org/10.5209/MBOT.60080

Bacterial and fungal diversity found in serpentine and non-serpentine soil crusts
from two different climatic regions in South Africa
Danielle BOTHA1, Arthurita VENTER1, Sandra BARNARD1, Sarina CLAASSENS1, Nishanta
RAJAKARUNA1,2 and Stefan SIEBERT1
1

Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa
2Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, USA
Sandra.Barnard@nwu.ac.za

ABSTRACT
Serpentine soils are characterized by nutrient imbalances and toxic heavy metals and are known tohost specialized depauperate plant communities of species with specialized adaptations. However, little iscurrently known about serpentine microbial diversity and whether it follows similar patterns. Here we
investigated the bacterial and fungal diversity of biological soil crusts from serpentine and non-serpentine
soils, at different precipitation levels and different average temperatures. The bacterial community wascharacterized using 16S rDNA metabarcoding and the fungal community by using ITS metabarcoding. A
PerMANOVA showed that the microbial composition of serpentine sites differed significantly from
non-serpentine sites (p=0.006). Fungal diversity was higher at non-serpentine localities than atserpentine localities. Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were present at all sites. The
fungal class Dothideomycetes was the most diverse group detected at all study sites. The bacterial
genera Azospirillum, Bradyrhizobium, Candidatus, Koribacter, Flavisolibacter, Gemmata, Oenococcus,
Rhodoplanes and Dactylosporangium as well as the fungal genera Archaeorhizomyces, Leptosphaeria,
Phaeococcomyces and Penidiella were only found on serpentine soils, but are not considered unique tothis type of habitat. It can be concluded that edaphic factors influenced the composition of fungal diversity
and a decrease in fungal diversity in serpentine soil crusts was observed.
KEYWORDS: Serpentine geoecology, biological soil crusts, microbial diversity, fungi, bacteria,
metabarcoding

New Stylochaeton species from ultramafic soil in South Africa
Madeleen STRUWIG1, Stefan SIEBERT2 and Abraham VAN WYK3
1

Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, South Africa
2
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa.
3
H.G.W.J. Schweickerdt Herbarium, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, South
Africastefan.siebert@nwu.ac.za

ABSTRACT
Stylochaeton Lepr. is a genus of 15 species in the Araceae, distributed across tropical and southeastern
subtropical Africa in savannah and humid, deciduous forests. Stylochaeton natalense Schott has been the only
recognised Stylochaeton species to occur in South Africa. It is found in the northeastern regions of South
Africa and its distribution extends into Mozambique and further north to Tanzania. During ecological surveys
in the Sekhukhuneland Centre of Plant Endemism in the Limpopo province of South Africa, two new speciesof Stylochaeton (S. glaucophylla and S. sekhukhuniense) were found growing sympatrically with S. natalense,
although not with one another. These species differ from S. natalense mainly in leaf shape, spathe colour andlarger, subterranean fruit. The new species are mainly distinguished from each other by their leaf shape andsize (the front and basal lobes in S. glaucophylla are linear and longer, whereas they are elliptic and shorter in
S. sekhukhuniense), colour (leaf blades of S. glaucophyllum are greenish blue, whereas those of S.
sekhukhuniense are green), and whether the petiolar sheath is ligulate (S. sekhukhuniense) or not (S.
glaucophylla). The spadix and infructescence grow partly below the ground in both new species. The new
species are endemic to pyroxenite hill and mountain slopes (S. glaucophylla) or low-lying areas (S.
sekhukhuniense) of Sekhukhuneland. Although these species show a preference for and are endemic tometalliferous soil, leaf and stem analyses did not show evidence of metal hyperaccumulation. The descriptionof these species is noteworthy, as the ultramafic soil of Sekhukhuneland now seems to be a center of adaptive
speciation for two genera in the Araceae (the other being Zantedeschia).
KEYWORDS: bushveld arum, endemism, speciation, taxonomy, ultramafic soil

Session 3 - Ecology& evolution

Community ionomics of a hyperdiverse shrubland: the maquis on ultramafic
substrates of New Caledonia
Juliette HOCEDEZ1, Karine GOTTY1, Vanessa HEQUET2,3, Audrey LEOPOLD4 and Yohan PILLON1
1

Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales et Méditerranéennes (LSTM), IRD, INRAE, CIRAD, Institut Agro,
Univ. Montpellier, France
2

AMAP, IRD, CIRAD, Herbier de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, New Caledonia
3
AMAP, Univ Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, France
3
Institut Agronomique Néo-Calédonien (IAC), équipe SolVeg, New Caledonia
yohan.pillon@ird.fr

ABSTRACTThe island of New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific has particularly large surfaces of ultramafic
substrates which have low concentration of macronutrients (N, P, K) and excess concentration of metals (Cr,Mn, Ni). It has nevertheless a rich and unique flora with a unique shrubby vegetation, maquis, and isconsidered as a biodiversity hotspot. The flora encompasses a large number of metal hyperaccumulating plant
species, which are able to accumulate in their leaves metals at concentrations 100 to 1000 times higher thannormal plants. We established a plot 20 × 20 m plot on Ferritic Ferrasols where we sampled all
individual plants exceeding 1 m height. We measured concentrations of 20 elements on 474
individuals representing 37 species and 22 families. The plot included a large diversity of root
symbioses and both Ni and Mn hyperaccumulators. We observed a large diversity of mineral nutrition
strategies of plants, and this is in line with the Old Climatically Buffered and Infertile Landscape(OCBIL) theory [1] which predicts nutritional specialization on infertile substrates. Nickel andmanganese hyperaccumulation can be two different responses to the same soil conditions. Undergroundniche partitioning for mineral resources could explain the high alpha diversity observed on adverse geologicalsubstrates.
KEYWORDS: Elementome, hyperaccumulator Ionome, OCBIL, Open ecosystems
REFERENCES[1]

Hopper, S.D. (2009) OCBIL theory: towards an integrated understanding of the evolution, ecology andconservation of biodiversity on old-climatically buffered, infertile landscapes. Plant and Soil 322, 49–
86. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-0068-0

Functional groups and traits of plants in Mediterranean ultramafic shrublands(Sierra Bermeja, Spain)
Noelia HIDALGO-TRIANA1, Andrés V. PEREZ-LATORRE1, Aristide ADOMOU2, Michael
RUDNER3 and James H. THORNE4
1

Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Malaga, Spain
2

3

Department of Plant Biology, University of Abomey-Calavi, BeninFaculty of Environmental Engineering, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, University of Applied Sciences,
Germany
4

Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, USA
nhidalgo@uma.es

ABSTRACT
Plant functional traits (FTs) are important for understanding plant ecological strategies (e.g., drought
avoidance), especially in the nutrient-poor soils of serpentine ecosystems (Díaz et al., 2016).
In Mediterranean areas, such ecosystems are characterized by climatic factors (e.g., summer drought) thatexert a filtering effect. In our study, we analysed 24 species with varying serpentine affinity, from strictly
serpentine plants to generalist plants (Pérez Latorre et al., 2018) from two ultramafic shrublands in southern
Spain, considering four FTs: plant height (H), leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), and stem specificdensity (SSD). We used principal component analysis to identify combinations of FTs and cluster analysis todefine Functional Groups (FGs). We defined eight FGs, which suggests that such Mediterranean serpentine
shrublands are composed of species with wide-ranging of FTs. Indicator traits explained 67–72% of thevariability based on four strategies: (1) lower H than in other Mediterranean ecosystems; (2) middling
SSD; (3) low LA; and (4) low SLA due to thick and/or dense leaves, which contribute to long leaf
survival, nutrient retention, and protection from desiccation and herbivory. Generalist plants had higher
SLA than obligate serpentine plants, whereas the strictly serpentine plants showed more drought
avoidance mechanisms than the generalists. The strictly serpentine plants in the serpentine shrublands
studied could present greater resilience to climate change, particularly to severe drought, given thepresence of their drought avoidance mechanisms compared with generalists, and the high number of FGs
identified. Studies of FT, and specially FG, may be very useful for the joint management of species inserpentine ecosystems.
KEYWORDS: ultramafic vegetation, functional traits, drought avoidance
REFERENCES[1]
Díaz, S. et al. (2016). The global spectrum of plant form and function. http://doi. 10.1038/nature16489[2]

Pérez-Latorre, A. V., N. Hidalgo Triana, and B. Cabezudo. (2018). New data on the southern Iberian
serpentinophyte flora (Andalusia,
Spain). Mediterranean
Botany 39(2):151-155.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5209/MBOT.60080

Parallel adaptation to ultramafic soils in Solidago virgaurea L. across theJapanese Archipelago
Kiyoto TAKAZOE1, Hiroaki SETOGUCHI1, Atsushi NAGANO2, 3, Naoko ISHIKAWA4, Kenji HORIE5,
Motomi ITO6 and Shota SAKAGUCHI1
1

Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan
2
Faculty of Agriculture, Ryukoku University, Japan
3
Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Japan
4
Botanical garden, Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan
5
Asahikawa City Northern Wild Plants Garden, Japan
6
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japankiyo.09174063@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Parallel evolution is an evolutionary consequence of similar adaptations repeatedly arising in different
lineages under natural selection. Understanding the processes and mechanisms of parallel evolution can
provide significant insight into biological evolution. Soil is a major factor that affects plant survival andfitness, and can exert disruptive selection among different soil types. In this study, we focus on the history ofplant microevolution in disjunct ultramafic soil areas of the Japanese Archipelago. The archipelago
harbors numerous ultramafic soil patches scattered over 1,500 km. Solidago virgaurea L. (Eurasiangoldenrod) is a common herbaceous plant growing on both non-ultramafic and ultramafic soils.
Ultramafic ecotypes have unique characteristics in their morphological traits, their tolerance to toxic metal
ions, and their phenology, which are divergent from non-ultramafic populations. Ultramafic populations
show similar phenotypes even in geologically distant regions, yet phylogenetic origin of these
populations remains unknown. To determine whether the ultramafic ecotypes of S. virgaurea havesingle or multiple origins, we conducted genetic analyses of paired non-ultramafic and ultramafic
ecotype populations from eight regions in the archipelago. Phylogenetic analysis showed that theultramafic ecotypes were polyphyletic and closely related to the paired non-ultramafic populations
in each focal region. Genetic differentiation was low between adjacent non-ultramafic and ultramafic
populations, with an average of FST = 0.058 (range: 0.033-0.095). These results suggest thatultramafic ecotypes are derived from ancestral non-ultramafic types in every region via parallel
evolution, and that unique phenotypes of ultramafic ecotypes have been maintained despite gene flowfrom surrounding non-ultramafic populations. These paired soil ecotypes will be suitable biologicalreplicates to investigate specific genomic regions evolving under disruptive selection during parallelsoil adaptation.
KEYWORDS: parallel evolution, ultramafic soil, natural selection, multiple origin, soil adaptation

The elemental defence hypothesis: Is there a ‘missing piece’?
Rocky PUTRA1 and Caroline MÜLLER1
1

Department of Chemical Ecology, Bielefeld University, Germany
rocky.putra@uni-bielefeld.de

ABSTRACT
Metal(loid) hyperaccumulation may be one of the most extreme traits as a result of plant adaptation andevolution towards exceptionally high concentrations of metal(loid)s in soil[1]. A long-standing raison d'être formetal(loid) hyperaccumulation is considered in the elemental defence hypothesis (EDH), which postulates thatmetal(loid) hyperaccumulation exerts an effective inorganic defence against various antagonistic attacks[2]. Just
like many other plant species, hyperaccumulators also produce a broad range of specialised metabolites acting
as organic defences and these can greatly vary in the concentration and composition within species and even
within an individual, termed chemodiversity[3]. Such considerations of chemodiversity, however, are currently
still missing in the EDH. Thus, we aim to integrate this ‘missing piece’ through the lens of plant chemodiversity
to better understand the eco-evolutionary dynamics and maintenance of metal(loid) hyperaccumulation.
We collated and examined relevant research papers about metal hyperaccumulation in the context of EDH overthe past 42 years. We found that: (1) inorganic and organic defences are highly diverse; (2) they aremetabolically intertwined, as particularly well studied in Brassicales hyperaccumulators; (3) trade-off or joint
effects between inorganic and organic defences can occur, but without consistent patterns across studies; and(4) both types of defences can be induced upon antagonistic attacks. Moreover, we revealed that edaphic,
population, ecotypic, temporal and spatial related factors apparently influence the elemental defence diversityof hyperaccumulator plants, which again, are often neglected in the EDH. Our findings imply that the EDH
should incorporate these various aspects of chemodiversity. Finally, we synthesise a novel framework andoutlook to better understand the many fascinating aspects of elemental defence by extending it in the light ofplant chemodiversity. With this novel synthesis, we hope to stimulate progressive research and discussions
about the EDH and whether this can be a useful consideration for phytoremediation efforts.
KEYWORDS:
chemodiversity; elemental defence hypothesis; hyperaccumulator;
hyperaccumulation; organic defence; specialised metabolite

inorganic

defence;metal(loid)

REFERENCES[1]

Krämer, U. (2010) Metal Hyperaccumulation in Plants, Annual Review of Plant Biology 61:517–534,
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-042809-112156[2]

Boyd, R.S. (2007) The Defense Hypothesis of Elemental Hyperaccumulation: Status, Challenges andNew Directions, Plant and Soil 293:153–176, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-007-9240-6[3]

Müller, C. and Junker, R.R. (2022) Chemical Phenotype as Important and Dynamic Niche Dimensionof Plants, New Phytologist 234:1168–1174, https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18075

The role of metal accumulation in serpentine adaptation in the group Alyssum
montanum s.l.
Karolína HAVLÍKOVÁ1, Sonia CELESTINI2, Filip KOLÁŘ2
1

Department of Ecology, Charles University, Faculty of Science, Prague, Czech Republic

2 Department of Botany, Charles University, Faculty of Science, Prague, Czech Republic

havlikokar@natur.cuni.cz

ABSTRACT
Serpentine soil is one of the strongest challenges in nature for plants. It is naturally toxic, thanks to a highconcentration of heavy metals, propensity to drought, and shortage of nutrients. In order to colonize
serpentine soil, plants often have to evolve and (locally) adapt through special molecular andphysiological traits. One such adaptation may be hyperaccumulation: the ability of a plant species to takeup large amounts of heavy metals and storing them in its tissues. This ability is of particular interest forhuman purposes, as, if exploited, it can help restore damaged ecosystems through phytoremediation. Species
encompassing populations inhabiting both non-toxic as well as toxic soils might provide ideal study systems
for exploring the evolution of hyperaccumulation and adaptation towards toxic soils. In
general, hyperaccumulators are mostly found in the Brassicaceae family and especially in the genus
Alyssum s.l. We here tested two understudied species, Alyssum gmelinii and Alyssum spruneri,
representatives of the typical hyperaccumulator tribe Alyssae (Brassicaceae), as promising new model species
to untangle the role of metal (hyper)accumulation in adaptation to serpentine soil and establish their
unknown phytoremediation potential. The species are distributed along Central Europe and the Balkans
in both serpentine and non-serpentine environments. We performed a transplant experiment and tested thedifferences in fitness between the populations and metal accumulation in the plants’ tissues. Moreover, wegrew the same populations in anthropogenically polluted soil to assess the phytoremediation ability of thespecies. Our preliminary results show fitness advantages of plants originating from both types of soil in
their substrate of origin. A subset of populations analyzed for Ni uptake shows A. gmelinii is likely not a
hyperaccumulator, although there is considerable natural variation in the ability to accumulate Ni among
populations.
KEYWORDS: adaptation, hyperaccumulation, phytoremediation
REFERENCES[1]
Brady, K. U., Kruckeberg, A. R., & Bradshaw Jr, H. D. (2005). Evolutionary ecology of plant
adaptation to serpentine soils. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst., 36, 243-266. https://doi.org/10.1146/
annurev.ecolsys.35.021103.105730[2]Španiel, S., Marhold, K., & Zozomová-Lihová, J. (2017). The polyploid Alyssum montanum-A.
repens complex in the Balkans: a hotspot of species and genetic diversity. Plant Systematics and Evolution,
303(10), 1443-1465. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-017-1470-3[3]O’Dell, R. E., James, J. J., & Richards, J. H. (2006). Congeneric serpentine and nonserpentine shrubs
differ more in leaf Ca: Mg than in tolerance of low N, low P, or heavy metals. Plant and Soil, 280(1), 49-64.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-005-3502-y[4]
Kazakou, E., Dimitrakopoulos, P. G., Baker, A. J. M., Reeves, R. D., & Troumbis, A. Y. (2008).
Hypotheses, mechanisms and trade‐ offs of tolerance and adaptation to serpentine soils: from species toecosystem level. Biological Reviews, 83(4), 495-508. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469185x.2008.00051.x

Ultramafic ecosystems as a macroecological model
Catherine HULSHOF, Marko SPASOJEVIC2, Claudia GARNICA-DÍAZ3, Nishanta RAJAKARUNA4, 5
1

Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, United States of America
Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California Riverside, UnitedStates of America

2

3

4

Biology Department, University of Florida Gainesville, United States of America
Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, United States of America
5
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa
cmhulshof@vcu.edu

ABSTRACTUltramafic ecosystems are renowned for high endemism and habitat specialization. Although ultramafic
ecosystems are important model systems for ecological and evolutionary theory, their importance inmacroecology has not yet been fully realized. We argue that ultramafic ecosystems create an appealing andtractable macrosystem for understanding global patterns of plant diversity and responses to land use andclimate change. We provide an overview of how such a global macrosystem could be used to understandinteractions between climatic and edaphic properties and their influence on plant form and function at a
global scale. Furthermore, we propose new avenues of interdisciplinary research that emerge from a macroscale approach and that create new opportunities for international collaborations to understand these diverse
ecosystems. Specifically, we provide three examples of this approach: first, by highlighting a recent synthesisof the edaphic control on plant diversity (Hulshof and Spasojevic 2020); second, by demonstrating possible
soil-climate interactions and the diverse plant form and function of tropical ultramafic ecosystems (GarnicaDiaz et al. 2022); and lastly, by summarizing a comparison of a key plant functional trait – specific leaf area –across different biogeographic regions (Samojedney et al. 2022). We end with a ‘call to action’ to compileand disseminate a global GIS database of ultramafic soils which will enable future collaborations to addressthese types of macroecological questions.
KEYWORDS: climate-soil interactions; global; macroecology; plant ecology; synthesis
REFERENCES[1]

Hulshof, C. M., & Spasojevic, M. J. (2020). The edaphic control of plant diversity. Global Ecology
and Biogeography, 29, 1634-1650.

[2]

Garnica-Díaz, C., Berazaín Iturralde, R., Cabrera, B., Calderón-Morales, E., Felipe, F. L., García, R.,... & Hulshof, C.M. (2022). Global Plant Ecology of Tropical Ultramafic Ecosystems. The Botanical
Review, 1-43.

[3]

Samojedney, T.J., Garnica-Diaz, C., Grossenbacher, D., Adamidis, G.C., Dimitrakopoulos, P.G.,
Siebert, S.J., Spasojevic, M.J., Hulshof, C.M., & Rajakruna, N. 2022. Plant Ecology & Diversity.

Above and belowground functional space of herbaceous serpentinicolous species
Florian DELERUE1 and Richard MICHALET1
1

Universit de Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, EPOC, UMR 5805, Pessac, France
fdelerue@bordeaux-inp.fr

ABSTRACT
Serpentine ecosystems are described as stressful because plants face multiple constraints, including lackof nutrients, shallow soils, and trace element toxicity. Therefore, functional ecology theory predicts
that serpentinicolous species should exhibit attributes similar to those of species found in otherharsh environments, namely short size (plant stature functional axis) and slow soil-resource
acquisition corresponding to conservative species (leaf economic spectrum axis)1,2. Our main objective wasto verify if herbaceous serpentinicolous species found in western Europe were short and conservative
as expected. Additionally, we investigated acquisitive root traits related to mycorrhizal association androot growth3,4. We sampled above- and below-ground traits of 46 species in 6 serpentinicolous herbaceous
communities in the French Massif Central and the Apennines (Italy) in 2022. Aboveground traits werepositioned in the global functional space provided by a large database of aboveground plant traits. Principal
component analysis on all measured traits provided additional insights regarding functionalvariation of studied species. If serpentinicolous species had small size (as expected), they showed
important variation regarding leaf economic spectrum and were not particularly conservative compared toherbaceous species sampled worldwide. This raises the question of how corresponding species acquire
nutrients in such harsh environments. Root trait analysis showed a large variety of strategies, with species
from the Apennines relying more on mycorrhizal association and species from the Massif Central
having faster root growth. This might be due to the biogeographical context and, in particular, theoccurrence of summer drought in the Mediterranean climate of the lower Apennines. Future work should
investigate the correspondence of these functional variations with another tenet of functional adaptation of
sperpentinicolous species: leaf metal accumulation or exclusion.
KEYWORDS: Plant form and function; Leaf Economic Spectrum; Root functional space; Serpentinicolous
species.
REFERENCES[1]
Harrison, S., Damschen, E., Fernandez-Going, B., Eskelinen, A. & Copeland, S. Plant communities
on infertile soils are less sensitive to climate change. Annals of Botany 116, 1017–1022 (2015).
[2]
Díaz, S. et al. The global spectrum of plant form and function. Nature 529, 167–171 (2016).
[3]
Carmona, C. P. et al. Fine-root traits in the global spectrum of plant form and function. Nature 597,
683–687 (2021).
[4]
Bergmann, J. et al. The fungal collaboration gradient dominates the root economics space in plants.
Science Advances 6, eaba3756 (2020).

Genetic parallelism during recurrent serpentine adaptationin the Eurasian goldenrod in Japan
Shota SAKAGUCHI1, Kenji HORIE2, Naoko ISHIKAWA3, Shuji SHIGENOBU4, Katsushi YAMAGUCHI4,
Mitsuyasu HASEBE4, Ayano MIKI1, Hiroaki SETOGUCHI1, Shosei KUBOTA5, Osamu KURASHIMA5,
Keitaro FUKUSHIMA6, Yoshihisa SUYAMA7, Shun HIROTA3 and Motomi ITO5
1

Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan; 2Northern Wild Plants
Garden, Asahikawa, Japan; 3Botanic Garden of Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan; 4NIBB, Japan; 5The
University of Tokyo, Japan; 6Fukushima University, Japan; 7Tohoku University, Japansakaguchi.shota.6a@kyoto-u.ac.jp

ABSTRACT
Serpentine soils are characterized by an imbalance of soil elements and excess of toxic metals that impose
obstacles for successful colonization of plants. Therefore, adaptation to the extreme soil is a fundamental
process in the evolution of serpentine plant species. During evolution of serpentine and non-serpentine
populations, non-random mating can lead to the establishment of reproductive isolation, which sometimes
results in repeated generation of serpentine adapted populations on different isolated islands of serpentine
substrates. When such parallel evolution occurs in relatively short evolutionary terms, genetic variations
pre-existing in ancestral populations are expected to be reused by natural selection. Yet, our knowledge
is limited regarding how standing variation is selected during serpentine adaptation, in which other processes
such as gene flow, drift, and dispersal limitation are also involved. The Eurasian goldenrod (Solidago
virgaurea L. s.l.) is widespread in Japan, and serpentine populations showing edaphic tolerance and early
flowering habit repeatedly evolved in isolated serpentine areas. Targeting the serpentine Solidago
populations and their surrounding non-serpentine counterparts, we first aimed to identify candidate genes
underlying serpentine adaptation by whole genome sequencing of two ecotypic population pairs. The
allelic variations at these genes were then determined for paired serpentine and non-serpentine populationsin 12 locations to investigate the extent of genetic parallelism over the regional landscape. As theresults of genome-wide association analysis of SNPs and soil types, 12 genomic regions scattering at nine
pseudochromosomes showed significant levels of association. These regions included multiple genes
encoding ion transporters (e.g. K, Ca, Mg transporters) and phospholipases, indicating the importance of ion
homeostasis and signal transduction during serpentine adaptation. Genotyping at eight candidate genes
revealed that derived alleles were consistently more dominant in serpentine populations. Genetic parallelism
across locations was most pronounced for one Mg transporter gene. Notably, the allelic distributions at thesecandidate genes were in sharp contrast to the spatial genetic structure inferred from neutral markers, which
only showed a pattern of isolation by distance. Overall, our genomic assessment suggested that serpentine
adaptation has a polygenic basis in the Solidago populations and, therefore, the convergent genotypic
constitution at the adaptive genes was likely shaped by recurrent natural selection in spite of imperfectgenetic linkage and on-going gene flow.
KEYWORDS: Ion transporters; Parallel adaptation; Solidago; Whole genome sequencing
REFERENCES[1] Sakaguchi, S., Horie, K., Ishikawa, N., Nagano, J.A., Yasugi, M., Kudoh, H. and Ito, M. (2017)
Simultaneous evaluation of the effects of geographic, environmental and temporal isolation in ecotypic
populations of Solidago virgaurea, New Phytologist 216:1268-1280, https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14744.
[2] Sakaguchi, S., Horie, K., Ishikawa, N., Nishio, S., Worth, J., Fukushima, K., Yamasaki, M., and Ito, M.
(2018) Maintenance of soil ecotypes of Solidago virgaurea in close parapatry via divergent flowering timeand selection against immigrants, Journal of Ecology 107: 418-435, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13034.

Tolerance to ultramafic soils is mediated by control of Ca:Mg ratio in Santolina
semidendata and associated taxa
Celestino QUINTELA-SABARÍS1, Rodrigo CARBALLAL2, Carmen MONTERROSO3, Julia SÁNCHEZVILAS4, Miguel SERRANO2 and Santiago ORTIZ2
Department of Ecology and Animal Biology, University of Vigo, Spain
2
Department of Botany, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
3
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
4
Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff University, UK
1celestino.quintela@uvigo.gal

ABSTRACT
Santolina semidentata is a shrub native to the NW Iberian Peninsula which is able to grow on different typesof substrates including ultramafic areas. Santolina melidensis is a serpentinite-endemic closely related species,
and both taxa are members of the Santolina rosmarinifolia complex [1]. In order to study tolerance toultramafic soils in S. semidentata, we conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment in whichseeds from three populations of S. semidentata (from three different soil types), one population of S.
rosmarinifolia, and the unique population of S. melidensis were germinated and grown for 18 weeks inthree different soils: one derived from limestones, one derived from granodiorites , and one
derived from serpentinites. At harvest, we measured shoot and root biomass and quantified
foliar concentrations of Al, Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P and Zn. Effects of the experimental
factors soil, population, and the interaction soil * population, on plant biomass were assessed by a splitplot design fitted by a mixed linear model, whereas a principal component analysis (PCA) was used to
explore differences in leaf ionomes. Plant survival on limestone and granodiorite-derived soils
was around 100% f o r a l l five populations. In contrast, the serpentine endemic S. melidensis
and the ultramafic population of S. semidentata were the only plants able to survive and thrive on
the serpentinite-derived soil. There were significant differences in plant biomass between populations,with the serpentine-endemic S. melidensis having lower biomass. Soil type had a major effect onleaf ionomes of the five populations. However, the two ultramafic populations showed
consistently higher Ca concentrations and lower Mg concentrations than the three non-ultramafic
populations. This was particularly marked in plants growing on the limestone-derived soil, whereultramafic populations had a Ca:Mg foliar ratio around 25 vs. values lower than 8 for non-ultramafic
populations. Moreover, the ultramafic-endemic S. melidensis showed unusually high sodium foliar
concentrations (around 1% in plants from the three soils). Our results suggest that colonisation of ultramafic
soils has involved the evolution of a tolerant ecotype in S. semidentata. This tolerance seems to be
mediated by efficient mechanisms of regulation of the balance between Ca and Mg. Highaccumulation of sodium in the leaves of the ultramafic-endemic S. melidensis may be related tomechanisms of tolerance to drought stress in ultramafic areas.
KEYWORDS: Santolina rosmarinifolia complex, reciprocal transplant experiment, calcium:magnesium ratio

REFERENCES[1]

Carballal, R. Ortiz, S. and Sáez, L. (2019) Santolina L. in Castroviejo, S., Aedo, C., Laínz, M., Muñoz
Garmendia, F., Nieto Feliner, G., Paiva, J. and Benedí, C. (eds.). Flora iberica 16(3), pp. 1938-1962.
Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid.

Lichen diversity and abundance on serpentinite and granite outcrops of the
Slavkov Forest (Czech Republic)
Sergio FAVERO-LONGO1, Elisabetta BIANCHI2, Stefano LOPPI2, Luca PAOLI3, ZuzanaFAČKOVCOVÁ4, and Pavel KRÁM5
1

Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Italy2
Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Italy
3
Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Italy
4
Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia
5
Global Change Research Institute, Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic
sergio.favero@unito.it

ABSTRACTThis study is part of the eLTER PLUS project DiESCALiDi (Disentangling the Effects of Substrate
Chemistry and Atmospheric Deposition on Lichen Diversity), which aims to evaluate if and how saxicolous
lichen communities may be informative on pollution scenarios. Saxicolous lichens were indeed recognized tosuffer chemical depositions similarly to epiphytic lichens [1]. However, higher system complexity related tothe additional influence of the rock substrate chemistry made them generally disregarded as potential
biomonitors of the effects of air pollution, although in several circumstances they may be a valid or the solealternative to obtain data. In order to (re-)consider potential relationships between the diversity and abundanceof saxicolous lichens and different conditions of air pollution, the first step is thus to evaluate how the natureof the rock substrate and other environmental conditions could potentially affect lichen colonization. In thiswork, we compared patterns of lichen diversity and abundance on serpentinite and granite outcrops inside andoutside forest stands in the Lysina and Pluhův Bor catchments and some adjacent areas of the Slavkov Forest(W-Czech Republic), sharing meso-climate conditions and atmospheric deposition fluxes. The frequency andcover of lichen species were surveyed through 42 plots of 50×50 cm2, distributed in nine sites representativeof the mentioned conditions, using a square grid divided into 25 quadrats. At each site, the diversity of
epiphytic lichens was also surveyed, and thalli of the saxicolous species Parmelia saxatilis (L.) Ach. and theepiphytic species Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl. and Hypogymnia tubulosa (Schaer.) Hav. were collected forchemical analyses. GLM models showed that both substrate lithology and the presence/absence of the canopy
significantly affect the saxicolous lichen cover, while only the latter factor is significant for the lichen alphadiversity. In particular, a higher number of saxicolous species characterized plots outside the forest stands,
with similar values for granite and serpentinite. Consistently, also cover values both on granite andserpentinite outcrops were higher outside forest stands. These preliminary findings suggest that, at least in the
study area, substrate lithology is not a driver of saxicolous lichen richness. On the other hand, a canopy cover,and hence presumably light influx, is very important for saxicolous lichen diversity. The relation between
different lichens species' functional traits, including secondary metabolites, and serpentine features will be
discussed to better understand their adaptation, as well as the presence of nitrophilous species as a remarkable
component of saxicolous lichen communities outside forest stands.
KEYWORDS: saxicolous lichens, air pollution, biomonitoring, functional traits, lichen adaptation,
serpentinites vs. granites
REFERENCES[1]

Seaward, M.R.D. (1987) Effects of quantitative and qualitative changes in air pollution on the ecological andgeographical performance of lichens. In: Hutchinson T.C. and K.M. Meema (Eds) Effects of atmosphericpollutants on forests, wetlands and agricultural ecosystems. NATO ASI Series, G16, Springer Berlin, p. 439450. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-70874-9_32

Community assembly of serpentine plants is driven by interspecific differences infunctional traits.
Guillaume DELHAYE1, Panayiotis G. DIMITRAKOPOULOS2 and George C. ADAMIDIS3
1

Ecosystem Stewardship, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, United Kingdom
2
Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece
3
Biology Department, University of Patras, Greece
adamidis@upatras.gr

ABSTRACT
Serpentine ecosystems are characterized by multiple environmental stressors such as high levels of heavy andtrace metals (e.g. Ni, Cr, Co and Mg), as well as low availability of macronutrients (e.g. N, P and K) and low
water retention. This high contents in toxic metals exert a strong filtering effect on plantcommunities, selecting species and traits adapted to these harsh conditions. To better understand the effectof stressful environmental conditions on plant strategy and community assembly processes, we studied
26 plots in serpentine (S) and non-serpentine (NS) sites constituting a metal gradient, and we focused on
the dominant plant species. We measured 6 leaf functional traits related to resource acquisition andstress resistance on 20-100 individuals: leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf thickness, leaf dry matter
content, leaf nitrogen content and leaf shape. We quantified the proportion of variance explained by
the interspecific traits difference, intraspecific trait variation explained by levels of soil metal, and residual
variation. We tested if individual species show differences in trait values between high and low metal soils.
At the community level, we calculated the weighted mean value of each trait to test if the community
is dominated by stress tolerant strategies (small thick leaves with low SLA and N, high dry matter content
and large length/width ratio). Using several uni- and multivariate functional diversity indices, we tested
if we could detect some trait convergence on soils with high levels of metals, suggesting environmental
filtering, and traits overdispersion on low-metal soils which could indicate niche partitioning. Finally, we ran
all the analyses on the same dataset after excluding the only serpentine endemic and metal hyperaccumulating
species, Odontarrhena lesbiaca. For leaf area, thickness, dry matter content and shape most of the varianceis explained by interspecific trait differences, while for specific leaf area and nitrogen content, asignificant proportion of the variance is explained by intraspecific variation due to soil metal levels.
However, most species do not show differences in trait values between high and low metal soils (only 1
to 3 species per trait). At the community level, all weighted mean trait values exhibit differences
between soil types, with convergence to a stress tolerance syndrome (small leaves, low SLA, thick leaves
with high LDMC), although LNC was surprisingly higher on high metal soils. Regarding multivariate FD
indices, contrary to our hypothesis, only sesFDis shows a significant higher value on high metal soils.
Using univariate sesFDis index, LDMC and LS shows the expected convergence, but SLA and LT show
clear overdispersion on high metal soils. When removing O. lesbiaca from the studied community,
both multivariate sesFRic and sesFDis showed the expected convergence on high metal soils soils.
With univariate sesFDis, SLA does not show any clear pattern of convergence or divergence, while
LDMC and leaf thickness shows some level of convergence. Our results suggest that high metal soils do not
drive strong intraspecific variation for traits related to the LES for most species. Further, a single endemic
species with original traits can drive the whole community level indices of functional diversity. We suggest
caution in the interpretation of these indices in the context of harsh environments where plant adaptations
can de diverse. Further we advocate for a conservation of functional diversity in serpentine environments,
notably of endemic species with original traits combination, to ensure resilience in the face ofenvironmental change.
KEYWORDS: Intraspecific variation, leaf economic spectrum, metal tolerance, environmental filtering,competition
GCA received funding for this presentation from the programme MEDICUS, of the University of Patras,.

Arable plant communities depend largely on soil type: a study case fromultramafic and non-ultramafic soils in Beni Bousera (North Morocco)
SoufianCHAKKOUR1,Jalal
1

KASSOUT1,2,

KhalilKADAOUI1,

1

Abdeljalil

1

EL

1

GHALABZOURI , Abdelouahab SAHLI , Mohamed KADIRI , Mohammed ATER .
1

Department of Biology, University of Abdelmalek Essaadi, Morocco
2

National Institute of Agronomic Research, Marrakech, Morocco
chakkoursoufian@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Traditional agroecosystems play a vital role in conserving arable plant diversity, which requires
the preservation of this ecological heritage. This study aims to compare the species richness,composition, Shannon diversity, and Simpson diversity of arable plant communities in traditional
agroecosystems on ultramafic and non-ultramafic substrates in the Beni Bousera massif region ofnorthern Morocco. We surveyed arable plant communities in the study area and conducted aphysicochemical analysis of soil composition to explore the relationship between arable plantcommunity composition and soil properties. We observed a significant difference in floristic
richness between the two soil types, with a moderate serpentine effect being highly abundant.
Among the 167 identified arable plant species, Asteraceae and Poaceae were the most widespreadbotanical families. Therophytes were the dominant life forms at both study sites, followed byhemicryptophytes and geophytes. Non-ultramafic plant communities were generally more
species-rich than the ultramafic site vegetation. We found a differentiation in arable plantcommunities according to substrate type, with a calcifuge-affinity community at theultramafic site and a calcicole-affinity community at the non-ultramafic site. Our results
highlight the differentiation in arable plant communities at the study sites, despite the proximity
and similarity of climate and agricultural practices.
KEYWORDS: Weed community, serpentine effect, the massif of Beni Bousera, traditional
agroecosystems, vegetation relevés.

Disentangling plant ionomes of two pseudo-metallophyte orchid species oncontrasting soils in the Balkans
Ksenija JAKOVLJEVIĆ1, Tomica MIŠLJENOVIĆ1, Antony VAN DER ENT2, 3, 4, 5, Jasmina ŠINŽARSEKULIĆ1, Jelena MUTIĆ6, Marija ĆOSIĆ1, Gordana ANDREJIĆ7,
Dragana RANĐELOVIĆ8 and Vladan DJORDJEVIĆ1
1

Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
2
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRAE, Université de Lorraine, France
3
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland,
Queensland, Australia
4

Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
5
ECONICK, 1 Rue Grandville 54000 Nancy, France
6
Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Serbia
7Institute for the Application of Nuclear Energy – INEP, University of Belgrade, Serbia
8Institute for Technology of Nuclear and Other Minerals Raw Materials, Serbia
kjakovljevic@bio.bg.ac.rs

ABSTRACT
Orchids are known to occur in almost all terrestrial habitats, including on potentially toxic metalliferous soils.
Dactylorhiza sambucina (L.) Soó and Gymnadenia conopsea (L.) R.Br. are widespread terrestrial orchids
in Europe, which are generalists, i.e., they inhabit different habitat types on various geological substrates.
The high ecological plasticity with respect to soil properties raised the question whether thesecontrasting geological substrates lead to differences in the elementome profiles and ecophysiologicalresponses of these orchid species. Of particular interest are ultramafic soils characterized by a strong
edaphic filter due to their adverse chemical properties. In this context, plants from eight populationsof D. sambucina and nine populations of G. conopsea from three types of substrates (ultramafic,
calcareous, and siliceous soils) were analyzed to evaluate differences in ionome, physiological andbiochemical parameters. These results are evaluated in light of previous findings suggesting that theuptake of macroelements in aboveground plant organs is predominant, while for trace elements the
exclusion strategy is generally found. The analysis of ecophysiological parameters (including
concentrations of photosynthetic pigments and phenolic compounds) should clearly reveal any differences
between populations from the different geological substrates, with the lowest stress level expected in plants
growing on limestone soils. The results of this study are important not only because of the general lack ofdata on elementome profiles and ecophysiological properties of orchid species on ultramafic substrates,
but also from the point of view of the safe use of the underground tubers which are locally used to
produce the drink ‘salep’.
KEYWORDS: Orchidaceae, ultramafic, metal tolerance, physiology
REFERENCES[1]

Maleva, M., Borisova, G., Chukina, N., Sinenko, O., Filimonova, E., Lukina, N. and Glazyrina, M.
(2021) Adaptive morphophysiological features of Neottia ovata (Orchidaceae) contributing to its
natural colonization on fly ash deposits, Horticulturae 7(5):109,https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7050109[2]

Račko, M., Ozdín, D., Kučerová, G., Jurkovič, Ľ. and Vaculík, M. (2021) Occurrence and uptake ofheavy metals by selected terrestrial orchids in extreme conditions of initial soils on previous mining
sites, Biologia 76(7),2113-2122, https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-020-00619-3

Edible plants and aquatic systems in Serpentine region in Bulgaria
Dolja PAVLOVA1, Irina KARADJOVA2 and Metody Karadjov3
1
2

Department of Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Sofia, Bulgaria

Department of Analytical chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Farmacy, University of Sofia, Bulgaria
3

Geological institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

karadjova@chem.uni-sofia.bg

ABSTRACTThe Serpentine soils are formed due to the weathering of ultramafic rock types (peridotites(dunite, wehrlite, harzburgite, lherzolite) and the secondary alteration products formed by their
hydration including serpentinite. These soils are generally deficient in plant essential nutrients suchas nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur; have a calcium-to-magnesium (Ca:Mg) molar ratio ofless than 1; and have elevated levels of toxic elements such as nickel, cobalt, and chromium. Serpentine
soils promote the evolution of serpentine endemism, contributing to unique floras with high rates ofendemism. Ecosystems with serpentine soils are generally less productive than ecosystems with otherkinds of soils, and they have unique plant species distributions. However these type of soils might bealso used for edible plants growing although with less productivity and the question arising is – what willbe the content of essential and toxic content in the plants as well as what will be the infuence on
the local aquatic systems frequently used for weathering of agriculture field. In the present study theconcentration of chemical elements (( Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cr, Cd, Pb, As) was determined inaqueous phase and biota in rivers from serpentine region in Bulgaria, situated also in the vicinity ofabandon chromium mines. The content of essential and toxic elements ( Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cr, Cd, Pb,
As) was determined in edible plants (P. vulgaris, Cucumis sativa, Capsicm annuum, N. tabacum,
Lycopersicon esculeutum, Solanum tuberosum) grown in the same region. Samples are collected in
one season, chemical elements in river water was determined by ICP-MS, chemical elements content
in plant, biota was determined after MW digestion and ICP-OES measurement. Results obtained will be
discussed from the view point: Correlation between bioavailable concentration of chemical elements in soil and their content inedible plants.
 Correlation between bioavailable concentration of chemical elements in soil and in aquatic
systems – aqueous phase used for plant weathering and biota.
Conclusions will be directed to hazard assessment of toxic elements content in edible plants and in biota
used for human consumption.
KEYWORDS: serpentine soil, chemical element, river water, biota
Acknowledgment: Financial support from project EXTREME, funded by the Bulgarian Ministry of
Education and Science (DOI-76/30.03.2021) is highly acknowledged.

Exploring the drought tolerance hypothesis of nickel hyperaccumulation using
Berkheya species of South Africa
Lanja OOSTHUIZEN1, Frances SIEBERT1, Dave I. THOMPSON2,3, Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,4 andStefan SIEBERT1
1
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
South African Environmental Observation Network, Ndlovu Node, Scientific Services, Kruger National Park,
Phalaborwa, South Africa

2

3School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South
Africa4

Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA
Stefan.Siebert@nwu.ac.za

ABSTRACT
Serpentine soils have extreme physical and chemical properties which generally create a hostile environment
for normal plant growth. Species growing in these soils are adapted to deal with high levels of
bioavailable metals, including nickel. To date, over 500 metallophytes are known to hyperaccumulate
nickel, including a total of six species from South Africa (Berkheya coddii, B. zeyheri, B. nivea, Senecio
anomalochrous, S. coronatus and S. conrathii). Metal hyperaccumulation is an energy costly process forplants. It is therefore expected that this trait has an adaptive or intrinsic fitness benefit. Several major
hypotheses have been proposed to explain the adaptive significance of this trait, including elemental
defence, inadvertent uptake, nutritional benefit, elemental allelopathy, and drought tolerance. In
serpentine tolerant plants, there is significant selective pressure for drought tolerance. It ishypothesized that nickel ions may act as an osmoticum in hyperaccumulators, where they aid inadjusting the plant osmotic potential under water stress. We aim to test the drought tolerance hypothesis
using one Ni-hyperaccumulating taxon from South Africa (B. coddii) and a native congener that is tolerantof serpentine soil, but is not a hyperaccumulator (B. radyeri). The experiment will be done in agreenhouse where these taxa will be exposed to high, medium, and low levels of water stress inserpentine soil and potting soil with and without nickel added. Photosynthesis/transpiration
rates and leaf nickel content will be measured at key phenological stages of the plants (three month oldseedlings, pre-flowering, fruiting, and senescence) while biomass (root and shoot) and total reproductive
output (total number of flowerheads) will be measured at the end of the experiment. We hypothesize thatthe plants growing in nickel-enriched soil (serpentine and potting soil with nickel) will show greater carbon
acquisition and growth and reproductive fitness under high water stress compared to those in the potting
soil without nickel. While we believe the nickel hyperaccumulating taxon will benefit the most underdrought, the serpentine-tolerant taxon may also show better growth and fitness under water stress in thepresence of nickel. This study will contribute to our understanding of the little-explored droughttolerant hypothesis of metal hyperaccumulation, and shed light on evolutionary consequences ofedaphic specialization. Additionally, this study can also contribute to restoration efforts, including
phytomining and phytoremediation.
KEYWORDS:
adaptation, geoecology, heavy metals, metal tolerance, phytoremediation, Senecio

The effect of substrate type and species richness on biomass production andnickel concentration
Panayiotis G. DIMITRAKOPOULOS1, Maria ALOUPI1, Dimitris SKOPIANOS1, and Ioanna
CHATZELLI1
1

Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece
pdimi@aegean.gr

ABSTRACT
Biodiversity is considered to be able to mitigate the detrimental effects of global change drivers on ecosystem
functioning and this beneficial impact has been found to increase with increasing biotope space [1].
Biotope space can be defined as the physical space in which species niches may accommodate (e.g. depth orvolume of soil), or in the case of resource availability it can have a chemical, spatial or temporaldimension (e.g. availability of different types of nutrients, from different soil layers, at different times). A
reduction in biotope space under conditions of intense physical stress may reduce the positive biodiversity
effects [1, 2]. Serpentine soils are considered stressful environments for plant growth [3]. In this study, weinvestigated the interaction of biotope space and species richness on aboveground biomass and the nickel
concentration. Three substrates of increasing stress intensity and decreasing biotope space were used: peat,
mixture of peat and serpentine soil and pure serpentine soil. In each of these, monocultures andbicultures of the endemic plant species Odontarrhena lesbiaca (perennial species, nickel
hyperaccumulator) and Alyssum xiphocarpum (annual species, non-hyperaccumulator) were grown in pots
for one growing season. At the end of the growing season, aboveground biomass and nickel concentration inplant organs as well as total and bioavailable soil nickel concentration were measured. Peat had thehighest percentage of bioavailable nickel, while having much lower total nickel concentration than themixed and serpentine substrates. Total biomass per species and per pot was influenced by the total numberof individuals survived, species diversity and substrate type. Substrate type and species identity significantly
affected the nickel concentration in plant tissues, while diversity was statistically insignificant. No
significant interaction between diversity and soil substrate type was observed in both biomass and nickel
concentration. Substrate type seems to have the greatest effect on the measured variables, with peatbeing the best substrate for plant growth.
KEYWORDS: biotope space, pot experiment, species diversity
REFERENCES[1]

Dimitrakopoulos P.G. & Troumbis A.Y. (2019) Biotopes. Reference Module in Earth Systems andEnvironmental Sciences, from Encyclopedia of Ecology, 2nd Edition, Vol. [1], Section: Conservation
Ecology, pp. 359-365. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.10923-6[2]

Dimitrakopoulos, P.G., Schmid, B. (2004) Biodiversity effects increase linearly with biotope space,
Ecology Letters 7: 574–583, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2004.00607.x[3]

Kazakou E., Dimitrakopoulos P.G., Baker A.J.M., Reeves R.D., Troumbis A.Y. (2008) Hypotheses,mechanisms and trade-offs of tolerance and adaptation to serpentine soils: from species to ecosystemlevel, Biological Reviews 83: 495-508, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.2008.00051.x

Ultramafic lichens: an ecological investigation of an understudied organism in awell-studied system.
Michael MULROY1, Jason DART2,3, Cameron WILLIAMS4, Rikke REESE NÆSBORG4, Alan FRYDAY5,
Scott JOHNSTON6, and Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,7
1

Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, USA
2
Althouse and Meade, Inc., USA
3
Robert F. Hoover Herbarium, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
4Conservation Department, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, USA
5
Herbarium, Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, USA
6
Physics Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, USA
7
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa
mmulroy@calpoly.edu

ABSTRACT
Saxicolous lichens are a major, ecologically significant component of the biodiversity present in rock outcrop
habitats, including ultramafic outcrops. While multiple studies have investigated the biotas of ultramafic
outcrops, few have directly compared ultramafic and non-ultramafic lichen communities1,2,3. As a result, theimportance of substrate factors (elemental composition, surface pH, microtopography) in relation to otherabiotic factors is poorly understood for saxicolous lichen communities. In a regional community ecology
study, we sampled lichen biotas of eight ultramafic and eight sandstone outcrops along a 70 km maritime
influence gradient in order to test three hypotheses: 1) a substrate effect hypothesis that saxicolous lichen
communities of ultramafic and sandstone outcrops are compositionally distinct; 2) a maritime gradienthypothesis that coastal and inland communities are compositionally distinct; and 3) a maritime moderation
hypothesis that coastal ultramafic and sandstone communities are more similar than those of inland ultramaficand sandstone.
Our results provide support for the substrate effect hypothesis and the maritime gradient hypothesis. Lichen
communities of 1) ultramafic and sandstone outcrops and 2) coastal and inland outcrops were compositionallydistinct. The maritime moderation hypothesis was not supported; lichen communities of ultramafic andsandstone outcrops were significantly differentiated throughout the maritime gradient. A total of 134 taxa
were recorded - 81 taxa from ultramafic outcrops and 100 taxa from sandstone, with 47 taxa found on bothrock types. Ultramafic outcrops were characterized by greater similarity between samples, lower lichen cover,larger differences in cover between north and south aspects, and higher abundance and diversity of
cyanolichen taxa compared to sandstone. This study is one of few to quantitatively examine lichen
communities of two rock types and is unique in that it does so at a regional scale. These results add to ourunderstanding of the interactive roles of substrate and maritime influence in lichen community assembly.
KEYWORDS:
lichen, substrate effects, maritime gradient
REFERENCES [HEADING 1 STYLE][1]

Favero-Longo, S.E. and Piervittori, R. 2009. Measuring the biodiversity of saxicolous lichens
above timberline with reference to environmental factors: the case-study of a Natura 2000 site ofwestern Alps. Phytocoenologia 39(1): 51–78. doi:10.1127/0340-269X/2009/0039-0051.

[2]

Rajakaruna, N., Knudsen, K., Fryday, A.M., O’Dell, R.E., Pope, N., and Olday, F.C., 2012.
Investigation of the importance of rock chemistry for saxicolous lichen communities of the New Idria
serpentinite mass, San Benito County, California, USA. Lichenologist, 44(5): 695–714.
doi:10.1017/S0024282912000205.

[3]

Sirois, L., Lutzoni, F., and Grandtner, M. 1988. Les lichens sur serpentine et amphibolite du plateau
du Mont Albert, Gaspésie, Québec. Can. J. Bot. 66(5): 851–862. doi:10.1139/b88-124.

A microscopic description of the actinorhizal nodules of Casuarinaceae trees
growing on ultramafic areas in Sabah (Malaysia)
Celestino QUINTELA-SABARÍS1, Chor Wai LO2, Hasna BOUBAKRI3, Philippe NORMAND3 and JorgeDOMÍNGUEZ1
2

1
Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Spain
Fakulti Sains Gunaan, Universiti Teknologi MARA- Cawangan Sabah, Malaysia
3
Laboratoire d’Ecologie Microbienne, Université Lyon 1, France

celestino.quintela@uvigo.gal

ABSTRACT
Casuarinaceae (Order Fagales) is a plant family distributed in the Malesian-Australian-Melanesian region andcomprises four genera (ranked from more basal to more recent): Gymnostoma, Ceuthostoma, Casuarina andAllocasuarina [1]. At the landscape scale, Casuarinaceae act as pioneer trees on degraded or nutrient-poorsoils including mine tailings and ultramafic areas. This pioneer nature is possible thanks to different traits
related to nutrient conservation (e.g. extreme leaf reduction, presence of clusteroid roots) but also to thepresence of actinorhizal symbioses with Frankia N2-fixing actinobacteria. The Casuarinaceae-Frankia
symbiosis is an intriguing model of evolution of plant-microbe interactions. Different studies have confirmedthat Gymnostoma established a nonspecific symbiotic association with easy-to-isolate, more saprophytic
Frankia strains which belong to Cluster 3 frankiae, whereas species of the genera Casuarina andAllocasuarina are in symbiosis with hard-to-isolate and slow-growing Frankia strains from the Cluster 1cfrankiae [2]. Moreover, the Frankia in Gymnostoma root nodules produce microscopical thick-walled vesicles
where nitrogenase is protected from oxygen and nitrogen fixation occurs, whereas the Frankia in
Allocasuarina and Casuarina root nodules are able to fix nitrogen without need to produce vesicles thanks to
special structures developed by the plant host and to the synthesis of hemoglobin. In contrast, the presence ofactinorhizal nodules in Ceuthostoma (a genus which is in an intermediate position between the other three
Casuarinaceae genera) has been only confirmed recently [3] and no information exists on the anatomy or thetype of Frankia strain associated to this plant genus.
In order to obtain first evidences on the Frankia strains associated to the genus Ceuthostoma, actinorhizal
nodules were collected on the roots of several plants of C. terminale, Gymnostoma nobile and G. sumatranum
from ultramafic areas in Kinabalu Park (Sabah, Malaysia). Nodules from Casuarina equisetifolia, which
grows on sandy beaches in Sabah were also collected for comparison. Semi-thin sections of nodule lobes wereobtained, stained with lactophenol blue and observed under the microscope to determine i) the distribution ofFrankia infected cells along the lobe and ii) the presence or absence of bacterial vesicles.
The obtained results will be discussed within the framework of the evolution of actinorhizal symbiosis in thewhole family Casuarinaceae.
KEYWORDS:
Casuarinaceae, Frankia, root nodules, semi-thin section, symbiosis
REFERENCES[1]

Johnson, L.A.S. and Wilson, K.L. (1993) Casuarinaceae in Kubitzki, K. (ed.) The Families andGenera of Vascular Plants, II. Springer, Berlin, pp. 237-242.

[2]

Normand, P. and Fernandez, M.P. (2019) Frankia in Trujillo, M.E., Dedysh, S., DeVos, P., Hedlund,B., Kämpfer, P., Rainey, F.A. and Whitman, W.B. (eds.) Bergey’s manual of systematics of Archaea
and Bacteria. Bergey’s Manual Trust, http://doi.org/10.1002/9781118960608.gbm00042.pub2[3]

Quintela-Sabarís, C., Auber, E., Sumail, S., et al. (2019) Recovery of ultramafic soil functions andplant communities along an age-gradient of the actinorhizal tree Ceuthostoma terminale(Casuarinaceae) in Sabah (Malaysia). Plant and Soil 440:201-218, http://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-01904085-y

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Session 4 - Conservation& restoration

Revegetation of mine tailings in the abandoned asbestos mine of Balangero andCorio (Torino, Italy): Twenty years afterSergio FAVERO-LONGO1,2, Gianluca CHIEPPA1, Laura GUGLIELMONE1, Antonio GHIONE2
1

2

Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Italy
Interdepartmental Center ‘G. Scansetti’ for Studies on Asbestos and Other Toxic Particulates, University ofTorino, Italy
3

R.S.A. S.r.l., Balangero, Italy
sergio.favero@unito.it

ABSTRACTThe largest chrysotile asbestos mine in Western Europe, located in the Ultramafic Lanzo Massif(internal Western Alps, Italy), stopped its activity in 1990. Nevertheless, the mining area (approx. 400ha), and particularly the open pit mine and million tons of mine tailings, remained a source of airborne
asbestos fibres. In 1998, the former asbestos mine was recognized as a ‘contaminated site of national interest’and remediation activities started. Interventions on the main volumes of mine tailings, dumped on thesouthern (SEMTs) and northern (NEMTs) side of the mountain area, were conducted in 2000-2003 and2004-2009, respectively, and included hydro-geological stabilization and revegetation practices. In particular,hydroseeding of non-serpentine herbs was associated with the planting of shrubs and trees. A non-serpentine
topsoil and mulch were added on SEMTs, while hydroseeding was performed directly on the serpentine
debris of NEMTs. A vegetation survey conducted in 2003-2004 already evaluated dynamic stages of
spontaneous colonization in different areas of the mine [1]. However, the SEMTs had been just reprofiled
and were still bare; the NEMTs still needed reprofiling and the high steepness and consequent instability
prevented any colonization. In this new study, plant diversity and abundance were surveyed on the SEMTsand NEMTs approximately 20 and 15 years after the respective remediation interventions (n=13 plots of 5×5m2). The survey also re-considered the horizontal terraces of the open pit mine (n=3 plots), which in2003-2004 displayed plant communities poor in species and cover, and semi-natural areas, never directly
impacted by excavation or discharge activities. Image analysis by color-based pixel classification was used toquantify total plant cover. The SEMTs hosted the highest specific diversity (64 species; av. 16 per plot),
similar to that observed in the semi-natural areas, while both the NEMTs (27 species; av. 11 per plot) andthe open pit (15 species, av. 8 per plot) displayed lower values. Classification and ordination analyses
displayed a higher relationship of NEMTs with the semi-natural area, and of the SEMTs with the open pit
mine. Plant cover was significantly higher on the NEMTs (av. 60%) with respect to the SEMTs (av. 35%),
while the open mine pit maintained the same low values quantified in the previous study (av. <10%).
Environmental factors associated to the northern exposure, likely dealing with water availability, resulted in
the primary drivers of plant colonization, rather than the time since intervention. Remarkably, only 30% and
13% of species in the adopted hydroseeding mixtures were recovered on SEMTs and NEMTs, which
contributed 10% and 1% of plant cover, respectively. Instead, particularly on the NEMTs, species
dominating the semi-natural serpentine grassland in the surroundings (mostly Koeleria vallesiana,
bryophytes and terricolous lichens) were responsible for most of the cover. In conclusion, chrysotile bearing
tailings have good vegetation cover after 20 years (mainly for NEMT), which together with the addition of
topsoil (SEMT), account for a drastic decrease of airborne fibres in the mine area. Different patterns observedon NEMTs and SEMTs will be discussed to address potential improvements in revegetation strategies.
KEYWORDS: chrysotile asbestos mine; fibre dispersion; hydroseeding; mine tailings; plant cover;revegetation
REFERENCES[1]

Favero-Longo, S.E., Siniscalco, C., Piervittori, R. (2006). Plant and lichen colonization in an asbestos mine:
Spontaneous bioattenuation limits air dispersion of fibres. Plant Biosystems,140, 190-205.
doi.org/10.1080/11263500600756546

Characterising soil microbial diversity for conservation and restoration usinglarge-scale DNA-based methods in New Caledonian ultramafic ecosystems
Fabian CARRICONDE1, Laurent MAGGIA2,3, Alexia STOKES4, Monique GARDES5, Kelly DINH1,
Nicolas FERNANDEZ NUNEZ1,6, Julien DEMENOIS1,7,8,9, Pierre-Louis STENGER1, Julie RIPOLL1,10,
Audrey LEOPOLD1, Jenifer READ11 and Pierre MOURNET2,3
1

Equipe SolVeg, Institut Agronomique néo-Calédonien (IAC), Nouvelle-Calédonie
2
CIRAD, UMR AGAP Institut, France
3
CIRAD, UMP AGAP Institut, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université de Montpellier, France
4
UMR AMAP, INRAE, Université de Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, CNRS, France
5
UMR EDB, Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier, CNRS, IRD, France
6
UMI TransVIHMI, Université de Montpellier, INSERM, IRD, France
7
AIDA, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, France
8
CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Costa Rica
9
CATIE, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, Costa Rica
10
LIRMM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, France
11
School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Australia
fabian.carriconde@iac.nc

ABSTRACT
Owing to their crucial role in ecosystems functioning and their ability to rapidly respond toenvironmental changes, soil microorganisms could be one of the principal actors for conservation andecological restoration. However, this hidden biodiversity has been, to date, widely neglected, particularly inthe southern hemisphere. New Caledonia is an archipelago located in the southwest Pacific renowned for its
exceptional biodiversity, and recognized as a world priority area for conservation and restoration. With one
third of its territory covered by soils originated from ultramafic rocks, which contain 20-30% of the
global nickel ore reserve, mining has occurred for more than a century and has drastically increased in thepast decades. Mining has led to massive land degradation throughout the entire main island. In this context,
we conducted several studies on soil fungal and bacterial communities within diverse ultramafic ecosystems,with the aims to (i) characterize the microbial diversity at different geographical scales and taxonomic levels,(ii) identify the main biotic and abiotic factors influencing soil microbial communities, (iii) determine theirfunctional roles, and (iv) infer their potential use as tools to monitor restoration progress and success. Our
research relied on different molecular approaches, especially the emergent and revolutionary molecularmethods of next-generation sequencing technologies (NGS). Our results revealed the existence of aremarkable soil microbial diversity, notably of the symbiotic group of ectomycorrhizal fungi, which may
harbour an endemism rate of 87-95%. Plant and site effects on both fungal and bacterial communities werealso highlighted. The site effect suggests that each location, or ultramafic massif, displays its own soil
microbial community, and could thus represent distinct conservation units. Microbial composition has
also been shown to influence ultramafic soils’ susceptibility to erosion. Our recent findings pointed out the
major interest of investigating soil microbial communities via the use of high-throughput ampliconsequencing of environmental DNA (eDNA) to monitor ecosystems recovery. We also showed that soil
eDNA metabarcoding could contribute to the identification of suitable symbionts for plant inoculation.
Overall, our research works highlight the importance of considering soil microorganisms and the emergent
new sequencing technologies in conservation and restoration.
KEYWORDS: Biodiversity; eDNA metabarcoding; high-throughput sequencing; monitoring; New
Caledonia; soil microbial communities.

Even edaphic specialists can die from climate extremes: Plant mortality on
ultramafic soils after a heatwave and intense drought
Lorenzo LAZZARO1, Andrea COPPI1, Federico SELVI2
1
Department of Biology, University of Florence, Italy
Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, Laboratories of Botany, University of Florence, Italy2

lorenzo.lazzaro@unifi.it

ABSTRACTThe frequency, intensity and duration of heatwaves and drought spells are increasing at the global scale,and climate change models predict a further increase of these events in the second half of this century. Plant
mortality is increasingly reported from many parts of the world, but no data exist for non-forest communities
of edaphic specialists such as those of ultramafic soils. These soils are subject to unusual extremes oftemperature, caused by the radiant losses and gains during the diurnal cycle consequent to their typical darkcolor and large amount of bare ground. Their porous, granular texture permits elevated aeration and causes astrong microclimatic effect, which can be amplified during periods of anomalous heat and drought. This also
causes a strong drainage and moisture deficiency. Though serpentine plants are usually well adapted tothese conditions, their tolerance cannot be unlimited and one may wonder how they respond whenintensity of these stress factors increases during heatwaves and drought spells. Accordingly, we investigated
the impact of these events on serpentine vegetation 1. We assessed mortality of perennial plants at the endof the extreme event of 2017 in ten ultramafic areas along a SW-to-NE gradient in Central Italy. Mortality
was unexpectedly high and increased with decreasing number of rainy days and duration of the heatwave. It
decreased with increasing distance from the Tyrrhenian coast, and was highest in areas with Mediterranean
climate, where mortality reached 60% of total sampled individuals. Plant survivorship was higher on deeper
soil and north-facing slopes. Species responses were independent from taxonomic position and functional
type. Obligate serpentine endemics were not less impacted than non-endemics. Mortality decreased withincreasing species chromosome number, suggesting higher tolerance in taxa of polyploid origin. In 2020, werecorded soil and air temperatures in three sites along the same gradient, which revealed a strong
microclimate effect experienced by serpentine plants. Overall, results suggest that heat and drought events
can become a threat to species survival, maintenance of population size, and, in the long term, diversity andcomposition of ultramafic plant communities.
KEYWORDS: Drought; heat waves; plant mortality; serpentine soil; temperature
REFERENCES[1]

Coppi, A., Lazzaro, L. and Selvi, F. 2022. Plant mortality on ultramafic soils after an extreme heatand drought event in central Italy, Plant and Soil 471:123-139, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-02105179-2

Implementing Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) of Genetic Resources (GR)for Agromining in Sabah, Malaysia
Julenah AG-NUDDIN 1, Gerald JETONY2 and Guillaume ECHEVARRIA3
1

Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Sabah, Malaysia
2
Sabah Biodiversity Centre, Malaysia
3
Soils and Environment Laboratory, University of Lorraine, France
Gerald.Jetony@sabah.gov.my

ABSTRACT
Since 2010, a group of international scientists had been studying hyperaccumulative plants which have been
growing on barren ultramafic lands in Sabah, Malaysia. After several successful collaborative projects, they
have identified several plant candidates to be developed as metal crops. This has triggered the mandatory ABS
implementation as stipulated in Sabah Biodiversity Enactment 2000 which is in tandem with the requirementof Nagoya Protocol. The group of researchers had conducted preliminary study under academic research
license and the findings indicate that there is good potential to use Phyllanthus rufuschaneyi to extract nickelfrom the earth. Eventually, leading to the formation of Econick Sabah Sdn. Bhd to explore the commercial
viability of this agromining. Sabah Biodiversity Centre (SaBC) has drafted out several mutually agreed terms(MAT) in the of ABS agreement which aims at providing access to aforementioned protected plants inaddition to supporting research activities which will be carried out by Econick Sabah and local collaborators
to utilize the plants in phytoextraction. In return, Econick Sabah will work with local communities by
establishing metal farms from which they will receive side income while waiting for their lands to be
remediated. Besides non-monetary terms, a few monetary conditions are in negotiation. This paper describes
the process of implementing the ABS of Phyllanthus rufuschaneyi and a few other hyperaccumulators
for agromining in Sabah, Malaysia.
KEYWORDS: Nagoya Protocol (NP) under Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD),
phytoextraction, metal farm
REFERENCES[1]

Carrizosa, S., Brush, S. B., Wright, B. D., & McGuire, P. E. (Eds.). (2004). Accessing Biodiversity
and Sharing the Benefits: Lessons from Implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity. Gland,
Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN.

[2]Greiber, T., Moreno, S. P., Åhrén, M., Carrasco, J. N., Kamau, C., Cabrera Medaglia, J., … Williams,
C. (2012). An Explanatory Guide to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing. Gland,
Switzerland: IUCN. Retrieved from www.iucn.org/law[3]

Medaglia, J. C. (2015). Access and Benefit-Sharing: North–South Challenges in Implementing theConvention on Biological Diversity and Its Nagoya Protocol. In J. R. S. Alam, S. Atapattu, C.
Gonzalez (Ed.), International Environmental Law and the Global South (Vol. 9, pp. 192–213).
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107295414.010

Plant communities of Cuban ultramafic soils and the impacts of climate change
Rosalina BERAZAÍN ITURRALDE1 and Ilsa María FUENTES MARRERO
1

Jardín Botánico Nacional, University of Habana, Cuba
2
Institute of Ecology and Sistematic, CITMA, Cuba
rcberazain@gmail.com

ABSTRACTUltramafic communities are highly specialized ecosystems to the substrate that sustains them. Throughout
Cuba, these areas are distributed as relatively small and spatially isolated patches representing 7% of theisland’s surface [1], they could be considered "islands within an island" and harbor a third of Cuban plantendemics. Associated to ultramafic soils there are two types of natural vegetation: scrubs and forests;
however, due to human impacts these communities are transformed into savannahs [1]. As result of theclimate change, the increase of the annual mean temperature, drought, incidence of fires, and the frequency
and intensity of the hurricanes could modify the environmental conditions in these ecosystems [2, 3]. The
flora of ultramafic outcrops is mainly composed of facultative (generalist) plants capable of inhabiting
ultramafic and non- ultramafic substrates, they therefore have the potential to migrate, but edaphic specialist(endemic) species could be affected by their own limited habitat. Many of these plants have a high degree ofxeromorphic traits and a slow growth rate, making them able to adapt to harsh environments. The xerophytes
communities as shrubs and pine forests could be more resistant to climate changes because litter and organic
matter produce by “stress tolerant plants” is very recalcitrant, decomposes slowly and promotes a slow
nutrient cycling. However, climate change could exceed the adaptation capacity of these species, especiallysince them already occur in abiotically stressful environments [2]. Niche modelling tools have verified thatseveral range restricted plant species of sclerophyllous ultramafic forests in mountain areas should have theirareas of climatic suitability reduced in the future [2, 3]. Many of the ultramafic outcrops in Cuba are includedin the “Protected Areas System” and the management of these areas could be a key tool to reduce themodifications in the composition and distribution of their flora and communities.
KEYWORDS: Climatic niche; Protected Areas management; serpentine sclerophyllous forest; specialized
plant communities
REFERENCES[1]

Garnica‑ Díaz C., Berazaín Iturralde, R., Cabrera, B., Calderón‑ Morales E., Felipe, F. L., García, R.,
Gómez Hechavarría, J. L., Franklin Guimarães, A., Medina, E., Paul, A. L. D., Rajakaruna, N.,
Restrepo, C., Siebert, S. J., van den Berg, E., van der Ent, A.· Grisel Velasquez, G., Hulshof, C. M.
2022. Global plant ecology of tropical ultramafic ecosystems. The Botanical Review,https://doi.org/10.1007/s12229-022-09278-2.

[2]

Mancina, C. A., Vega-Catalá, C., del Castillo S. L., Fuentes I. M. (eds.). 2022. El cambio climático yla biodiversidad en Cuba: impactos, adaptación y áreas prioritarias para la conservación. Editorial
AMA, La Habana. 208 pp.

[3]

Fuentes I. M., González-Oliva, L., Baró, I., González, M. T., Mancina, C. A. 2019. Efecto potencialdel cambio climático sobre la distribución de plantas asociadas a bosques húmedos del oriente deCuba. Acta Botánica Cubana, 218(2): 160-170.

Reproductive life traits of plants growing on ultramafic substrate on the
Koniambo massif (New Caledonia) as a tool to reinforce and reconnect
fragmented forests.
Bruno FOGLIANI1, Yawiya ITITIATY2, Aurore MARTINI2 and Fabrice BRESCIA2
1

2

ISEA, University of New Caledonia, New Caledonia
ARBOREAL, New Caledonian Agronomic Institute, New Caledonia
bruno.fogliani@unc.nc

ABSTRACTNew Caledonia has the important task to combine its exceptional biodiversity with the rapid developmentof human activities. One of the most important threats is habitat fragmentation especially due tomining on ultramafic soils [1]. Over the past 40 years, revegetation was the main approach to mitigate
such impacts. Ecological restoration capability and concepts have recently been developed in the past 15
years, and requires knowledge of ecological succession and the study of seed ecology for restoration.
Following a previous study conducted in the south of New Caledonia [2], we applied a same approach in
the north of the territory on the Koniambo massif. The aim was to study reproductive traits (e.g. dispersal
syndrome, type of fruit, size and weight of seeds, germination and dormancy types) of species constituting
two vegetation types para-(MPF) and pre-forest (PF). Both surround the relics of forest (F) that still existing
and which have suffered repeated fires. This suggests that they are stages of ecological succession leading to
the humid forest that must be restored. The interest of such an approach is to provide, from the newknowledge acquired, a list of candidate species that can be used for plantings to improve forest edges or
to constitute stepping zone corridor. To attain our objectives, we first identified forest zones to be studied
on the Koniambo massif. We carried inventories in the forest (F) and in surrounding vegetation (MPF and
PF). For all listed species, we characterised 41 of their life traits that led to the completion of our previous
database [2]. The analysis of these life traits (with a focus on reproductive ones), crossed with the presence ofthe species in all vegetation types, led to the selection of 15 candidate species. It was predicted that these
species would result in a closed forest canopy and/or attract seed dispersers. Their seeds were harvested andtheir ecophysiology studied. Knowledge of seed germination techniques allowed for the cultivation of
seedlings and were used to for a first plantation of 1 hectare both in MPF and PF. Four species (505individuals): Cryptocarya transversa (Lauraceae), Ficus austrocaledonica (Moraceae), Metrosideros
laurifolia and Syzygium frutescens (Myrtaceae) could successfully be cultivated and planted. An analysis of
all these data will be presented, together with recommendations, to inform land managers on how to implement
ecological restoration projects in a forest environment.
KEYWORDS: Ecological succession, seed ecophysiology, dispersal syndrome
REFERENCES[1]

Ibanez, T., Hequet, V., Chambrey, C., Jaffré, T., and Birnbaum P. (2017) How does forest fragmentation
affect tree communities? A critical case study in the biodiversity hotspot of New Caledonia. LandscapeEcology 32: 1671–1687, doi: 10.1007/s10980-017-0534-7[2]

Ititiaty, Y., Brescia, F., Bordez, L., Gensous, S., McCoy S., and Fogliani, B. (2020) Life traits ofultramafic plant taxa from the Goro plateau in the tropical hotspot of New Caledonia. Restoration
Ecology, 28 (6): 1505-1516, doi: 10.1111/rec.13248

Germination and initial growth characteristics of Saussrea modesta(Asteraceae, an endangered serpentine plant in Japan
Ryusuke INOUE1, Akihiro YAMAMOTO2, Jun WASAKI1 and Takayuki NAKATUBO2・3
1

Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Japan
Division of Cultivation and Exhibition, Hiroshima Botanical Garden, Japan
3
Hiroshima University Museum, Hiroshima University, Japan2

iryu20001014@gmail.com

ABSTRACTThe perennial herb Saussrea modesta Kitam. (Asteraceae) is an endangered species that is endemic toserpentine fields in western Japan. In this study, we conducted laboratory and culture experiments to study thegermination and initial growth characteristics of this species, which is essential information for constructing a
conservation strategy for the species. The seeds used for the experiments were collected from a natural
population in a serpentine field around Mt. Nekoyama (35°1’45” N,133°11’45” E), Hiroshima Prefecture,
western Japan. Thermal germination characteristics were examined using the convenient screening test system“gradually increasing and decreasing temperature (GT) method” [1]. In the GT method, seeds are subjected to
two temperature regimes: a gradually increasing temperature (IT) regime and a gradually decreasing
temperature (DT) regime. To assess the effects of storage conditions on germination, we conducted anexperiment using two different periods (1 and 4 months) and two moisture conditions (wet and dry-storage).
Germination (%) was very low (10%) in seeds stored under wet conditions for one month, whereas seeds
stored under wet conditions for a longer period (4 month) showed much higher germination (60%). No
germination was observed in dry-stored seeds in any of the experiments. These results indicate that thisspecies has dormant seeds and requires long term cold and moisture stratification to break its dormancy. To
examine the initial growth response to light, we conducted culture experiments under different light
conditions (relative photosynthetic photon flux density (RPPFD): 100%, 50%, and 10%). Under low light
conditions (RPPFD:10%), all seedlings died within three months, suggesting that this species cannot grow inshaded habitats, such as the forest floor. The main habitat of S. modesta is grasslands maintained by humanactivities such as mowing [2]. However, such grasslands have been decreasing in size and have changed toforests because of depopulation in rural areas. This results in a decrease in the habitat of this species. In
addition, our experiments indicate that this species requires long wet and cold conditions for germination. The
soil surface under the thick snow cover is likely to provide such conditions. The distribution of S. modesta is
restricted to areas with heavy snow during winter. However, the amount of snow has decreased in recent years
because of climate change. Our results suggest that habitats suitable for the growth of this species are
decreasing; therefore, urgent conservation measures are needed.

KEYWORDS: Saussrea modesta, endangered species, germination, conservation,

REFERENCES[1]

Washitani, I. and Masuda, M. (1990) A comparative study of the germination characteristics of seeds
from a Moist Tall Grassland Community. Funct. Ecol., 4: 543-557. https://doi.org/10.2307/2389322[2]

Yamamoto A., Inoue R., Wasaki J. and Nakatsubo T. (2022) Current status of serpentine plants of Mt.
Nekoyama in Shobara, Hiroshima Prefecture．Bulletin of the Hiroshima University Museum 14:105118. (in Japanese)Modeling Species Distributions of Select Obligate Metallophytes
in Response to Climate Change
Lauren EBERTH1, Haley DISINGER1, Joe POLLARD1 and John QUINN1
1

Department of Biology, Furman University, USA
lauren.eberth@furman.edu

ABSTRACT
Climate change is threatening ecosystems globally. Species distribution models used to understandthe impacts of climate change on plant populations have largely focused on species either of economic
importance or with the potential to disperse along a gradient of altered temperature andprecipitation. Obligate metallophytes are one group of species that may not be able to disperse in the sameway, as the distribution of the soils to which they have specialized will not shift with the climate. Improved
understanding of the impact of climate change on these species is needed to minimize the loss of their uniquecommunities. To address this gap, we used MaxEnt species distribution models in R. We referenced aregional database of metallophytes to focus on species which are strict endemics and are categorized as
rare, threatened, or endangered. We used current distributions, serpentine soil distribution, elevation maps,
and bioclimatic variables as the basis for our models. Preliminary analysis suggests that these species may
be lost as a consequence of their narrow niche and the inhospitality of future conditions. This indicates thatconservation of metallophytes and similar species may be a more pressing conservation concern thancurrently recognized.
KEYWORDS: climate change; metallophyte; endemic; obligate; serpentine; ultramafic; MaxEnt models
REFERENCES[1]
Corlett, R.T. and Tomlinson, K.W. (2020) Climate Change and Edaphic Specialists: Irresistible ForceMeets Immovable Object?
Trends in Ecology and Evolution 35:367-376, https://doi.org/
10.1016/j.tree.2019.12.007[2]Damschen, E.I., Harrison, S., Ackerly D.D., Fernandez-Going, B.M. and Anacker, B.L. (2012)
Endemic Plant Communities on Special Soils: Early Victims or Hardy Survivors of Climate Change?
Journal of Ecology 100:1122-1130, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.01986.x[3]

Elith, J., Leathwick, J.R. (2009) Species Distribution Models: Ecological Explanation and Prediction
Across Space and Time. The Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 40:677-97,
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.110308.120159[4]

Hannah, L., Roehrdanz, P.R., Ikegami, M., Shepard, A.V., Shaw, M.R., Tabor, G., Zhi, L., Marquet,
P.A., and Hijmans, R.J. (2013) Climate Change, Wine, and Conservation. Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences 110:6097-6912, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1210127110[5]

Safford, H., Miller, J.E.D. (2020) An Updated Database of Serpentine Endemism in the California
Flora. Madroño 67(2):85-104, https://doi.org/10.3120/0024-9637-67.2.85

Phytoremediation and Nurse Potential of Aloe Plants from Ultramafic Areas on
Mine TailingsJoão MARCELO-SILVA1, Masego RAMABU1 and Stefan SIEBERT1
1

Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
j.msilvabot@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Mine tailings are a source of potentially toxic metals (PTMs) worldwide. Phytoremediation is a low-costgreen technology that uses metal-tolerant plants to extract these contaminants and rehabilitate the soil.
In mine tailing restoration efforts, it can be beneficial to introduce species that can facilitate the colonizationof other plants (i.e., nurse plant syndrome). In this study, the phytoremediation and nursing potential of
two species adapted to ultramafic soil, Aloe burgersfortensis and A. castanea, were evaluated for the
first time. An experiment was performed with aloe plants grown in pots containing potting soil, platinum
tailings, and gold tailings. Leaves were assessed for bioaccumulation of PTMs. Seeds of Bermuda grass andAfrican daisy, two successional pioneers, were planted with the aloes and had their developmental parameters
evaluated after 30 days. Allelopathic effects were also assessed, with seeds of the pioneer plants infused withroot extracts of the aloes from the different soil treatments. A. castanea demonstrated greater potential for thebioaccumulation of Cd, Co, Mn, Ni, and Zn in the tailings. The presence of aloes benefited germination rates,
leaf count, length, and plant biomass of grasses and daisies in the mine tailings, without significant
allelopathic effects. Therefore, aloes—especially A. castanea—should be employed in the rehabilitationof metal-contaminated soils to extract metals and to aid the establishment of other species to enhance thephytoremediation processes.
KEYWORDS: Restoration; phytoextraction; metals; facilitation
REFERENCES
Marcelo-Silva, J., Ramabu, M.and Siebert, S.J. (2023) Phytoremediation and Nurse Potential of Aloe Plantson Mine Tailings, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20(2): 1521.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021521

Testing the suitability of a carbon-storing plant for ecologicalrestoration and rehabilitation of metal-enriched tailings
Charl CLARKE1, Joao MARCELO-SILVA1, Sarina CLAASSENS1 and Stefan SIEBERT1
1

Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa
stefan.siebert@nwu.ac.za

ABSTRACT
Terrestrial life on earth depends on healthy soil to retain and release nutrients for plant growth.
Plants capture carbon from the atmosphere and release it to the soil via root exudation and litter
deposition. Geophytes can store carbon in living underground storage organs, which enhances
soil organic carbon. In functional soils, organic carbon is essential for critical biological andphysiochemical processes, and it drives many key ecosystem services. In extreme soil
environments, like mine tailings, few plants survive the adverse physicochemical characteristics
such as high levels of trace metals and lack of organic matter. Primary colonization of tailings
mainly comprises grass species with high biomass above ground. The soil environment on tailings
can be improved if we can identify species tolerant of tailings conditions and with the added
advantage of storing carbon below ground. In this study we focus on an easily propagated andfast-growing geophyte, Crinum bulbispermum (Amaryllidaceae), that forms an exceptionally large(up to 11 kg) underground storage organ. The aim was to determine if this species can tolerate
the harsh conditions on mine tailings and if the contaminated soil affects the biomass
production (carbon storage ability) of C. bulbispermum above and below ground. A pot
experiment was conducted to grow plants in tailings soils with different levels of metal
concentrations. Plant development and productivity were monitored. Plants were also harvested andtested for metal uptake with ICP-MS. Results indicate that C. bulbispermum excludes heavy metals.
However, productivity of the plants reduced significantly over one year (compared to a control) andcarbon accumulation in underground storage organs were hampered. Plants became stunted andthe roots were deformed, all indications that this species cannot be recommended forrehabilitation. A follow-up study will now determine whether a low microbial diversity and a lackof plant growth promoting microorganisms in these contaminated soils contribute to thepoor productivity of C. bulbispermum.
KEYWORDS: crinum bulbispermum, contaminated soils, geophyte, harsh soils, soil organiccarbon, underground storage organ,Trace metal exclusion mechanisms enhance invasion of Mediterranean ultramafic
habitats by Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae)
Andrea COPPI1, Lorenzo LAZZARO1, Cristina GONNELLI1, Ilaria COLZI1, Michele MUGNAI1,2,
Isabella BETTARINI1,2 and Federico SELVI3.
1
Department of Biology, University of Florence, Italy
NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133

2
3

Department of Dept of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, Italy
andrea.coppi@unifi.it

ABSTRACT
Biological invasions are one of the major drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide. Globally, invasions by alienplants are rapidly increasing in extent and severity, leading to large-scale ecosystem degradation.
Ailanthus altissima is one of the most invasive alien plants in Europe, being able to spread mainly in urban
habitats and along transportation corridors, but also in natural habitats. Based on our field observations in
Italy, this species can also invade ultramafic outcrops, which has never been reported before. This work thus
aimed to evaluate the ability of A. altissima to invade such peculiar habitats focusing on its capacity tocope with the high concentrations of trace elements in the soil, through tolerance or accumulation/
exclusion mechanisms. As comparison we used a native tree species with a similar pioneer attitude, also
growing on both ultramafic and non-ultramafic soils (Fraxinus ornus, Oleaceae). Accordingly, we sampled
five individuals of A. altissima and of F. ornus from 10 distinct populations from two different soil types: fivegrowing on ultramafic soil and five from non-ultramafic populations as control. At each site soil and plant
samples were collected to measure the concentration of trace elements (Ni Cr, Co, Ca and Mg), and to
determine the bioaccumulation and translocation factors in both species. Preliminary results indicate thatconcentrations of trace elements in A. altissima tissues are comparable to those in F. ornus, and always lower
than in the soil. This resulted in low bioaccumulation factors and suggested trace metal exclusion
mechanisms in both species. Also, Ni concentration in roots were higher than in the leaves, resulting in lowtranslocation factors. These data suggest that A. altissima is unable to accumulate trace metals in its tissues
but is likely to possess exclusion mechanisms that enhance its invasive ability of Mediterranean ultramafic
habitats.

Session 5 - Ecophysiology,
molecular biology& genetics

Addressing the diversity of the mechanisms involved in nickel hyperaccumulation
Sylvain MERLOT1,5, Dubiel ALFONSO GONZALEZ2,3, Rolando REYES FERNANDEZ3, Celestine
BELLOEIL1, Vanesa GARCIA DE LA TORRE1, Sébastien THOMINE1 and Yohan PILLON4
1

4

Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell, CEA, CNRS, Paris‐ Saclay University, France
2
Jardín Botánico Nacional, Universidad de La Habana, Cuba
3
Agronomy Faculty, Agrarian University of La Havana, Cuba

5 Laboratory of Tropical and Mediterranean Symbiosis, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier University, France

Laboratoire de Recherche en Sciences Végétales, Toulouse University Paul Sabatier, CNRS, INP Toulouse,
Francesylvain.merlot@cnrs.fr

ABSTRACT
Nickel hyperaccumulation have been described in about 500 plant species belonging to more than 50
families, mostly dicotyledons. Despite this wide diversity, most of the molecular studies on thiscomplex trait have been focused on the hyperaccumulator species of the Brassicaceae family
Noccaea caerulescens. Even in this model species, the demonstration that candidate genes are
involved in metal hyperaccumulation is still very limited. To address the diversity in metal
hyperaccumulation, we participated in a global effort to identify new hyperaccumulator species using Xray fluorescence technology focusing on the flora of the neotropical region including Cuba [1]. The
identification of nickel hyperaccumulators and closely related non-hyperaccumulator species from various
plant families opens the possibility to perform comparative genomic studies to identify genes linked tonickel hyperaccumulation. Bioinformatics analysis of these results suggested that the high expression inleaves of metal transporters of the IREG/Ferroportin family is a highly conserved mechanism involved innickel hyperaccumulation [2]. The analysis of two transporters of this family from the Cuban
endemic hyperaccumulator Leucocroton havanensis, LhavIREG1 and LhavIREG2, revealed that the twotransporters have a distinct pattern of expression and localize on the plasma membrane and the vacuole
respectively. The expression of these transporters in Arabidopsis thaliana both increase nickel
tolerance and accumulation but mobilizing distinct mechanisms. To further demonstrate the role of IREG/
Ferroportin transporters and other candidate genes in nickel hyperaccumulation, we are developing
Noccaea caerulescens as a genetic model. We recently obtained a high-quality assembly of the N.
caerulescens genome. We now want to develop the stable transformation of this species to specificallytargets candidate genes and demonstrate their precise role in nickel hyperaccumulation. Recent results will
be presented at this conference.
KEYWORDS: hyperaccumulator, rna-seq, metal transporter, ireg/ferroportin, noccaea caerulescens
REFERENCES[1]
Belloeil, C., Jouannais, P., Malfaisan, C., Reyes Fernández, R., Lopez S, Navarrete Gutierrez DM,
Maeder-Pras, S., Villanueva, P., Tisserand R, Gallopin M, Alfonso-Gonzalez D, Fuentes Marrero IM,
Muller S, Invernon V, Pillon Y, Echevarria G, Berazaín Iturralde R, Merlot S. (2021) The X-ray
fluorescence screening of multiple elements in herbarium specimens from the Neotropical region
reveals new records of metal accumulation in plants. Metallomics,13(8): mfab045.
[2]

García de la Torre, V. S., Majorel-Loulergue, C., Rigaill, G. J., Alfonso-González, D., SoubigouTaconnat, L., Pillon, Y., Barreau, L., Thomine, S., Fogliani, B., Burtet-Sarramegna, V., Merlot, S.
(2021). Wide cross-species RNA-Seq comparison reveals convergent molecular mechanisms involvedin nickel hyperaccumulation across dicotyledons. New Phytol, 229: 994–1006.

Development of genetic tools for analysis of Ni/Zn/Cd hyperaccumulation in
Noccaea caerulescens
Jitpanu YAMJABOK, Laurens VAN OOSTROM, Lies VAN DER HEIJDEN, Hedayat BAGHERI, Antony
VAN DER ENT, Joost VAN DEN HEUVEL, Mark G.M. AARTS
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands
Mark.Aarts@wur.nl

ABSTRACT
Noccaea caerulescens is a metal hyperaccumulator species in the Brassicaceae family. There are manydifferent natural populations known, corresponding to three different ecotypes, calamine, ultramafic and nonmetallicolous, analogous to the soil metal conditions they originate from. Populations have been sampled as‘accessions’, single collections representing the original population. All accessions known so far are highly
tolerant to zinc (Zn) exposure and also Zn hyperaccumulating, most accessions are also nickel (Ni)hyperaccumulating and some are cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulating. Metal tolerance and metal
hyperaccumulation traits can be genetically distinct, which means that some accessions are able tohyperaccumulate e.g. Cd, but are not tolerant, and succumb upon exposure. Noccaea caerulescens is a diploid
species (n=7) and is fully self-compatible, unlike several other metal-hyperaccumulating Noccaea species, orthe other well-known Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator, Arabidopsis halleri. This is an important advance to use thisspecies as a model for the further understanding of the molecular mechanism of metal hyperaccumulation and tolerance in plants. To further develop this model, we have generated a population of recombinant inbredlines (RILs), by crossing the non-metallicolous accession Lellingen, with the Zn/Cd
hyperaccumulating/tolerant accession Ganges, and propagating the resulting F2 progeny to a population of
210 F7 lines. These lines have been genotyped by low-coverage whole genome sequencing, making it asuitable ‘immortal’ mapping population for genetic analysis. We will demonstrate the analysis of various plant
phenotypes, related to plant growth characteristics and metal accumulation and tolerance. Furthermore, wehave generated a diversity panel for N. caerulescens, of currently 109 accessions, representing the European
germplasm of the species, which we have fully re-sequenced to generate a suitable genetic population for
genome wide association studies (GWAS). We will present our first GWAS results with this population forthe same traits as examined in the RIL population, and we will compare both approaches. Finally, we have set
up a successful method for high efficiency transformation of N. caerulescens, exploiting the early flowering
phenotype of an flc mutant we previously isolated after chemical mutagenesis [1]. Together, these three tools
are expected to substantially facilitate the future research into the molecular mechanism underlying the metal
hyperaccumulation phenomenon in Noccaea and its exploitation for phytoremediation purposes.
KEYWORDS: Genetic analysis, genetic modification, GWAS, Zn/Ni/Cd adaptation, phytoremediation
REFERENCES[1]
Wang,Y., Severing, E.I., Koornneef, M. and Aarts, M.G.M. (2020) FLC and SVP are key regulators offlowering time in the biennial/perennial species Noccaea caerulescens, Frontiers in Plant Science
11:1753, http://dx.doi.org/ 10.3389/fpls.2020.582577

Does polyploidy affect responses to Nickel in Ni-accumulating plants? Insightsfrom the model species Odontarrhena bertolonii (Brassicaceae)
Ilaria COLZI1, Cristina GONNELLI1 and Federico SELVI2
1

2

Department of Biology, University of Florence, Italy
Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Italy
ilaria.colzi@unifi.it

ABSTRACTPolyploidy has been recognized as a major force of plant evolution since polyploids usually display increased
vigor, higher adaptive ability, and higher tolerance to extreme conditions over their diploid progenitors [1-3].
Among the various forms of stress that plants can experience, the presence of trace metals in toxic
concentrations in the growth substratum is one of the most relevant ones. Among metal-tolerant plants, a few
of them can accumulate the metal in the shoots to level far higher than the substrate and are termed
hyperaccumulators [4]. Despite the large number of studies investigating polyploid fitness, whether the wholegenome duplication can affect growth responses, tolerance levels and accumulation ability in metal
accumulators remains obscure. Odontarrhena bertolonii is a Ni-hyperaccumulator, restricted to serpentine
soils in Tuscany and Liguria, including diploid and tetraploid populations with allopatric distribution.
Three diploid (2n = 2x = 16) and three tetraploid (2n = 4x = 32) accessions were grown on the same
serpentine soil and in Ni-containing hydroponic solutions and compared for growth and metal accumulation.
In soil cultivation, results showed that shoot Ni concentration was similar in diploid and tetraploid plants,
while the content per plant was higher in latter because of their higher biomass production. In hydroponics,
tetraploid plants showed higher maximal length reached by roots and shoots and higher Ni requirement for
optimal growth in respect to diploid plants, whereas Ni tolerance to both external and internal metal
concentrations was similar between the two group of plants. These results suggest an effect of the genome
duplication on the features of Ni-hyperaccumulation, at least in O. bertolonii, and recommend conducting theselection of suitable ‘metal crops’ for environmental restoration practices and field biotechnologicalapplications at the ploidy level, when the candidate species present intraspecific polyploidy.
KEYWORDS: diploid, tetraploid, trace metal, phytoextraction, agroming
REFERENCES[1]
Blaine Marchant, D., Soltis, D.E. and Soltis, P.S. (2016) Patterns of abiotic niche shifts inallopolyploids
relativetotheirprogenitors,
New
Phytologist
212:708–718,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nph.14069[2]

McIntyre, P.J. (2012) Polyploidy associated with altered and broader ecological niches in the
Claytonia perfoliata (Portulacaceae) species complex, American Journal of Botany 99:655–662,
http://dx.doi.org/10.3732/ajb.1100466[3]

Allario, T., Brumos, J., Colmenero-Flores, J.M., Iglesias, D.J., Pina, J.A., Navarro, L., Talon, M.,
Ollitrault, P., Morillon, R. (2013) Tetraploid Rangpur lime rootstock increases drought tolerance via
enhanced constitutive root abscisic acid production, Plant, Cell & Environment 36:856–868,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/pce.12021[4]

Baker AJM (1981) Accumulators and excluders—strategies in the response of plants to heavy metals,
Journal of Plant Nutrition 3:643–654, https://doi.org/10.1080/01904168109362867

Serpentine Tolerance in Mimulus guttatus: Gradual Acclimation to Low Ca:Mg
Emily PALM1, and Elizabeth VAN VOLKENBURGH2
1

Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milan-Bicocca, Italy2
Department of Biology, University of Washington, USAemily.palm@unimib.it

ABSTRACTIn serpentine soils, the low calcium-to-magnesium ratio is detrimental to the growth and persistence ofmost plant species. While the exact mechanisms of tolerance are not fully understood, there appears to be
ecotypic variation in Mimulus guttatus with adapted plants maintaining high photosynthetic rates andbiomass despite elevated concentrations of Mg [1]. The mechanism providing physiological tolerance
to low Ca:Mg in serpentine M. guttatus plant was investigated by measuring photosynthetic parameters
and leaf expansion rates on excised leaf tissues, and starch and Ca2+ and Mg2+ ion concentrations following
three weeks of either high (1.0) or low (0.02) Ca:Mg growth solutions. Low Ca:Mg in the disc assays reduced
both photosynthesis and leaf disc expansion after one week of low Ca:Mg. However, serpentine tissues
show reduced but stable photosynthetic rates after one week and a recovery in leaf tissue expansion after two
weeks of exposure to low Ca:Mg conditions while values for non-serpentine tissues continued to
decline. The use of DCMU, an herbicide that blocks electron transport between PSII and PSI, indicatesthat the light reaction is involved in the recovery of leaf tissue expansion in serpentine plants in low
Ca:Mg, and the recovery is amplified by exogeneous sucrose. Elevated starch concentrations at the end of
the light cycle in both serpentine and non-serpentine leaves of plants grown in low Ca:Mg at one and three
weeks suggests an inefficient use of carbon resources that was greater in non-serpentine plants. Bothmaximum photosynthetic rates and tissue expansion were negatively correlated with starch concentrations.
While whole leaf and vacuole Ca concentrations did not vary between the ecotypes, serpentine leaves had
higher vacuole Mg concentrations than non-serpentine leaves after three weeks of low Ca:Mg. These
results demonstrate that low Ca:Mg inhibits photosynthetic rates both directly and indirectly in nonserpentine M. guttatus by disrupting intracellular Mg2+ homeostasis in non-serpentine plants. Reduced
compartmentalization of excess Mg into the vacuole is likely inhibiting non-serpentine photosynthetic rates
by altering the stroma pH and K transport of chloroplasts [2] and reducing leaf expansion through theincreased degradation of starch and unused photosynthates that occurs with magnesium toxicity [3].
Serpentine M. guttatus displays an inducible tolerance to low Ca:Mg through a mechanism that maintains
photosynthetic production and utilization of photosynthates necessary for growth either through gradualcompartmentalization of magnesium.
KEYWORDS: acclimation, calcium, ion homeostasis, leaf expansion, low Ca:Mg, magnesium,
photosynthetic rate
REFERENCES[1]

Palm, E.P., Brady, K., Van Volkenburgh, E. (2012) Serpentine tolerance in Mimulus guttatus does not
relyon
exclusionofmagnesium,
Functional
Plant
Biology39:
679-688,http:dx.doi.org/10.1071/FPI2059[2]

Shaul, O. (2002) Magnesium transport and function in plants: the tip of the iceberg, Biometals 15:309-323[3]

Guo, W., Cong, Y., Hussain, N., Wang, Y., Liu, Z., Jiang, L., Liang, Z., Chen, K. (2014) The
remodeling of seedling development in response to long-term magnesium toxicity and regulation by
ABA-DELLA
signalinginArabidopsis, Plant
Cell
Physiology
55:1713-26,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pcp/pcu102

The Role of Free L-Histidine in Ni and Zn Translocation in Hyperaccumulator
and Non-accumulator Brassicaceae
Henk SCHAT1, Anna KOZHEVNIKOVA2 and Ilya SEREGIN2
1

Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
2
Timryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, RAS Moscow, Russia
henk.schat@wur.nl

ABSTRACTFree L-Histidine is considered to be the major Ni chelator in Odontarrhena Ni hyperaccumulators. During thelast decades, much more information on the role of L-His, as a low-molecular-weight metal chelator, became
available, not only for hyperaccmulators, but also for non-accumulator Brassicaceae. It appeared that theconstitutive L-His concentrations in roots were exceptionally high not only in Odontarrhena , but also,seemingly genus-wide, in Noccaea , both in naturally Ni hyperaccumulating and naturally Zn/Cd
hyperaccumulating species and accessions. Remarkably, another Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator, Arabidopsis
halleri, showed ‘normal’ constitutive root L-His concentrations, but a strongly enhanced L-His concentrationin its shoots, notably not in its roots, upon Zn exposure, suggesting that L-His might be essential
for Zn hyperaccumulation too, at least in Brassicaceae. When exogenously supplied, via the rooting solution
or foliar sprays, L-His often enhanced the translocation of Ni and, though less often, that of Zn, notonly in hyperaccumulators, but also in many non-metallohytes, suggesting that the capacities for Hisstimulated Ni or Zn translocation are wide-spread among Brassicaceae. Ni exposure stimulated L-His
biosynthesis in a number of species, including all the Odontarrhena species studied thus far, and in several
non-metallophytes, but never in Noccaea , not even in Ni hyperaccumulating species or ecotypes, nor in the
Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator, A. halleri. Also Zn exposure enhanced L-His biosynthesis in several nonmetallophytes and in A. halleri, though again not in Noccaea , not even in calamine species or ecotypes. The
capacities for Ni-induced and Zn-induced L-His synthesis seem to be widely spread, both among nonmetallophyte and hyperaccumulator Brassicaceae, but lacking in Noccaea species or ecotypes, which
exhibited by far the highest constitutive root L-His concentrations among all the Brassicaceae studied
thus far. Concerning the mechanism underlying the effect on the root-to-shoot translocation of Ni and Zn, it
is relevant that these metals’ uptake into energized root tonoplast vesicles was strongly inhibited by L-His invesicles isolated from N. caerulescens, but unaffected, or even stimulated, in vesicles isolated from the nonmetallophyte Thlaspi arvense. Notably, in the latter species Ni and Zn translocation were not enhanced byexogenous L-His supply. Thus, L-His seems to enhance the translocation of Ni and Zn to the shoot throughinhibiting the vacuolar retention of these metals in roots, thus enhancing their radial transport to the root
stele. If so, then both Ni and Zn translocation seem to be consistently limited by these metals’ vacuolar
retention in roots in all the Noccaea hyperaccumulator species and ecotypes tested thus far, possibly also in the
Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator, Arabidopsis halleri, and in several non-metallophytes, e.g., A. lyrata, Lepidium
ruderale and Capsella bursa-pastoris, but seemingly not in most of the Odontarrhena Ni hyperaccumulators.
In Odontarrhena , the translocation of Ni and, possibly, Zn, was unaffected in most of the species
studied thus far (data for Zn are scarce, but in O. corsica, there was no effect), suggesting that at least
their Ni translocation capacity is generally not limited by vacuolar retention in the root, possibly because ofstrongly enhanced L-His synthesis under Ni exposure. It seems that translocation of Ni or Zn in Thlaspiarvense, as well as in many Odontarrhena , is not limited by their vacuolar retention in roots, but possibly, by
the Ni or Zn xylem loading capacities as such. Of course, L-His might not only affect these metals’
root-to-shoot transport, but also their cell-to-cell transport, and thus their distribution patterns over cells
and tissues, as well as their subcellular compartmentalization in both roots and shoots, suggesting that L-His
might also affect the plants’ Ni or Zn tolerance capacities. However, L-His-dependent Ni
tolerance has been demonstrated exclusively in transgenic A. thaliana, and data for Zn tolerance are overalllacking thus far.
KEYWORDS: histidine, hyperaccumulation, zinc, nickel

X-ray Fluorescence herbarium ionomics on plants from ultramafic, calcareous,and volcanic soils in Japan
Takafumi MIZUNO1, Daichi KONDO2, Hiroto KASAI2, Imam PURWADI3, Antony VAN DER ENT3,4,
Yoshinori MURAI5, Atsushi HASHIMOTO1 and Toshihiro WATANABE6
1

Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Japan
2
Faculty of Bioresources, Mie University, Japan
3
Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia
4
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands
5
Department of Botany, National Museum of Nature and Science, Japan
6
Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Japantmizuno@bio.mie-u.ac.jp

ABSTRACTThe soil type is crucially important for the concentration and solubility of essential elements required byplants, and therefore, key to the plant ionome (e.g., the totally of the mineral nutrient and trace element
composition of a plant). X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) herbarium analysis has become a powerfultool in the discovery of metal/metalloid hyperaccumulator plants. The elemental information obtained fromXRF scanning of herbarium collections can also be used to study plant nutrition by creating large databases on
the relationships between plants and soil. Japan is one of the world's most volcanically active countries, andapproximately 30% of the surface area has soils (‘Andosols’) originating from volcanic ash. However, Japan
also has soils with high pH, such as ultramafic and calcareous soils, but their surface area is limited, covering
only 0.14% and 0.02% of Japan, respectively. Plants inhabiting in these soils are different clearly from thosein other soil types and form their own vegetations. In 2019, we started XRF herbarium scanning of Japanesewild plants and collected data of over 2000 herbarium specimens as of 2022. We have used this ionome
data to study the (i) sulfur and phosphorus accumulation in plants originating from Andosols and from nonvolcanic soils (including ultramafic and calcareous soils), and (ii) the concentration of eight elements(potassium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorus, iron, manganese, zinc and silicon) in plants originating fromultramafic, calcareous, and other common soils of Japan (Andosols, brown forest soils and other soils). The
results show that the sulfur concentrations in wild plants from Japan is higher in Andosols, but there was nodifference in the phosphorus concentrations. The analysis reveals a strong correlation between sulfur andphosphorus concentrations in plants. The average phosphorus and calcium concentrations of ultramafic
plants were less than half the concentrations of those of plants from other soils. The plants from other soils
and calcareous soils showed a positive correlation between the concentrations of potassium-phosphorus andsulfur-phosphorus, but a statistical positive correlation between potassium-phosphorus was not foundand there appeared to be a strong potassium-sulfur correlation in the ultramafic plants. The data suggeststhat sulfur and phosphorus have an important role in keeping a balance of cation (K+) and anions (SO42and PO43-) in plant cells and may increase the SO42- ratio used for the counterpart to K+ in ultramafic plantsof low phosphorus status.
KEYWORDS: Andosol, ion balance, macro and micro elements, ultramafic soil, XRF herbarium ionomics

Indium Knocks at the Door:The Mechanism of Rice Inhibition by Emerging Contamination Elements
Boon Huat CHEAH1, Pei-Chu LIAO1, Jing-Chi LO2, Yu-Tsen WANG, I-Chien TANG, Kuo-Chen YEH, DarYuan LEE and Ya-Fen LIN
1
Department of Agronomy, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
Department of Horticulture and Biotechnology, Chinese Culture University, Taiwan
3
Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
4Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
2

yafenlin0725@ntu.edu.tw

ABSTRACT
Indium is widely used in high-tech manufacturing products and is an emerging contamination element. The
presence of indium in soil inhibits shoot and root growth of rice plants, leading to yield losses. However, theunderlying mechanisms remain unclear, making it challenging to design effective solutions. In this study, weinvestigated the comprehensive effects of excess indium on the morphological, physiological, and biochemical
properties of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Indium treatment caused leaf necrosis and anatomical changes in theroots, particularly enlarged epidermal and exodermal layers, and thinned lignified cell wall of sclerenchyma.
Indium mainly accumulated in the roots, severely restricting their growth and perturbed phosphorus,
magnesium and iron homeostasis. Whole-genome transcriptomic analysis revealed that rice promptly
responded to indium stress by activating genes involved in heavy metal tolerance and phosphate deficiency
responses. Direct indium toxicity rather than phosphate deficiency was determined as the main factor affecting
the growth of rice plants, resulting in the notable phenotypic changes we observed. Intriguingly, theapplication of exogenous phosphate ameliorated indium toxicity by reducing indium uptake. Our results imply
that indium immobilization could be used to prevent indium toxicity in rice fields. The research on the use ofphosphate fertilizers to alleviate the poisoning of the emerging polluting element indium is worthy of further
investigation.
KEYWORDS: rice, emerging contaminants, indium, heavy metal, phosphate starvation
REFERENCES[1]
Cheah, B. H., Liao, P. C., Lo, J. C., Wang, Y. T., Tang, I. C., Yeh, K. C., ... & Lin, Y. F. (2022).
Insight into the mechanism of indium toxicity in rice, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 429, 128265,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128265

The hyperaccumulator Leucocroton havanensis overexpress two
Ferroportins/IREGs involved in nickel transportation
Dubiel ALFONSO GONZÁLEZ1,3, Vanesa GARCÍA DE LA TORRE2, Rolando REYES FERNÁNDEZ3,
Sébastien THOMINE2 and Sylvain MERLOT2
2

1
Jardín Botánico Nacional, University of Habana, Cuba
Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell, CEA, CNRS, Paris‐ Saclay University, France
3
Agronomy Faculty, Agrarian University of La Havana, Cuba

dubiel.alfonso@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Nickel hyperaccumulation is a rare and complex trait, result of the extreme adaptation of metal homeostasis
networks in plants that grow in ultramafic substrates. The phylogenetic distribution of thehyperaccumulators in more than 50 families suggests this trait evolved multiple times independently frombasic mechanisms involved in metal homeostasis. Constitutive high expression of IREG/Ferroportin
transporters has been proposed as a convergent mechanism involved in this physiological process [1]. This
study used next-generation sequencing technologies to analyze the differentially expressed genes in thenickel hyperaccumulator Leucocroton havanensis cultured in vitro. We also compared the transcriptome of
L. havanensis and the closely related non hyperaccumulator Lasiocroton microphyllus from their naturalenvironments. Arabidopsis and yeast were used as heterologous systems to study the activity and cellular
localization of identified IREG transporters. Slight differences on gene expression were found between L.
havanensis cultured with and without nickel in the media. The abscence of nickel induced the expression of
few genes, mainly related to biotic and abiotic stress. Using cross-species transcriptomic comparison, we
identified differential expressed contigs coding for members of the IREG/FPN family. L. havanensis highly
expressed two IREGs transporters compared to L. microphyllus. Transgenic plants overexpressing LhIREG1
and LhIREG2 showed an increased tolerance to elevated concentrations of nickel. The two IREGs are
localized in different membranes. Heterologous expression in yeast demonstrated a nickel transport function
for both transmembrane proteins. These results support the hypothesis that IREG/Ferroportin transporters
emerged as a mechanism involved in nickel hyperaccumulation.
KEYWORDS: Hyperaccumulation; rna-seq; metal transporter; ireg/ferroportin
REFERENCES[1]
García de la Torre, V. S., Majorel-Loulergue, C., Rigaill, G. J., Alfonso-González, D., SoubigouTaconnat, L., Pillon, Y., Barreau, L., Thomine, S., Fogliani, B., Burtet-Sarramegna, V., Merlot, S.
(2021). Wide cross-species RNA-Seq comparison reveals convergent molecular mechanisms involvedin nickel hyperaccumulation across dicotyledons. New Phytol, 229: 994–1006.

Leaf elemental composition of species growing on contrasting soils in two
adjacent rainforest: serpentinized ultramafic versus volcano-sedimentary rock
Tanguy JAFFRE F1,2, Sandrine ISNARD2 and Thomas IBANEZ2
1
UMR AMAP, IRD, Herbier de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa, New Caledonia
UMR AMAP, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France

2

sandrine.isnard@ird.fr

ABSTRACTThe flora of New Caledonia is renowned as one of the world’s most significant biodiversity hotpots.
The contrasting soil conditions characterizing this small archipelago are known to largely influence species
local diversity and distribution. Because the difference between soil chemistry is likely to cause variation in
the leaf elemental composition, we wanted to test how different soil condition affect plant community and leaf
nutrient concentration. We focused on two adjacent forests, of similar physiognomy, growing onserpentinized ultramafic rock and on siliceous volcano-sedimentary rock. Both soil strongly differed intheir pH, metal element concentration (Al, Ni, Mn), and ions exchange capacity. The two adjacent forests
have a rich and diverse flora, and share a relatively high fraction of species (35-42 %). The total vascularflora had a highest similarity compared to the tree flora only. The foliar element concentrations of 30 tree
species (4 to -9 samples per species) that grow on both soil types were analysed. The differences in leaf
mineral composition were more important between species than for similar species growing on different
soils. Globally, on both soils, the leaf element profile reflects low availability in major elements:
nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium. Despite high total or DTPA-extracted manganese contents inultramafic soils, the foliar manganese concentrations are significantly higher over volcano-sedimentaryrocks. Foliar nickel levels are, as expected, higher on ultramafic substrates and aluminum concentration
is higher on volcano-sedimentary rocks. Finally, the major difference in leaf elemental concentration
concern metal elements (Ni, Mn, Al) while major nutrients vary in much lower proportion between thetwo soil types, suggesting a thigh regulation of major nutrient compared to trace element.
KEYWORDS:Leaf mineral composition, metal concentration, New Caledonia, rain forest, species
composition, soil chemistry, ultramafic soils.

Physiological response in relation to nickel hyperaccumulationin Bornmuellera emarginata cultivated in hydroponics over a nickel gradient
Serigne LY1, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA1,2, Mark G.M. Aarts3,
Stéphanie OUVRARD1 and Antony VAN DER ENT1,2,3
1

Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine–INRAE, France
2
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute,
The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia.
3
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands.
serigne-ndiawar.ly@univ-lorraine.fr

ABSTRACTThe nickel hyperaccumulator plant Bornmuellera emarginata (Brassicaceae) is a wild species highly
adapted to thrive on nickel-rich ultramafic soils in the Balkans. The population from Euboea Island(Greece) was subjected to an ecophysiological investigation to determine responses to exposure todifferent nickel concentrations (0, 1, 10 and 100 µM Ni) in hydroponic solution. Nickel
hyperaccumulation (1000 mg kg-1) was confirmed in this population and occurred at a dose rate of 10µM in hydroponic solution. Foliar nickel accumulation was strongly correlated (r = 0.99) to the nickel
concentration in the solution. The results showed that the Translocation Factors and Bioconcentration
Factors were much greater than 1, even in the lowest exposure level of 1 µM Ni. This confirms theenhanced ability of B. emarginata to accumulate nickel over a wide concentration range. The results
show that nickel exposure up 100 µM Ni induces only mild physiological stress symptoms.
Bornmuellera emarginata is shown to reduce the relative water content of the leaves in response tonickel, as this parameter was significantly different from the control (0 µM). This mechanism
facilitates this species to maintain the same biomass (of the leaves and roots) in all of the nickel
treatment levels, which did not differ significantly for this parameter. the potential for this species toaccumulate Zn could be explored (as well as interactions between Ni and Zn).
KEYWORDS: Nickel, Bornmuellera emarginata, Physiology, Nickel Agromining

Assessing Nickel Tolerance and Accumulation in the Central American
Hyperaccumulator Blepharidium guatemalense Using Hydroponic Systems
Lauren EBERTH1, Dulce NAVARRETE GUTIÉRREZ2,3 and Joe POLLARD1
1

Department of Biology, Furman University, USA
Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidad Autonoma Chapingo, Mexico
3
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, France

2

joe.pollard@furman.edu

ABSTRACT
Blepharidium guatemalense Standl. is a Central American tree in the Rubiaceae (coffee family),recently discovered to hyperaccumulate nickel (Ni). Exceptionally high foliar Ni concentrations, exceeding
4% of dry mass, have been measured under field conditions in Mexico and Guatemala [1] and after
experimental cultivation in Ni-amended soils [2].
The purposes of the present study were toinvestigate whether B. guatemalense can be grown in hydroponic culture solution in an environmental
chamber, and to measure its responses to a range of Ni concentrations in the culture medium. Seeds of B.
guatemalense were germinated on wet sand, and 20 seedlings were transferred to hydroponic boxes with
their roots immersed in 10%-strength Hoagland nutrient solution, amended to produce Ni concentrations
ranging from 0 µM to 300 µM. After 5 months of growth, we measured the dry weight of the roots
and shoots and performed atomic absorption spectroscopy on digested tissue samples to determine theconcentration of Ni in each plant’s roots and leaves. There were no significant differences between treatmentgroups in the masses of shoots and roots, indicating no symptoms of Ni deficiency at low concentrations
and no symptoms of Ni toxicity at high concentrations. Shoot and root Ni concentrations increased
with solution Ni concentration, exceeding the 1,000 mg kg-1 D.W. foliar concentration threshold for
hyperaccumulation even in solutions with low Ni concentrations, and reaching a maximum foliar Ni
concentration over 16,000 mg kg-1 (1.6 %) in the 300 µM solution. A few plants were not harvested
but cultured for an additional 2 months in elevated Ni concentrations up to 10 mM; they continued toshow vigorous growth. Sample sizes in our study were small due to Covid-related travel restrictions.
However, we have shown that this tropical tree can be grown successfully in hydroponic solutions,providing an additional tool for the study of its physiological responses. Blepharidium guatemalense has
been suggested as a potential candidate for agromining of Ni in tropical areas [2], making it an attractive
subject for further investigations.
KEYWORDS:
serpentine

hyperaccumulator,

nickel,metal

tolerance,

agromining,hydroponics,

REFERENCES[1]
Navarrete Gutiérrez, D.M., Pollard, A.J., van der Ent, A., Cathelineau, M., Pons, M.N., Cuevas
Sánchez, J.A. and Echevarria, G. (2021) Blepharidium guatemalense, an Obligate Nickel
Hyperaccumulator Plant from Non‑ ultramafic Soils in Mexico, Chemoecology 31:169-187,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-021-00338-4[2]

Navarrete Gutiérrez, D.M., Nkrumah, P.N., van der Ent, A., Pollard, A.J., Baker, A.J.M., Navarrete
Torralba, F., Pons, M.N., Cuevas Sánchez, J.A., Gómez Hernández, T. and Echevarria, G. (2021) The
Potential of Blepharidium guatemalense for Nickel Agromining in Mexico and Central America,
International
Journalof
Phytoremediation
23:
1157-1168,
https://doi.org/10.1080/15226514.2021.1881039

Exclusion and Accumulation: Metallophytes Employ Both Mechanisms to
Survive on Serpentine and Mining Habitats of Sekhukhuneland, South Africa
Sutapa ADHIKARI1, João MARCELO-SILVA1, Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,2 and Stefan SIEBERT1
1

Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa
Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, United States

230717582@student.g.nwu.ac.za

ABSTRACTWorldwide, serpentine outcrops are often disturbed by mining activities that not only destroy the habitatsof highly specialized flora but also cause widescale pollution of the environment with potentially toxic
metals (PTMs). Under such circumstances, it is important to evaluate if anthropogenic factors (i.e.,
land use practices) have a greater influence on metal distribution in the soil-plant system compared tonatural factors (i.e., local topography and geology). Localities in Sekhukhuneland, an ultramafic region ofSouth Africa, were selected along an altitudinal gradient (topography: upper slope, footslope, valley andvalley bottom) and a land use profile (rangelands, gardens, tailings and wastelands) to investigate the
distribution of Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sr and Zn in surface soil and plant leaf tissue. Plant
life form was considered as an additional factor to evaluate PTM accumulation in leaves. Findings
revealed higher concentrations of Cr and Ni in soils throughout the catena compared to WHO standards.
Other than Mg, abundant soil metals (Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni) were excluded (bioaccumulation factor, BAF < 1) by allplant species. Conversely, Co, Cu, Mg, Mo, Sr and Zn were accumulated (BAF > 1) by a high percentageof evaluated plants (74%), mostly indigenous (83%). Grasses, taller forbs, dwarf shrubs and shrubs, in thatorder, showed the greatest accumulation abilities. Distribution of PTMs in soils and plant leaves differedamong topographic positions, but was non-significant. Across land uses it differed significantly, indicating
anthropogenic interference as a predominant determinant of PTM enrichment of soil and subsequent metal
uptake by plants. Plants differed in their response strategy to metalliferous soils of comparatively lessdisturbed and extremely polluted mining sites, but primarily excluded abundant soil metals. These
traits make these species valuable for phytoremediation and rehabilitation of metal contaminated sites,as they are unaffected by metal-rich substrates.
KEYWORDS: Bioaccumulation, excluders, metallophytes, phytoremediation, tailings

Ion profiles of plant species distributed in two contrasting soils: serpentine soil
and volcanic acid soil, western Japan
Akihiro YAMAMOTO1, Ryusuke INOUE2, Toshihiro WATANABE3, Takayuki NAKATSUBO2・4 and Jun
WASAKI2
2

1
Division of Cultivation and Exhibition, Hiroshima Botanical Garden, Japan
Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Japan
3
Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Japan
4
Hiroshima University Museum, Hiroshima University, Japanaki.huanghong@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Plants have adaptations that help them to survive and grow in certain environments. Regarding pH, there are
two contrasting soils in Japan: serpentine soils and volcanic acid soils (hereinafter referred to as solfatara
fields). Serpentine soils are characterized by a pH of 6–8, high Mg and Ni, and low Ca, N, P, and K
contents. The severely deficient levels of N, P, K, and Ca lead to serpentine soils being inhospitable to mostplants. Solfatara fields, areas surrounding fumaroles near hot springs or volcanoes, are alsocharacterized by extreme environmental conditions such as low soil pH and high Al contents. Some specificplant species (serpentine and solfatara plants) found in serpentine soils and solfatara fields, respectively, may
develop strategies to cope with stresses in these areas in Japan. This study aimed to investigate the ion
profiles of specific plants found in serpentine soils and solfatara fields and to discuss the mineralaccumulation properties in the plants. We harvested mature leaves from specialists (Saussurea modesta andBerberis amurensis) and a generalist (Thymus quinquecostatus) plant from serpentine soils in Hiroshima,
and a specialist (Fimbristylis dichotoma subsp. podocarpa) and generalist (Lycopodium cernuum) fromsolfatara fields in Kyushu, and generalists (Miscanthus sinensis, Smilax china and Clethra barbinervis)
growing in both areas. We also collected generalists in normal soils in Hiroshima (not serpentine soils orsolfatara fields). Rhizosphere soils of M. sinensis were collected from both serpentine soils and solfatara
fields. Dried plant samples were digested with HNO3-H2O2 and used for mineral analysis using inductively
coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Soil pH (H2O) was measured using a pH meter. The averagesoil pH of M. sinensis was 6.02 and 3.36 in serpentine soils and solfatara fields, respectively. Mg
concentrations tended to be higher in serpentine than in solfatara plants. In contrast, concentrations of Al, Ca,
and Fe tended to be higher in solfatara than serpentine plants. However, the value was lower than thatof accumulator plants. The Al concentrations between plants from solfatara and normal plots were similar.
L. cernuum had high levels of Al, similar to that of known Al-accumulators. The Al concentrations of otherplants were low, suggesting that they had a strategy to avoid Al accumulation in their tissues. We confirmedthat the soil influenced the concentration of elements in the plant. However, we also found that thecharacteristics of element absorption differed among plant species. Furthermore, it can be suggested thatplants growing in both serpentine soils and solfatara fields may have adapted to a wide range of environments.
KEYWORDS: Serpentine plants, solfatara fields, ultrabasic rock, low pH, Al-accumulators

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Session 6 - Metal
hyperaccumulation discovery& monitoring

The Discovery and Global Distribution of Hyperaccumulator Plants
Roger REEVESPalmerston North, New Zealand
ABSTRACT

rdjmreeves@xtra.co.nz

As analytical chemistry developed throughout the 20th Century, information was acquired on the normal
concentrations of many trace elements in plants, including Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, Cd, Pb, As and Se.
Abnormally high concentrations of one of these elements were occasionally reported. In some cases,
these were in plants growing on highly metalliferous substrates near mining or smelting operations;others were from undisturbed natural metal-rich soils, such as those of ultramafic regions and outcrops
rich in chalcophile elements. Although an instance of extreme Zn accumulation was found in the 19th
Century, observations of high concentrations of the other elements above came to light at various times
between the 1920s and 1970s.
Extreme Ni accumulation in plants from ultramafic soils was recorded sporadically during the period
1948-1975. This led to more concerted analytical work, using fragments of herbarium specimens as well
as fresh material collected in the field. A focus on Ni accumulation was driven partly by the fact thatnickel-rich ultramafic soils are globally widespread. In some regions they extend over several hundredsof km2, and can be notable for hosting numerous endemic species. The term hyperaccumulator was
introduced in 1976 to signify a species exhibiting a concentration that can be hundreds or eventhousands of times greater than that usually found in plants on most common soils. Attempts have been
made to specify concentration criteria for various elements in plant tissue that enable a species to be
regarded as a hyperaccumulator. Such criteria are to some degree arbitrary, but are intended to focus
attention on species in which some unusual features of plant metabolism must be present.
The interest in hyperaccumulators has prompted many new investigations on different aspects of thebiota of a variety of metalliferous soils in many parts of the world. The search for new examples ofhyperaccumulation continues, aided in part by non-destructive X-ray fluorescence scanning of
herbarium specimens. Ultimately this needs to be supported by rediscovery of species of interest in thefield, and by detailed plant and soil sampling to better understand the factors governing the level ofmetal uptake. More than 700 species that qualify as hyperaccumulators under strictly defined criteria are
now regarded as a resource for many types of fundamental scientific investigation (plant systematics,
ecophysiology, biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology) and for applications such as
phytoremediation and agromining. Because many of these species are relatively rare and are of
restricted distribution, conservation issues are often important.
KEYWORDS: metalliferous soils; nickel; hyperaccumulation
REFERENCES:[1] Reeves, R.D. and Baker A.J.M. (2000) Metal-Accumulating Plants. In: Phytoremediation of Toxic
Metals: Using Plants to Clean Up the Environment (eds. Raskin, I. and Ensley, B.), Wiley andSons, New York, pp. 193-229.
[2] Reeves, R.D., Baker, A.J.M., Jaffré, T., Erskine, P.D., Echevarria, G. and van der Ent, A. (2017) A
Global Database for Plants that Hyperaccumulate Metal and Metalloid Trace Elements. New
Phytologist. DOI 10.1111/nph.14907[3] Reeves, R.D., van der Ent, A., Echevarria, G., Isnard, S. and Baker A.J.M. (2021) Global

Distribution and Ecology of Hyperaccumulator Plants. In: Agromining: Farming for
Metals, (eds. van der Ent, A., Baker, A.J.M., Echevarria, G., Simmonot M.-O. and Morel J.L.),
Mineral Resource Reviews, Springer, Berlin, pp. 133-154.

Exploring the associations between soil microbiome, root architecture, and Zn &Cd accumulation in Arabidopsis halleri: results from a transplant experiment inrhizoboxes
Alicja BABST-KOSTECKA1, Kamila MURAWSKA-WLODARCZYK1, Priyanka KUSHWAHA1,
Yongjian CHEN1, Charlotte DIETRICH2, and Manzeal KHANAL1
1

Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, United States
2
W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Science, Poland
ababstkostecka@arizona.edu

ABSTRACT
Metal-hyperaccumulating plants possess complex traits that allow them to thrive in soils with highconcentrations of trace metal elements (TME). Their TME hypertolerance and hyperaccumulation capacities
have been intensely studied from physiological, evolutionary, and ecological perspectives [1]. Little is known,
however, about root system development in TME enriched vs natural soils, and about the associated rhizospheremicrobial communities that may facilitate TME uptake and tolerance [2]. The goal of this study was tocharacterize the diversity of the soil microbial communities, plant performance, and metal uptake by nonmetallicolous (NM) and metallicolous (M) populations of Arabidopsis halleri in metalliferous and nonmetalliferous soils, thereby following a reciprocal transplant experiment design. We quantified temporalchanges in root system architecture using a combination of root phenotyping in rhizoboxes and multi-temporal
digital imaging. Additionally, we monitored shoot and root growth, characterized the diversity and structure of
A. halleri rhizosphere-influenced soil microbial communities, and assessed plant-microbial interactions using
combinations of various plant traits and soil biogeochemical characteristics. Our results indicate that differencesin A. halleri TME-hyperaccumulation capacities are primarily driven by the plant population. Temporalobservations of plant development allowed to detect dynamic variability in growing strategies between
populations and were influenced by both edaphic type (NM vs. M) and seed sterilization. Further, shifts acrosspopulations and soil treatments were observed for the soil microbial network analyses, resulting in 71 uniquekeystone bacterial/archaeal (57) and fungal (14) phylotypes. These critical microbes had strong associations
with Zn and Cd bioaccumulation factors - suggesting that key species interactions among diverse groups of soil
microbes further shape plant TME tolerance and uptake.
KEYWORDS: hyperaccumulation; hypertolerance; phytoremediation; plant-microbial interactions; rhizobox;
root architecture; transplant experiment
REFERENCES:[1]

Ghuge, S. A., Nikalje, G. C., Kadam, U. S., Suprasanna, P., & Hong, J. C. (2023). Comprehensive
mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity in plants, detoxification, and remediation. Journal of Hazardous
Materials, 131039. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131039[2]

Dietrich, C. C., Bilnicki, K., Korzeniak, U., Briese, C., Nagel, K. A., & Babst-Kostecka, A. (2019).
Does slow and steady win the race? Root growth dynamics of Arabidopsis halleri ecotypes in soils
with varying trace metal element contamination. Environmental and experimental botany, 167,
103862. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2019.103862

Metal Hyperaccumulators of Mexico and Central America:
A Survey of Recent Progress
Joe POLLARD1, Dulce NAVARRETE GUTIÉRREZ2,3, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA3,4,
Grace MCCARTHA1,5, Haley DISINGER1 and Alan BAKER6
1

Department of Biology, Furman University, USA
Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidad Autonoma Chapingo, Mexico
3
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, France
4
ECONICK, France
5
Natural Heritage New Mexico, The University of New Mexico, USA
6
School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia

2

joe.pollard@furman.edu

ABSTRACT
Until 2016, no hyperaccumulators of heavy metals were known from Mexico or Central America. At
the 2017 ICSE in Albania, McCartha et al. reported hyperaccumulation in four species of Psychotria(Rubiaceae), ranging from Mexico to Ecuador, based on XRF scanning of herbarium specimens [1]. Two
were previously known from Cuba, but two were newly identified hyperaccumulators.
Interestingly, the Mexican hyperaccumulators were from areas in the states of Veracruz, Tabasco, andChiapas that are not geologically mapped as ultramafic. Field excursions in 2017 and 2018 visited thesites. In Veracruz, weathering of basaltic bedrock produces soils with moderate Ni concentrations. On
these soils, Psychotria papantlensis hyperaccumulates Ni, but more remarkably, some individuals
simultaneously hyperaccumulate Ni and Zn, often with high Al/Cd/Co concentrations as well. Fieldwork
revealed another new Ni hyperaccumulator, Orthion veracruzense (Violaceae). Studies in Chiapas andTabasco suggested that Ni enrichment of the soils may result from transport of ultramafic minerals by wateror volcanic ash. The hyperaccumulator status of Psychotria costivenia and P. lorenciana was confirmedin the field, and other new hyperaccumulators were found, including Blepharidium guatemalense(Rubiaceae) [2] and a second species of Orthion – O. subsessile. Subsequent herbarium scanning at MO, P,
MEXU, USCG, and UVAL revealed that six species of Neotropical Orthion, plus the closely related
Mayanaea caudatum, all include specimens with foliar Ni exceeding 1000 g g-1. The most extensive
ultramafic deposits in Central America occur in the Motagua fault zone of Guatemala. Examination of
herbarium specimens revealed two additional hyperaccumulators in this region: Arachnothryx linguiformis(Rubiaceae) and Chionanthus panamensis (Oleaceae) [3]. Field and herbarium work in Guatemalain 2019 allowed further study of these species, which occur in a diverse community ofhyperaccumulators along with B. guatemalense, O. subsessile, and P. costivenia. At least 14 speciesof hyperaccumulators are now documented in Mexico and Central America.
KEYWORDS: hyperaccumulate; metallophyte; nickel; ultramafic; serpentine; ophiolite; Mexico;
Guatemala[1]
McCartha, G.L., Taylor, C.M., van der Ent, A., Echevarria, G., Navarrete Gutiérrez, D.M. and
REFERENCES
Pollard, A.J. (2019) Phylogenetic and Geographic Distribution of Nickel Hyperaccumulation in
Neotropical Psychotria, Amer J Bot 106:1377-1385, https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.1362[2]

Navarrete Gutiérrez, D.M., Pollard, A.J., van der Ent, A., Cathelineau, M., Pons, M.N., Cuevas
Sánchez, J.A. and Echevarria, G. (2021) Blepharidium guatemalense, an Obligate Nickel
Hyperaccumulator Plant from Non‑ ultramafic Soils in Mexico, Chemoecology 31:169-187,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-021-00338-4[3]

Nkrumah, P.N., Navarrete Gutiérrez, D.M., Tisserand, R., van der Ent, A., Echevarria, G., Pollard,
A.J., Chaney, R.L. and Morel, J.L. (2021) Elemental Case Studies: Nickel (Tropical Regions), In: A.
van der Ent et al. (eds.), Agromining: Farming for Metals, Mineral Resource Reviews,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58904-2_17

Trace element hyperaccumulator plant traits: a call for trait data collection
Béatrice GERVAIS-BERGERON1, Adrian PAUL1, Pierre-Luc CHAGNON2, Alan BAKER3,4,5, Antony
VAN DER ENT3,5, Michel-Pierre FAUCON6, Celestino QUINTELA-SABARÍS7 and Michel LABRECQUE1
1

Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal, Canada
2
Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, Canada
3
Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Australia
4
School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia
5
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, France
6
UniLaSalle, AGHYLE, France
7
Grupo de Ecoloxía Animal (GEA), Universidade de Vigo, Spain
beatrice.gervais-bergeron@umontreal.ca

ABSTRACT
Hyperaccumulator plants exhibit extreme ecophysiological characteristics, which make them valuable
for conservation and suited for phytoremediation1. Understanding their ecological strategies might help
identify the species and functions to be fostered in phytoremediation, restoration, and conservation
projects for metalliferous sites2. Here, we identified the hyperaccumulator species in the worldwide
plant trait database TRY and cross-referenced these trait syndromes associated with the ability of plants toconcentrate metals. We collected three traits (leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf dry matter
content (LDMC)) on all available species on TRY (n= 4523), from which 20 were identified on the global
hyperaccumulator database. This allows us to link trace element hyperaccumulation with broader plant
ecological strategies, such as competitive, stress-tolerant and ruderal strategies (CSR) or resources
acquisition ones. With these primary data, hyperaccumulators seem to have smaller leaves and poor
competitive ability compared to non-hyperaccumulator species. Contrary to expectations, wefound no indication of hyperaccumulators being more resource-conservative on the leaf economics
spectrum. However, these data remain fragmentary as only 2.7% of hyperaccumulators have their traits
published in the TRY database. We thus proceed to a systematic review to retrieve around 40 additional new
hyperaccumulator species present on TRY and call for an international collaborative sampling effort tomeasure traits in more hyperaccumulator species. The recent development of trait-based models toconstruct plant communities providing optimal ecosystem services (e.g., phytoremediation, restoration)3
requires further research to identify predictable trait-service relationships. This research provides a first
synthesis of the research advancement on hyperaccumulator traits, as well as a first synthesis analysis of theirstrategies at a global scale.
KEYWORDS: csr strategies, functional traits, hyperaccumulation, metallophytes, plant functions, synthesis
analysis
REFERENCES[1]
Whiting, S.N., Reeves, R.D., Richards, D., Johnson, M.S., Cooke, J.A., et al. (2004) Research
priorities for conservation of metallophyte biodiversity and their potential for restoration and site
remediation. Restoration Ecology. 12(1):106–16, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1061-2971.2004.00367.x[2]

Quintela-Sabarís, C., Faucon, M.P., Repin, R., Sugau, J.B., Nilus, R., Echevarria, G., et al. (2020)
Plant functional traits on tropical ultramafic habitats affected by fire and mining: insights forreclamation. Diversity. 12(6):248, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d12060248[3]

Laughlin, D.C. (2014) Applying trait-based models to achieve functional targets for theory-driven
ecological restoration. Ecology Letter. 17(7):771–84, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ele.12288

XRF ionomics of herbarium specimens from the Balkan Peninsula
Tomica MIŠLJENOVIĆ1, Ksenija JAKOVLJEVIĆ1, Gordana TOMOVIĆ1, Alan BAKER2,3,4,6,
Antony van der ENT2,3,5,6 and Guillaume ECHEVARRIA2,3,6
1

Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
2
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRAE, Université de Lorraine, France
3
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland,
Queensland, Australia
4
School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
5
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
6
Econick, Nancy, France
tomica.m@bio.bg.ac.rs

ABSTRACT
Herbaria are important source of information for various taxonomic and biogeographic studies. Novelmethodologies are enabling new ways for the non-destructive analysis of herbarium material, including theanalysis of plant ionomes using portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrumentation. The analysis of theionome i.e., the elemental composition of a plant, can contribute to the understanding of the homeostasis ofelements in plant tissues, as well as led to the identification of the hyperaccumulation of certain elements,
which is a very rare phenomenon in the plant world. The diverse geology of the Balkan Peninsula with asignificant occurrence of nickel-bearing ultramafics contributes to the occurrence of a large number ofhyperaccumulators of this element. In addition to nickel, hyperaccumulation of zinc, arsenic and thallium has
also been detected in taxa from this area. The most important collections of plant specimens from this region
are deposited in the Herbarium of the University of Belgrade (BEOU), and in the collection of the Natural
History Museum in Belgrade (BEO). In order to analyze the ionome of plants, and potentially discover new
hyperaccumulators, the collections of these two herbaria were systematically scanned with XRF, paying
particular attention to the representatives of the Brassicaceae, Violaceae, Plantaginaceae and Euphorbiaceae
families. Of the 3000+ herbarium specimens scanned, hyperaccumulation of Ni was confirmed in a number oftaxa of the Brassicaceae family (Noccaea, Bornmuellera, Odontarrhena), as well as in the genus Viola (Viola
dukadjinica; Ni > 1,700 mg kg-1). Hyperaccumulation of Zn was detected in species of the genera Noccaea
and Cardamine, whilst unusual accumulation of manganese was recorded in species of Euphorbia (E.
glabriflora; Mn > 4,500 mg kg-1 in several specimens). According to the results of the XRF scanning,
Cardamine waldsteinii is a potential new Zn hyperaccumulator (Zn > 3,000 mg kg-1), but only strong
accumulation was confirmed by the analysis of living material. Among the most interesting results of thisstudy is the simultaneous hyperaccumulation of Ni and Zn, that has been detected for the first time in several
specimens of Noccaea praecox. Hyperaccumulation of thallium and extremely high arsenic concentrations
were detected in representatives of Viola, endemic to the Allchar site located in North Macedonia. The Tl
concentrations in several specimens of Viola arsenica exceeded 16,000 mg kg-1. Further systematic scanningof herbarium collections in the Balkan Peninsula could contribute to the discovery of new hyperaccumulator
plants with the potential for application in biotechnology, as well as to gaining a better understanding of thecomplex phylogenetic relationships of certain genera with significant diversity in the Balkans.
KEYWORDS: XRF, herbaria, hyperaccumulation, ionomics
REFERENCES[1]
Jakovljević, K., Bani, A., Pavlova, D., Konstantinou, M., Dimitrakopoulos, P. G., Kyrkas, D.,
Reeves,R. D., Mišljenović, T., Tomović, G., van, der E. A., Baker, A. J. M., Bačeva, A. K., Morel, J.-L.,
Echevarria, G (2022). Hyperaccumulator plant discoveries in the Balkans: accumulation,
distribution, and practical applications. Botanica Serbica, 46(2), 161‒178.
[2]

van der Ent, A., Echevarria, G., Pollard, A. J., Erskine, P. D. (2019). X-ray fluorescence ionomics ofherbarium collections. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 1‒5.

Nickel accumulation in plants from Shebenik mountain massif
Aida BANI1*, Ermelinda GJETA2, Vjollca IBRO3, Dolja PAVLOVA4, Seit
SHALLARI1, Federico SELVI5, Christina HIPFINGER6, Marku PUSCHENREITER6,
Guillaume ECHEVARRIA7

1Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Faculty of Agronomy and Environment,
Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirane, Albania
2Department of Biology, Aleksander Xhuvani University, Elbasan
3Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agronomy and Environment, Agricultural University ofTirana, Tirane, Albania
4Department of Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Sofia, Sofia 1504, Bulgaria 5Department ofAgrifood Production and Environmental Sciences, University of Florence, P.le delle Cascine 28, 50144
Firenze, Italy
6Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural Resourcesand Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
7Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, 54000 Nancy, France*

abani@ubt.edu.a

ABSTRACT
Hyperaccumulators are unusual plants that accumulate particular metals or metalloids in their living tissues tolevels that may be hundreds or thousands of times greater than is normal for most plants. Hyperacumulativeplants are of practical importance as they are used in soil rehabilitation technologies. Hyperaccumulators are
exceptional models for fundamental science to understand metal regulation including the physiology of metal
uptake, transport and sequestration, as well as evolution and adaptation in extreme environments. The aim of
this study was to determine; (i) the different taxa of nickel hyperacumulator plants present in Shebenik
mountain massif; evaluation of Ni concentration in different collected taxa in different elevation; (ii)relationships between metal in the soil and Ni accumulation by different taxa or populations. Morphologicaland karyological analyses of material from field collections across serpentine/ultramafic outcrops of theShebenik Mountain allowed us to determine those taxa: Odontarrhena chalcidica, Odontarrhena smolikana
subsp. Glabra, Odontarrhena rigida and Thlaspi ssp. Analysis of element concentrations in aerial parts of plant
samples, soil samples, DTPA-extractable Ni and determination of biomass production allowed evaluation of
taxa efficacy in hyperaccumulating Ni and using in phytoextraxtion/phytomining technologies.
KEYWORDS: Hyperaccumulators, Nickel, Shebenik mountain, serpentine, agromining

Biogeochemistry of the Serpentines of Rhodes and Cyprus
Roger REEVES1, Maria ALOUPI2, Emmanouil DAFTSIS3, John STRATIS3, Petros MASTORAS2 andPanayiotis DIMITRAKOPOULOS2
1

Palmerston North, New ZealandDepartment of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece

2
3

Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
rdjmreeves@xtra.co.nz

ABSTRACTUltramafic biogeochemistry of the islands of Rhodes and Cyprus has not previously been discussed at
ICSE conferences. In this presentation we note the incidence of ultramafic rocks and soils on bothislands, the occurrence of endemic plant species, typical soil and plant elemental compositions and thepresence of nickel hyperaccumulating species. Areas of serpentine soils on Rhodes are few, small andnot strongly marked in relation to their surroundings. The very rare serpentine endemic Alyssum
pogonocarpum, found on Rhodes and in SW Turkey, is of some interest. By comparison, the ultramafics
of Cyprus have been well studied, and the Troodos massif in particular is of global geologicalsignificance. Ni hyperaccumulation in five species from Cyprus (four in Alyssum – now transferred to
Odontarrhena, and one in Thlaspi – now transferred to Noccaea) was found by analysis of a few
herbarium specimens in 1979-83, but little further work has been done on these. We discuss the
distribution of Noccaea cypria, Odontarrhena akamasica, O. chondrogyna, O. troodi and O. cyprica.
The last of these occurs also in SW Turkey, but the other species are endemic to Cyprus. Further
elemental data is now available on all these species and their associated soils, as well as for some otherplant species from the same areas. Ni hyperaccumulation by the above species is confirmed, but A.
pogonocarpum, from sect. Alyssum of the genus Alyssum, is not a hyperaccumulator. Conservation
issues are noted, and aspects of generic nomenclature (Alyssum vs. Odontarrhena) are discussed.
KEYWORDS: Rhodes, Cyprus, Alyssum, Odontarrhena, nickel hyperaccumulators
REFERENCES[1] Reeves, R.D., Aloupi, M., Daftsis, E.I., Stratis, J.A., Mastoras, P. and Dimitrakopoulos, P.G. (2021).
Biogeochemical Aspects of the Serpentines of Rhodes (Greece) and Cyprus, Plant and Soil
472:491-508, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-05265-5

Element Accumulation by the Holoparasitic Species Cuscuta planiflora Ten.
from Serpentines in Bulgaria
Dolja PAVLOVA1, Irina KARADJOVA2 and Aida BANI3
1
2

Department of Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Sofia, Bulgaria

Department of Analytical chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Farmacy, University of Sofia, Bulgaria
3

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agronomy and Environment,
Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania

pavlova@biofac.uni-sofia.bg

ABSTRACTThe holoparasitic species Cuscuta planiflora Ten. (Convolvulaceae) parasitizes on different flowering
plants. It is a species found to parasitize on the Ni hyperaccumulator Odontarrhena muralis (Waldst. &Kit.) Endl. in Bulgarian serpentine areas in the Eastern Rhodope Mts. This study aims to investigate host/parasite relationship to evaluate: (1) the metal accumulation in different parts of the parasite and the hostplant, and (2) a potential threat to Ni phytomining/agromining by suppressing the growth of the plant
hyperaccumulator. Elemental concentrations in soil and plant (stems, leaves, inflorescences) samples were
measured for the organs in two hosts: O. muralis and the widely spread on serpentines nonhyperaccumulator Sanguisorba minor Scop., as well as for the stems and inflorescences in C. planiflora.
The elemental concentrations for Ca, Mg, Fe, Ni, Cr, Co, Zn, Cu, Mn, Na, Al were measured after
microwave digestion using ICP-OES under optimal instrumental parameters. Individuals of O. muralis
and S. minor, both infected and non-infected, showed slight differences in their composition of theessential elements (P, K) and of some micronutrients. The infected individuals of O. muralis showed
lower Ni concentrations in stems, leaves and inflorescences relative to the non-infected ones. Sanguisorba
minor is an excluder plant growing on serpentine soils with low Ni concentrations in its tissues. The
parasite has higher P, K and lower Ca, Mg, Ni, Zn, Co, Mn and Al concentrations than the host. The
highest Ni concentration measured in the stems of C. planiflora was 70 mg kg-1 parasitizing on O.
muralis, whereas that from S. minor was 30 mg kg-1. The transfer of the chemical elements from the hostto the parasite is element specific. The hyperaccumulation of Ni by O. muralis did not prevent attack by
C. planiflora. After infection, there was a decline in Ni concentration and the dry weight of all organs of
the host. The infection of O. muralis is the reason for the measured reduced biomass yield. This infection
could be a potential threat to the use of O. muralis for Ni agromining.
KEYWORDS: Cuscuta planifolia, holoparasite, serpentine, metal accumulation, Ni hyperaccumulator,
biomassAssessing the metal accumulation capacity of plants to optimize phytoextractionof mine tailings in arid and semi-arid ecosystems
Tomasz WLODARCZYK1, Kamila MURAWSKA-WLODARCZYK1, Yves-Marie LEGRAND3, Claude
GRISON3, Arthur LASBLEIZ3, Charlotte PEARSON2, Raina MAIER1 and Alicja BABST-KOSTECKA1
1Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, United States
2
Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, The University of Arizona, United States
3
Laboratoire de Chimie Bio-Inspirée et d'Innovations Ecologiques, CNRS-Université de Montpellier, France
twlodarczyk@arizona.edu

ABSTRACT
Phytoextraction is a promising strategy for remediation of metal-contaminated mine tailings [1].
This technology capitalizes on the ability of plants to effectively harvest metals from soil through root
uptake and transport into above-ground tissues. However, there is a lack of information on plant metal
accumulation in arid and semi-arid climatic regions, which presents a challenge for the selection of plant
species for phytoextraction [2]. To address this gap, we are conducting extensive in-situ surveys of legacy
mine sites and natural outcrops in Arizona, using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer (pXRF). This
tool rapidly characterizes metal accumulation in plant tissues, spanning across various plant families. To
date, using this technology, we have been able to identify numerous species with a significant capacity for
uptake of Cu, Se, Zn and Re. Further, plant-derived metal complexes can be subsequently used as“ecocatalysts” to replace traditional catalyst in organic chemistry reactions and industrial production ofmaterials (e.g., bioinspired cosmetics, fragrance, or pharmaceutical industry). Consequently, innovative
methods are being developed to expand the scope of plant identification research, encompassing the use of
Micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to analyze metal allocation in plant tissues ex-situ. This research
not only broadens our understanding of strategies underlying plant metal adaptation in arid regions but
also supports the mining industry in sustainability by providing technology for metal recovery from minetailings.
KEYWORDS: phytoextraction, phytomining, phytoremediation, hyperaccumulation, xrf analysis,
ecocatalysis, heavy metals, mine tailings
REFERENCES[1]

Bennett, Burkhead, J. L., Hale, K. L., Terry, N., Pilon, M., & Pilon‐Smits, E. A. H. (2003). Analysis ofTransgenic Indian Mustard Plants for Phytoremediation of Metal‐Contaminated Mine Tailings. Journalof Environmental Quality, 32(2), 432–440. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2003.4320[2]

Mendez, & Maier, R. M. (2008). Phytostabilization of Mine Tailings in Arid and Semiarid
Environments: An Emerging Remediation Technology. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(3),278–283. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.10608

Atomic Spectroscopic Analysis of Macronutrients and Trace Elements in
Potential Hyperaccumulators from Sabah
Salim N S1, Md Buang M2, Sumail S2, Van Der Ent A3, Ag-Nuddin J1* and Echevvaria G4
1

Faculty of Applied Science Universiti Teknologi MARA Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
2
Herbarium, Sabah Parks, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
3
Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands
4
Laboratoire Sols et Environment, University of Lorraine, France
julen856@uitm.edu.my

ABSTRACT
Hyperaccumulators species are widely distributed on ultramafic lands where it is capable to accumulate
extremely high concentration of heavy metals such as Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), Manganese (Mn) and etc.
The accumulation of metals in the plants often occur in the roots, stems and leaves without showing any
signs of toxicity. Currently, the study of hyperaccumulating plants as new resources in the developmentof novel plant-based technologies for the treatment of polluted sites and extraction of rare metal isextensively carried out in Sabah where the study has been proven to be successful in USA, Europe andChina since 1980s (van der Ent et al., 2018). However, the accurate number of identified hyperaccumulatorsin Sabah and related information such as elemental distribution is not known due to lack offundamental studies regarding hyperaccumulators in Sabah, Malaysia. The aim of the study is to suggest
hypernickelophores as tropical metal crop candidate for agromining through evaluation of macronutrients andtrace elements in identified hyperaccumulators by using atomic spectroscopic analysis. 8 species of identified
hyperaccumulating plants (Psychotria sarmentosa, Glochidion sp. ‘bambangan’, Rinorea, bengalensis,
Rinorea javanica, Actephila alenbakeri, Walsura pinnata, Xylosma luzonensis and Mischocarpus sundaicus)
were collected from serpentinite area in Kinabalu Park Reserved Forests which are Pig Hill Mesilau, Garas
Hill Ranau, Serinsim Sub-station Kota Marudu and Monggis Sub-station Ranau. The study is carriedout by determining the concentration of macronutrients and trace elements such as sodium (Na),calcium (Ca), potassium (K), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co) and Manganese (Mn) of identified
hyperaccumulators and the soils where they grow by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer(AAS) prior to samples preparation and wet digestion of the samples. 4 hypernickelophores are found in
this study which are G. sp. ‘bambangan’, R. bengalensis, R. javanica and P. sarmentosa with theaccumulation of Ni as much as 10 784, 13 196, 13 780 and 17 085 gg-1, respectively. However, theaccumulation of Ni in R. javanica from previous study is only 9680 gg-1 which is below thethreshold limit for hypernickelophore, 10 000 gg-1 (van der Ent et al., 2017). The accumulation of othertrace elements (Co and Mn) is unremarkable as the amount is low ranging from 5 to 443 gg-1. Apart from
that, the accumulation of Ca is the highest in the leaf of collected samples compared to ranging from 5625 to
20 7997 gg-1 followed by K in the concentration of 993 to 18 990 gg-1. High concentration of Ca andK in the samples is due to the relation of these elements in various physiological mechanisms such as
water conservation strategy (van der Ent, 2013). The accumulation of Na in samples is low ranging from 50
to 235 gg-1. Analysis of soil elemental concentrations shows that the concentration of Na, Ca, K, Ni, Co
and Mn is ranging from 114 to 470 gg-1, 2495 to 5606 gg-1, 51 to 649 gg-1, 432 to 4265 gg-1, 130 to937 gg-1 and 156 to 1335 gg-1 while the pH of soil samples is common for serpentine soil which isranging from 6.56 to 7.48. Therefore, further study should be carried out for G. sp. ‘bambangan’, R.
bengalensis, R. javanica and P. sarmentosa in order to determine the most suitable agronomic practices so
the hypernickelophore can be utilized in the application of phytoremediation and phytoextracting which isstill new in Malaysia, particularly Sabah.
hypernickelophore; serpentine; phytoremediation; phytoextraction[1]

van der Ent, A. (2013). Plant Diversity and Foliar Elemental Profiles in Relation to Soil Chemistry and
Altitude on Ultramafic Edaphic Islands in Kinabalu Park (Malaysia). The University of Queensland.

[2]

van der Ent, A., Baker, A. J. M., Echevarria, G., & Morel, J. L. (2018). Agromining: Farming for
Metals. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61899-9[3]

van der Ent, A., Callahan, D. L., Noller, B. N., Mesjasz-Przybylowicz, J., Przybylowicz, W., Barnabas,A., & Harris, H. H. (2017). Nickel biopathways in tropical nickel hyperaccumulating trees from Sabah(Malaysia). Scientific Reports, 7(January). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep41861

Does metal hyperaccumulation influence leaf traits? Morphological andanatomical investigation of the ultramafic flora of New Caledonia
1

Lily CHENG-CLAVEL 1& Sandrine ISNARD1
UMR AMAP, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France

sandrine.isnard@ird.fr

ABSTRACT

Throughout the world, ultramafic soils support distinct plant communities, most often composed of endemic species.
This is because the physical conditions and chemical composition of ultramafic soils impose drastic conditions for plant
growth, and specific mechanism of species tolerance and adaptation to ultramafic soils. These edaphic conditions,referred to as the "serpentine syndrome", are low moisture and nutrient availability, cation imbalance, and often hightrace metal concentrations. Thus, it is reasonable to expect that plant communities in ultramafic soils share a set offunctional traits, specifically traits that confer stress tolerance, low resource acquisition, and metal avoidance. Specificstudies of plant functional traits in relation to ultramafic soils are scarce, but tend to show that species share reduced leaf
size, low specific leaf area, slow growth rate, and sclerophyllous leaf anatomy, among other common characteristics.
Among ultramafic plant communities, hyperaccumulator plants represent an extreme physiological strategy to cope withhigh levels of trace metals, as these species store high concentrations of trace metals (e.g., Ni, Mn) in their aerial tissues
and especially in their leaves. It has been suggested that hyperaccumulation serve different functions, including osmotic
regulation under water stress, increasing plant defense or enhancing plant growth. Here, we aim to analyze the functional
impact of hyperaccumulation and assess whether trace metal hyperaccumulation is reflected in functional leaf traits. We
compare a set of morphological (SLA, LDMC, leaf thickness and size) and anatomical (epidermis and cuticle
thickness, proportion of different tissues) traits of hyperaccumulating (for Mn and Ni) and non-hyperaccumulating
species. The species were selected from the same genera and growing in sympatry in the same environment, on an
ultramafic soil in New Caledonia. We found that all species share sclerophyllous traits and occupy a conservative
resource economy in the leaf economic spectrum, reflecting their resource conservation strategy to establish on
ultramafic soils. With the exception of leaf cuticle thickness, we found no significant impact of hyperaccumulation onleaf traits.

KEYWORDS: hyperaccumulation, functional trait, leaf anatomy, metal concentration, New Caledonia,
serpentine soil, ultramafic soils.

Herbarium and Field Studies of Nickel-Hyperaccumulating Plantsfrom Ultramafic Soils in Guatemala
Haley DISINGER1, Dulce NAVARRETE GUTIÉRREZ2,3,
Guillaume ECHEVARRIA3,4, Alan BAKER5 and Joe POLLARD1
2

1
Department of Biology, Furman University, USA
Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidad Autonoma Chapingo, Mexico
3
Laboratoire Sols et Environement, Université de Lorraine, France
4
ECONICK, France
5
School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia

haley.disinger@alumni.furman.edu

ABSTRACT|Recent discoveries of metal-hyperaccumulator plants in Central America [1, 2] prompted further
exploration of ultramafic areas in this region. The most extensive serpentine and nickel-laterite
deposits in Central America occur in eastern Guatemala, along the Motagua fault zone at the boundaryof the Caribbean and North American plates [3]. We used X-ray fluorescence analysis to measureelemental concentrations in herbarium specimens at the Missouri Botanical Garden that had been collectedin this zone and belonged to genera known to include hyperaccumulators, according to the global
hyperaccumulator database [4]. Using this search strategy, we discovered two species not previously
known as hyperaccumulators. Chionanthus panamensis (Oleaceae) is a small tree ranging fromPanama to southern Mexico. It is a facultative hyperaccumulator, with low Ni concentrations acrossmost of its range, but foliar Ni concentrations up to 5000 µg g-1 DW on metalliferous soils in Guatemala and
Mexico. Arachnothryx linguiformis (Rubiaceae) is a shrub with foliar Ni exceeding 20,000 µg g-1 in somespecimens. It is an obligate hyperaccumulator, endemic to ultramafic outcrops around Lake Izabal,
Guatemala, and is the first species in its genus (recently segregated from Rondeletia) known tohyperaccumulate any element. During subsequent fieldwork in Guatemala, we could locate only one
living example of C. panamensis, with foliar Ni concentration of 6,800 µg g-1. In a sample of 14 fieldcollected A. linguiformis plants, foliar Ni concentrations ranged from 1500 to over 13,000 µg g-1. Soilsamples were collected under each plant; total Ni ranged from 900-10,700 µg g-1, whereas DTPA-extractable
Ni ranged from 300-4200 µg g-1. Despite this variability in plant and soil Ni concentrations, there was no
statistically significant correlation between foliar Ni and either measure of soil Ni. Discovery of new
hyperaccumulators may be important in the development of biotechnology for phytoremediationand phytomining, and represents a useful research model in plant ecology, physiology, and conservation.
KEYWORDS: hyperaccumulator; nickel; serpentine; ophiolite; Guatemala; Arachnothryx;
Chionanthus
REFERENCES[1]
McCartha, G.L., Taylor, C.M., van der Ent, A., Echevarria, G., Navarrete Gutiérrez, D.M. andPollard, A.J. (2019) Phylogenetic and Geographic Distribution of Nickel Hyperaccumulation in
Neotropical Psychotria, American Journal of Botany 106:1377-1385,
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.1362[2]

Navarrete Gutiérrez, D.M., Pollard, A.J., van der Ent, A., Cathelineau, M., Pons, M.N., Cuevas
Sánchez, J.A. and Echevarria, G. (2021) Blepharidium guatemalense, an Obligate Nickel
Hyperaccumulator Plant from Non‑ ultramafic Soils in Mexico, Chemoecology 31:169-187,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-021-00338-4[3]

Giunta, G., Beccaluva, L., Coltorti, M., Cutrupia, D., Bengo, C., Harlow, G.E., Mota, B., Padoa, E.,
Rosenfeld, J. and Siena, F. (2002) The Motagua Suture Zone in Guatemala. Ofioliti 27:47-72.

[4]

Reeves, R.D., Baker, A.J.M., Jaffré, T., Erskine, P.D., Echevarria, G. and van der Ent, A. (2018). A
Global Database for Plants that Hyperaccumulate Metal and Metalloid Trace Elements. New
Phytologist 218:407–411, https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14907

Hyperaccumulation of Ni and Zn in Noccaea herbarium specimens
Ksenija JAKOVLJEVIĆ1, Tomica MIŠLJENOVIĆ1, Alan BAKER2,3,4,5, Antony van der ENT2,3,5,6,
Vanessa INVERNON7 and Guillaume ECHEVARRIA2,3,5
1

Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
2
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRAE, Université de Lorraine, France
3
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland,
Queensland, Australia
4
School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC 2010, Australia
5
Econick, Nancy, France
6
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
7
National Museum of Natural History, France
kjakovljević@bio.bg.ac.rs

ABSTRACT
There is a growing interest in the discoveries of new hyperaccumulating species, and at the same time
new methods for their discovery are being developed. X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy has been shown
to be suitable for non-destructive elemental profiling of plant specimens. Its use in herbarium
collections is of particular importance. Herbaria are a valuable source of information not only on species
distribution but also on other plant traits, such as the potential for hyperaccumulation. Besides
Odontarrhena, the genus Noccaea includes the largest number of hyperaccumulator species within thefamily Brassicacaeae. It is also one of the genera with the highest number of known hyperaccumulatorsof Ni. Elemental profiles of herbarium specimens of Noccaea species were analyzed using a portable
XRF instrument in the vascular plant collection of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris(MNHN). A total of 632 specimens, representing 53 taxa within this genus, were scanned and the values
obtained were corrected using regression formulae. Ni concentrations above the accepted
hyperaccumulation threshold were found in 20 Noccaea species, with the highest value of 42,300 mg
kg-1 found in N. cappadocica from an ultramafic area in Syria, where hyperaccumulation was found inall scanned specimens. Hyperaccumulation of Zn was detected in 21 taxa within the genus, including
all N. caerulescens subspecies examined, with 78,000 mg kg-1 as the highest concentration found in N.
caerulescens subsp. brachypetala from Sweden. This taxon, as well as N. caerulescens subsp.
caerulescens and N. caerulescens subsp. virens, take up both Ni and Zn above the threshold for
hyperaccumulation. This phenomenon was also observed in 10 other analyzed taxa of the genus
Noccaea. However, in N. cappadocica, the strongest Ni hyperaccumulator among the taxa studied, thehighest Zn concentration was only 41.7 mg kg-1.
KEYWORDS: elemental profiles, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, herbarium specimens, nickel, zinc
REFERENCE[1]

Abubakari, F., Nkrumah, P.N., Fernando, D.R., Brown, G.K., Erskine, P.D., Echevarria, G.,van der Ent, A. (2021) Incidence of hyperaccumulation and tissue-level distribution ofmanganese, cobalt, and zinc in the genus Gossia (Myrtaceae). Metallomics 13(4):mfab008,
https://doi.org/10.1093/mtomcs/mfab008

Ni hyperaccumulation in the flora of Barro Alto, Goiás State, Brazil
Leide ANDRADE1, Fabiana AQUINO1, Zenilton MIRANDA1, Cícero PEREIRA1, Juaci MALAQUIAS1,
and Guillaume ECHEVARRIA2,3
1
Embrapa Cerrados, Brazil, INRAE, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, France
3
University of Queensland, Sustainable Minerals Institute, Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Australia
2leide.andrade@embrapa.br

ABSTRACTThe ultramafic soils of Barro Alto, Goiás, Brazil (S14° 58' 6''; W048° 55' 12''), have their origin
in serpentinized peridotites. These soils are currently mined as Ni ores. Also, the associations of plants
growing on these soils are very different from one soil type to another. The objectives of this work were
to better understand the features of Ni hyperaccumulation in the flora of Goiás, especially the relationshipbetween soil type, Ni availability, presence or absence of Ni accumulating species, and levels of Ni inabove-ground tissues. The results could support restoration and biodiversity conservation strategies, with apriority target on native species (including Ni-hyperaccumulating plants). The present work was carriedout in an area of approximately 10 ha, with native vegetation, at the beginning of Ni ore extraction.
According to the topography and vegetation aspect, this area was subdivided into eight subareas, where
botanical surveys were carried out and plant and soil samples were collected for chemical analysis. All
areas sampled showed characteristics of ultramafic soils, such as pH above 6, low levels of Ca and P,
variable levels of K and S, high levels of micronutrients (Cu, Mn, Zn), high Mg/Ca ratio, and shallow anddeep soils occur, with the presence of apparent rocks. The bioavailable Ni content in these soils ranged from100 to 1000 mg kg-1 soil. An initial botanic and soil surveys done in the studied area indicated thatdifferences in the chemical and physical characteristics of the soils influenced the distribution of plant
species in the areas and the absorption of nutrients and Ni. During the present botanical survey, more than
1000 plant tissue samples were collected and chemically analyzed. The botanical survey revealed thepresence of around 280 species, belonging to 60 botanical families. Among them, 46 species, distributed in
21 families, are considered Ni hyperaccumulators, as they contained > 1000 mg/kg (0.1%) Ni in DW.
Although the levels of Ni in the soil can be considered very high, the average levels of Ni accumulatedby these species were around 1,500 mg kg-1 DW. The Moraceae and Acanthaceae families had only
one (Dorstenia cayapia) and two (Justicia lanstyakii and Stenandrium praecox) species, respectively,that were present in all subareas and consistently hyperaccumulated Ni. The Boraginaceae wererepresented by a single species (Euploca salicoides) also present in all areas, which proved to be afacultative hyperaccumulator of Ni, as the accumulated levels of this element varied greatly among thespecimens collected and this was related to the Ni bioavailability in soils. Asteraceae had the highest
number of Ni hyperaccumulating species, six in total. Among them, all collected specimens ofPorophylum obscurum hyperaccumulated Ni. The Vochysiaceae family is an important component of
the Cerrado flora, a savannah-type vegetation that occurs on acidic soils, with high Al saturation and low
levels of essential metals. The trait of Al hyperaccumulation is reported to be present in all species of thisbotanical family (Andrade et al., 2011). On ultramafic soils, however, with high pH and low Al
availability, the species Vochysia rufa surprisingly did not accumulate Al in the leaf tissues but did
Ni. Attention should be given to plants that have adapted to the ecological restrictions imposed byenvironments rich in metals, such as ultramafic soils, both in strategies for restoring environments impacted
by mining and in maintaining areas representative of plant diversity, ensuring of the variability of thegenetic pool of genotypes of local origin.
KEYWORDS: Cerrado region; native species; Ni bioavailability; Ni-hyperaccumulators; recovery of
degraded area
REFERENCES[1] Andrade, L.R.M., Barros, L.M.G., Echevarria, G., Amaral, L.I.V., Cotta, M.G., Rossato, D.R., Haridasan,
M., Franco, A.C. (2011) Al-hyperaccumulator Vochysiaceae from the Brazilian Cerrado store aluminumin their chloroplasts without apparent damage. Environment and Experimental Botany 70:37-42.

Performance of Mediterranean hyperaccumulators for Ni agromining inultramafic soils under humid temperate climate on the NW of Spain
Beatriz RODRÍGUEZ-GARRIDO1, Ángeles PRIETO-FERNÁNDEZ1, Guillaume ECHEVARRÍA2,3
and Petra KIDD1
1

Misión Biolóxica de Galicia (MBG) Sede Santiago de Compostela, CSIC, Spain
2
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France
3
Econick, France
apf@mbg.csic.es

ABSTRACTThe European economy is highly dependent on imports of Ni, a raw material of high economic importanceand agromining is an interesting technology for the recovery of this trace element from low-grade ores
such as ultramafic soils. However, climatic conditions, soil properties and metal bioavailability can limit the
production of plant biomass and metal accumulation, and consequently the effectiveness of agromining (vander Ent et al., 2015). In this context, one the objectives of the project LIFE-Agromine, funded by theEU, was the establishment of Ni agromining field scale demonstrations on distinct geographical areas andunder different edapho-climatic conditions. The present study implemented agromining field trials in an
ultramafic soil on the NW of Spain under a humid temperate climate for evaluating the performance of thenative Ni hyperaccumulator Odontarrhena serpyllifolia and of the Mediterranean hyperaccumulators
Odontarrhena muralis s.l. and Bornmuellera emarginata. The trials also aimed at comparing inorganic(NPK) and organic (cow manure) fertilisation and evaluated 3 cropping seasons. The highest amount ofbiomass (up to 8 t ha-1) and Ni yield (40 kg ha-1) was obtained with O muralis cultivated with NPK
fertilization. Inorganic fertilization was also the best option for the cultivation of O. serpyllifolia, although
the harvested biomass and Ni yield were much lower than those of O muralis s.l. Conversely, in the case of B
emarginata and in the 3 evaluated cropping seasons, the higher Ni yields (up to 11 kg ha-1)) were obtainedin plots fertilized with cow manure. Interestingly, the harvested biomass of B. emarginata was similar ininorganic and organic fertilised plots. The cultivation of the Ni hyperaccumulators for 3 growing seasons did
not significantly decrease the Ni availability. Plant ionome and other soil physic chemical parameters werealso investigated and are presented.
KEYWORDS: Ni hyperaccumulators, Ni yield, inorganic and organic fertilization, soil Ni availability
REFERENCES[1]

van der Ent, A., Baker, A.J.M., Reeves, R.D., Chaney, R.L., Anderson, C.W.N., Meech, J.A., Erskine,
P.D., Simonnot, M.O., Vaughan, J., Morel, J.L., Echevarria, G., Fogliani, B., Rongliang, Q., Mulligan,
D.R. (2015). Agromining: Farming for metals in the future? Environmental Science and Technology
49:4773 4780, https://doi.org/10.1021/es506031u.

Session 7 - Plants of otheredaphically challenging
substrates

Lessons on Ecology and Evolution from the Study of Edaphic Specialization
Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,22

1
Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, USA
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa

nrajakar@calpoly.edu

ABSTRACTRock outcrops and other edaphic islands are characterized by sharp abiotic and biotic gradients, mosaic
landscapes, patchiness and isolation, and harsh environments. They offer exceptional opportunities to test
macroecological and evolutionary theory, and conservation and restoration practices. Edaphic islands are often
distinguished by unique biotic communities with high proportions of rare and endemic species. These
communities, often restricted to fragmented islands of harsh substrates, are model settings to investigate thefactors and mechanisms contributing to regional and global patterns of diversity and spatial ecology, including
metapopulation and metacommunity theory, as well as cross-kingdom interactions. They also provide modelorganisms for investigating the drivers of adaptive evolution, including the genetic bases for and architectureof traits conferring adaptation and reproductive isolation. Additionally, they offer opportunities to explore
cross-adaptation, which is when a trait that evolved for tolerance to one harsh substrate becomes effective as an
adaptation for another, allowing species to show cross-tolerance to multiple harsh substrates characterized by asuite of common stressors (i.e., stress resistance syndrome), including habitat bareness, drought, pH, ionicstrength, and specific ions. Biota of harsh and nutrient-poor substrates also offer unique challenges forconservation and restoration and are especially prone to stressors associated with climate change, including
atmospheric deposition of nitrogen. Much of the research on harsh substrate-biota relations to date has focusedon plants of ultramafic and other metal-enriched rock outcrops or saline soils. Recent research on biota ofgypsum and other calcareous substrates, solfatara fields, banded iron formations, inselbergs, guano-derived
soils, cold deserts, and soils enriched with anthropogenic inputs of nutrients and toxic metals, can help
reexamine the biota-harsh soil relationship, especially commonalities and differences across distinct biota-soil
type associations, both within and across biomes. Such efforts will also provide opportunities for productive
collaboration across research groups with expertise on edaphically distinct communities (e.g., serpentine vsgypsum) or tools of investigation (e.g. ecophysiological vs phylogenomic) relating to key questions on driversof diversity and community assembly, ecological and evolutionary theory, and conservation and restoration
practices.
KEYWORDS: climate change, co-evolution, cross-kingdom interactions, edaphic endemism,
geoecology, harsh environments, rapid evolution

Current update on floristic diversity of Malagasy inselbergs
Marina RABARIMANARIVO1, Sylvie ANDRIAMBOLOLONERA1 and Stefan POREMBSKI2
1

Research Unit, Missouri Botanical Garden Madagascar Program, Madagascar
2
Department of Botany and Botanical Garden, Rostock University, Germany
marina.rabarimanarivo@mobot.mg

ABSTRACTMalagasy inselbergs have been identified as one of the three hot spots of inselberg plant diversity withthe southeastern Brazil and southwestern Australia. Globally, inselbergs are isolated rock outcrops,
mostly consisting of granite or gneiss. They constitute an old terrestrial habitat islands which arewidespread throughout the tropics. In Madagascar, they form prominent landscape features, mainly in thecentral highland regions and have clearly a global importance with regard to their high species richness ofcertain plant groups such as succulents, terrestrial orchids, resurrection and carnivorous plants. However,most of them are still unexplored and biologically unknown but regular fieldworks conducted each year for
more than ten years, on more than 60 Malagasy inselbergs have contributed to a better knowledge about
their floristic diversity and habitats. Up to now, more than 1,100 species of vascular plants have beenrecorded to occur on Malagasy inselbergs, representing ca. 10 % of the Malagasy total flora, comprisingca. 25% of the total genera and ca. 52% of total vascular families present in Madagascar. The mostimportant families as the richest in species
are Orchidaceae, Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae,
Rubiaceae, Fabaceae, Apocynaceae, Lamiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Asparagaceae, and whereas
Cynorkis, Euphorbia, Cyperus, Aloe, Kalanchoe, Cynanchum, Senecio, Exacum, Angraecum, and Jumellea
represent the most speciose genera. However, Malagasy inselbergs are highly threatened by habitat
degradation due to various human pressures (mining, quarrying and fire, the common illegal collection ofplants for commercial purposes) resulting in loss of floristic diversity and the ecosystem services they areproviding. Ca. third of recorded species have been assessed for their risk of extinction: ca. 20% of thembelong to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Moreover, 147 species are registered in the list ofrestricted species for trade on CITES Appendices I and II. Inselberg ecosystem in Madagascar requires a
special attention for its protection as Inselbergs are poorly represented within the current protected area
network.
KEYWORDS: Malagasy inselbergs, plant diversity, endemics, conservation status, CITES, threats
REFERENCES[1]
Rabarimanarivo, M., B. Ramandimbisoa, N. Rakotoarivelo, P.B. Phillipson, S. Andriambololonera,
M.W. Callmander & S. Porembski. 2019. The extraordinary botanical diversity of Malagasy
inselbergs. Candollea 74(1): 65– 83.Drysdale, D., An Introduction to Fire Dynamics, John Wiley andSons, Chichester, 1985, p. 146.
[2]

Porembski, S., F.A.O. Silviera, P.L. Fiedler, A. Watve, M. Rabarimanarivo, F. Kouame & S.D.
Hopper. 2016. Worldwide destruction of inselbergs and related rock outcrops threatens a uniqueecosystem.
Biodivers
Conserv.
25,
2827-2830.
DOI
10.1007/s10531-016-1171-1

Genomic basis of tolerance to extremely low-pH in an extremophyte (Carex
angustisquama, Cyperaceae) in highly acidic volcanic soils in Japan
Koki NAGASAWA1, Hiroaki SETOGUCHI1, Ken NAITO2, Atsushi NAGANO3,4, Naoko ISHIKAWA5 andShota SAKAGUCHI1
1

2

Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Japan
Research Center of Genetic Resources, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Japan
3
Faculty of Agriculture, Ryukoku University, Japan
4
Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Japan
5
Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Japankoki.nagasawa.26w@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

ABSTRACT
Volcanic acidification creates harsh environment for plants and forces them to cope with various abiotic
stresses. Solfatara fields scattered in volcanic areas are among the harshest environments for plants, whererhizotoxicity of extremely low pH (2-3) and high Al3+ strongly inhibit plant growth. Carex
angustisquama is one of the plant specialists in the solfatara fields and has shown to have newly adapted
to solfatara fields through speciation. In addition, this species exhibits higher tolerance to low pH stress than
the sister species (C. doenitzii) growing in non-acidic soils, while there is no difference in Al3+ tolerance
between them. Therefore, it is needed to identify the genomic basis of low pH tolerance in C.
angustisquama to understand the evolutionary process of this extremophyte in highly acidic solfatara
fields. Here, we have explored the low pH tolerance genes in C. angustisquama using comparative
genome and transcriptome approaches. Firstly, we obtained Nanopore long reads from C. angustisquama(n=33 or 34) to newly construct the draft reference genome consisting of 44 contigs. Then, we performed
comparative transcriptome analysis to reveal that several STOP1 downstream genes, which have shown toplay a critical role in Arabidopsis low pH tolerance, expressed in response to low pH stress both in C.
angustisquama and its sister species. On the other hand, highly expressed genes only in C. angustisquama
included class III peroxidase genes which are involved in cell wall organization. Our comparative genome
analysis between C. angustisquama and C. doenitzii also showed that there was an insertion (~500kb) whichharboured significantly high number of class III peroxidase genes than expected from the whole genomic
regions. Finally, we tested the contribution of class III peroxidase activities to low pH tolerance in C.
angustisquama with hydroponic culture experiments using class III peroxidase inhibitor. This pharmaceutical
approach showed that the inhibitor caused the decrease in low pH tolerance of C. angustisquama. Overall, ourresults indicated that while STOP1 downstream genes expressed in response to low pH stress prior to thespeciation, class III peroxidase genes played an important role in the adaptation of C. angustisquama to highly
acidic solfatara fields.
KEYWORDS: acidic soil, extremophyte, low pH tolerance, volcanic environment,
REFERENCES[1]
Nagasawa, K., Setoguchi, H., Maki, M., Goto, H., Fukushima, K., Isagi, Y., Suyama Y., Matsuo A.,
Tsunamoto Y., Sawa K., & Sakaguchi, S. (2020). Genetic consequences of plant edaphic
specialization to solfatara fields: Phylogenetic and population genetic analysis of Carex
angustisquama (Cyperaceae). Molecular Ecology, 29(17), 3234-3247.
[2]

Nagasawa, K., Setoguchi, H., Maki, M., Sawa, K., Horie, K., & Sakaguchi, S. (2021). Species
cohesion of an extremophyte (Carex angustisquama, Cyperaceae) in solfatara fields maintained underinterspecific natural hybridization. Annals of Botany, 128(3), 343-356.

Setting an agenda for gypsum ecosystem research in southern Africa
Stefan SIEBERT1, Sara PALACIO1,2, Arantzazu LUZURIAGA3, Gillian MAGGS-KÖLLING1,4, Eugene
MARAIS4, Silvia MATESANZ3, María PRIETO3, Yolanda PUEYO5, Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,6, AnaSÁNCHEZ3, Sarina CLAASSENS1
1

6

Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
2Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), Jaca, Huesca, Spain
3Área Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física Aplicada y Química
Inorgánica, ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
4
Gobabeb - Namib Research Institute, Namibia
5
Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE, CSIC), Zaragoza, Spain

Biological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, United States
stefan.siebert@nwu.ac.za

ABSTRACT
Gypsum soils occur worldwide and represent natural laboratories of evolution and ecology [1]. The
unusual mineral content is a significant barrier to plant growth and yet these soils host highly diverse
endemic floras that have evolved independently on five continents. Although gypsum ecosystems arewidespread across the African continent, they are poorly understood compared to those of other unusual
substrates. Little is known about their conservation status, potential impact of climate change on thesesystems, and how they respond to mitigation and restoration. A systematic review was conducted to collate
research on these topics for Africa, since previous global reviews [1,2] did not cover all biotic diversity andinteractions, and had a specific focus which excluded parts of Africa. The current review provides insight
into gypsum ecosystem research inAfrica, providing a detailed synthesis from approximately 70 papers
covering 13 African countries. Research increased from 2000, accounting for half of the papers. Most
studies originated from the Horn of Africa (mainly Ethiopia and Somalia), with the majority dealing
with gypsum plants and ecosystems of Somalia. Taxonomic research contributed 73% to understanding
gypsum floras, followed by vegetation science, phytogeography, community ecology and ecophysiology.
Vegetation science contributed extensively to gypsum research in North and Southwestern Africa.
Throughout the continent, most research (84%) involved vascular plants, specifically their taxonomy
and ecology. The Aizoaceae, Amaranthaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Poaceae and Zygophyllaceae accounted
for half of the species mentioned. Southwestern Africa (Namibia and South Africa) had a strong focus
on the community ecology of lichen fields. A major shortcoming of the current research on African
gypsum ecosystems was that only 27% was conducted by African scientists. Also, research to date wasdescriptive, did not attempt to understand ecosystem functioning, and had limited continental or crosscontinental collaboration in place. The identification of knowledge gaps and prioritisation of researchneeds for southern Africa during workshops, led to the setting of an agenda for gypsum ecosystem
research in the region. To advance the research field in Africa, we need to determine the process, age
and rate of gypsum deposition; compile a comprehensive list of species strictly linked to gypsum soils;
assess how changes in rainfall patterns influence plant and lichen community composition; characterise andcompare plant community composition, diversity, and structure between gypsum and non-gypsum soils;
and identify functional traits related to water and nutrient use that impact plant fitness and variation within
and among populations.
KEYWORDS: GYPWORLD, lichens, Namib, plants
REFERENCES[1]
Escudero, A., Palacio, S., Maestre, F.T. and Luzuriaga, A.L. (2015). Plant life on gypsum: a review of
its multiple facets. Biological Reviews 90(1): 1-18.
[2]Geekiyanage, N., Goodale, U.M., Cao, K. and Kitajima, K. (2019). Plant ecology of tropical andsubtropical karst ecosystems. Biotropica 51(5): 626-640.

The Loss and Limitation of Dispersal in Plant Species Restricted to Edaphic
Islands in south-east Australia
Simon HEYES1, Susan HOEBEE1, Rebecca MILLER2, Adam MILLER3 and John MORGAN1
1

Department of Environment and Genetics, La Trobe University, Australia
Victorian Conservation Seed Bank, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Australia
3
School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Australia

2

S.Heyes@latrobe.edu.au

ABSTRACT
Sherwin Carlquist was one of the first to document the loss of dispersal in Asteraceae on islands of the
Pacific. The isolated nature of islands poses a strong selective force on the dispersal traits in plants simply
because large bodies of water act as a significant barrier to long distance dispersal. Therefore, dispersal traits
and morphology that favours local dispersal over longer distance dispersal are preferentially selected.
Geographically isolated, extreme soils (e.g., serpentine, limestone) might also be seen in the context of‘edaphic islands’ where we may expect to see a similar loss of dispersal in plant species that are soil
specialists. This will likely impact their ability to track their climate niche under increasing temperatures anddrought, thereby increasing their extinction risk. We discuss the evidence for the loss of dispersibility in two
limestone specialists found in Tertiary and Silurian limestone ‘islands’ from south-east Australia whencompared to their widespread counterparts. In particular, we focus on measurements of terminal velocity andmodel dispersal in a rare Asteraceae and consider elaiosome attractiveness in an ant dispersed Fabaceae.
KEYWORDS: Limestone, Acacia, Olearia, dispersal
REFERENCES[1]

Carlquist, S. (1966). The Biota of Long-Distance Dispersal. II. Loss of Dispersibility in PacificCompositae. Evolution, 20(1), 30-48.

Clay Endemism and Affinity in the California Floristic Province
Emma FRYER1, Alyssa SHON1, Hannah HUNTLEY1, Ryan O’DELL2 and Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1,3
13

Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, USA
2
Bureau of Land Management, United States Department of the Interior, USA

Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa
nrajakar@calpoly.edu

ABSTRACTThe California Floristic Province of the United States is a geologically and botanically diverse region which
includes a substantial number of serpentine-associated and -endemic species1. While substantial work has
been done exploring this component of the flora, no work has yet explored the affinities of plants within theprovince to clay soils. Clay is an essential component of soil and affects the ability of soils to retain water,
ions, and organic matter, all of which are physiologically significant to plant life. As clay content increases,
soils exhibit emergent properties which affect plant growth: Soils high in clay exhibit different water
dynamics, have higher cation exchange capacity, and require higher quantities of organic matter to stabilize
soil aggregates. We compiled a list of species with suspected affinity to clay soils based on local sources2,3 forwhich we sought to quantify clay affinity. We used digitized herbarium records from the California
Consortium of Herbaria’s CCH2 database for all species and reviewed each species’ records to determine thepercentage of voucher specimen records for which substrate could be determined, and of those, whatpercentage indicated a substrate high in clay. Based on the results of these reviews, we found species affinities
for clay soils that range from weak association with to strict endemism to clay soils. Past work on serpentineassociated species in the province has used percentage categories for endemism1 which we have adopted forour work and present as evidence of endemism to high-clay soils in the California Floristic Province. Over
200 species were reviewed for this study, and over 10% of species reviewed as of this abstract’s writing areendemic to clay soils, with over 40% showing strong affinity to clay soils.
KEYWORDS: Geobotany, Edaphic Endemism, Harsh Soils, Clay.
REFERENCES[1]

Safford, H.D., Viers, J.H., and Harrison, S.P. (2005) Serpentine endemism in the California Flora: A
database of serpentine affinity. Madroño 52(4):222-257, https://doi.org/10.3120/00249637(2005)52[222:SEITCF]2.0.CO;2[2]

California Consortium of Herbaria. (2022) CCH2 Portal, https://cch2.org/portal/index.php. Accessedon October 1, 2022.

[3]

Jepson Flora Project. (2022) Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ Accessed on October 1,
2022.

Hyperaccumulator Stanleya pinnata: In Situ Fitness in Relation to Tissue
Selenium Concentration

Michela SCHIAVON1,, McKenna CASTLEBERRY2, Amy WANGELINE3, Bernadette AGUIRRE3, Stefano
DALL’ACQUA4, Elizabeth PILON-SMITS2, and Leonardo LIMA2,5
1

Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Italy
2
Biology Department, Colorado State University, USA
3
Biology Department, Laramie County Community College, USA
4
Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Italy
5
Donald Danforth plant Science Center, USA
michela.schiavon@unito.it

ABSTRACT
Earlier studies have shown that Stanleya pinnata benefits from selenium hyperaccumulation throughecological benefits and enhanced growth (1,2) So far, there is no evidence for any physiological or ecologicalconstraints. However, no investigation has yet been reported on the effects of Se hyperaccumulation on theoverall plant fitness in the field. This research aimed to analyze to what extent the variation in Se
accumulation can affect hyperaccumulator S. pinnata fitness, as judged from different parameters forphysiological and biochemical performance and herbivory while growing in two seasons on two seleniferous
sites, Coyote Ridge and Pine Ridge Natural Areas, in Colorado/USA. Natural variation in Se concentration invegetative and reproductive tissues was determined, and correlations were explored between Se levels withfitness parameters (seed weight, total number of seeds, total number of siliques, total number of leaves)
herbivory damage, plant defense compounds (GLS), and total leaf antioxidant capacity. Leaf Se concentration
varied between 13- and 55-fold in the two populations, averaging 868 and 2482 mg kg−1 dry weight (DW).
Furthermore, 83% and 31% of plants from the two populations showed Se hyperaccumulator levels in leaves(>1000 mg kg−1 DW). In seeds, the Se levels varied 3–4-fold and averaged 3372 and 2267 mg kg−1 DW, well
above the hyperaccumulator threshold. Plant size and reproductive parameters were not correlated with Se
concentration. There was significant herbivory pressure even on the highest-Se plants, likely from Se-resistantherbivores. We conclude that the variation in Se hyperaccumulation did not appear to enhance or compromise
S. pinnata fitness in seleniferous habitats within the observed Se range.
KEYWORDS: selenium; herbivory; glucosinolates; flavonoids; plant fitness; seleniferous soil
REFERENCES[1]
Cappa, J.J.; Cappa, P.J.; El Mehdawi, A.F.; McAleer, J.M.; Simmons, M.P.; Pilon-Smits, E.A.H.
Characterization of Selenium and Sulfur accumulation across the genus Stanleya (Brassicaceae): A
field survey and common-garden experiment. Am. J. Bot. 2014, 101, 830–839.
[2]Freeman, J.L.; Tamaoki, M.; Stushnoff, C.; Quinn, C.F.; Cappa, J.J.; Devonshire, J.; Fakra, S.C.;
Marcus, M.A.; McGrath, S.P.; Van Hoewyk, D.; et al. Molecular Mechanisms of Selenium Toleranceand Hyperaccumulation in Stanleya pinnata. Plant Phys. 2010, 153, 1630–1652.

Lessons Learned and Paths Forward: Ensuring Long-Term Success ofRevegetation Efforts on Metal-Contaminated Mine Tailings in Arid and SemiArid Ecosystems
Kamila MURAWSKA-WLODARCZYK1, Priyanka KUSHWAHA1, Julian SCHROEDER2, Raina MAIER1and Alicja BABST-KOSTECKA1
1Department of Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, United StatedDepartment of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, United States

2kamilamurawska@arizona.edu

ABSTRACT
Phytoremediation is a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to remediate mining legacy sites.
However, unfavorable biogeochemical characteristics of mine tailing deposits, including low fertility andhigh salinity, often limit the success of phytoremediation, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas. Previous
phytoremediation efforts at the highly contaminated Iron King–Humboldt Smelter (IKHS) Superfund Site,
located in Dewey-Humboldt, AZ, USA involved adding compost in varying proportions to the contaminatedsoil to promote plant growth. The site is contaminated with arsenic, lead, zinc, and iron, with an average
concentration of ~4000 mg kg-1, 2400 mg kg-1, 6100 mg kg-1 and 106000 mg kg-1, respectively [1].
Currently, 13 years after compost amendment, only a few species, including Atriplex lentiformis, hadmanaged to survive in this hostile environment. To further investigate the potential of the IKHS tailings
material as a substrate for successful revegetation, we assessed the current state of the soil microbialcommunity diversity and structure at this historically revegetated site and evaluated the effect of asecond compost amendment on plant-microbe interactions. Under controlled conditions, we monitored
temporal changes in plant performance and root systems across eight different metal-contaminationlevels of mine tailings. We observed successful plant development, suggesting the biological activity of
microorganisms added to tailings a long time ago. These findings will facilitate the development ofeffective site-tailored strategies for the sustainable phytoremediation of metal-contaminated and nutrient-poormine tailings.
KEYWORDS: mine tailings; revegetation; phytoremediation; metal tolerance; soil microbiome
REFERENCES[1]

Root, R. A., Hayes, S. M., Hammond, C. M., Maier, R. M., & Chorover, J. (2015). Toxic metal(loid)
speciation during weathering of iron sulfide mine tailings under semi-arid climate. Appl Geochem,
62,
131-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2015.01.005

The Vertic Clay Flora of the San Joaquin Desert: Niche, Competition & Floral
Mosaics on a Novel Substrate
Emma FRYER1, Ryan O’DELL2 and Nishanta RAJAKARUNA1, 3
1

Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, USA
2
Bureau of Land Management, United States Department of the Interior, USA
3
Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa
nrajakar@calpoly.edu

ABSTRACT
Plant communities that occur on edaphically heterogeneous landscapes are ideal systems for
exploring questions of niche and community assembly. Species with affinity for harsh substrates often havewell-defined edaphic niches and are ideal models for testing ecological and evolutionary theory. While plants
on substrates such as serpentine and gypsum have received much attention, those on other harshsubstrates, including on vertic clay soils, have gone unstudied. Vertic clay soils are both chemically andphysically challenging to plant establishment and productivity. Plant communities associated with vertic
clay soils of the San Joaquin Desert appear to have a distinctive mosaic pattern of species distributionthat reflect differences in soil properties across the landscape. We conducted fieldwork and a pot study with
12 native annual plant species with an affinity for vertic clay soils to determine whether the vertic clay soils at
two sites in the San Joaquin Desert were heterogeneous, whether soil heterogeneity determined thepattern of species distributions observed, and to examine the competition effects of an invasive annual
grass (Bromus madritensis) on these species. We found that the vertic clay soils at both of our sites
are internally heterogeneous, that soil heterogeneity does appear to shape the patchy distribution of species
at both these sites, and that these species have different realized edaphic niches. We utilized treatment
soils spanning a gradient of chemical stress present at both study sites in our pot study and found thatcompetition from B. madritensis reduces biomass for all species, and that the effect of competition differed
between soil types. Further, we found that species’ edaphic niche optima shift when competition ispresent, and that competitive ability differed across the gradient of edaphic stress in our treatment soils.
KEYWORDS: Community Ecology, Edaphic Niche, Vertic Clay, Clay, Invasive Annual Grass,
Desert Communities.

Violets of the Allchar arsenic-thallium deposit (Republic of North Macedonia) –proof of hyperaccumulation
Ksenija JAKOVLJEVIĆ1, Tomica MIŠLJENOVIĆ1, Katerina BAČEVA ANDONOVSKA2,
Guillaume ECHEVARRIA3,4,5, Alan J. M. BAKER3,4,5,6,
Dennis BRUECKNER7 and Antony VAN DER ENT3,4,5,8
1

Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Research Center for Environment and Materials, Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, North
Macedonia
3
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRAE, Université de Lorraine, France
4
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland,
Queensland, Australia
5
ECONICK, 1 Rue Grandville 54000 Nancy, France
6
School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC 2010, Australia
7
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Germany
8
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands
2antony.vanderent@wur.nl

ABSTRACTThe abandoned Allchar mine in North Macedonia is one of the largest thallium deposits in the world and thearea with the strongest known grades of As and Tl mineralization. The highly unusual mineral composition of
the soil, considered to be one of the most toxic in the world, hosts a unique flora with a high proportion ofendemic species. Among the 7 endemic taxa discovered so far in the Allchar area, there are two Viola species,
V. allchariensis and V. arsenica. Considering that they belong to the section Melanium, which includes a large
number of metallophytes, these taxa, along with V. tricolor subsp. macedonica (which also grows in Allchar)were studied for their potential to accumulate metal(loid)s. Although the species differed greatly in terms of
their metal(loid) accumulation characteristics, the analysis revealed Tl hyperaccumulation in all three species,
whereas As concentrations were highly variable. To exclude surficial contamination with soil particles as areason for the high prevailing foliar Tl and As concentrations, dehydrated shoots were analyzed by X-ray
fluorescence microscopy at beamline P06 of PETRA III (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY). The
differences in the distribution of Tl compared to other elements indicate its endogenous origin andhyperaccumulating character of the species analyzed. In V. arsenica, As also has an endogenous origin.
However, the high As concentrations in V. tricolor subsp. macedonica and V. allchariensis are most likely due
to soil particle contamination, as the hotspots correspond to those of other common soil elements.
KEYWORDS: hyperaccumulator, synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy, elemental distribution
REFERENCES[1]

van der Ent, A., Erskine, P.D., Malaisse, F., Mesjasz-Przybylowicz, J., Przybylowicz, W.J., Barnabas,
A.D., Sosnicka, M., Harris, H.H. (2019) Abnormal concentrations of Cu-Co in Haumaniastrum
katangense, Haumaniastrum robertii and Aeolanthus biformifolius: contamination or
hyperaccumulation?, Metallomics 11:586–596, https://doi.org/10.1039/c8mt00300a[2]

Bačeva Andonovska, K., Stafilov, T., Matevski, V. (2021) Accumulation abilities of endemic plant
species from the vicinity of an As-Sb-Tl abandoned mine, Allchar, Kožuf Mountain. In: Balabanova,
B., Stafilov, T. (Eds.), Contaminant Levels and Ecological Effects. Springer, Cham, pp 375‒402,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66135-9_13

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Session 8 - Agromining& phytotechnologies

Agromining in Sabah, Malaysia: Current Status of Knowledge
and Future Potentials
Julenah AG-NUDDIN1, Rimi REPIN2, Antony VAN DER ENT3 and Guillaume ECHEVARRIA4
1

Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Sabah, Malaysia
2
Sabah Parks, Malaysia
3
Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands
4
Soils and Environment Laboratory, University of Lorraine, France
julen856@uitm.edu.my

ABSTRACTAgromining is a novel agricultural technology in which hyperaccumulator plants are grown and theirbiomass harvested every 6 months. Also known as “Metal Farming” where harvested leaves are thenprocessed to extract nickel metal. Hyperaccumulators are plants that can naturally accumulate up to
3% of nickel in their leaves and only grow on ultramafic soil. As Sabah has the largest ultramafic landin Malaysia, almost 5% of its total land area, it has become one of the most important places in theworld for hyperaccumulators with over 30 species discovered. To date, exploration is still on goingwith a research collaboration with a local university, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) andreserve manager, Sabah Parks. Recently, studies have been carried out to verify thehyperaccumulating capabilities and capacities of hypernickelophores, such as Phyllanthus
rufuschaneyi in pot experiments and trial plots in Kg Pahu, Ranau. Currently, a pilot study hascommenced to carry out breeding program at Kg Turuntungon, Ranau by Econick Sabah Sdn. Bhd.
It is projected that in 5 to 6 years, Econick Sabah Sdn Bhd will be able to create a local agriculturalindustry based on novel agromining that will improve the quality and quantity of farming activities
in Sabah. Eventually, this will create local employment besides generating economic
opportunities for the villages in the Nalumad-Takutan-Pinawantai-Turuntungon-Pahu-Monggis
area through agromining contract farming.
KEYWORDS: hyperaccumulators, serpentine, metal crop, Phyllanthus
REFERENCES[1]
van der Ent, A., Echevarria, G., Baker, A. J. M., & Morel, J. L. (Eds.). (2018). Agromining:
Farming for Metals. Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3319-61899-9[2]

van der Ent, A., Baker, A. J. M., Echevarria, G., Simonnot, M.-O., & Morel, J. L. (Eds.). (2021).
Agromining: Farming for Metals. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58904-2

Developing speed-breeding techniques for European nickel metal crops
Mirko SALINITRO1, Antony van der ENT2,3,4, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA3,4, Annalisa TASSONI1
Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy
2
Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands.
3
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland,
Queensland, Australia.
1

4

Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRAE, Université de Lorraine, France.
Mirko.salinitro2@unibo.it

ABSTRACTThe breeding of new cultivars of most domesticated crop plants is a process that usually takes decades if
not centuries. Typically, four to six generations of inbreeding are required to develop genetically stablehomozygous parent lines for evaluation of agronomic traits [1]. This process is therefore very time-consuming
for field grown crops where the maximum generation cycle per year is limited to only one or two cycles[2]. In order to accelerate the plant breeding and selection programmes an innovative methods of plantcultivation (‘speed breeding’) has been developed in recent years with the aim of reducing the seed-to-seed
generation time. The leading principles of speed breeding systems are the cultivation of plants under long or
continuous light (22–24 hrs) followed by the harvesting and germination of immature seed [1]. Speed
breeding protocols have been successfully developed for several species, including spring wheat, barley,
canola, and chickpea [3]. In these scenarios generations per year increases from two/three in theglasshouse (with no heating or additional lightning), to over six per years with speed breeding systems.
The development of speed breeding has thus far been limited to common (food) crop plants, but could beapplied to other plant species of commercial interest, such as nickel metal crops (i.e., hyperaccumulator
plants) used in agromining. Furthermore, these species can especially benefit from this technique given theirbiennial-perennial habit under natural conditions. However, speed breeding methodologies have not yet
been developed for these species (or indeed for any hyperaccumulator species), despite the crucial
importance of selection and breeding programmes aimed at improving their nickel yield in large-scalecommercial agromining operations. The overall aim of this study is to develop a robust and effective speed
breeding system that can reliably generate at least two, but ideally four, seed-to-seed generations of the
key metal crops Odontarrhena chalcidica, Bornmuellera emarginata and Bornmuellera tymphaea per
year. At present the project is in the initial phase, and since late 2022 we have been collecting phenological
data on the three selected hyperaccumulator species to identify the optimum cultivation method using soil,hydroponics, or aeroponics cultivation. Furthermore, we are identifying the best growing conditions for lightrequirements (light spectrum and duration), temperature (during growth, vernalization, and flowering) andnutrient supply that will accelerate plant development to flowering and seed set. The data collection will becompleted in April–May 2023 and the preliminary findings will be presented at the ICSE in June.
KEYWORDS: Ni-agromining, hyperaccumulator cultivation techniques, hydroponics, aeroponics, plant
phenology
REFERENCES[1]

S. Ghosh et al., “Speed breeding in growth chambers and glasshouses for crop breeding and model
plant research,” Nat. Protoc., vol. 13, no. 12, pp. 2944–2963, 2018, doi: 10.1038/s41596-018-0072-z.

[2]

S. Ahmar et al., “Conventional and molecular techniques from simple breeding to speed breeding incrop plants: Recent advances and future outlook,” Int. J. Mol. Sci., vol. 21, no. 7, pp. 1–24, 2020, doi:
10.3390/ijms21072590.

[3]

M. A. Wanga, H. Shimelis, J. Mashilo, and M. D. Laing, “Opportunities and challenges of speed
breeding: A review,” Plant Breed., vol. 140, no. 2, pp. 185–194, 2021, doi: 10.1111/pbr.12909.

Environmental assessment tools applied to the agromining chain,from the field to marketable productsMarie-Odile SIMONNOT1, Baptiste LAUBIE1, Bastien JALLY and Marie-Noëlle PONS3
1

Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LRGP, 54000 Nancy, France
marie-odile.simonnot@univ-lorraine.fr

ABSTRACTIn the long term, the cultivation of hyperaccumulating plants for the production of metals makes it possible tosupplement (or to substitute) a part of the conventional mining production. This phytotechnology has
the advantage to enable the exploitation of resources with low metal concentrations (e.g. mine tailings), orwith recalcitrant deposits. But, one of the main advantages of this nature-based solution is the positive image,given by the use of plants (natural process, landscape conservation etc.). However, this way of metal recovery
is not without any damage to the environment (e.g. consumption of chemicals, energy) and it isnecessary to evaluate the impacts of agromining chains. The aim of the work is to apply some ofenvironmental analysis tools and to assess the relevance in agromining contexts. Two different tools havebeen studied: (i) the E-factor, coming from the green chemistry, corresponding to the mass of waste
produced per kilo of desired product, tested on a laboratory scale for the production of rare earth
carbonate from the fern Dicranopteris linearis, and (ii) life cycle assessment (LCA), on a pilot scale, for the
production of nickel salts from Odontarrhena chalcidica, grown in Albania. In the first case, the results showthat the E-factor is relevant for the selection of atom-efficient processes, very early in the chemical design,and for their optimization. Thus, for the production of rare earth carbonate, it was reduced by a factor ofalmost 4 (from 732 to 197 kg/kg), by changing the chemical approach. This method is fast and efficient, but isvery piecemeal: for instance, it does not consider energy aspects. In the second case, it could be shown thata large part of the environmental impacts is related to plant cultivation. Nickel agromining inserpentine soils is environmentally positive, if energy is recovered during ash production. Moreover, it
limits the transfer of heavy compounds into the food chain. LCA is a much more global analysis, indicating
hot spots in the whole chain and taking into account pollution transfers. However, it is only reliable when thetechnology is robust and already implemented on a large scale. Therefore, the development of theagromining chain can be accompanied by various environmental analysis tools, from the beginning of theconcept to the semi-industrial technology readiness level. This exercise is mandatory for agromining toremain a high environmental value process.
KEYWORDS: Agromining, environmental assessment, nickel, rare earths, life cycle assessment, E-factor

Nickel accumulation and spatial distribution of metals assessed by SR- µXRF intropical hyperaccumulators
Luiz LIMA1, Sarah NICHOLAS2, Ryan TAPPERO2, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA3, Clístenes NASCIMENTO1
1

Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil
National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, United States
3
INRAE, Soil & Environment Laboratory, France2

luizhenrique.vieira@hotmail.com

ABSTRACTThe relatively small number of promising hyperaccumulators in South America has hindered nickel(Ni) agromining in this part of the world. For instance, most of the Brazilian hyperaccumulators have low
biomass and accumulate < 1% Ni in shoots. Besides, even for the known hyperaccumulators in Brazil, thepotential to concentrate and distribute Ni in different plant tissues and the mechanisms they use to deal
with high Ni concentrations still need to be understood. Such knowledge is fundamental to selecting themost promising species to make agromining technically and economically feasible in tropical settings.
Here, we aimed to evaluate the potential for Ni accumulation in the Brazilian hyperaccumulators Pfaffiasarcophylla, Justicia lanstyakii, and Lippia lupulina growing naturally in an ultramafic soil in Niquelândia,
Goiás State. In addition, species from South Africa (Berkheya coddii) and Mexico (Blepharidium
guatemalense) that can adapt to Brazil were grown in pots containing ultramafic soil. The Ni
concentration in the leaves of the five species was determined by handheld x-ray fluorescence (pXRF).
Furthermore, synchrotron X-ray microfluorescence evaluated the spatial distribution of metals in whole
leaves. We also performed histological sections and histochemical tests on the most promising specie tovisualize Ni distribution at the cellular level. The results showed that Ni concentrations in the plants
varied from 2222.0 (P. sarcophylla) to 14960.0 mg kg-1 (B. guatemalense). The other species
accumulated 3042.5 (L. lupulina), 3863.0 (J. lanstyakii) and 11387.0 (B. coddii) mg kg-1 of Ni in theshoots. Nickel, Mn, and Co spatial distribution in the leaf blade was similar in all species, with preferential
accumulation in the leaf margins and veins. Microscopic analysis in B. guatemalense showed that Ni wasconcentrated in the epidermis and phloem, suggesting translocation to younger tissues and likely defense
mechanism against herbivores. Our data suggest a low potential of the Brazilian
hyperaccumulators tested here for commercial agromining. However, B. guatemalense and B. coddii high Ni
accumulation makes these species candidates for tropical agromining. Field trials testing these species are to
be initiated in ultramafic sites of Northeastern Brazil.
KEYWORDS: agromining; metallophytes; phytomining.

Optimal co-cropping densities of Noccaea caerulescens with Sedum
plumbizincicola for zinc in situ phytoextraction depend on metal bioavailability
Julien JACQUET1,2, Gabrielle MICHAUDEL1, Emile BENIZRI2, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA1,2,3 andCatherine SIRGUEY2
1
Econick, France
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France
3
Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland, Australia
2julien.jacquet@econick.fr / julien.jacquet@univ-lorraine.fr

ABSTRACTIn the coming years, co-cropping hyperaccumulator plants could emerge as a promising agricultural
practice that mitigates trace metal contamination of soils while addressing the challenges of climatechange and biodiversity loss. But currently, multi-species covers of zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd)hyperaccumulating plants have never been tested under field conditions. This study designed the first-everfield trials conducted between Noccaea caerulescens Ganges ecotype (NcG) and Sedum plumbizincicola(S), two hyperaccumulators from different botanical families that have been extensively described aslaboratory model species. These two hyperaccumulators may show complementary traits of interest for
Zn/Cd phytoextraction under in situ conditions. Our objectives were to identify optimal co-cropping
conditions of the NcG-S association, in terms of plant density, to improve plant development and Zn/Cd
extraction efficiency. For that purpose, two synchronous 50 m² field experiments were implemented over
five months with identical soil cover systems and with the same intercropping densities, tested in triplicate:(i) 11 NcG plants m-2 - 13 S plants m-2 (density 1 designated D1), (ii) 21 NcG plants m-2 - 11 S plants m-2(D2), (iii) 32 NcG plants m-2 - 8 S plants m-2 (D3). Soil A belonged to an industrial wasteland amended withcompost characterized by subalkaline pHwater (7.8 ± 0.1), while soil B was an agricultural land with neutral
pHwater (7.1 ± 0.2), both not limiting in terms of soil fertility. However, the soil Zn resources in these two
substrates differed greatly regarding DTPA-extractable levels (37 ± 12 mg kg-1 in soil A compared to 15 ± 4
mg kg-1 in soil B) and pseudo-total concentrations (237 ± 48 mg kg-1 in soil A and 87 ± 17 mg kg-1 in soil B).
Cd pseudo-total concentration reached 4.2 ± 4.2 (1.1 - 13.6) mg kg-1 in soil A but was limited to 0.27 ± 0.03
mg kg-1 in soil B. DTPA-extractable Cd levels were below 0.06 mg kg-1 in soil A and amounted to 0.10 ±0.01 mg kg-1 in soil B. Unexpectedly, contrasting responses of co-cropping systems were reported between
the two soils. In soil A, greater Zn phytoextraction efficiency was achieved at D1 (+33%, compared to D2 andD3), mainly due to a significant increase in S-shoot biomass whereas shoot Zn concentrations differed only
slightly between the species and densities tested. With more limiting Zn resources, the opposite pattern was
found in soil B: the phytoextraction of Zn was considerably higher at D3 compared to D1 (+73%), mainly
driven by a net increase in NcG shoot biomass with density. This effect was also accompanied by asignificant decrease (-50%) in Zn accumulation of S-shoots compared to NcG, which maintained thesame level of performance in both soils. Surprisingly, S. plumbizincicola did not accumulate Cd in shoots (<4 mg kg-1) under these edaphic conditions, unlike N. caerulescens which was able to(hyper)accumulate it in situ.
KEYWORDS: agromining, field trials, intercropping, hyperaccumulator plants, zinc, cadmiumBiotechnological tools for improving Ni agromining in ultramafic soilsÁngeles PRIETO-FERNÁNDEZ1, Tania PARDO1,2, Beatriz RODRÍGUEZ-GARRIDO1, Emile BENIZRI3,
and Petra KIDD1
1

Misión Biolóxica de Galicia (MBG) Sede Santiago de Compostela, CSIC, Spain
2
Unit of Plant Protection Products, INIA-CSIC, Spain
3
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France
apf@mbg.csic.es

ABSTRACTAgromining cultivates Ni-hyperaccumulator plants for recovering valuable Ni-products from theharvested biomass. Agromining of ultramafic agricultural soils is considered an eco-friendly option for thesustainable of management and re-valorisation of these soils. The optimization of plant growth and Ni
extraction is of great importance for the cost-effective implementation of agromining. In this regard, theuse of plant growth regulators (PGRs) or phytohormones (Cabello-Conejo et al. 2014) or bioinoculants(Becerra-Castro et al. 2013) has been proposed as an effective means of maximising Ni yields. The study
presented established agromining field experiments with the Ni hyperaccumulating species
Odontarrhena muralis, O. serpyllifolia and Bornmuellera emarginata in an ultramafic soil on NW of Spainand tested the application of the phytohormones Promalin® and Kelpak® for improving the harvested Ni
enriched plant biomass and Ni yield. In addition, the effect of the bioinoculation of Odontarrhena muralis
with 3 different plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (Paenarthrobacter nitroguajacolicus strain LA44,
Pseudoarthrobacter oxydans strain SBA82 and Variovorax paradoxus strain AB30) was also evaluated.
The treatment with of Promalin® improved the biomass and Ni yield obtained with B. emarginata;
however, did not promote the growth of the other hyperaccumulators. Conversely, Kelpak tended todecrease plant growth. Regarding the bioinocula, the strains LA44 and SBA82 significantly improved thebiomass and Ni yield obtained with O. muralis. The effect of the treatments evaluated on plant ionome andon soil physic-chemical analysis, including Ni availability, were also analysed and will be presented.
KEYWORDS: Ni agromining, phytohormones, bioinocula, plant growth promotion
REFERENCES[1]
Cabello-Conejo, M.I., Prieto-Fernández, A., Kidd, P.S. (2014) Exogenous treatments withphytohormones can improve growth and nickel yield of hyperaccumulating plants, Science of the Total
Environment 494–495: 1–8, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.06.102.
[2]

Becerra-Castro, C., Kidd, P.S., Kuffner, M., Prieto-Fernández, A., Hann,S., Monterroso,M.,
Sessitsch,A., Wenzel, W., Puschenreiterer M (2013) Bacterially Induced Weathering of UltramaficRock and Its Implications for Phytoextraction. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 79:5094–
5103, http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1128/AEM.00402-13.

Improving plant growth on mine tailings by using N-rich residual materials
from mine water treatment
Ricot ST-AIMÉ1, Marie GUITTONNY1 and Carmen Mihaela NECULITA1
1

Research Institute on Mines and the Environment, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Canada
marie.guittonny@uqat.ca

ABSTRACT
Ammonia treatment in contaminated mine water generates N-rich residual materials such as moving
bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) biomass and N-rich zeolites (biological and geochemical treatment
processes, respectively) that could be valorised as slow-release source of nitrogen for establishingplants on mine tailings. The objective of this study was to evaluate comparatively, in a 3-months pot
experiment, the effect of mineral NPK fertilizer, MBBR biomass, and N-rich zeolites (at a rate of 100 kg
total N/ha) on above- and below-ground growth and foliar nutrient concentrations of a Fabaceae andseveral Poaceae species on non-acid-generating gold mine tailings with low initial concentrations of mobile
trace metals. Since N-rich zeolite and MBBR biomass obtained from gold mine effluent treatment containsalinity and trace metals, potential phytoaccumulation of elements in leaves was also investigated. N-richzeolite addition to tailings did not improve the total, above and belowground biomass production of thetested plants compared to tailings alone, despite greater foliar N concentrations in Melilotus albus and sometested Poaceae. On the contrary, MBBR biomass or NPK fertilizer addition induced similar biomass andfoliar N increase of plants that were greater than on tailings alone, except for M. albus. In Poaceae
leaves, Se concentrations were up to 5.9 mg/kg in MBBR biomass treatment, while zeolite treatments
entailed Na concentrations up to 11 g/kg, and Mn concentrations increased in both (up to 331 mg/kg)
compared to control treatments. Some foliar samples presented high concentrations of Cr, especially in
MBBR treatment. Based on the findings, MBBR biomass could be an interesting alternative to NPK
fertilizer to phytostabilize the tested mine tailings. This study did not show that N-rich zeolite could be used
to improve plant biomass production on the tested tailings, but this result could be different in tailings withgreater mobile trace metal concentrations since zeolites are known to help remediate contaminated soils via
sorption of cationic species.
KEYWORDS: Agronomic grasses and legumes, slow-release N fertilization, zeolite, MBBR biomass, gold
mine tailings revegetation

LIFE-AGROMINE, a pilot-scale demonstration carried out at EU level
Guillaume ECHEVARRIA1,2,3, Aida BANI4,5, Claire HAZOTTE3, Petra KIDD6, MariaKONSTANTINOU7, Tom KUPPENS8, Gaylord MACHINET9, Jean Louis MOREL1, Ángeles PRIETOFERNÁNDEZ6, Markus PUSCHENREITER10, Marie-Odile SIMONNOT11, Evgenia TSIANOU12
2

1
Université de Lorraine, INRAE, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, France
University of Queensland, Sustainable Minerals Institute, Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, Australia
3
ECONICK, France
4
Agro-Environment and Economic Management Center, Albania
5Agricultural University of Tirana, Albania
6
CSIC, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, Spain
7
Department of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, Greece
8
University Hasselt, Belgium
9
MICROHUMUS, France
10
BOKU, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Soil Research, Austria
11
Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Laboratoire Réactions et Génie des Procédés, France
12
Alchemia Nova, Austria

gechevarria@econick.fr

ABSTRACTThe objective of LIFE-AGROMINE was to demonstrate the feasibility of the agromining chain at pilotscale, from cropping nickel-hyperaccumulators to the recovery of bioenergy and valuable Ni-richproducts. This includes phytomining on natural Ni-enriched agricultural ultramafic soils to degradedlands and industrial waste materials. The project was also designed to provide a complete life cycle
assessment (LCA) of the full chain along with a techno-economic study that would help to select the best
technological ways to implement agromining and thus orientate the future development of the profitableoptions. Finally, dissemination of best practices identified during the project was carried out with theparticipation of SMEs wanting to develop the business (business & technical meetings, training
workshops. Social acceptability of agromining through intense communication to public was also targeted.
The results obtained showed very encouraging technical perspectives [1] [2] and the extremely positive
impact on stakeholders will ensure with no doubt the success of LIFE-AGROMINE for both its level ofachievement compared to the initial goals as both TRL 7 was reached, dissemination towards all targets was
successful (i.e. the attention of law-makers was brought in an efficient way to the regulation aspects needed)
and the market uptake of this low-C and environmentally-friendly technology at European level and theperspectives for business development are serious. “After-LIFE”, ECONICK will scale up the technology
to industrial pilot-scale with the help of industrial partners in collaboration with the network ofbeneficiaries to target the sustainable sourcing of nickel for the stainless steel and the glass industries.
KEYWORDS: phytomining, nickel, hyperaccumulators, nature-based solution, circular
economy, stakeholders
REFERENCES[1]

Bani, A., Pavlova, D., Garrido-Rodríguez, B., Kidd, P.S., Konstantinou, M., Kyrkas, D., Morel, J.L.,
Prieto-Fernandez, A., Puschenreiter, M. and Echevarria, G. (2021). Element case studies in thetemperate/mediterranean regions of Europe: Nickel. In: van der Ent, A., Baker, A.J.M., Echevarria,
G., Simonnot, M.O. and Morel, J.L. (eds.), Agromining: Farming for Metals. Mineral Resource
Reviews, pp. 341-363, Springer, Cham., https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58904-2_16[2]Kidd, P.S., Bani, A., Benizri, E., Gonnelli, C., Hazotte, C., Kisser, J., Konstantinou, M., Kuppens, T.,
Kyrkas, D., Laubie, B., Malina, R., Morel, J.L., Olcay, H., Pardo, T., Pons, M.N., Prieto-Fernández,
Á., Puschenreiter, M., Quintela-Sabarís, C., Ridard, C., Rodríguez-Garrido, B., Rosenkranz, T.,Rozpądek, P., Saad, R.F., Selvi, F., Simonnot, M.O., Tognacchini, A., Turnau, K., Ważny, R.,
Witters, N. and Echevarria, G. (2018). Developing sustainable agromining systems in agricultural
ultramafic soils for nickel recovery. Frontiers in Environmental Science
6:1-20.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2018.00044

Preliminary results of optimizing Ni phytoextraction by Odontarrhena lesbiaca
Ioanna CHATZELLI1, Maria ALOUPI1 and Panayiotis G. DIMITRAKOPOULOS1
1

Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece
ioanna_hatz@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT
A pot experiment was conducted for nine months in environmental conditions to test the potential effect ofagronomic practices such as soil amendment, N fertilization, and varying plant density on Ni phytoextraction
yield of Odontarrhena lesbiaca, a metallophyte endemic to the serpentine soils of Lesbos [1]. Four treatments
were applied: fertilization with mineral N fertilizer; co-cropping for three months with the legume Trifolium
angustifolium; fertilization with compost, and control [2, 3]. For each treatment, plant density of 1, 2 and 4
plants per pot was tested. Each combination of treatment and density was run in six replicates. In all cases, aNi‐rich soil from an adjacent ultramafic locality was used, amended before sowing with granulated CaCO₃ so
as to improve the Mg/Ca ratio and with KH₂PO₄ to adjust the P and K contents. Before harvesting a numberof growth parameters and functional traits were measured in the plants whereas upon harvesting total dry leaf
and stem biomass was measured. Elemental concentrations in stems and leaves were determined using ICPOES after acid mineralization (HNO₃ and H₂O₂) and Ni phytoextracted mass was calculated. Plant growth
was mostly controlled by density and single plants per pot were higher, had a greater number of longer andwider branches and thicker but shorter leaves. Only the width of branches was affected by the treatment; thewidest branches were measured in plants treated with mineral fertilizer and the narrowest in those co-cropped
with legume. On the other hand, total dry biomass production per pot was determined only by the applicationof mineral fertilizer, which resulted in a ca. 20% increase in yield as compared to the other treatments. As forthe functional traits, both the fertilization regime and density played a role in their variability, but not in aconsistent way. The supply of nitrogen did not favour Ni concentration in the aboveground biomass of theplants, which ranged from 2.3 to 10.0 g kg-1 (mean ± sd: 5.6 ± 1.5 g kg-1). However, Ni concentration variedwith density in the order 2 ≥ 1 ≥ 4. Despite the differences in plant biomass production and Ni content, Ni
phytoextracted mass was similar in all cases, 99 ± 30 mg Ni/pot (range: 40 – 190 mg Ni/pot). This finding
suggests that further investigation is needed in order to optimize Ni yield and to enhance O. lesbiaca’s
potential for phytomining, in terms of type and dosage of fertilizer, as well as length of experimental
observation, given the perennial nature of the species.
Acknowledgements: We acknowledge support of this work by the project “Center of Sustainable and Circular
Bioeconomy [Aegean_BIOECONOMY]” (MIS 5045851) which is implemented under the
Action “Reinforcement of the Research and Innovation Infrastructure”, funded by the Operational
Programme "Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation" (NSRF 2014-2020) and co-financed by
Greece and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund).
KEYWORDS: Alyssum lesbiacum; phytomining; legume co-cropping; fertilization; compost
REFERENCES[1]

Adamidis, G.C., Aloupi, M., Mastoras, P., Papadaki, M.-I. and Dimitrakopoulos P.G. (2017). Is annual
or perennial harvesting more efficient in Ni phytoextraction? Plant and Soil 418:205-218,
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3287-9[2]

Saad, R.F., Kobaissi, A., Echevarria, G., Kidd, P., Calusinska, M., Goux, X. and Benizri, E. (2018).
Influence of new agromining cropping systems on soil bacterial diversity and the physico-chemical
characteristics of an ultramafic soil. Science of the Total Environment 645: 380-392,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.106[3]

Kidd, P.S., Bani, A., Benizri, E., …, Echevarria, G. (2018). Developing sustainable agromining systems
in agricultural ultramafic soils for nickel recovery. Frontiers in Environmental Science 6:1-20.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2018.00044

Changes on soil bacterial communities after an agromining field trial in the NWof the Iberian Peninsula
Vanessa ÁLVAREZ-LÓPEZ1, Ángeles PRIETO-FERNÁNDEZ2, Beatriz RODRÍGUEZ-GARRIDO2,
Carmela MONTERROSO3, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA4 and Petra KIDD2†
1

AQUATERRA - Gestión sostenible de los recursos hídricos y del suelo. CICA - Centro Interdisciplinar deQuímica e Bioloxía. Facultad de Ciencias University of A Coruña, Spain
2
Suelos Biosistemas y Ecología Agroforestal, MBG-CSIC sede Santiago de Compostela, Spain
3
Departamento de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
4
Soils and Environment Laboratory, University of Lorraine, France†
Deceasedvanessa.alvarez.lopez@udc.es

ABSTRACT
Most of field assessments for agromining potential demonstrations in Europe have mainly been carried out inMediterranean ultramafic regions (Bani et al., 2015a; Bani et al., 2015b). Assessing the performance ofagromining crops in other geographical areas and under different climatic conditions are necessary forthe optimization of the process and determination of its viability and/or effects on ecosystem services.
The aim of this work was to evaluate changes on soil bacterial communities within an agromining system during
a field experiment in an ultramafic outcrop under a humid-temperate climate in NW Spain. On one side,
we evaluated, using Illumina Miseq barcoding sequencing, the soil bacterial communities in monoculture
plots 1 month (t = 0) after planting Odontarrhena muralis, O. serpyllifolia and Bornmuellera emarginata for
the first time as well as during the second cropping season of agromining in the same plots. The bacterial
communities were also compared with those associated to native plants of O. serpyllifolia spontaneously
growing at the same ultramafic area. On the other hand, soil bacterial communities in fertilised plots (NPK
fertilisation and manure amendment) planted with O. muralis and B. emarginata were also studied. Firstly, aclustering analysis was carried out for the communities in the monoculture plots: two clusters including samples
from the two different sampling times were obtained, differentiating bacterial communities at the initial phaseof the agromining from those present in soil after 2 cropping seasons. Moreover, this second cluster was
located closer to native plants of O. serpyllifolia, which suggest a progression of bacterial communities
approaching those characteristics of native plants. The community was dominated by Actinobacteria andProteobacteria, and the third most abundant phylum was Bacteroidetes, while the three most abundant
genera were Nocardioides, Blastococcus and Bradyrhizobium. Some changes in genera abundance after two
cropping seasons were observed, approaching the values found in the native plants: the abundance ofBlastococcus increased with time, while the abundance of Sphingomonas and Massilia decreased. In the caseof the fertilised plots, two main cluster were obtained separating communities in soils receiving NPK from those
fertilised with manure. Interestingly, planted soils clustered separately from non-planted only in the case ofmanure fertilisation. As in the case of the monoculture, community was dominated by Actinobacteria andProteobacteria, however, the third most abundant phylum was Acidobacteria. Finally, correlation analysis
between abundant OTUs and soil and plant properties showed a higher number of positive correlations in
the NPK treatment. Moreover, some OTUs, belonging mainly to the genera Mycobacterium, Nocardioides
and Geodermatophilus presenting the highest number of positive correlations and will be further studied.
KEYWORDS: Agromining, soil bacteria, agronomic practices
REFERENCES[1]

Bani, A., Echevarria, G., Sulçe, S., Morel, J.L., 2015a. Improving the agronomy of Alyssum murale forextensive phytomining: a five-year field study. Int. J. Phytoremediation 17, 117–127.

[2]

Bani, A., Echevarria, G., Zhang, X., Benizri, E., Laubie, B., Morel, J.L., Simonnot, M.O., 2015b. The
effect of plant density in nickel-phytomining field experiments with Alyssum murale in Albania. Aust.
J. Bot. 63, 72–77.

Substrate formulation for agromining of cobalt from aged mine tailings
Samuel TEILLAUD1,2, Lucie COUDERT1, Marie GUITTONNY1, Jean Louis MOREL1,3, Baptiste LAUBIE2
and Marie-Odile SIMONNOT2
1

Institut de Recherche en Mines et en Environnement, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue,
Canada2
Laboratoire Réaction et Génie des Procédés, CNRS, Université de Lorraine, France
3
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRAE, Université de Lorraine, France
samuel.teillaud@uqat.ca

ABSTRACT
Secondary resources are potential substrates for alternative mining strategies, such as agromining. The
increasing demand of strategic and critical metals (SCM), such as Co and Ni, which are key elements for theenergy transition, have encouraged their recovery from secondary resources. Agromining is the chain ofprocesses where hyperaccumulating plants are grown to extract SCM from various substrates and recoverthese elements with a combination of pyro/hydrometallurgy. Repurposing of mine tailings through agromining
seems to be a promising approach for both economical and environmental reasons. Implementation ofagromining requires adapted substrates for plant growth, and development as well as subsequent uptake andconcentration of elements in the plant tissues. However, growing plants on mine tailings can be challenging
due to several factors (e.g., high contents of contaminants, important lack of nutrients and poor soil structure).
Therefore, the present study aims to identify the most favorable conditions for the growth ofhyperaccumulator plant species and to quantify their potential to accumulate Co and Ni from aged minetailings. The selected mine tailing materials contained 1310 mg kg-1 Co, 943 mg kg-1 Ni and 5245 mg kg-1 As.
The viability of the selected plant seeds (O. chalcidica, B. emarginata, S. canadensis, P. arundinacea andL. perenne) was tested through germination tests, and dormancy was lifted in some species through cold
stratification. Some of these species were selected based on their demonstrated ability to hyperaccumulate Ni
or Co, while others were chosen for their accumulation potential and ability to grow in extreme environments,for example on degraded lands (spontaneously colonized the mine tailings site). An organic amendment (tablecompost) was selected to improve tailings fertility, structure, and properties to create favorable physical andchemical properties for plant growth and development. The results showed that germination rates varied from0 to 83% depending on the species and the type of substrate used. The germination rates of O. chalcidica on
aged mine tailings varied depending on the proportion of amendment to residues (0/100 to 70/30), with values
ranging from 0 to 40%. The concentrations of metallic elements in plants will be determined to evaluate theaccumulation potential of Co and Ni on such substrate. While growing plants on mine tailings represents asignificant challenge, identifying the most favorable conditions for the growth and accumulation of
hyperaccumulator plant species has the potential to unlock the valuable resources in secondary sources
through agromining.
KEYWORDS: agromining, mine tailings repurposing, phytoextraction, strategic and critical metals

Assisting nickel agromining using sustainable amendments
Alexis DURAND1, Léa JAFEU1, Pierre LEGLIZE1 and Emile BENIZRI1
1

Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France
alexis.durand@univ-lorraine.fr

ABSTRACTAgromining is dedicated to the rehabilitation of ultramafic soils but the success of phytoextraction
by hyperaccumulating plants depends on different parameters such as plant tolerance to metallic stress,
high biomass production and a high concentration of metals transferred from the roots to the aerial partsof the hyperaccumulators [1]. During the last decade, many studies have focused on optimizing of
metal phytoextraction, using chemical methods and chelating agents [2]. But, as for conventional
agriculture, it is important to replace pesticides and mineral fertilizers with eco-efficient strategies, because ofresource depletion and the increasing global demand for mineral fertilizers, in addition of the serious threat
to human health and the environment that pose agro-chemicals. The aims of this study were to test, undercontrolled conditions, the interest of using 4 sustainable solutions dedicated to the optimization of nickel
phytoextraction by Odontarrhena chalcidica: a biostimulant (humic acid and fulvic acid), a combination of abiostimulant and plant defence stimulator product composed of algae extracts, artificial root exudates,
and a biodegradable metal chelator (EDDS). Their effects on Ni phytoextraction capacity, on
growth and physiology of O. chalcidica, but also on the physicochemical soil characteristics were studiedin comparison with a conventional fertilizer (ammonium nitrate). We also studied their effects on the richness
and diversity of rhizosphere and endosphere bacteria. Biostimulants appeared to be potentially interesting for
improving nickel phytoextraction and plant biomass production and showed a positive effect on bacterial
richness and diversity. Conversely, artificial exudates and ammonium nitrate appeared to be of little interestfor the optimisation of nickel agromining.
KEYWORDS: agromining, nickel hyperaccumulator, sustainable amendments
REFERENCES

[1]
[2]

Chaney, R. L., Baker, A. J., & Morel, J. L. (2021). The long road to developing agromining /phytomining. In Agromining: farming for metals (pp. 1-22). Springer, Cham. https://10.1007/978-3030-58904-2_1
Bian, X., Cui, J., Tang, B., & Yang, L. (2018). Chelant-induced phytoextraction of heavy metals fromcontaminated soils: a review. Polish journal of environmental studies, 27(6), 2417-2424.
https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/81207

Citric acid-assisted accumulation of nickel by Blepharidium guatemalense
Luiz LIMA1, Fernando SILVA1, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA2, Clístenes NASCIMENTO1
1

Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil
2
INRAE, Soil & Environment Laboratory, France
luizhenrique.vieira@hotmail.com

ABSTRACTThe success of Ni agromining depends mainly on the metal availability in the soil or substrate and its
accumulation on the plant's aerial biomass. Techniques that increase the Ni availability in the soil and the Ni
plant uptake can improve agromining performance. For example, natural chelating agents such as citric acidcan complex Ni and increase its concentration in the soil solution. Induced-phytoextraction for Ni using citricacid has been scarcely tested in Ni hyperaccumulators cultivated in ultramafic soils, with conflicting results.
Here, we aimed to assess the effect of citric acid on Ni availability in the soil and accumulation by thehyperaccumulator Blepharidium guatemalense. Plants were grown for 90 days in pots containing ultramafic
soil from Buenos Aires, Pernambuco state, Brazil. The citric acid (40 mmol kg-1 soil) was applied to the soilon the 85th day of cultivation. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with 4
replications. Our results showed that applying citric acid doubled the soil Ni availability. The Ni content in theaerial biomass of B. guatemalense was 14960 mg kg-1, with 18% of Ni in the bio-ore. Plants treated with citricacid showed an increase in the translocation of Ni from roots to shoots and, consequently, in the Ni
concentration in the shoots (18405 mg kg-1); in turn, the Ni content in the bio-ore reached 30%. Our results
need to be confirmed under field conditions but indicate that citric acid can increase the efficiency of Ni
agromining with B. guatemalense in ultramafic soils.
KEYWORDS: bio-ore, chelation, heavy metal, hyperaccumulator, phytomining.

Cutting Propagation of Bornmuellera tymphaea, a Nickel Hyperaccumulator for
Use in Agromining: Effects of Substrate and Auxins on Stem Cuttings
Dimitrios KYRKAS1,3, Nikolaos MANTZOS1, George PATAKIOUTAS1, Eleni LAMPRAKI1, Evangelos
FILIS2, Panayiotis G. DIMITRAKOPOULOS3, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA4,5 and Maria KONSTANTINOU2,
1
Department of Agriculture, University of Ioannina, Greece
Department of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, Greece
3
Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece
4
Université de Lorraine, INRAE, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Nancy, France
5
ECONICK, France
2

dkyrkas@uoi.gr

ABSTRACT
Nickel hyperaccumulator Bornmuellera tymphaea has been evaluated for use in agromining in Greece
with very promising results. This study aims to verify the possibility of propagating this species throughcutting-based vegetative propagation, provides rapid multiplication and clonal propagation of genotypes
having a high level of genetic traits and offers obvious advantages over propagation by seed. Apicalcuttings, 10 cm long, obtained from plants from the field, were propagated in benches under misting at
greenhouse conditions. Four treatments based on the substrate were evaluated: a) perlite, b) peat + perlite 1:1(v/v), c) perlite + ultramafic soil 1:1 (v/v) and d) ultramafic soil. Completely randomized blocks were used in
a 4x2 factorial design, using four different propagation substrates and two different levels of auxins, withthree replicates of 70 cuttings. The response of perlite medium was best in terms of rooting 75 % without
IBA and 71,33% with IBA, the dry weight of roots was 0,18 g and of the shoots 0,34 g. Peat + perlite 1:1 (v/v) medium also resulted in rooting in more than 55% of cuttings whereas cuttings raised in ultramafic soil
showed very low rooting (<27%). Based on the findings, B. tymphaea has an aptitude for vegetative
propagation by cuttings with survival values and rooting greater than 70%. IBA presence did not havebeneficial impact on the cuttings rooting percentage.
KEYWORDS: vegetative propagation, ultramafic soil, perlite, peat, IBA
REFERENCES[1]
Bani, A., Pavlova, D., Garrido-Rodríguez, B., Kidd, P.S., Konstantinou, M., Kyrkas, D., Morel, J.L.,
Prieto-Fernandez, A., Puschenreiter, M. and Echevarria, G. (2021). Element case studies in thetemperate/mediterranean regions of Europe: Nickel. In: van der Ent, A., Baker, A.J.M., Echevarria,
G., Simonnot, M.O. and Morel, J.L. (eds.), Agromining: Farming for Metals. Mineral Resource
Reviews, pp. 341-363, Springer, Cham., https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58904-2_16[2]

Kyrkas, D., Echevarria, G., Benizri, E., Mantzos, N., Patakioutas, G., Kidd, P.S., Morel, J.L.,
Simonnot, M.O., Dimitrakopoulos, P., and Konstantinou, M. (2019). Hyperaccumulators, native inNorthern Pindus (Greece) used as “metal crops” for nickel recovery. In: Bareka, P., Domina, G., andKamari, G., (eds.), Proceedings of the XVI OPTIMA Meeting, 2–5 Oct 2019, Agricultural Universityof Athens, Greece, p. 142.

[3]

Kidd, P.S., Bani, A., Benizri, E., Gonnelli, C., Hazotte, C., Kisser, J., Konstantinou, M., Kuppens, T.,
Kyrkas, D., Laubie, B., Malina, R., Morel, J.L., Olcay, H., Pardo, T., Pons, M.N., Prieto-Fernández,
Á., Puschenreiter, M., Quintela-Sabarís, C., Ridard, C., Rodríguez-Garrido, B., Rosenkranz, T.,Rozpądek, P., Saad, R.F., Selvi, F., Simonnot, M.O., Tognacchini, A., Turnau, K., Ważny, R.,
Witters, N. and Echevarria, G. (2018). Developing sustainable agromining systems in agricultural
ultramafic soils for nickel recovery. Frontiers in Environmental Science 6:1-20.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2018.00044

Exploring the Potential of Nickel Agromining in Western Macedonia, Greece:
An Analysis of Land Use and Geological Factors.
Maria CHATZILIADOU1, Vasileios MACHAIRAS1, Nikolaos MANTZOS1, Guillaume ECHEVARRIA2,3,
Maria KONSTANTINOU4 and Dimitrios KYRKAS1,5
1
Department of Agriculture, University of Ioannina, Greece
Université de Lorraine, INRAE, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Nancy, France
3
ECONICK, France
4
Department of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, Greece
5Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece2vmachairas@uoi.gr

ABSTRACTThe global demand for nickel is increasing and it is considered a product of high economic importance.
In Western Macedonia, Greece, there are significant opportunities for nickel agromining due to thepresence of large areas of ultramafic soils, which are rich in nickel but not very productive for conventionalfarming. The aim of this work is to explore the possibility of nickel agromining in the Western
Macedonia region. The study combines information from various sources including bibliographic data on
agromining, experimental field applications under the LIFE Agromine project, land uses, andgeological data in the region. The information is processed in GIS software to identify the areas mostsuitable for agromining. Results show that there are a total of 14.235 hectares in Western Macedoniathat are potentially suitable for agromining applications, and the study provides maps outlining theseareas. These findings demonstrate the significant potential for nickel agromining in the Western
Macedonia region and support the implementation of pilot applications for further performance assessment,
contributing to the growing demand for nickel globally.
KEYWORDS: nickel, ultramafic, GIS, geological data
REFERENCES[1]

Bani, A., Pavlova, D., Garrido-Rodríguez, B., Kidd, P.S., Konstantinou, M., Kyrkas, D., Morel, J.L.,
Prieto-Fernandez, A., Puschenreiter, M. and Echevarria, G. (2021). Element case studies in thetemperate/mediterranean regions of Europe: Nickel. In: van der Ent, A., Baker, A.J.M., Echevarria,
G., Simonnot, M.O. and Morel, J.L. (eds.), Agromining: Farming for Metals. Mineral Resource
Reviews, pp. 341-363, Springer, Cham., https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58904-2_16[2]

QGIS - A Free and Open-Source Geographic Information System. Available at: www.qgis.org(accessed on 2021).

Minimizing the environmental impact of agromining by membrane processes
Thomas PORQUEDDU1, Baptiste LAUBIE1 and Marie-Odile SIMONNOT1
1
Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LRGP, 54000 Nancy, France
thomas.porqueddu@univ-lorraine.fr

ABSTRACTAgromining is the recovery of valuable heavy metals from soils with high metal concentrations, using
hyperaccumulator plants, to produce value added products [1]. It has been successfully applied toserpentine soil in Albania, Greece and Malaysia, achieving a nickel yield of up to 100kg nickel per hectare[2]. However, nickel recovery from plants ashes by hydrometallurgy requires a leaching step, using a verylarge quantity of reagent, mainly sulphuric acid. It is important to note that only 30% of the acid used isconsumed, the rest is mandatory but does not react and need to be neutralized then. Proton recycling
could be a good option to decrease the environmental impact of this kind of processes. Therefore, the aim of
this presentation is to present the approach and first results of a proton recycling step from anhyperaccumulator (Odontarrhena chalcidica) ash leachate, using a nanofiltration membrane. This is now
possible, thanks to the emergence of new membranes on the market, resisting to very low pH and high ionicstrengths (Duracid NF, a Suez brand membrane, in our case). First results show that the ionic strength of theleachate has a great influence on the retention of the different elements. Leachate dilution by a factor of four
increased the retention of nickel from 30% to over 80%. This phenomenon is could be explained by achange in the effective pore size (pore swelling) due to accumulation of counterions inside pores (3). A
good compromise must therefore be found between a discharge rate, which is desired to be as high as
possible to ensure the lowest possible concentration of metals in the permeate, and a volume of effluent,desired to be as low as possible. With this process, it is technologically possible to recycle up to 2/3 of theacid used in the leaching process. Modelling the mass transfer through the membrane as a function of leachate
element speciation is in progress. This work will allow the simulation of proton recovery potential. Coupledwith a life-cycle assessment, as well as a technical-economic analysis, it will allow the best design ofagromining process. Moreover, this approach may be deployed to other hydrometallurgical leachates.
KEYWORDS: Agromining, Nanofiltration, Nickel
REFERENCES:[1]

Rodrigues J. et al, 2016, Life cycle assessment of agromining chain highlights role of erosion control
and bioenergy, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 139, p.770-778[2]Simonnot M.-O., Vaughan J., Laubie B., Processing of bio-ore to products. In: Van der Ent A.,
Echevarria G., Morel J.L., Baker A., Agromining: farming for metals Springer, 2018,p.290.

[3]

Aurélie E. et al, 2010, Influence of salts on the rejection of polyethyleneglycol by an NF organic
membrane: Pore swelling and salting-out effects, journal of membrane science, vol.347, p.174-182

Performance of Mediterranean hyperaccumulators for Ni agromining inultramafic soils under humid temperate climate on the NW of Spain
Beatriz RODRÍGUEZ-GARRIDO1, Ángeles PRIETO-FERNÁNDEZ1, Guillaume ECHEVARRÍA2,3, andPetra KIDD1
1

Misión Biolóxica de Galicia (MBG) Sede Santiago de Compostela, CSIC, Spain
2
Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, INRAE, France
3
Econick, France
apf@mbg.csic.es

ABSTRACTThe European economy is highly dependent on imports of Ni, a raw material of high economic importanceand agromining is an interesting technology for the recovery of this trace element from low-grade ores
such as ultramafic soils. However, climatic conditions, soil properties and metal bioavailability can limit the
production of plant biomass and metal accumulation, and consequently the effectiveness of agromining (vander Ent et al., 2015). In this context, one the objectives of the project LIFE-Agromine, funded by theEU, was the establishment of Ni agromining field scale demonstrations on distinct geographical areas andunder different edapho-climatic conditions. The present study implemented agromining field trials in an
ultramafic soil on the NW of Spain under a humid temperate climate for evaluating the performance of thenative Ni hyperaccumulator Odontarrhena serpyllifolia and of the Mediterranean hyperaccumulators
Odontarrhena muralis s.l. and Bornmuellera emarginata. The trials also aimed at comparing inorganic(NPK) and organic (cow manure) fertilisation and evaluated 3 cropping seasons. The highest amount ofbiomass (up to 8 t ha-1) and Ni yield (40 kg ha-1) was obtained with O muralis cultivated with NPK
fertilization. Inorganic fertilization was also the best option for the cultivation of O. serpyllifolia, although
the harvested biomass and Ni yield were much lower than those of O muralis s.l. Conversely, in the case of B
emarginata and in the 3 evaluated cropping seasons, the higher Ni yields (up to 11 kg ha-1)) were obtainedin plots fertilized with cow manure. Interestingly, the harvested biomass of B. emarginata was similar ininorganic and organic fertilised plots. The cultivation of the Ni hyperaccumulators for 3 growing seasons did
not significantly decrease the Ni availability. Plant ionome and other soil physic chemical parameters werealso investigated and are presented.
KEYWORDS: Ni hyperaccumulators, Ni yield, inorganic and organic fertilization, soil Ni availability
REFERENCES[1]
van der Ent, A., Baker, A.J.M., Reeves, R.D., Chaney, R.L., Anderson, C.W.N., Meech, J.A., Erskine,
P.D., Simonnot, M.O., Vaughan, J., Morel, J.L., Echevarria, G., Fogliani, B., Rongliang, Q., Mulligan,
D.R. (2015). Agromining: Farming for metals in the future? Environmental Science and Technology
49:4773 4780, https://doi.org/10.1021/es506031u.

Phenanthrene impact on Noccaea caerulescens functioning and metal extraction
efficiency - consequences for agromining on multi-contaminated soil
Mohammad Chafik SHERRI1,2, Catherine SIRGUEY1, Ali KANSO1,2, Kassem HAMZE2and Stéphanie OUVRARD1
1

Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, Université de Lorraine, France

2

Research and Analysis Platform for Environmental Sciences, Lebanese University, Lebanon
sherri1@univ-lorraine.fr

ABSTRACTMulti-contamination of soil by multiple organic and inorganic contaminants is considered an obstacle for thehyperaccumulator plants to develop and phytoextract metals. The aim of this study was to explore the impact
of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in combination with heavy metals on thephytoextraction efficiency and antioxidative response of the Ganges and Chavignée populationsof the metal hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens. Plants were cultivated for a duration of 17days in a co-contaminated soil containing some heavy metals at moderate concentrations and spiked
with phenanthrene (PHE), a model PAH, at a concentration of 200 mg PHE kg-1 soil. The presence of PHE in
the soil proved to be toxic for N. caerulescens. When exposed to PHE, plants exhibited typical stress responsewith a reduction in general growth parameters, along with the upregulation of antioxidant compounds andenzymes combined with limitations in nutrient uptake and heavy metals extraction. Variations were observedin the magnitude of enzymatic activities and the amount of extracted metals between the two studied
populations. Nevertheless, to some extent, growth, metals extraction, and antioxidant defense responses
differed slightly between the studied populations Chavignée plants appeared slightly more tolerant tostress. This population is known to extract more Zinc (Zn) and Nickle (Ni) but less Cadmium (Cd) thanthe Ganges [1], suggesting that the difference in defense and extraction capacities might ensue different
tolerance. This distinction may be related to the adaptations acquired by each population depending on thesoil type it originated from.
KEYWORDS: hyperaccumulator,
sites, antioxidants

PAH,

abioticstress,phytoextraction,

multi-contaminated

REFERENCES[1]

C. Gonneau, N. Genevois, H. Frérot, C. Sirguey, and T. Sterckeman, “Variation of trace metal
accumulation, major nutrient uptake and growth parameters and their correlations in 22 populations ofNoccaea caerulescens,” Plant Soil, vol. 384, no. 1–2, pp. 271–287, 2014, doi: 10.1007/s11104-0142208-4.

Study of Different Shading Levels on the Growth of Bornmuellera emarginata: a
Nickel Hyperaccumulator for Use in Agromining
Dimitrios KYRKAS1,3, Nikolaos MANTZOS1, Paraskevi BEZA1, Vasileios PAPANTZIKOS1, Chrysanthe
ANDREAKI1, Erini-Evaggelia KONSTANTOUROU1, Maria KONSTANTINOU2, and Panayiotis G.
DIMITRAKOPOULOS3
1

2

Department of Agriculture, University of Ioannina, Greece
Department of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, Greece
3
Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece
dkyrkas@uoi.gr

ABSTRACTThe Greek endemic Bornmuellera emarginata, known for its Ni hyperaccumulation capacity, is a promising
candidate for use in agromining. Field observations that populations of this species usually occupy shaded
places under shrubs or trees led us to investigate the effect of different shading levels [i.e. 0% (control), 20%,
35%, 60%, and 90%] on morphological and physiological parameters of B. emarginata. The experiment was
conducted under greenhouse conditions and lasted 210 days after sowing (DAS). Seeds were sown directly
into 2 L pots filled with serpentine soil collected from the field. Three plant samplings (81, 140 and 210 DAS)
were conducted during the experiment for the determination of fresh and dry plant weight, plant height,
number of the lateral shoots, total number of leaves per plant and proline concentrations. Chlorophyll
concentrations in leaves were measured in nine samplings (64, 70, 81, 98, 104, 115, 140 and 210 DAS). As
resulted, in the early stages plant growth was better under 20% and 35% shading, and the differences between
the different shading levels being decreased by the end of the experiment. Plant height was increased while
the number of the lateral shoots and the total number of leaves per plant were decreased as shading increased.
At the end of the experiment (210 DAS), the lower proline concentration (0.36 μmol g‒1) was observed at
35% shading and the higher (1.62 μmol g‒1) at the control (0%). Leaf chlorophyll concentrations wereincreased as plants grew. The highest concentrations were observed at low shading (0%, 20% and 35%). At
the end of the experiment (210 DAS), the highest values were 98.2 and 96.9 μg cm‒2 at 35% and 60%
shading, respectively while the lowest were 61.4 and 82.4 μg cm‒2 in the control (0%) and at 20% shading,respectively. In the final sampling, nickel concentration of the aboveground part of the plants was determined.
KEYWORDS: hyperaccumulator, shading, proline, chlorophyll
REFERENCES[1]

Bani, A., Pavlova, D., Garrido-Rodríguez, B., Kidd, P.S., Konstantinou, M., Kyrkas, D., Morel, J.L.,
Prieto-Fernandez, A., Puschenreiter, M. and Echevarria, G. (2021). Element case studies in thetemperate/mediterranean regions of Europe: Nickel. In: van der Ent, A., Baker, A.J.M., Echevarria,
G., Simonnot, M.O. and Morel, J.L. (eds.), Agromining: Farming for Metals. Mineral Resource
Reviews, pp. 341-363, Springer, Cham., https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58904-2_16.

[2]Kidd, P.S., Bani, A., Benizri, E., Gonnelli, C., Hazotte, C., Kisser, J., Konstantinou, M., Kuppens, T.,
Kyrkas, D., Laubie, B., Malina, R., Morel, J.L., Olcay, H., Pardo, T., Pons, M.N., Prieto-Fernández,
Á., Puschenreiter, M., Quintela-Sabarís, C., Ridard, C., Rodríguez-Garrido, B., Rosenkranz, T.,Rozpądek, P., Saad, R.F., Selvi, F., Simonnot, M.O., Tognacchini, A., Turnau, K., Ważny, R., Witters,
N. and Echevarria, G. (2018). Developing sustainable agromining systems in agricultural ultramafic
soils for nickel recovery. Frontiers in Environmental Science 6:1-20.
https://doi.org/10.3389/
fenvs.2018.00044.

[3]

Kyrkas, D., Echevarria, G., Benizri, E., Mantzos, N., Patakioutas, G., Kidd, P.S., Morel, J.L.,
Simonnot, M.O., Dimitrakopoulos, P., and Konstantinou, M. (2019). Hyperaccumulators, native inNorthern Pindus (Greece) used as “metal crops” for nickel recovery. In: Bareka, P., Domina, G., andKamari, G., (eds), Proceedings of the XVI OPTIMA Meeting, 2-5 Oct 2019, Agricultural Universal of
Athens, Greece, p. 142

Effects of Irrigation with Treated Wastewater on the Nutrient Contents ofSalvia officinalis
Irena Duka, Doriana Bode, Aida Bani, Seit Shallari,
Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Agricultural University of Tirana,
Albania iduka@ubt.edu.al

ABSTRACTThis article aims to provide information on the evaluation of nutritional skill in the Salvia officinalis L.
plant after its irrigation with treated wastewater. Field experiment was chosen as the main method ofcollecting information, and was conducted to determine the effect of water quality on the plant (treatedwastewater, untreated wastewater and well water), as well as the interactions of these waters on thegrowth and water use efficiency in the first year of vegetation growing of S. officinalis L. This plant waschosen as a plant that is cultivated in dry areas and that is not part of the food chain. The effects ofirrigation with treated wastewater (TWW) were compared with those of well waters (WW) at the levelof nutrient elements. Referring to DM (dry matter), the percentage of total nitrogen in the plant leaf
irrigation with treated wastewater was classified at the highest level, up to 2.6%. Whereas, in the plants
irrigated with well water, the nitrogen content level varies from 1.5 to 3.5%. Likewise, Phosphorus
levels varied from 0.1 to 0.3%, while for the nitrates form a significant increase was reported in stemsof plants irrigated with treated water at the level of 0.4%. This was attributed to the mobility of thisform. The concentration levels of ammoniacal form found in this plant ranged from 61.46 mg/kg to
184.1 mg/kg, which being an immobile and positive charged form, is kept form the absorbing earth
complex. The results of the experiment confirmed the efficiency of recycled wastewater use, while notnegatively affecting the quality of the product of Salvia officinalis L.

Keywords: Treated wastewater, well water, Salvia officinalis L., macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus)etc.

Designing Low Cost Cropping Systems for Nickel hyperaccumulatorsin the Balkans
Guillaume Echevarria1, Dimitrios Kyrkas2, Maria Konstantinou3
1

Université de Lorraine, INRAE, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, France
2
Department of Agriculture, University of Ioannina, Greece
3
Department of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, Greece
Guillaume.Echevarria@univ-lorraine.fr

After the LIFE Agromine project (2016-2021), the techno-economic assessment emphasized on the fact
that, to be viable, operations had to be mechanised or carried out in countries where labour cost is low
enough to allow viable implementation of the crops [1]. In order to implement commercial agromining
in EU countries, it is therefore crucial to mechanise all the steps of the crops and therefore minimise
their costs. New cropping systems are proposed here which are adapted to all regions in the Balkans forthree main species, which proved to be successful in the LIFE Agromine project: Odontarrhena
chalcidica (syn= Alyssum murale), Bornmuellera emarginata (syn= Leptoplax emarginata) andBornmuellera tymphaea.
Odontarrhena chalcidica are native to all ultramafic areas in the Balkans and hence do not require theproduction of seeds beforehand. Seeds can be spontaneously produced on every agricultural field that isregularly ploughed. It is ideal to select fields on which substantial covers of Odontarrhena chalcidica
have seeded in the summer before ploughing. Plots are then ploughed in winter, seedstock in the soil
will create a spontaneous cover in the spring that needs to be partially weeded mechanically (to create
rows, ideally every 50 cm). Covers can be fertilised (50 kg N) at the beginning of October to enhancefurther growth and branching of plants. In early spring, the plot is again fertilised (NPK 15–15–15
fertilizer at the rate of 100 kg per ha) and harvested at early flowering stage with a conventional hay
mower, then baled, usually at the beginning of June.
For Bornmuellera species, it is crucial to rely on perennial plant covers, due to the high cost oftransplanting 40,000 seedlings per ha. For instance, for B. emarginata, those phenotypes found in naturethat are fully perennial need to be selected (breeding). Bornmuellera tymphaea is a fully perennial
species. Both species can be easily propagated by softwood cuttings that are prepared in a nursery over
winter and early spring. Bornmuellera emarginata can also be sown directly in the field with a seeder.
Ideally, they should be transplanted in April to ensure sufficient growth of the plants before summer.
Bornmuellera emarginata can be harvested twice a year to stimulate branching, once at the beginningof October and the second time in spring at early flowering (May). Both plant are fertilised in the same
way as O. chalcidica. Harvest is carried out in the same way as for medicinal and aromatic plants (i.e.
Oregano).
KEYWORDS: phytomining, agromining, nickel, hyperaccumulators, cropping systems
REFERENCES[1]

Kidd, P.S., Bani, A., Benizri, E., Gonnelli, C., Hazotte, C., Kisser, J., Konstantinou, M.,
Kuppens, T., Kyrkas, D., Laubie, B., Malina, R., Morel, J.L., Olcay, H., Pardo, T., Pons, M.N.,
Prieto-Fernández, Á., Puschenreiter, M., Quintela-Sabarís, C., Ridard, C., Rodríguez-Garrido,
B., Rosenkranz, T., Rozpądek, P., Saad, R.F., Selvi, F., Simonnot, M.O., Tognacchini, A.,
Turnau, K., Ważny, R., Witters, N. and Echevarria, G. (2018). Developing sustainableagromining systems in agricultural ultramafic soils for nickel recovery. Frontiers inEnvironmental Science 6:1-20. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2018.00044

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