Advantages And Disadvantages Of Hyperaccumulators

5. What is the advantage to a plant of closed stomata when water is in short supply? What are the disadvantages?

Hobart and William Smith Colleges. (2017). Lab 04 BIOL 1510 Lab Manual Plant Defenses F2017 - Biology - StuDocu. Retrieved from https://www.studocu.com/en/document/hobart-and-william-smith-colleges/biology/lecture-notes/lab-04-biol-1510-lab-manual-plant-defenses-f2017/1396233/view

vulgaris plants, via the formation of a standard curve prepared using varying concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA) solution. Following absorbance readings of the various BSA solutions, they were plotted against their concentrations providing an indirect measure for determining protein concentrations of the plant samples within the assay tubes, and through further calculations the sample protein concentration. The mean protein concentration for the control group was calculated to be 3.34 ± 1.30 mg/mL, while the mean treated group concentration was 2.01 ± 1.26 mg/mL. These results similarly like the chlorophyll results correlate with the literature articles, as a reduced protein content within the Paraquat treated plants can be expected to some extent (Chia et al., 1981). This reduction in protein concentration is the result of those superoxide anions produced by Paraquat, disrupting the chloroplast membranes and allowing for intracellular components including some proteins to leak out, hence the decrease in protein concentration in comparison to the non-treated plants (Qian et al., 2009). A slight outlier may exist within the treated groups protein concentrations as one of the groups provided a negative value for protein concentration which is not valid, but even after exclusion of that data value, results are still supportive of the expected outcome. Though these results support the claim of Paraquat toxicity causing membrane deterioration and leakiness, protein concentration values are rather more purposeful when used to analyze malondialdehyde (MDA) values on per mg of protein

The use of too much fertilizers, and in particular, of fertilizers with high concentrations of nitrogen, has been linked to reduced biodiversity (Xiankai et al. 2010). It becomes necessary to consider the detrimental effects of high concentrations of fertilizer in the reduced spaces. Fertilizers are salts, and therefore high concentrations of fertilizers can deplete the plant from water.

When monosilicic acid and water travel throughout a plant’s root system and into the plant, the acid collects inside tissues. Developing microscopic inorganic silica molds; called phytoliths. Phytoliths are produced in almost every environment in the world, consisting of silicon dioxide, water, organic carbon, and trace elements of aluminum, iron, magnesium, and several others. The transparent molds can be one to over one-hundred micrometers in size. Phytoliths can serve the plant and us in several ways. It permits some plants to stand stiff and allows for sun exposure. It also assists the plant in trapping dangerous elements that could harm the plant. Fields including paleontology, archaeology, primatology, and environmental science greatly appreciate the existence of phytoliths. Phytoliths live long after the plant dies; they exist for tens of millions of years, and in extreme temperatures. Ecofacts such as phytoliths are tremendously beneficial when finding a plant’s family, genus, species,

However, the plants live in a better state when sunlight, water and soil nutrients combine with the protein added (Nickens, 2008). In an experiment, a group observed the reaction of carnivorous plants to the limitation of minerals and what happens when they have enough minerals and when they are fed insects. Their conclusion was that most of the plants grew rapidly when they were fed a combination of insects and minerals. (Adamec, 1997). Another project involved vascular plants and their reaction to different environments. The venus flytrap reacted better in a sandy, acidic, low fertility, and wet environment (Luken,

Boron is responsible for cell development and elongation of the plant. It also regulates plant carbohydrate metabolism. Boron are abundant in soil where it has an organic matter, but soil lacks of Boron during summer season where most of soils is dry. Sandy soils are Boron deficient because it lacks of organic matter. Boron deficiency will affect the growing plants to

Cadmium and cadmium compounds are, compared to other heavy metals, relatively water soluble and mobile compound in most soils, generally more bio- available and tends to bio- accumulate. It induces cell injury and death by interfering with calcium (Ca) regulation in biological system. Cadmium is not essential for plant or animal life (IPCS monographs/WHO1995a; WHO1995b). It is more mobile than zinc but less mobile than nickel. Cadmium is readily accumulated by many organisms, particularly by microorganism and mollusks where the bio-concentration factors are in the order of thousands. Its mobility essentially depends on the pH; the metal’s adsorption to the soil’s solid phase can be multiplied threefold for every unitary increase in pH in a range from 4 to 8. Terrestrial plants may accumulate cadmium in the roots and cadmium is found bound to the cell walls (AMAP 2002). The pH level is one of the most important factors controlling cadmium absorption. Compared with other micropolluants such as Cu or Pb, transfer of Cd to the above ground parts of the plant may be considered as

All plants are subjected to a multitude of stresses throughout their life cycle. Depending on the species of plant and the source of the stress, the plant will respond in different ways. When a certain tolerance level is reached, the plant will eventually die. When the plants in question are crop plants, then a problem arises. The two major environmental factors that currently reduce plant productivity are drought and salinity (Serrano, 1999), and these stresses cause similar reactions in plants due to water stress. These environmental concerns affect plants more than is commonly thought. For example, disease and insect loss typically decrease crop yields by less than ten percent, but severe

Plants, being sessile organisms cannot move to more favorable places to escape the adverse effects of HM toxicity.Exposure of the plants to toxic levels of HM triggers a wide range of physiological and biochemical process; and plants in order to cope with the negative impacts of toxicity develop and/or adopt a series of strategies (Fig.1) (Hayat et al., 2012). The initial response of the plants to various stresses, including HM accumulation in the soils involve perception of stress stimuli, signal transduction and transmission of amplified signal (mitogen activated proteins viz; SIMKK,SIMK, SAMK,MMK3,MMK2) into cell and acceleration of the cell machinery to bring about comparative changes in cascades of physiological, biochemical and

The plant defence system can be stimulated by various inducers such as pathogens (Penninckx et al. (1998), chemical compounds (Flors et al. 2003), plant extracts (Latha et al. 2009), organic matters (Youssef and Tartoura 2013) and microorganisms (Khan et al. 2012). In this regard, induction of plants systemic resistant include enzymatic and non enzymatic pathways. Consequently, induction of the antioxidant enzymes, secondary metabolites and pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins such as SOD, GPX, PAL and ß -1,3 glucanase are considered an important measure of the plant induced

It is recognized that accumulation of any metal into any lived organism depends more strongly on the fraction of metal that is available for uptake rather than the total metal concentration (Spurgeon and Hopkin, 1996). By their unique mechanism to feed mixed soil with organic matter by passing it through worms gut, where enzyme and surfactant are secreted into the content (Ma et al., 2017), particles are ground and mucus stimulate microbial activities by providing sugar (Martinkosky et al., 2017), earthworm species are widely recognized as suitable organisms for biomonitoring the effects of heavy metals in contaminated soils (Lemtiri et al., 2016; Maboeta et al., 2004).

Mycorrhizal fungi form a bridge between the roots and the soil, gathering nutrients from the soil and giving them to the roots. In this association, the fungus colonizes the host plant roots, either intracellular as in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi or extracellular as in ectomycorrhizal fungi. They are an important component of soil life and soil chemistry. Arbuscular mycorrhiza, which is formed between plants and Glomeromycota fungi, has the widest distribution in the nature (Sadhana, 2014). Both types (Ectomycorrhizal Fungi and Endomycorrhizal Fungi.) penetrate the plant roots, ectomycorrhizae spread their hyphae between root cells, while endomycorrhizae hyphae penetrate root cells.

Iron (Fe) is an essential microelement for all living organisms including plants, and is responsible for several key physiological functions. It plays vital roles in the electron- transport chains of photosynthesis and respiration to accept and donate electrons (Conte and Walker, 2011). Due to a wide range of anthropogenic activities, agricultural soils are continuously being contaminated with a myriad of chemical pollutants. Since Fe is an essential micronutrient, it becomes contaminant only at the higher concentrations in the soil. Owing to its significant toxic consequences in plants, Fe has been one of the least studied metals and sustainable strategies for

Phytoremediation is a naturally occurring process that was recognized and documented by humans more than 300 years ago. (Lasat, 2000) Since this time, humans have exploited certain plants’ abilities to survive in contaminated areas and to assist in the removal of contaminants from soil. However, true scientific study and development of these plants unique qualities was not conducted until the early 1980’s. (Lasat, 2000) At this time it was recognized that certain species of plants could accumulate high levels of heavy metals from the soil while continuing to grow and proliferate normally. (Lasat, 2000) Although research has been slow and tedious due to scientists’ incomplete understanding of the generalized cellular mechanisms of plants, the advent of new genetic technology has allowed scientists to determine the genetic basis for high rates of accumulation of toxic substances in plants. (Clemens et al., 2002) Using genetic engineering, scientists may soon be able to exploit this characteristic to provide a faster more efficient means of removing contaminants from the soil. Genetic