Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2002 Apr;89(4):443-9.
doi: 10.1093/aob/mcf067.

Aluminium and phosphate uptake by Phragmites australis: the role of Fe, Mn and Al root plaques

Lesley C Batty  1 , Alan J M Baker, Bryan D Wheeler
Affiliations

Aluminium and phosphate uptake by Phragmites australis: the role of Fe, Mn and Al root plaques

Lesley C Batty et al. Ann Bot. 2002 Apr.

Abstract

Aluminium, a potentially phytotoxic metal, is an important constituent of many mine water discharges but has largely been neglected in the literature. The behaviour of this element in the rhizosphere of the wetland plant Phragmites australis was investigated in the laboratory in the presence and absence of Mn and Fe root plaques. Electron microscopy and chemical extraction techniques were utilized to determine the physico-chemical properties of the plaques and any association of Al. Both Mn and Fe plaques occurred as amorphous coatings on root surfaces with uneven distributions. Al was not adsorbed onto the surface of either plaque type but formed a separate phosphate deposit closely resembling the Fe and Mn plaques. Phosphorus was also found to be adsorbed to the surface of the Fe plaques (but not the Mn plaques). Both mechanisms were found to immobilize P at the root surface but this did not significantly reduce the concentration of P in aerial plant tissues that was sufficient to ensure adequate growth.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

None
Fig. 1. Scanning electron micrographs of precipitates formed on P. australis roots grown in nutrient solution supplemented with metals. A, 50 mg l–1 Fe (320× backscatter). Arrows indicate iron plaque deposits. B, 50 mg l–1 Fe (480×). Unplaqued area of P. australis root. C, 50 mg l–1 Mn (704× backscatter). Arrows indicate manganese deposits. D, 1·0 mg l–1 Al (352× backscatter). Arrows indicate aluminium deposits. RH, Root hairs.
None
Fig. 2. Electron dispersive analysis of root precipitates formed in 50 mg l–1 Fe (A), 50 mg l–1 Fe and 1·0 mg l–1 Al (B) and 50 mg l–1 Mn (C).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. AnderssonM.1988. Toxicity and tolerance of aluminium in vascular plants: A literature review. Water, Air and Soil Pollution 39: 439–462.
    1. BachaRE, Hossner LR.1977. Characteristics of coatings formed on rice roots as affected by iron and manganese additions. Soil Science Society of America Journal 41: 931–935.
    1. BanksD, Younger PL, Arnesen RT, Iversen ER, Banks SB. 1997. Mine‐water chemistry: the good the bad and the ugly. Environmental Geology 32: 157–174.
    1. BattyLC, Baker AJM, Curtis CD, Wheeler BD.2000. The effect of pH and plaque on the uptake of Cu and Mn in P. australis (Cav.) Trin ex. Steudel. Annals of Botany 86: 647–653.
    1. BoultS.1996. Fluvial metal transport near sources of acid mine‐ drainage: relationships of soluble, suspended and deposited metal. Mineralogical Magazine 60: 325–335.

Publication types