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Morphological changes induced by heavy metals in dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Web.) growing on mine soils

  • POTENTIALLY HARMFUL ELEMENTS IN SOIL-PLANT INTERACTIONS
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Abstract

Purpose

Heavy metal accumulation produces significant physiological and biochemical responses in vascular plants. Plants growing on abandoned mine sites are of particular interest, since they are genetically tolerant to high metal concentrations. In this work, we examined the effect of heavy metals (HMs) on the morphology of T. officinale growing in pots with mine soils, with the following objectives: (1) to determine the evolution of HM concentration in leaves and roots over 3 years of cultivation; (2) to highlight possible damage at anatomical and cytological level.

Materials and methods

Wild specimens of Taraxacum officinale Web., with their soil clod, were gathered from three sites with different contamination levels by heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn) in the abandoned Imperina Valley mine (Northeast Italy). A control plant was also gathered from a non-contaminated site nearby. Plants were cultivated in pots at the botanical garden of the University of Florence (HBF), and appeared macroscopically not affected by toxic signals (reduced growth, leaf necrosis) possibly induced by soil HM concentration. Leaves and roots taken at the same growing season were observed by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

Results and discussion

Light microscopy observations show a clear difference in the cellular organisation of non-contaminated and contaminated samples. The unpolluted samples present a well-organised palisade tissue and spongy photosynthetic parenchyma. Samples from contaminated sites, instead, present a palisade parenchyma less organised, and a reduction of leaf thickness proportional to HM concentration. The poor structural organisations, and the reduced foliar thickness of the contaminated plants, are related to soil contamination. Differences in root micromorphology concern the cortical parenchyma. Moreover, all the samples examined present mycorrhiza. Ultrastructure observations of the parenchyma cells show mitochondrial structure alteration, with lacking or reduced cristae of the internal membrane at increasing metal content. Instead, chloroplast organisation does not present significant differences, particularly in number and compartmentalization of thylakoids.

Conclusions

Although macromorphology does not present evidence of phytotoxicity, the recorded observations of the micromorphological characteristics of leaves and roots, show a suffering state of the plants, strictly related to HM content. Leaching reduced partly the HM content of the soil, therefore decreasing their phytotoxic effect. A gradual restoration of leaf organisation suggests that somewhat resilience occurred in plants. Moreover, the presence of stress-tolerant mycorrhizal fungi could contribute to reduce metal toxicity.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Corrado Tani, Pietro Di Falco and Flavia Visin for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via P.A. Micheli, 3, 50121, Florence, Italy

    Laura Maleci

  2. Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca’Foscari University of Venice, Dorsoduro 2137, 30123, Venice, Italy

    Gabriella Buffa & Claudio Bini

  3. Marine Science Station, The University of Jordan—Aqaba Branch, Aqaba, Jordan

    Mohammad Wahsha

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  1. Laura Maleci
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  2. Gabriella Buffa
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  3. Mohammad Wahsha
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  4. Claudio Bini
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Correspondence to Laura Maleci.

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Maleci, L., Buffa, G., Wahsha, M. et al. Morphological changes induced by heavy metals in dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Web.) growing on mine soils. J Soils Sediments 14, 731–743 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-013-0823-y

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