Species richness and selenium accumulation of plants in soils with elevated concentration of selenium and salinity

Journal Article · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0147-6513(91)90077-3· OSTI ID:5717170

Huang, Z Z; Wu, L ^[1]

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1. Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of California, Davis (United States)

Field studies were conducted in soils with elevated concentrations of Se and salinity at Kesterson, California. Biomass distribution, species richness, and selenium accumulation of plants were examined for two sites where 15 cm of surface soil was removed and replaced with fill dirt in the fall of 1989, and two sites were native soil cover. The Se concentrations in the top 15 cm of fill dirt ranged from undetectable to 36 ng g-1. For the native soil sites, Se levels ranged from 75 to 550 ng g-1. Soil Se concentrations below 15 cm ranged from 300 to 700 ng g-1 and were comparable between the fill dirt and the native soil sites. At least 20 different plant species were brought into the two fill dirt sites with the top soil. Avena fatua L., Bassia hyssopifolia Kuntze Rev. Gen. Pl., Centaurea solstitialis L., Erysimum officianale L., Franseria acanthicarpa Cav. Icon., and Melilotus indica (L.) All. contributed over 60% of the total biomass. Only 5 species were found in the native soil sites, and salt grass (Distichlis spicata L.) was the predominant species and accounted for over 80% of the total biomass. Between 1989 and 1990, two years after the surface soil replacement, the two fill dirt sites had a 70% reduction in species richness. Plant tissue selenium concentrations were found to be quite variable between plant species and between sites of sampling. At the fill dirt sites, the plant species with deep root systems accumulated greater amounts of selenium than the shallow-rooted species. The soil selenium concentration of the field soil had no negative effect on pollen fertility, seed set, and seed germination for the plant species examined. However, seedling growth was impaired by the soil selenium concentrations. This suggests that a selection pressure of soil Se concentration may have been imposed on plant species such as M. indica in an early stage of its life cycle.

• OSTI ID: 5717170
• Journal Information: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety; (United States), Journal Name: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety; (United States) Vol. 22:3; ISSN EESAD; ISSN 0147-6513
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AGE DEPENDENCE
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
CALIFORNIA
CONTAMINATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
LAND POLLUTION
LIFE CYCLE
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
PLANTS
POLLUTION
SEEDLINGS
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SENSITIVITY
SOILS
USA