METALLOPHYTES

SANICO, Thea Coleen F.

Bio 115

- Metals required by plants for inorganic nutrient,

Metallophytes however, in high concentrations they would be toxic to
plants
- found only on metalliferous soils, as opposed to
Tolerate and survive in high soil pseudometallophytes, which can be found even on non-
concentrations of metals and metalloids
Metal phytotoxicity metalliferous soils.
Found only in metalliferous soils - Metalliferous soils include ultramafic soils which are
vs pseudometallophytes found in the Philippines.
Able to accumulate high levels of heavy - Some metallophytes are able to accumulate (rather than
metals in tissues (hyperaccumulator)
Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn simply tolerate) extremely high levels of heavy metals in
As, Co, Cd, Se their tissues (hyperaccumulators) even compared to
closely related species of the plant that are not adapted
to metal-rich soils
- Some metallophytes accumulate essential elements (Cu,
Mn, Ni, Zn), while others can also accumulate non-
essential elements (arsenic, cobalt, cadmium, selenium)
- Hyperaccumulators would take up metals and store them
in the leaves or in the shoot whereas non-
hyperaccumulators would not (the metals just stay in the
roots).

- geographically, they have a restricted distribution

- often endemic to their area.
Metallophytes
- widely distributed across different genera and families.
- Metallophyte species closely-related with non-
Habitat metallophyte species.
Metalliferous soils
Distinct phytogeographic areas
Geographically restricted
Taxonomically, widely distributed
Hyperaccumulators represent <0.2% of known angiosperm species
 Allelopathy chemical inhibition of a plant due to release of
growth and germination inhibitors (or similar substances) into
Metallophytes
the environment by another plant

Hypotheses for metal-accumulation Tolerance of metallophytes has been found to be attributed to

Elemental allelopathy to competitors difference in gene activities, particularly in the up and down
Osmotic resistance to drought
regulating enzymes. There is reduced or increased expression in
Defense against herbivores and pathogens
Accidental transporter genes (for example) in metallophytes as compared
Mechanism to non-metallophytes.
Differential gene activities (up- or down-regulating enzymes)

Brookes Point, Palawan nickeliferous soil

Lepanto, Mankaya, Benguet cupriferous soil

METALLOPHYTES IN THE
PHILIPPINES

Planchonella Alstonia
macrophylla

Order: Ericales Order Gentianales

Family: Sapotaceae Family: Apocynaceae

Brookes Point, Palawan Brooke Point, Palawan

Weinmannia Nephrolepis
hirsutula

Order Order Polypodiales

Family Cunoniaceae Family Nephrolepidaceae

Brooke Point, Palawan Lepanto, Mankaya, Benguet

Dicranopteris Pteridium
linearis aquilinum

Order Gleicheniales Order Dennstaedtiales

Family Gleicheniaceae Family Dennstaedtiaceae
Lepanto, Mankayan, Benguet Lepanto, Mankayan Benguet

A stem, jade green liquid containing Ni

Phyllanthus B leaves containing Ni
C leaves crushed onto filter soaked with dimethylglyoxime,
balgoolyii complexes with Ni forming a purple color

Family Malpighiales
Order Euphorbiaceae
Palawan
Nickel hyperaccumulator
 Not native to Philippines, found in Australia
Breynia cernua

Order Malpighiales
Family Euphorbiaceae
Acoje, Zambales
Nickel accumulator

This is just a bunch of other metallophytes found in the

Philippines

Phytoremediation - techniques that use plants to remove

Applications hazardous chemicals from the air, water, or soil.

Phytomining plants grown in a specific site and harvested for

Phytoremediation the metals
Extraction of metals from soil in contaminated sites using plants
Phytomining
Mining of metals using plants
 This is a flowchart demonstrating how phytomining and
phytoremediation can be done

References References

Alford, E.R., Pilon-Smits, E.A.H., & Paschke, M.W. (2010). Metallophytes a view from
the rhizosphere. Plant Soil, 337:33-50. doi 10.1007/s11104-010-0482-3
Baumbach, H. (2012). Metallophytes and metallicolous vegetation: Evolutionary
aspects, taxonomic changes and Conservational Status in Central Europe, Perspectives
on Nature Conservation - Patterns, Pressures and Prospects, Prof. John Tiefenbacher
(Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-0033-1, InTech, Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/
Claveria, R.J.R. (2012). Phytoremediation: an environmental option to mine
rehabilitation [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://rwg-
tag.bravehost.com/Conferences/Tribute/Claveria.pdf
Aribal, L.G., Marin, R.A., & Miras, N.A.P. (2016). The metallophytes in the ultramafic soil
of Mt. Kiamo in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, Philippines. Journal of Biodiversity and
Environmental Sciences, 8(4): 142-150. Retrieved from http://www.innspub.net
Baker, A.J.M., Ernst, W.H.O., Van der Ent, A., Malaisse, F., & Ginocchio, R. (2010)..
Metallophytes: the unique biological resource, its ecology, and conservational status in
Europe, Central Afrrica, and Latin America. In Batty, L.C., & Hallberg, K.B. (Eds.),
Ecology of Industrial Pollution. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press
Claveria, R.R., De los Santos, C.Y., Teodoro, K.B., Rellosa, M.A.., & Valera, N.S. (2010).
Identification of metallophytes in the Fe and Cu-enriched environments of Bookes
Point, Palawan and Mankayan, Benguet, and their implications to phytoremediation.
Science Diliman 21(2):1:12.