Metal Accumulation and Functional Traits of Maianthemum bifolium (L.) F. W. Schmidt in Acid Beech Forests Differing with Pollution Level

Abstract

Abstract Maianthemumbifolium (L.) F. W. Schmidt is a clonal plant with a wide geographical range throughout Europe and Asia. It is also abundant as an understory plant of acid beech forests in southern Poland. The response strategies of this species to heavy metals and their effects on some functional traits (height, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), specific rhizome length (SRL) and rhizomes dry matter content (RDMC)) were tested. Selected heavy metal concentrations were measured in leaves, rhizomes and rooting soil of May lily in five beech forests of southern Poland, mainly including an industrialised region of Upper Silesia. The contamination level of these ecosystems was assessed with a single pollution index. The results show significant contamination with Pb even at control sites and moderate with Cd, Zn, Fe and Cu in Upper Silesian forests. May lily accumulated Pb, Zn and Fe mainly in rhizomes, but Ni, Cu and Cd were also translocated to aboveground organs in comparable quantities, which confirms the indicator value of this plant. May lily accumulated up to 21 and 30 mg g−1 Cd, 34 and 90 mg g−1 Pb and 250 and 553 mg g−1 Zn in leaves and rhizomes respectively. Moreover, the accumulation factors show that May lily accumulates Cd in above- and underground organs in higher amounts than found in soil. Although high concentrations of these toxic elements in tissues, no visible damages on plants were observed, also the measured functional traits show no apparent relationship with the pollution level.