Trace element content of soils and plants from the Selwyn Mountains, Yukon and Northwest Territories

Abstract

The relationships between molybdenum, copper, zinc, and manganese contents of soils and plants from a pristine region of northwestern Canada are reported. Abnormally high plant molybdenum values (up to 52 ppm dry weight) are associated with a diverse flora growing on neutral or slightly alkaline molybdeniferous soils derived from shale–limestone parent materials. On acidic, molybdenum-rich soils and soils with normal molybdenum content, levels in plants seldom exceed 0.2 ppm.Data for copper in vegetation indicate low, rather uniform values for a variety of soil conditions. Zinc, however, shows appreciable differences in uptake, with the greatest accumulation in woody, deciduous species. Manganese uptake, which is also greatest for woody species, decreases with increasing soil pH. Caribou moss (Cladonia alpestris (L.) Rabenh.) is notably low in all four trace elements.