Copper tolerance in clones of Agrostis gigantea from a mine waste site

Abstract

A mine waste site from Sudbury, Ontario, contaminated with heavy metals is described. The dominant vegetative cover was formed by two grasses: Agrostis gigantea Roth, and Agrostis scabra Willd. Testing of 10 clones of A. gigantea from the roast bed and an adjoining area for copper tolerance showed that two clones collected from the roast bed were tolerant to increased copper levels. Copper tolerance was found in clones growing on soils with high copper contents and low pHs. The combination of high copper content and low pH brought about a high level of extractable copper within the soil. Soils with equally high copper levels but higher pHs and therefore low extractable-copper levels did not support copper-tolerant clones.