Erratic hyperaccumulation of nickel, with particular reference to the Queensland serpentine endemic Pimelea leptospermoides

Abstract

Many hyperaccumulators of nickel (Ni) are endemic to ultramafic soils and always show very high Ni concentrations. Others occur on a variety of substrates but accumulate high Ni from the ultramafic ones. Pimelea leptospermoides is unusual in being an ultramafic endemic that shows a very wide range of Ni concentrations. The present work sought to establish the factors governing the wide variation in Ni uptake by P. leptospermoides, and aimed to investigate the likelihood of this variation originating from plant differences or soil differences. Multiple paired plant and soil samples were taken over the geographic range of occurrence of P. leptospermoides. Plant and soil metal concentrations an..