Physiological responses of Vaccinium vitis-idaea to high tissue concentrations of manganese

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Botany
• Main Author: Miller, P. M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1987
• Subjects: Plant Science; Tundra; Alaska
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b87-225; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b87-225

Photosynthetic rates, dry moss accumulation, leaf number per shoot, stem length, and tissue element concentrations were measured in Vaccinium vitis-idaea growing in tussock tundra at Toolik Lake, Alaska. Manganese concentrations of 6 800 – 12 300 μg/g dry mass in leaf tissue of V. vitis-idaea did not affect photosynthetic rates, dry mass, or leaf number when compared with plants containing 18–1500 μg manganese/g dry mass. Tissue analysis indicated possible substitution of manganese for magnesium and inhibition of uptake and (or) translocation of calcium, iron, manganese, silicon, and aluminum. High concentrations of calcium and the high correlation between manganese and silicon concentrations suggest that these elements may play a role in manganese tolerance observed in V. vitis-idaea.