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Adaptive response of poplar (Populus nigra L.) after prolonged Cd exposure period

Environmental Science and Pollution Research volume 21, pages 3792–3802 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

An outdoor pot experiment was designed to study the changes of growth parameters, accumulation, and distribution of Cd in poplar (Populus nigra L.) during a prolonged exposure period (growing period of 17 months including three harvest points), allowing the consideration of time effects and prolonged adaptation to Cd stress. Simultaneously, changes to the antioxidant system in roots and leaves were monitored. It was demonstrated that poplar could adapt to the Cd-contaminated soils after prolonged exposure. Total Cd accumulation in the aerial parts of poplar, due to high biomass production and acceptable Cd accumulation parameters, implies that the tested poplar species could be a good candidate for Cd phytoextraction application as well as could be used as phytostabilizer of Cd in heavily polluted soil. Furthermore, the activity of the antioxidant machinery displays both a tissue- and exposure-specific response pattern to different Cd treatments, indicating that strict regulation of the antioxidant defense system is required for the adaptive response of poplar. In addition, this report highlights the importance of prolonged exposure studies of physiological responses of plants, especially for long-life-cycle woody species under heavy metal stress, since some misleading conclusions could be reached after shorter time periods.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Croatian Forest Research Institute team; Ivica Čehulić, the nursery manager, and his staff as well as analysts Renata Tubikanec and Monika Hlebić for the assistance in the field and the laboratory experiment. Support from the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, Republic of Croatia (Grant No. 0582261-2256) is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Croatian Forest Research Institute, Jastrebarsko, Cvjetno naselje 41, 10450, Jastrebarsko, Croatia

    Tamara Jakovljević

  2. Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Marina Cvjetko Bubalo, Sanja Orlović & Ivana Radojčić Redovniković

  3. Laboratory for Residue Control, Department for Veterinary Public Health, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska cesta 143, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Marija Sedak & Nina Bilandžić

  4. Zagreb Holding—Branch Zrinjevac, Remetinečka cesta 15, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Iva Brozinčević

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  1. Tamara Jakovljević
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  2. Marina Cvjetko Bubalo
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  3. Sanja Orlović
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  4. Marija Sedak
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  5. Nina Bilandžić
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  7. Ivana Radojčić Redovniković
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Correspondence to Ivana Radojčić Redovniković.

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Responsible editor: Elena Maestri

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Jakovljević, T., Bubalo, M.C., Orlović, S. et al. Adaptive response of poplar (Populus nigra L.) after prolonged Cd exposure period. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 3792–3802 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2292-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2292-7

Keywords

  • Antioxidative enzymes
  • Cadmium
  • Heavy metal stress
  • Phytoremediation
  • Populus nigra
  • Prolonged exposure period