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Toxic effects of soil manganese on tropical trees

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Abstract

Aims

Manganese (Mn) is toxic to plants at high concentrations with recent evidence indicating slowed tropical-tree growth by high soil Mn concentrations. However, little information exists about the physiological effects of high Mn on tropical trees. We investigated physiological responses and toxicity effects of Mn in several tropical tree species. Given potential physiological interactions between Mn and phosphorus (P), we also hypothesised that P could be used to detoxify Mn.

Methods

We conducted two controlled-growth experiments on seedlings of five tree species from Panama. The first experiment tested the effects of increasing concentrations of soil Mn; the second examined whether P availability mitigates Mn toxicity.

Results

Severe Mn toxicity occurred at 5 mM Mn, with toxicity symptoms in some species at 1.5 mM Mn. Responses to Mn toxicity were species-specific and depended on P supply. One species intolerant of high Mn responded by using P for detoxification; others either tolerated or detoxified Mn by another mechanism.

Conclusions

We conclude that Mn can be toxic to tropical tree species and Mn toxicity increases P demand in some species. Other species are broadly tolerant of high Mn, suggesting that Mn tolerance might contribute to differences in species distributions and growth of tropical trees.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Jorge Aranda, Nicolas Glynos, Ryota Aoyagi, Dayana Agudo, and Aleksandra Bielnicka for assistance at the plant growth facilities and with laboratory analyses, and Jorge Ceballos with microscopy assistance. GZ received support from a ForestGEO postdoctoral fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama

    Graham Zemunik, Klaus Winter & Benjamin L. Turner

Authors
  1. Graham Zemunik
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  2. Klaus Winter
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  3. Benjamin L. Turner
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Contributions

Graham Zemunik, Benjamin Turner and Klaus Winter designed the research. Graham Zemunik performed the research, and collected and analysed the data. Graham Zemunik wrote the manuscript and all authors contributed to revisions. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Graham Zemunik.

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Zemunik, G., Winter, K. & Turner, B.L. Toxic effects of soil manganese on tropical trees. Plant Soil 453, 343–354 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-020-04603-3

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