The ecological significance of nickel hyperaccumulation: a plant chemical defense

摘要: Nickel hyperaccumulating plants have more than 1000 mg Ni kg−1 dry weight when grown on nickel-bearing soils. We hypothesized that hyperaccumulation could serve as a chemical defense against herbivores In feeding experiments with potential insect and plants, only those inseets fed leaves from non-nickel-bearing soil survived or showed gain. Among parameters measured, content of was sufficient to explain this result. When subjected herbivory by lepidopteran larvae, Ni-amended greater survival yield unamended soil. may be an effective plant because its high lethality, apparent low cost, broad spectrum toxicity.