Metallophytes of Serpentine and Calamine Soils – Their Unique Ecophysiology and Potential for Phytoremediation

摘要: Abstract For years, metallophytes of both natural and human-influenced metalliferous soils have focussed considerable attention due to their unique appearance ability colonize often extremely harsh habitats. A majority metal-contaminated areas comprise serpentine (ultramafic, rich in Ni, Cr and Co) calamine (rich Zn, Pb and Cd) hosting characteristic flora, which is the focus this review. Through microevolution, plants inhabiting habitats developed a range intriguing adaptive traits, demonstrated as morphological, behavioural and physiological alterations that enable them avoid and/or tolerate metal toxicity. The mechanisms responsible for protection plant cell from metals entering protoplast well detoxification toxic ions inside by chelation, vacuolar sequestration and exclusion are reviewed. These resulted highly specialized able hyperaccumulate or shoots. Potential applications kinds rehabilitation phytoremediation metal-polluted sites briefly discussed. Moreover, other beneficial metal-rich biomass mentioned, e.g., bio-ore precious recovery (phytomining, agromining), by-product eco-catalyst production or source micronutrients essential human diet health (biofortification). need active conservation metallophyte biodiversity pointed out.