Effect of Soil Metals on Pollination of Subalpine Wildflowers

Abstract

Metals-rich soils can occur naturally or through human activity, such as mining. Plants growing in metal-rich soils often incorporate metals into their tissues; the concentration of these metals varies, and plants which concentrate the metals most strongly are termed hyperaccumulators. Accumulation of metals in plant tissues has mainly been studied in the context of phytoremediation. We examined the effects of metal-rich soils on natural systems surrounding mines in Gunnison County, Colorado. Some native plants growing on mine soils accumulated metals in their tissues compared to those growing on uncontaminated soils. In addition, plant communities growing on uncontaminated sites were more diverse than those growing on mine sites. Plants growing on mines were generally shorter and had fewer flowers compared to those from uncontaminated sites, including Lupinus argenteus, Thlaspi montanum, and Draba aurea. For D. aurea, pollination rates were lower at mine sites, which could be a result of changes in plant or pollinator community composition or of the shorter, less showy plants. This study provides evidence to suggest that mine sites may affect native plant pollination; however, more investigation must be done to understand the mechanisms of how soil metals affect pollination and subsequent plant fitness. Chelsea Little, 3

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