XRF-based element accumulation analysis of the populations of the hyperaccumulator Noccaea aucheri (Brassicaceae) species complex throughout its distribution range in Türkiye
Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, cilt.48, sa.11, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 48 Sayı: 11
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s11738-026-03960-3
- Dergi Adı: Acta Physiologiae Plantarum
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biological Science Database (ProQuest), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Elemental accumulation, Hyperaccumulation, Noccaea aucheri species complex, Phytoremediation
- Hacettepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Plant-based approaches such as biomonitoring, bioremediation and phytoremediation offer sustainable tools for assessing ecosystem health and restoring polluted habitats through natural interactions between organisms and environmental contaminants. The ability of plants to selectively accumulate trace elements and metals makes them useful for environmental monitoring in geochemically challenging landscapes. In this study, elemental accumulation patterns in the Noccaea aucheri species complex were investigated by integrating multi-element X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements with bioclimatic variables. Seventeen elements were analysed from basal and stem leaves collected from 12 wild populations across Türkiye. Principal component analysis (PCA) and redundancy analysis (RDA) were used to characterise major axes of elemental variation and to quantify relationships between elemental profiles and environmental predictors. Coordinated multielement variation was revealed by PCA in both leaf types, whereas RDA indicated that elemental composition was associated mainly with altitude and taxon-associated grouping. Nickel (Ni) concentrations were high across all taxa and populations, supporting the hyperaccumulation capacity of the complex in ultramafic and related edaphic habitats. Differences between basal and stem leaves suggest tissue-level variation in elemental allocation, but these patterns should be interpreted as indicative rather than as direct evidence of specific physiological mechanisms. Overall, the N. aucheri species complex provides a useful model for investigating multielement accumulation in serpentine-associated Anatolian plants. Given the absence of paired soil data and unbalanced taxonomic sampling, the results are best interpreted as a comparative, hypothesis-generating framework for future plant-soil ionomic, physiological and biomonitoring studies.