Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Rearing the Cabbage White Butterfly (Pieris rapae) in Controlled Conditions: A Case Study with Heavy Metal Tolerance
Published on: August 18, 2023
Effect of heavy metal stress on emerging plants community constructions in wetland
Han Peng1, Wu Geng, Wu Yong-quan
1Huazhong University of Science and Technology,Wuhan 430074, China. hanpenghust@163.com
Abstract:
In this paper, we report the effects of heavy metals (HMs) (cadmium and mercury) on seed germination and seedling growth of Phragmites australis and Triarrhena sacchariflora, which are the two main typical emerging plants in Hongze Lake wetland. The results showed that there was a reduction in germination percentage, germination index and seedling length as HM concentration in the growing media increased for both treatments. The effect of HMs toxicity on seed germination and seedling growth of T. sacchariflora was more obvious than of P. australis. At the stage of seed germination, P. australis and T. sacchariflora were sensitive to Hg(2 + ) and Cd(2 + ), respectively, and Hg(2 + ) was more toxic than Cd(2 + ) at the stage of seedling growth. The effect of HMs toxicity is not invariable during plant growth. Compared to the stage of seedling growth, P. australis and T. sacchariflora are more susceptible to HMs at the stage of seed germination. In addition, we calculated the ecological thresholds of P. australis to Cd and Hg are 19.32 and 1.08 mg kg(-1), and that of T. sacchariflora to Cd is 4.62 mg kg(-1) based on the lab simulation. The results also indicated that the species of P. australis is more tolerant than T. sacchariflora to the HMs and is a better candidate for restoration in Hongze Lake wetland ecosystem.
Related Concept Videos
Responses to Drought and Flooding
Microbial Wastewater Treatment
Responses to Salt Stress
Freshwater Microbial Ecology
Acid Mine Drainage
The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements
