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The Plant Ionome as a Functional Trait: Variation across Bioclimatic Regions and Functional Groups
Ofir Katz1,2, Renan Fernandes Moura1,3, Michal Gruntman3,4
1Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, Israel.
Physiologia Plantarum
|January 21, 2025
Summary
Plant ionome composition varies by region and functional group, driven by climate. Desert plants favor strontium for drought tolerance, while grasses accumulate silicon.
Area of Science:
- Plant ecology
- Biogeochemistry
- Plant physiology
Background:
- Plant chemical composition is a key ecological trait.
- Limited research exists on ionome variation across functional groups and regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate patterns and drivers of plant ionome variation.
- Compare ionomic differences among plant functional groups and bioclimatic regions.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed ionomes of 83 plant species using X-ray fluorescence.
- Sampled plants from four functional groups across desert and Mediterranean sites.
Main Results:
- Bioclimatic factors, not soil, primarily drive ionome variation.
- Mediterranean plants associate with calcium; desert plants with strontium (Sr).
- Grasses show unique ionomic profiles with high silicon (Si).
Conclusions:
- Plant ionome composition is shaped by physiological constraints and environmental variability.
- Element interactions form phenotypes influenced by natural selection.
- Plant ionome is a crucial functional trait for understanding plant adaptation.
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