Accumulation of copper and nickel in plant tissues and an insect gall of lowbush blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium, near an ore smelter at Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

The accumulation of copper and nickel in plant tissues and galls of Hemadas nubilipennis on lowbush blueberry near an ore smelter at Sudbury, Ontario, was investigated. Concentrations of these metals in the root, stem, and leaf tissue decline logarithmically with increasing distance from the Sudbury smelter. The pattern of accumulation for copper and nickel in the various tissues was root > stem > leaf > berry; however, metal differences in these tissues were not as great in plants farther from the smelter. The root tissue is the primary site of accumulation of these metals when environmental levels of copper and nickel are high. The highest concentrations of copper and nickel were found in the galls, indicating that gall tissues act as a strong physiological sink for micronutrients and redirect nutrients from the host plant. Key words: Vaccinium angustifolium, copper, nickel, gall, Sudbury.