Metal accumulation and rhizosphere characteristics of Noccaea rotundifolia ssp. cepaeifolia

This work aimed to investigate the metal accumulation characteristics as well as biogeochemical changes in the rhizosphere and root foraging strategies of this plant species. Previous reports suggested that Noccaea rotundifolia ssp. cepaeifolia is a Zn, Cd and Pb hyperaccumulator. We used hydroponic, rhizobox and split-pot experiments for studying metal accumulation and related rhizosphere processes. Although this species accumulated up to 1250 mg Pb kg−1 and 27,000 mg Zn kg−1 in shoots, translocation factors