Prof.  Irina  Shtangeeva
Institute of Earth Sciences, St. Petersburg State University,  Russia

Title: Element concentrations in plant as an indicator of the plant systematics

Abstract:

Native populations of plants include different plant species that differ at physiological, biochemical, and genetic levels. We may assume that these specific features partially result from quantitative distributions of different macro- and trace elements in the plants. During recent years an impressive progress has been made in the understanding of the processes of uptake and pathways of various chemical elements in plants. It was shown that different genotypes may differ in the demands for mineral element supply and capacity of the element uptake, transport and involvement in the plant metabolism. Differences in the plant mineral nutrition have been recognized by both agronomists and molecular biologists. It has been assumed that each plant species has developed a specific element composition, and concentrations of different elements in a plant reflect first of all plant nutrient requirements rather than concentrations of the nutrients in soil. Different plants growing in the same place often have different concentrations of trace and macro-elements. It is important to remember that under ordinary conditions, each plant part may have its own characteristic concentrations of elements. Therefore, comparisons of element concentrations in plants may not be referred to the plant as a whole but should refer to the same plant parts (e.g. roots, or leaves, or seeds). Lastly, we may assume that not only concentration of one or another element in a particular plant part of any two plant species growing in the same environment may differ significantly but relations between elements in the plants may also be different.

In the present work we compared different plant species grown both in a field and in greenhouse. The basic idea was that not only concentrations of organic compounds but also contents of macro- and trace elements in the plant species, and probably relationships between elements in different parts of the plants, may be different. The aim was to assess and to try to explain the differences and similarities in the ability of the plants to uptake and translocate different elements. We also studied relationships between various elements in different parts of the plant species, stressing the importance of not only organic but also mineral components as an additional indicator of the plant classification.

Biography:

Affiliation and work address:

Institute of Earth Sciences, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab., 7/9, St. Petersburg  199034 Russia, Tel: 007 812 687-61-22, E-mail: shtangeeva@gmail.com

Career/Employment:

2014 –           senior researcher,InstituteofEarth Sciences,St. PetersburgUniversity

2006 – 2014   senior researcher, Chemical Department,St. PetersburgUniversity

1999 - 2006 - senior researcher,InterdisciplinaryCenter,St. PetersburgUniversity

1991 -1999 -  senior researcher,InstituteofEarth Crust,St. PetersburgUniversity

1983 -1991 -  researcher,InstituteofEarth Crust,St. PetersburgUniversity

1979 -1983 -  junior research scientist,InstituteofEarth Crust,St. PetersburgUniversity

1978 -1979 -  engineer,InstituteofEarth Crust,St. PetersburgUniversity

Main scientific interests:

Ecology, biogeochemistry, multivariate statistics and modelling, modern analytical techniques