Effects of calcareous and serpentinite parent material on the mineral characteristics of soils and plant material of Teucrium montanum L. (Lamiaceae)

The objective of this study was to determine eco-edaphic characteristics and influence of different substrates on mineral characteristics of facultative serpentinophyte. The total concentration of 20 elements Al, As, B, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Se, and Zn in soil samples and aboveground parts of medicinal plant species Teucrium montanum from various calcareous and serpentinite habitats in the territory of Serbia was determined. The concentration of the elements was established by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry–ICP-OES. The obtained results showed that the quantities of certain elements Al, As, B, Ca, Cd, Cu, K, Li, P, Se, and Zn were detected more in the soil samples from calcareous habitats in comparison to the quantities of other metals Co, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, which were more frequently found in the soil samples from the serpentinite habitats. Analyzed plant samples from calcareous habitats contained higher concentrations of Al, Ca, Li, and Zn as opposed to serpentinite containing higher concentrations of Co, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, and Se. Examined species can accumulate macro- and microelements in different quantities, depending on the substrate type. Differences in the concentration of certain elements in the soil samples and aboveground parts of the T. montanum from calcareous and serpentinite habitats indicate significant phenotypic plasticity of the investigated species as well as the existence of specific serpentinite ecotypes developed by the activity of various edaphic factors.