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Wild Oat as an Indicator of Atmospheric Inputs of Lead to a Rangeland Ecosystem¹

ABSTRACT

Wild oat (Avena fatua L.) proved to be a sensitive indicator of atmospheric inputs of lead (Pb). The dried plant material accumulated Pb from the atmosphere with little or no inputs from Pb contaminated soils. Pb was shown to be relatively immobile within the plants even when the plants were grown in culture solutions in which the Pb was rendered more available with chelates. The contaminated, above ground plant tissue was also shown to retain Pb deposited on the tissue from the atmosphere. Leaching with water was ineffective in removing Pb from the tissue, but dilute acid was fairly effective and EDTA completely leached the tissue of Pb. These results are discussed in relation to the usefulness of the species as an indicator of atmospheric Pb.

Key Words: Pb pollution • vegetative indicators for Pb • Pb uptake and distribution in plants

¹ Research was supported in part by funds granted by Regents of Univ. of Calif.

² Associate Professor of Agronomy, Univ. of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616.

Received for publication December 16, 1974.