The primary problems which plants growing on serpentine soil must overcome are high magnesium concentrations and calcium deficiency. The ability of Allium cratericola to successfully exploit both serpentine and non-serpentine habitats may be due to physiological adaptations which compensate for unusual mineral composition of the soil. Although the Table Mountain soil is described as non serpentine, it bears ionic similarities to the three serpentine soils studied in this investigation.
With the advent of modern biochemical techniques in plant physiology, there are ample opportunities to expand on past work concerning plant growth on serpentine soil. Investigations into the biochemical nature of tolerance mechanisms, especially those involving the mechanics of ion transport and translocation, could further elucidate the nature of plant growth on this soil type.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:pacific.edu/oai:scholarlycommons.pacific.edu:uop_etds-3211 |
| Date | 01 January 1991 |
| Creators | McIntyre, Todd Ian |
| Publisher | Scholarly Commons |
| Source Sets | University of the Pacific |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations |
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