CARACTERIZAÇÃO DO PADRÃO DE ACÚMULO E DISTRIBUIÇÃO EM ALUMÍNIO EM Dimorphandra mollis Benth

Abstract

The Brazilian Cerrado is a biome of extreme biodiversity, hosting a wide variety of tree, shrub, and herbaceous species. Dimorphandra mollis Benth, a medium-sized tree from the Fabaceae family, is common in this biome and shows high density in various regions. A significant challenge for Cerrado plants is the presence of acidic soils, rich in aluminum, which can be toxic and hinder root growth and nutrient absorption. Native Cerrado plants, however, have developed strategies to cope with high levels of aluminum, using exclusion or tolerance mechanisms. Some species excrete organic acids that chelate aluminum, while others immobilize the metal in vacuoles, allowing them to grow without harmful effects. Woody species like Populus and Pinus exemplify these mechanisms well. Studies indicate that aluminum hyperaccumulator plants can store concentrations exceeding 10 g/kg of dry matter in their leaves, while non-accumulators exhibit less than 1 g/kg. Dimorphandra mollis still lacks specific research on its adaptation to aluminum in acidic soils, although it is believed to be tolerant of toxic aluminum, adopting exclusion or accumulation strategies.