Frequency distribution of foliar nickel is bimodal in the ultramafic flora of Kinabalu Park (Sabah, Malaysia)

Research on Kinabalu Park's ultramafic flora reveals a bimodal frequency distribution of foliar nickel (Ni), indicating distinct ecophysiological behaviors in plants growing in similar soils. This finding contrasts with other elements like magnesium and manganese, which exhibit unimodal or log-normal distributions. The study analyzed 1533 foliar samples from ultramafic soils and 177 from non-ultramafic soils, alongside corresponding soil samples, to test for departure from unimodality. The bimodal Ni distribution suggests a threshold between 250 and 850 μg g-1, supporting the established empirical threshold (>1000 μg g-1) for hyperaccumulator species. This research highlights the unique physiological responses in plants adapted to nickel-rich environments.

van der Ent, A., Echevarria, G., Nkrumah, P. N., & Erskine, P. D. (2020). Frequency distribution of foliar nickel is bimodal in the ultramafic flora of Kinabalu Park (Sabah, Malaysia). Annals of Botany, 126(6), 1017–1027. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcaa119