Effects of Heavy Metal Profiles on Plant Diversity and Ecosystem Processes: An In-Depth Review
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Heavy metal pollution, from both natural and human sources, is a persistent environmental issue as these metals are non-biodegradable and accumulate in soil, water, and plants. They disrupt ecosystems and public health, particularly affecting agriculture by harming plants. This review analysed scientific literature on how heavy metals influence plant diversity. Findings show that heavy metal stress severely damages plants by impairing nutrient uptake, disrupting photosynthesis and respiration, causing ionic imbalance, and generating excess reactive oxygen species. This leads to reduced plant growth, reproduction, and survival, ultimately decreasing biodiversity, altering species composition, and impairing ecosystem functioning. In conclusion, heavy metal contamination threatens plant diversity and broader ecosystem services, highlighting the need for further research and mitigation strategies. In summary, heavy metal stress negatively influences plant physiology and molecular processes, causing declines in biodiversity and changes in ecosystem functioning. These effects propagate through food chains, undermining overall ecosystem services. This review provides a foundation for future research aimed at better understanding and mitigating the impacts of heavy metals on plant diversity
Downloads
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
Abbas, S. Z., Rafatullah, M., Ismail, N., & Lalung, J. (2014). Isolation, identification, and characterization of cadmium resistant Pseudomonas sp. M3 from industrial wastewater. Journal of Waste Management, 2014(1), 160398.
Abdullahi, I. L., & Sani, A. (2020). Welding fumes composition and their effects on blood heavy metals in albino rats. Toxicology Reports, 7, 1495-1501.
Abdullahi, M. S. (2015). Soil contamination, remediation and plants: Prospects and challenges. Soil Remediation and Plants; Khalid, RH, Muhammad, S., Munir, O., Ahmet, RM, Eds, 525.
Abtahi, M., Dobaradaran, S., Koolivand, A., Jorfi, S., & Saeedi, R. (2023). Assessment of cause-specific mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) induced by exposure to inorganic arsenic through drinking water and foodstuffs in Iran. Science of The Total Environment, 856, 159118.
Abu, M., Kalimenze, J., Mvile, B. N., & Kazapoe, R. W. (2021). Sources and pollution assessment of trace elements in soils of the central, Dodoma region, East Africa: implication for public health monitoring. Environmental Technology & Innovation, 23, 101705.
Acharya, S. (2024). Heavy metal contamination in food: Sources, Impact, and remedy. In Food safety and quality in the global south (pp. 233-261). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
Adriano, D.C., (2003). Trace Elements in Terrestrial Environments: Biogeochemistry, Bioavailability and Risks of Metals, 2nd edition. Springer, New York, NY, USA.
Afify, A., Ghezawy, N. A., Ali, M. M., & El-Tayeb, T. A. (2019). Effects of copper chlorophylline and magnesium chlorophylline on the humeral immune response, ultrastructural changes of midgut and DNA damage to Culex pipiens larvae. African entomology, 27(1), 146-158.
Ai, P., Jin, K., Alengebawy, A., Elsayed, M., Meng, L., Chen, M., & Ran, Y. (2020). Effect of application of different biogas fertilizer on eggplant production: Analysis of fertilizer value and risk assessment. Environmental Technology & Innovation, 19, 101019.
Alam, M. F., Akhter, M., Mazumder, B., Ferdous, A., Hossain, M. D., Dafader, N. C., ... & Atique Ullah, A. K. M. (2019). Assessment of some heavy metals in selected cosmetics commonly used in Bangladesh and human health risk. Journal of Analytical Science and Technology, 10(1), 1-8.
Ali, H., & Khan, E. (2018). What are heavy metals? Long-standing controversy over the scientific use of the term ‘heavy metals’–proposal of a comprehensive definition. Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry, 100(1), 6-19.
Ali, H., Khan, E., & Ilahi, I. (2019). Environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology of hazardous heavy metals: environmental persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation. Journal of chemistry, 2019(1), 6730305.
Ali, Q., Zia, M. A., Kamran, M., Shabaan, M., Zulfiqar, U., Ahmad, M., & Maqsood, M. F. (2023). Nanoremediation for heavy metal contamination: a review. Hybrid Advances, 4, 100091.
Aljelehawy, Q. H. A. (2022). Effects of the lead, cadmium, manganese heavy metals, and magnesium oxide nanoparticles on nerve cell function in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Cent. Asian J. Med. Pharm. Sci. Innov, 2(1), 25-36.
Alloway, B. J. (1995). Soil processes and the behaviour of metals. Heavy metals in soils, 13, 3488.
Amiri, S., Mehrnia, M., Azami, H., Barzegari, D., Shavandi, M., & Sarrafzadeh, M. (2010). Effect of heavy metals on fouling behavior in membrane bioreactors. Journal of Environmental Health Science & Engineering, 7(5), 377-384.
Angon, P. B., Islam, M. S., Das, A., Anjum, N., Poudel, A., & Suchi, S. A. (2024). Sources, effects and present perspectives of heavy metals contamination: Soil, plants and human food chain. Heliyon, 10(7).
Ashworth, D. J., & Alloway, B. J. (2008). Influence of dissolved organic matter on the solubility of heavy metals in sewage‐sludge‐amended soils. Communications in soil science and plant analysis, 39(3-4), 538-550.
Awewomom, J., Dzeble, F., Takyi, Y. D., Ashie, W. B., Ettey, E. N. Y. O., Afua, P. E., ... & Akoto, O. (2024). Addressing global environmental pollution using environmental control techniques: a focus on environmental policy and preventive environmental management. Discover Environment, 2(1), 8.
B.S.A.D.P. (1995). Agriculture in Bauchi State. Progress and achievement at - a - glance. B.S.A.D.P, Bauchi. Pp.31
Bacaha, N., Shamas, R. A. B. I. A., Bakht, J. E. H. A. N., Rafi, A. B. D. U. R., & Farhatullah, G. A. (2015). Effect of heavy metal and EDTA application on plant growth and phyto-extraction potential of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Pakistan journal of Botany, 47(5), 1679-1684.
Balvanera, P., Pfisterer, A. B., Buchmann, N., He, J. S., Nakashizuka, T., Raffaelli, D., & Schmid, B. (2006). Quantifying the evidence for biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning and services. Ecology letters, 9(10), 1146-1156.
Ban, Q., Liu, T., Ning, K., Fan, J., Cui, Q., Guo, Y., & Zai, X. (2021). Effect of calcium treatment on the browning of harvested eggplant fruits and its relation to the metab-olisms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phenolics. Food Science & Nutrition, 00, 1–8.
Barik, D., Rakhi Mol, K. M., Anand, G., Nandamol, P. S., Das, D., & Porel, M. (2025). Environmental pollutants such as endocrine disruptors/pesticides/reactive dyes and inorganic toxic compounds metals, radionuclides, and metalloids and their impact on the ecosystem. In Biotechnology for Environmental Sustainability (pp. 391-442). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
Bashir, K., Rasheed, S., Kobayashi, T., Seki, M., & Nishizawa, N. K. (2016). Regulating subcellular metal homeostasis: the key to crop improvement. Frontiers in Plant Science, 7, 1192.
Bayouli, I. T., Bayouli, H. T., Dell'Oca, A., Meers, E., & Sun, J. (2021). Ecological indicators and bioindicator plant species for biomonitoring industrial pollution: Eco-based environmental assessment. Ecological Indicators, 125, 107508.
Bellard, C., Bertelsmeier, C., Leadley, P., Thuiller, W., & Courchamp, F. (2012). Impacts of climate change on the future of biodiversity. Ecology letters, 15(4), 365-377.
Bilos, C., Colombo, J. C., Skorupka, C. N., & Presa, M. R. (2001). Sources, distribution and variability of airborne trace metals in La Plata City area, Argentina. Environmental pollution, 111(1), 149-158.
Bojorquez, C., Frias-Espericueta, M.G., Voltolina, D., (2016). Removal of cadmium and lead by adapted strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter cloacae. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient. 32, 407–412
Bolan, N., Adriano, D., Mani, S., & Khan, A. (2003). Adsorption, complexation, and phytoavailability of copper as influenced by organic manure. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 22(2), 450-456.
Bollivar, D. W. (2006). Recent advances in chlorophyll biosynthesis. Photosynth Res. 90, 173–194. doi: 10.1007/s11120-006-9076-6
Boyd, J., & Banzhaf, S. (2007). What are ecosystem services? The need for standardized environmental accounting units. Ecological economics, 63(2-3), 616-626.
Brook, B. W., Akçakaya, H. R., Keith, D. A., Mace, G. M., Pearson, R. G., & Araújo, M. B. (2009). Integrating bioclimate with population models to improve forecasts of species extinctions under climate change. Biology letters, 5(6), 723-725.
Çevik, T., & Çiftci, Y. (2025). Environmental DNA (eDNA): A review of ecosystem
biodiversity detection and applications. Biodiversity and Conservation
Chapin Iii, F. S., Zavaleta, E. S., Eviner, V. T., Naylor, R. L., Vitousek, P. M., Reynolds, H. L., ... & Díaz, S. (2000). Consequences of changing biodiversity. Nature, 405(6783), 234-242.
Chellaiah, E.R., (2018). Cadmium (heavy metals) bioremediation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa: a mini-review. Appl. Water Sci. 8, 154. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201- 018-0796-5.
Chen, B., Stein, A.F., Castell, N., Gonzalez-Castanedo, Y., Sanchez, dela-Campa, A.M., de-la-Rosa, J.D., 2016. Modeling and evaluation of urban pollution events of atmospheric heavy metals from a large Cu-smelter. Sci. Total Environ. 539, 17–25.
Chen, H., Zhu, C., & Zhou, X. (2023). Effects of lead and cadmium combined heavy metals on liver function and lipid metabolism in mice. Biological trace element research, 201(6), 2864-2876.
Chen, L., Zhou, M., Wang, J., Zhang, Z., Duan, C., Wang, X., ... & Fang, L. (2022). A global meta-analysis of heavy metal (loid) s pollution in soils near copper mines: Evaluation of pollution level and probabilistic health risks. Science of the Total Environment, 835, 155441.
Chen, X. X., Liu, Y. M., Zhao, Q. Y., Cao, W. Q., Chen, X. P., & Zou, C. Q. (2020). Health risk assessment associated with heavy metal accumulation in wheat after long-term phosphorus fertilizer application. Environmental pollution, 262, 114348.
Chibuike, G. U., & Obiora, S. C. (2014). Heavy metal polluted soils: effect on plants and bioremediation methods. Applied and environmental soil science, 2014(1), 752708.
Christophoridis, C., Bourliva, A., Evgenakis, E., Papadopoulou, L., & Fytianos, K. (2019). Effects of anthropogenic activities on the levels of heavy metals in marine surface sediments of the Thessaloniki Bay, Northern Greece: Spatial distribution, sources and contamination assessment. Microchemical Journal, 149, 104001.
Chu, D. (2018). Effects of heavy metals on soil microbial community. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and environmental science (Vol. 113, No. 1, p. 012009). IOP Publishing.
Clemente, R., Escolar, Á., & Bernal, M. P. (2006). Heavy metals fractionation and organic matter mineralisation in contaminated calcareous soil amended with organic materials. Bioresource Technology, 97(15), 1894-1901.J.
Da Silva Souza, T., Christofoletti, C. A., Bozzatto, V., & Fontanetti, C. S. (2014). The use of diplopods in soil ecotoxicology–A review. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 103, 68-73.
Dash, S., Borah, S. S., & Kalamdhad, A. S. (2021). Heavy metal pollution and potential ecological risk assessment for surficial sediments of Deepor Beel, India. Ecological Indicators, 122, 107265.
De Carvalho Machado, C., & Dinis-Oliveira, R. J. (2023). Clinical and forensic signs resulting from exposure to heavy metals and other chemical elements of the periodic table. Journal of clinical medicine, 12(7), 2591.
De Oliveira, J.G., Cambraia, J., Ribeiro, C., de Oliveira, J.A., de Paula, S.O., Oliva, M.A., 2013. Impact of iron toxicity on oxidative metabolism in young Eugenia uniflora L. plants. Acta. Physiol. Plant 35 (5), 1645–1657.
De Villiers, S., Thiart, C., & Basson, N. C. (2010). Identification of sources of environmental lead in South Africa from surface soil geochemical maps. Environmental geochemistry and health, 32(5), 451-459.
De Vries, W., Lofts, S., Tipping, E., Meili, M., Groenenberg, J. E., & Schütze, G. (2007). Impact of soil properties on critical concentrations of cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, and mercury in soil and soil solution in view of ecotoxicological effects. Reviews of environmental contamination and toxicology, 47-89.
Del Carmen Romero-Cruz, M., Leon-Vaz, A., Vega, J. M., & Vigara, J. (2024). Alterations in nitrogen metabolism caused by heavy metals in the acid-tolerant microalga Coccomyxa onubensis. Algal Research, 84, 103784.
Deng, H., Tu, Y., Wang, H., Wang, Z., Li, Y., Chai, L., ... & Lin, Z. (2022). Environmental behavior, human health effect, and pollution control of heavy metal (loid) s toward full life cycle processes. Eco-Environment & Health, 1(4), 229-243.
Deng, M., Yang, X., Dai, X., Zhang, Q., Malik, A., & Sadeghpour, A. (2020). Heavy metal pollution risk assessments and their transportation in sediment and overlay water for the typical Chinese reservoirs. Ecological Indicators, 112, 106166.
Díaz, S., Fargione, J., Chapin III, F. S., & Tilman, D. (2006). Biodiversity loss threatens human well-being. PLoS biology, 4(8), e277.
Dongre, R. S. (2021). Chromium & lead as soil pollutants: insights on toxicity profiles and their remediation. Journal of Advanced Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 9(1), 1-16.
Duelli, P., & Obrist, M. K. (2003). Biodiversity indicators: The choice of values and measures.
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 98(1–3), 87–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-8809(03)00072-0
Dutta, S., Mitra, M., Agarwal, P., Mahapatra, K., De, S., Sett, U., & Roy, S. (2018). Oxidative and genotoxic damages in plants in response to heavy metal stress and maintenance of genome stability. Plant signaling & behavior, 13(8), e1460048.
EEA, (2010). The European Environmental state and Outlook. Soil, 48 pp.
Ehis-Eriakha, C. B., & Akemu, S. E. (2022). Impact of heavy metal pollution on the biotic and abiotic components of the environment. South Asian Journal of Research in Microbiology, 13(3), 38-54.
Ejaz, U., Khan, S. M., Khalid, N., Ahmad, Z., Jehangir, S., Fatima Rizvi, Z., ... & Raposo, A. (2023). Detoxifying the heavy metals: a multipronged study of tolerance strategies against heavy metals toxicity in plants. Frontiers in plant science, 14, 1154571.
Elbasiouny, H., Darwesh, M., Elbeltagy, H., Abo-Alhamd, F. G., Amer, A. A., Elsegaiy, M. A., & Brevik, E. C. (2021). Ecofriendly remediation technologies for wastewater contaminated with heavy metals with special focus on using water hyacinth and black tea wastes: a review. Environmental monitoring and assessment, 193(7), 449.
Emamverdian, A., & Ding, Y. (2017). Effects of heavy metals' toxicity on plants and enhancement of plant defense mechanisms of Si-mediation “Review”. Int. J. Environ. Agric. Res, 3(4), 41-51.
Emamverdian, A., Ding, Y., Mokhberdoran, F. and Xie, Y. (2015). Heavy metal stress and some mechanisms of plant defense response. The scientific world journal, 2015(1), p.756120
Engwa, G. A., Ferdinand, P. U., Nwalo, F. N., & Unachukwu, M. N. (2019). Heavy metal toxicity in humans. Poisoning in the modern world: new tricks for an old dog, 77.
Essien, J. P., Ikpe, D. I., Inam, E. J., Okon, A. O., Ebong, G. A., & Benson, N. U. (2024). Correction: Occurrence and spatial distribution of heavy metals in landfill leachates and impacted freshwater ecosystem: An environmental and human health threat. Plos one, 19(5), e0304882.
Essien, J.P., Ikpe, D.I., Inam, E.D., Okon, A.O., Ebong, G.A., Benson, N.U., 2022. Occurrence and spatial distribution of heavy metals in landfill leachates and impacted freshwater ecosystem: an environmental and human health threat. Plos One 17 (2), e0263279. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304882.
Esteves-Aguilar, J., Mussali-Galante, P., Valencia-Cuevas, L. et al. Ecotoxicological effects of heavy metal bioaccumulation in two trophic levels. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 49840–49855 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25804-0
Fang, S. B., Hu, H., Sun, W. C., & Pan, J. J. (2011). Spatial variations of heavy metals in the soils of vegetable-growing land along urban-rural gradient of Nanjing, China. International journal of environmental research and public health, 8(6), 1805-1816.
Farahmandian, P., Mohammadian-Hafshejani, A., Fadaei, A., & Sadeghi, R. (2024). Investigating the relationship between exposure to cadmium and lung cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Health and Safety at Work.
Farouk, S., & Al-Ghamdi, A. A. M. (2021). Sodium nitroprusside application enhances drought tolerance in marjoram herb by promoting chlorophyll biosynthesis and enhancing osmotic adjustment capacity. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14(6), 430.
Feraguena, I., Fekrache, F. & Boudjellab, Z.E. (2025). Impact of Heavy Metal Content on Soil Physicochemical Properties, Soil C : N : P Stocks and Stoichiometric Ratios in Mine Soils: Northeast of Algeria. Eurasian Soil Sc. 58, 135. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229325601271
Fu, Z., & Xi, S. (2020). The effects of heavy metals on human metabolism. Toxicology mechanisms and methods, 30(3), 167-176.
Gallardo, K., Job, C., Groot, S. P., Puype, M., Demol, H., Vandekerckhove, J., & Job, D. (2001). Proteomic analysis of Arabidopsis seed germination and priming. Plant physiology, 126(2), 835-848.
Ghannem, S., Touaylia, S., & Bejaoui, M. (2018a). Assessment of trace metals contamination in soil, leaf litter and leaf beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) in the vicinity of a metallurgical factory near Menzel Bourguiba (Tunisia). Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 24(4), 991-1002.
Ghannem, S., Touaylia, S., & Boumaiza, M. (2018b). Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) as bioindicators of the assessment of environmental pollution. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 24(2), 456-464.
Ghori, N. H., Ghori, T., Hayat, M. Q., Imadi, S. R., Gul, A., Altay, V., & Ozturk, M. (2019). Heavy metal stress and responses in plants. International journal of environmental science and technology, 16(3), 1807-1828.
Gill, M. (2014). Heavy metal stress in plants: a review. Int J Adv Res, 2(6), 1043-1055.
Gladkov, E. A., & Gladkova, O. V. (2021). New directions of biology and biotechnology in urban environmental sciences. Hemijska industrija, 75(6), 365-368.
Gladkov, E. A., & Gladkova, O. V. (2022). Ornamental plants adapted to urban ecosystem pollution: lawn grasses tolerating deicing reagents. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(16), 22947-22951.
Gladkov, E. A., Tashlieva, I. I., & Gladkova, O. V. (2021). Ornamental plants adapted to urban ecosystem pollution: lawn grasses and painted daisy tolerating copper. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(11), 14115-14120.
Glazer, A. N. (1989). Light guides. Directional energy transfer in a photosynthetic antenna. J. Biol. Chem. 264, 1–4. doi: 10.1016/S0021-9258(17)31212-7
Goettsch, B., Hilton-Taylor, C., Cruz-Piñón, G., Duffy, J. P., Frances, A., Hernández, H. M., ... & Gaston, K. J. (2015). High proportion of cactus species threatened with extinction. Nature plants, 1(10), 15142.
Gogoi, B., Acharjee, S. A., Bharali, P., Sorhie, V., & Walling, B. (2024). A critical review on the ecotoxicity of heavy metal on multispecies in global context: A bibliometric analysis. Environmental Research, 248, 118280.
Goyal, D., Yadav, A., Prasad, M., Singh, T. B., Shrivastav, P., Ali, A., ... & Mishra, S. (2020). Effect of heavy metals on plant growth: an overview. Contaminants in agriculture: sources, impacts and management, 79-101.
Gudadhe, S., Singh, S. K., & Ahsan, J. (2024). Cellular and neurological effects of lead (Pb) toxicity. In Lead toxicity mitigation: Sustainable nexus approaches (pp. 125-145). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
Guilherme, M. D. F., de Oliveira, H. M., & da Silva, E. (2015). Cadmium toxicity on seed germination and seedling growth of wheat Triticum aestivum. Acta Scientiarum. Biological Sciences, 37(4), 499-504.
Guvenç, N., Alagha, O., & Tuncel, G. (2003). Investigation of soil multi-element composition in Antalya, Turkey. Environment international, 29(5), 631-640.
Hajeb, P., Sloth, J. J., Shakibazadeh, S. H., Mahyudin, N. A., & Afsah‐Hejri, L. (2014). Toxic elements in food: occurrence, binding, and reduction approaches. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 13(4), 457-472.
Halliwell, B. (2006). Reactive species and antioxidants. Redox biology is a fundamental theme of aerobic life. Plant Physiology, 141(2), 312–322.
Han, J., Zhang, J., Zeng, B., & Mao, M. (2021). Optimizing Dynamic Facility Location-Allocation for Agricultural Machinery Maintenance Using Benders Decomposition. Omega, 105, Article 102498.
Hasan, M. K., Ahammed, G. J., Sun, S., Li, M., Yin, H., & Zhou, J. (2019). Melatonin inhibits cadmium translocation and enhances plant tolerance by regulating sulfur uptake and assimilation in Solanum lycopersicum L. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 67(38), 10563-10576.
Hernández, A. J., Alexis, S., & Pastor, J. (2007). Soil degradation in the tropical forests of the Dominican Republic's Pedernales province in relation to heavy metal contents. Science of the Total Environment, 378(1-2), 36-41.
Horn, S. (2025a). Understanding Climate Change: A Review of Causes, Impacts, and
Responses. figshare. Journal contribution. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.30646562.v1
Horn, S. (2025c). Linking Community Forestry, Biodiversity Conservation, and Carbon Sequestration: A Systematic Review. Zenodo.
Horn, S. (2025d). The Role of REDD+ in Strengthening Forest Conservation and Enhancing Community Livelihoods in Cambodia: A Policy Analysis.
Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17626929
Horn, S. (2025e). Policy brief: Forest Carbon Stock and Climate Policy in Cambodia. Doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29309.83688
Horn, S. (2025f). Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change in Cambodia: Policies, Challenges, and Pathways Forward. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17677561
Horn, S. (2025g). Scientific Assessment of Future Climate Response Strategies. Zendo.https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17685596
Hossain, M. A., Hasanuzzaman, M., & Fujita, M. (2010). Up-regulation of antioxidant and glyoxalase systems by exogenous glycinebetaine and proline in mung bean confer tolerance to cadmium stress. Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants, 16(3), 259-272.
Hossain, M. A., Hossain, M. Z., & Fujita, M. (2009). Stress-induced changes of methylglyoxal level and glyoxalase I activity in pumpkin seedlings and cDNA cloning of glyoxalase I gene.
Hossain, M.A., Piyatida, P., da Silva, J.A.T. & Fujita, M., (2012). Molecular mechanism of heavy metal toxicity and tolerance in plants: central role of glutathione in detoxification of reactive oxygen species and methylglyoxal and in heavy metal chelation. Journal of botany, 2012(1), p.872875
Hu, X., Wang, J., Lv, Y., Liu, X., Zhong, J., Cui, X., ... & Zhu, X. (2021). Effects of heavy metals/metalloids and soil properties on microbial communities in farmland in the vicinity of a metals smelter. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, 707786.
Hultman, P. A., & Pollard, K. M. (2022). Immunotoxicology of metals. In Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals (pp. 543-564). Academic Press.
Hursthouse, A. S., Tognarelli, D., Tucker, P., Ajmone-Marsan, F., Martini, C., Madrid, L., & Díaz Barrientos, E. (2004). Metal content of surface soils in parks and allotments from three European cities: initial pilot study results.
Hussain, I., Majeed, A., Al-Rawi, S. S., Ibrahim, A. H., Iqbal, M. A., Hanif, A., ... & Haider, M. T. (2025). From Wastewater to Sustainability: Tackling Heavy Metal Contamination in Agriculture with Conventional and AI Techniques. Chemistry Africa, 8(5), 1743-1762.
Ibáñez, I., Clark, J. S., Dietze, M. C., Feeley, K., Hersh, M., LaDeau, S., ... & Wolosin, M. S. (2006). Predicting biodiversity change: outside the climate envelope, beyond the species–area curve. Ecology, 87(8), 1896-1906.
Idoko, O. M., Ologunorisa, T. E., & Okoya, A. A. (2012). Temporal variability of heavy metals concentration in rural groundwater of Benue State, Middle Belt, Nigeria. Journal of sustainable development, 5(2), 2.
Infante-Izquierdo, M. D., Polo-Ávila, A., Sanjosé, I., Castillo, J. M., Nieva, F. J. J., Grewell, B. J., & Muñoz-Rodríguez, A. F. (2020). Effects of heavy metal pollution on germination and early seedling growth in native and invasive Spartina cordgrasses. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 158, 111376.
Jamla, M., Khare, T., Joshi, S., Patil, S., Penna, S., & Kumar, V. (2021). Omics approaches for understanding heavy metal responses and tolerance in plants. Current Plant Biology, 27, 100213.
Jauffret, S., & Lavorel, S. (2003). Are plant functional types relevant to describe degradation in arid, southern Tunisian steppes?. Journal of Vegetation Science, 14(3), 399-408.
Jeng, A. S., & Singh, B. R. (1993). Partitioning and distribution of cadmium and zinc in selected cultivated soils in Norway. Soil Science, 156(4), 240-250.
Jetz, W., McGeoch, M. A., Guralnick, R., Ferrier, S., Beck, J., Costello, M. J., Turak, E.(2019). Essential biodiversity variables for mapping and monitoring species populations.Nature Ecology & Evolution, 3, 539–551. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-019-0826-1
Jiang, D., Tan, M., Guo, Q., & Yan, S. (2021). Transfer of heavy metal along food chain: a mini‐review on insect susceptibility to entomopathogenic microorganisms under heavy metal stress. Pest Management Science, 77(3), 1115-1120.
Jomova, K., Alomar, S. Y., Nepovimova, E., Kuca, K., & Valko, M. (2025). Heavy metals: toxicity and human health effects. Archives of toxicology, 99(1), 153-209.
Kabata-Pendias, A. (2000). Trace elements in soils and plants. CRC press.
Kahal, A. Y., El-Sorogy, A. S., Meroño de Larriva, J. E., & Shokr, M. S. (2025). Mapping Soil Contamination in Arid Regions: A GIS and Multivariate Analysis Approach. Minerals, 15(2), 124. https://doi.org/10.3390/min15020124
Kaleem, Z., Xu, W., Ulhassan, Z., Shahbaz, H., He, D., Naeem, S., ... & Zhou, W. (2024). Harnessing the potential of copper-based nanoparticles in mitigating abiotic and biotic stresses in crops. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 31(50), 59727-59748.
Kamariddinovich, O. R., Rakhimjonovna, K. K., & Qizi, M. D. B. (2023). Improving Methods for Mapping Irrigation Networks Using GIS Technologies. Finland International Scientific Journal of Education, Social Science & Humanities, 11(4), 691-699.
Karatela, S., Coomarasamy, C., Paterson, J., & Ward, N. I. (2019). Household smoking status and heavy metal concentrations in toenails of children. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(20), 3871.
Karimpour, M., Ashrafi, S. D., Taghavi, K., Mojtahedi, A., Roohbakhsh, E., & Naghipour, D. (2018). Adsorption of cadmium and lead onto live and dead cell mass of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: A dataset. Data in brief, 18, 1185.
Kashem, M. A., & Singh, B. R. (2004). Transformations in solid phase species of metals as affected by flooding and organic matter. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 35(9-10), 1435-1456.
Kaur, S., Thakur, H., Singh, A., Ramasamy, V., & Mudgal, G. (2024). Poisoned seas: Chemical threats to marine life and human health. In Sustainable development goals towards environmental toxicity and green chemistry: Environment and sustainability (pp. 167-200). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
Khalaf, E. M., Taherian, M., Almalki, S. G., Asban, P., Kareem, A. K., Alhachami, F. R., ... & Mohammadi, M. J. (2024). Relationship between exposure to heavy metals on the increased health risk and carcinogenicity of urinary tract (kidney and bladder). Reviews on environmental health, 39(3), 539-549.
Khan, M. I. R., Chopra, P., Chhillar, H., Ahanger, M. A., Hussain, S. J., & Maheshwari, C. (2021). Regulatory hubs and strategies for improving heavy metal tolerance in plants: chemical messengers, omics and genetic engineering. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 164, 260-278.
Khan, S., Khan, A., Khan, M. A., Aamir, M., & Li, G. (2019). Arsenic interaction and bioaccumulation in food crops grown on degraded soil: Effect on plant nutritional components and other dietary qualities. Land Degradation & Development, 30(16), 1954-1967.
Khan, S., Rehman, S., Khan, A. Z., Khan, M. A., & Shah, M. T. (2010). Soil and vegetables enrichment with heavy metals from geological sources in Gilgit, northern Pakistan. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 73(7), 1820-1827.
Khan, T. F., Faruque, M. G. and Paul, B. (2025) Assessment of Soil Contamination Using Remote Sensing and GIS. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 13, 171-182. doi: 10.4236/gep.2025.135012.
Khan, M. I. R.ChopraP.ChhillarH.AhangerM. A.HussainS. J.MaheshwariC. (2021). Regulatory hubs and strategies for improving heavy metal tolerance in plants: chemical messengers, omics and genetic engineering. Plant Physiol. Biochem.164260–278. 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.05.006
Kim, J. J., Kim, Y. S., & Kumar, V. (2019). Heavy metal toxicity: An update of chelating therapeutic strategies. Journal of Trace elements in Medicine and Biology, 54, 226-231.
Kim, S., Horn, S., Sok, P., Sien, T., & Yorn, C. (2023). Ecosystem Carbon Stock Assessment in Upland Forest: A Case Study in Koh Kong, Mondulkiri, Preah Vihear, and Siem Reap Provinces. Environmental and Rural Development, 14(2), 61-67.
Kryshtopa, S., Melnyk, V., Dolishnii, B., Korohodskyi, V., Prunko, I., Kryshtopa, L., & Voitsekhivska, T. (2019). Improvement of the model of forecasting heavy metals of exhaust gases of motor vehicles in the soil. Восточно-Европейский журнал передовых технологий, (4 (10)), 44-51.
Kubier, A., Wilkin, R. T., & Pichler, T. (2019). Cadmium in soils and groundwater: A review. Applied geochemistry, 108, 104388.
Kumar, V., Singh, J., & Kumar, P. (2019). Heavy metals accumulation in crop plants: Sources, response mechanisms, stress tolerance and their effects. Contaminants in agriculture and environment: health risks and remediation, 1, 38.
Kumar, V., Umesh, M., Shanmugam, M. K., Chakraborty, P., Duhan, L., Gummadi, S. N., ... & Dasarahally Huligowda, L. K. (2023). A retrospection on mercury contamination, bioaccumulation, and toxicity in diverse environments: current insights and future prospects. Sustainability, 15(18), 13292.
Kumpiene, J., Lagerkvist, A., & Maurice, C. (2008). Stabilization of As, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn in soil using amendments–a review. Waste management, 28(1), 215-225.
Landsberger S., F. Iskander, S. Basunia, D. Barnes, M. Kaminski, 1999. Lead and copper contamination of soil from industrial activities and firing ranges. Biol. Trace Elem. Res., 71: 387-396.
Lata, S., Kaur, H.P., Mishra, T., (2019). Cadmium bioremediation: a review. Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Res. 10, 4120–4128 doi: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.
Latosińska, J., Kowalik, R., & Gawdzik, J. (2021). Risk assessment of soil contamination with heavy metals from municipal sewage sludge. Applied Sciences, 11(2), 548.
Li, X., Qu, C., Bian, Y., Gu, C., Jiang, X., & Song, Y. (2019). New insights into the responses of soil microorganisms to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon stress by combining enzyme activity and sequencing analysis with metabolomics. Environmental Pollution, 255, 113312.
Lilay, G. H., Thiébaut, N., du Mee, D., Assunção, A. G., Schjoerring, J. K., Husted, S., & Persson, D. P. (2024). Linking the key physiological functions of essential micronutrients to their deficiency symptoms in plants. New Phytologist, 242(3), 881-902.
Long, S. M., Tull, D. L., Jeppe, K. J., De Souza, D. P., Dayalan, S., Pettigrove, V. J., ... & Hoffmann, A. A. (2015). A multi-platform metabolomics approach demonstrates changes in energy metabolism and the transsulfuration pathway in Chironomus tepperi following exposure to zinc. Aquatic Toxicology, 162, 54-65.
Lourenço, R. W., Landim, P. M. B., Rosa, A. H., Roveda, J. A. F., Martins, A. C. G., & Fraceto, L. F. (2010). Mapping soil pollution by spatial analysis and fuzzy classification. Environmental earth sciences, 60(3), 495-504.
Luck, G. W., Harrington, R., Harrison, P. A., Kremen, C., Berry, P. M., Bugter, R., et al. (2009). Quantifying the contribution of organisms to the provision of ecosystem services. BioScience, 59, 223–235.
Luo, S., Calderón-Urrea, A., Yu, J., Liao, W., Xie, J., Lv, J., ... & Tang, Z. (2020). The role of hydrogen sulfide in plant alleviates heavy metal stress. Plant and Soil, 449(1), 1-10.
MA. (2003). Ecosystems and human well-being: A framework for assessment. Washington, DC: Island Press.
Magrini, C., Verga, F., Bassani, I., Pirri, C. F., & Abdel Azim, A. (2025). A microbial-centric view of mobile phones: enhancing the technological feasibility of biotechnological recovery of critical metals. Bioengineering, 12(2), 101.
Mahajan, P., & Kaushal, J. (2018). Role of phytoremediation in reducing cadmium toxicity in soil and water. Journal of toxicology, 2018(1), 4864365.
Mahmoud, R. M., & Fouad, M. S. (2024). Approaches to antioxidant Defence System: an Overview of Coping Mechanism against Lithium/Nickel Exposure in Plants. Lithium and Nickel Contamination in Plants and the Environment, 95-138.
Makarov, V. A., & Kozlov, M. V. (2012). The role of environmental factors in the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals. Ecological Engineering, 47, 210-216.
Maleki, M., Ghorbanpour, M., & Kariman, K. (2017). Physiological and antioxidative responses of medicinal plants exposed to heavy metals stress. Plant gene, 11, 247-254.
Malinova L., Е. Pavlova, А. Arsova, М. Doncheva-Bonrva (1997). Assessment of the impact of exceeding load on Forests. Forestry Ideas, 1: 30-48.
Małkowski, E., Sitko, K., Zieleźnik-Rusinowska, P., Gieroń, Ż., & Szopiński, M. (2019). Heavy metal toxicity: Physiological implications of metal toxicity in plants. In Plant metallomics and functional omics: a system-wide perspective (pp. 253-301). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Marriage, G., & Gjerde, M. (2024). Metals: issues with everyday use and toxicity within standard construction metals. In Sustainability and Toxicity of Building Materials (pp. 221-246). Woodhead Publishing.
Martins, J.P.R., de Vasconcelos, L.L., Conceiç˜ ao, da, de Souza Braga, P., Rossini, F.P., Conde, L.T., de Almeida Rodrigues, L.C., Falqueto, A.R., Gontijo, A.B.P.L., (2020). Morphophysiological responses, bioaccumulation and tolerance of Alternanthera tenella Colla (Amaranthaceae) to excess copper under in vitro conditions. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult. 143, 303–318. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-020-01917-z
Melebary, S. J. (2023). Heavy metal toxicity and remediation in human and agricultural systems: A review. Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences, 11(4), 679-694.
Mellem, J. J., Baijnath, H., & Odhav, B. (2009). Translocation and accumulation of Cr, Hg, As, Pb, Cu and Ni by Amaranthus dubius (Amaranthaceae) from contaminated sites. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A, 44(6), 568-575.
Miransari, M., & Smith, D. L. (2014). Plant hormones and seed germination. Environmental and experimental botany, 99, 110-121.
Mishra, H. (2025). Environmental degradation and impacts on agricultural production: A challenge to urban sustainability. In Sustainable urban environment and waste management: Theory and practice (pp. 53-92). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
Mishra, S., Bharagava, R. N., More, N., Yadav, A., Zainith, S., Mani, S., & Chowdhary, P. (2018). Heavy metal contamination: an alarming threat to environment and human health. In Environmental biotechnology: For sustainable future (pp. 103-125). Singapore: Springer Singapore.
Moţ, A., Madjar, R., Bădulescu, L., & Mihalache, M. (2019). The effects of heavy metals on seed germination and seedling growth of Lactuca sativa L. and Spinacia oleracea L. Research Journal of Agricultural Science, 51(3).
Musah, B. I. (2024). Effects of heavy metals and metalloids on plant-animal interaction and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems—An overview. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 197(1), 12.
Mustafa, A. N., Khedre, A. M., & El-Masry, S. M. (2024). Assessment of heavy metals in soil, leaf litter, and their bioaccumulation in terrestrial macroinvertebrates in Sohag Governorate, Egypt. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 196(7), 649.
Nair, P. M. G., & Chung, I. M. (2015). Study on the correlation between copper oxide nanoparticles induced growth suppression and enhanced lignification in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.). Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 113, 302-313.
Nathan, C., & Cunningham-Bussel, A. (2013). Beyond oxidative stress: An immunologist's guide to reactive oxygen species. Nature Reviews Immunology, 13(5), 349–361.
Navarro, M. C., Pérez-Sirvent, C., Martínez-Sánchez, M. J., Vidal, J., Tovar, P. J., & Bech, J. (2008). Abandoned mine sites as a source of contamination by heavy metals: a case study in a semi-arid zone. Journal of Geochemical exploration, 96(2-3), 183-193.
Nawab, J., Ghani, J., Khan, S., Khan, M. A., Ali, A., Rahman, Z., ... & Lei, M. (2022). Nutrient uptake and plant growth under the influence of toxic elements. In Sustainable plant nutrition under contaminated environments (pp. 75-101). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Neeraj, A., Hiranmai, R. Y., & Iqbal, K. (2023). Comprehensive assessment of pollution indices, sources apportionment and ecological risk mapping of heavy metals in agricultural soils of Raebareli District, Uttar Pradesh, India, employing a GIS approach. Land Degradation & Development, 34(1), 173-195.
Niampradit, S., Kiangkoo, N., Mingkhwan, R., Kliengchuay, W., Worakhunpiset, S., Limpananont, Y., & Tantrakarnapa, K. (2024). Occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in Chao Phraya River, Thailand. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 8366.
Nogueira, M. A., Cardoso, E. J. B. N., & Teixeira, G. (2021). Seed germination and root growth under heavy metal stress: insights into plant tolerance mechanisms. Environ Exp Bot, 186(104441), 10-1016.
Noss, R. F. (1990). Indicators for monitoring biodiversity: A hierarchical approach. Conservation Biology, 4(4), 355–364. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.1990.tb00309.x
Obaid, A. A., Almasmoum, H., Almaimani, R. A., El-Boshy, M., Aslam, A., Idris, S., ... & Refaat, B. (2023). Vitamin D and calcium co-therapy mitigates pre-established cadmium nephropathy by regulating renal calcium homeostatic molecules and improving anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities in rat. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 79, 127221.
Obasi, P. N., & Akudinobi, B. B. (2020). Potential health risk and levels of heavy metals in water resources of lead–zinc mining communities of Abakaliki, southeast Nigeria. Applied Water Science, 10(7), 184.
Omuto, C. T., Vargas, R. R., Alim, M. S., & Paron, P. (2010). Mixed-effects modelling of time series NDVI-rainfall relationship for detecting human-induced loss of vegetation cover in drylands. Journal of Arid Environments, 74(11), 1552-1563.
Opaluwa, O. D., Aremu, M. O., Ogbo, L. O., Abiola, K. A., Odiba, I. E., Abubakar, M. M., & Nweze, N. O. (2012). Heavy metal concentrations in soils, plant leaves and crops grown around dump sites in Lafia Metropolis, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Advances in Applied Science Research, 3(2), 780-784.
Ota, Y., Suzuki, A., Yamaoka, K., Nagao, M., Tanaka, Y., Irizuki, T., ... & Nishimura, O. (2021). Geochemical distribution of heavy metal elements and potential ecological risk assessment of Matsushima Bay sediments during 2012–2016. Science of the Total Environment, 751, 141825.
Parera, V., Parera, C. A., & Feresin, G. E. (2023). Germination and early seedling growth of high Andean native plants under heavy metal stress. Diversity, 15(7), 824.
Park, J. H., Lamb, D., Paneerselvam, P., Choppala, G., Bolan, N., & Chung, J. W. (2011). Role of organic amendments on enhanced bioremediation of heavy metal (loid) contaminated soils. Journal of hazardous materials, 185(2-3), 549-574.
Pelicano, H., Carney, D., & Huang, P. (2004). ROS stress in cancer cells and therapeutic implications. Drug Resistance Updates, 7(2), 97–110.
Pereira, H. M., Ferrier, S., Walters, M., Geller, G. N., Jongman, R. H., Scholes, R. J., …
Wegmann, M. (2013). Essential biodiversity variables. Science, 339(6117), 277–278.https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1229931
Pettorelli, N., Safi, K., & Turner, W. (2014). Satellite remote sensing, biodiversity research and conservation of the future. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 369,20130190. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2013.0190
Pirzadah, T. B., Malik, B., & Hakeem, K. R. (2019). Integration of “omic” approaches to unravel the heavy metal tolerance in plants. Essentials of Bioinformatics, Volume III: In Silico Life Sciences: Agriculture, 79-92.
Pocock, M. J. O., Tweddle, J. C., Savage, J., Robinson, L. D., & Roy, H. E. (2018). A vision for global biodiversity monitoring with citizen science. In Advances in Ecological Research (Vol. 59, pp. 169–223). https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.aecr.2018.06.003
Poljak, M., Zgorelec, Ž., Kisić, I., Kuharić, Ž., & Perčin, A. (2024). Comparison of AAS, ICP-MS, and pXRF performance for copper analysis in agricultural soils. Journal of Central European Agriculture, 25(2), 580-587.
Pradit, S., Shazili, N. A. M., Pattaratumrong, M. S., Chotikarn, P., Kobkeatthawin, T., Yucharoen, M., & Towatana, P. (2018). Accumulation of trace metals in mangrove plant Soneratia Caseoralis in Songkhla Lake, Thailand. Applied Ecology And Environmental Research, 16(4), 4081-4095.
Pragya, P., Shukla, A. K., Murthy, R. C., Abdin, M. Z., & Kar Chowdhuri, D. (2015). Characterization of the effect of Cr (VI) on humoral innate immunity using Drosophila melanogaster. Environmental toxicology, 30(11), 1285-1296.
Rai, P. K., Lee, S. S., Zhang, M., Tsang, Y. F., & Kim, K. H. (2019). Heavy metals in food crops: Health risks, fate, mechanisms, and management. Environment international, 125, 365-385.
Rajan, M., Karunanidhi, D., Jaya, J., Preethi, B., Subramani, T., & Aravinthasamy, P. (2024). A comprehensive review on human health hazards due to groundwater contamination: A global perspective. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C, 135, 103637.
Rajjou, L., Duval, M., Gallardo, K., Catusse, J., Bally, J., Job, C., & Job, D. (2012). Seed germination and vigor. Annual review of plant biology, 63, 507-533.
Rana, K. K., Pachu, A. V., Jeeva, V., Rao, N. R., Sekhar, A., Singh, A. N., & Kumar, S. (2024). Enhancing sustainability: reclamation and rehabilitation strategies for restoring mined-out lands in India to mitigate climate change impacts. In Forests and Climate Change: Biological Perspectives on Impact, Adaptation, and Mitigation Strategies (pp. 573-603). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
Rao, M. J., Duan, M., Zhou, C., Jiao, J., Cheng, P., Yang, L., ... & Zheng, B. (2025). Antioxidant defense system in plants: reactive oxygen species production, signaling, and scavenging during abiotic stress-induced oxidative damage. Horticulturae, 11(5), 477.
Rashid, A., Schutte, B. J., Ulery, A., Deyholos, M. K., Sanogo, S., Lehnhoff, E. A., & Beck, L. (2023). Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soil: environmental pollutants affecting crop health. Agronomy, 13(6), 1521.
Rashid, A., Schutte, B. J., Ulery, A., Deyholos, M. K., Sanogo, S., Lehnhoff, E. A., & Beck, L. (2023). Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soil: environmental pollutants affecting crop health. Agronomy, 13(6), 1521.
Rashid, I., Murtaza, G., Zahir, Z. A., & Farooq, M. (2018). Effect of Temperature and Ageing on Sewage Sludge Decomposition, Organic Acids Transformation and Cadmium Release. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 55(1).
Rathod, S. V., Saras, P., & Gondaliya, S. M. (2024). Environmental pollution: Threats and challenges for management. In Eco-restoration of polluted environment (pp. 1-34). CRC Press.
Raturi, G., Chaudhary, A., Rana, V., Mandlik, R., Sharma, Y., Barvkar, V. & Dhar, H. (2023). Microbial remediation and plant-microbe interaction under arsenic pollution. Science of the Total Environment, 864, 160972.
Raza, A., Habib, M., Charagh, S., & Kakavand, S. N. (2021). Genetic engineering of plants to tolerate toxic metals and metalloids. In Handbook of bioremediation (pp. 411-436). Academic Press.
Raza, A., Habib, M., Kakavand, S. N., Zahid, Z., Zahra, N., Sharif, R., & Hasanuzzaman, M. (2020). Phytoremediation of cadmium: physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms. Biology, 9(7), 177.
Rehman, U. U., Khan, S., & Muhammad, S. (2020). Ingestion of arsenic-contaminated drinking water leads to health risk and traces in human biomarkers (hair, nails, blood, and urine), Pakistan. Exposure and Health, 12(2), 243-254.
Rieuwerts, J. S., Ashmore, M. R., Farago, M. E., & Thornton, I. (2006). The influence of soil characteristics on the extractability of Cd, Pb and Zn in upland and moorland soils. Science of the total Environment, 366(2-3), 864-875.
Rosatto, S., Mariotti, M., Romeo, S., & Roccotiello, E. (2021). Root and shoot response to nickel in hyperaccumulator and non-hyperaccumulator species. Plants, 10(3), 508.
Sachdev, S., Ansari, S. A., Ansari, M. I., Fujita, M., & Hasanuzzaman, M. (2021). Abiotic stress and reactive oxygen species: Generation, signaling, and defense mechanisms. Antioxidants, 10(2), 277.
Sadeghpour, A., Javid, M., Koduru, S., Babaei, S., & Brevik, E. C. (2025). Heavy Metals in Bioenergy Crop Production, Biomass Quality, and Biorefinery: Global Impacts and Sustainable Management Strategies. Bioresources and Bioproducts, 1(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.3390/bioresourbioprod1010002
Saeed, M., Ilyas, N., Bibi, F., Shabir, S., Mehmood, S., Akhtar, N., ... & Eldin, S. M. (2023). Nanoremediation approaches for the mitigation of heavy metal contamination in vegetables: An overview. Nanotechnology Reviews, 12(1), 20230156.
Sairam, R. K., Rao, K. V., and Srivastava, G. C. (2002). Differential response of wheat genotypes to long term salinity stress in relation to oxidative stress, antioxidant activity and osmolyte concentration. Plant Sci. 163, 1037–1046. doi: 10.1016/S0168-9452(02)00278-9
Sanad, H., Moussadek, R., Mouhir, L., Lhaj, M. O., Dakak, H., & Zouahri, A. (2025). Geospatial analysis of trace metal pollution and ecological risks in river sediments from agrochemical sources in Morocco’s Sebou basin. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 16701.
Sánchez-Castro, I., Molina, L., Prieto-Fernández, M. Á., & Segura, A. (2023). Past, present and future trends in the remediation of heavy-metal contaminated soil-Remediation techniques applied in real soil-contamination events. Heliyon, 9(6).
Sani, R. M., Malumfashi, A. I., Daneji, M. I., & Alao, O. O. (2007). Economics of rice production: A case study of bauchi local government area, Bauchi State, Nigeria. Continental J. Agricultural Economics, 1, 7-13.
Saravanan, P., Saravanan, V., Rajeshkannan, R., Arnica, G., Rajasimman, M., Baskar, G., & Pugazhendhi, A. (2024). Comprehensive review on toxic heavy metals in the aquatic system: sources, identification, treatment strategies, and health risk assessment. Environmental Research, 258, 119440.
Sarun, H., Chanra, R., Meta, H., Linan, H., Pang, T., & Savvong, C. (2025a). Assessment of species diversity, biomass, and carbon stock in mangrove forests of Prey Nop District, Preah Sihanouk Province, Cambodia. Journal of Agriculture and Technology, 1(1), 30-40
Sarun, H., Chanra, R., Meta, H., Pang, T., Linan, H., Sokra, I., & Seyha, V. (2025b). Biodiversity Assessment in Prek Angkorl, Kampong Trach District, Kampot Province, Cambodia. Journal of Agriculture and Technology, 1(2), 47‒
60. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15655966
Sarun, H., Lyhour, H., Sophea, N., Sopheak, T., Soben, K., Sokra, I. (2025c). Assessment of Soil Carbon Stock and Properties in Different Forest Types of Veun Sai-Siem Pang National Park, Cambodia. Trends in Environmental Sciences, 1(3), 261-269. https://doi.org/10.21124/tes.2025.261.269
Sarun, H., Meta, H., Somaly, S., Linan, H., Pang, T., Chanra, R., and Roth, K. (2025d). Carbon stock evaluation in upland forests: A case study in Santipheap commune, Siem Pang district, Virachey National Park, Stung Treng province. Journal of Agriculture and Technology, 1(1),
76‒87. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.28427810.v1
Shahid, M., Khalid, S., Abbas, G., Shahid, N., Nadeem, M., Sabir, M., ... & Dumat, C. (2015). Heavy metal stress and crop productivity. In Crop production and global environmental issues (pp. 1-25). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Shahid, M., Khalid, S., Abbas, G., Shahid, N., Nadeem, M., Sabir, M., ... & Dumat, C. (2015). Heavy metal stress and crop productivity. In Crop production and global environmental issues (pp. 1-25). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Shankar, H., & Monika, M. (2017). Geographic Information System Based Solution for Location Allocation Problem for Finding High Quality Service Locations. International Journal of Advanced Remote Sensing and GIS, 6, 2377-2394.
Sharma, P., & Dubey, R. S. (2005). Lead toxicity in plants. Brazilian journal of plant physiology, 17(1), 35-52.
Sharma, P., Jha, A. B., Dubey, R. S., & Pessarakli, M. (2012). Reactive oxygen species, oxidative damage, and antioxidative defense mechanism in plants under stressful conditions. Journal of botany, 2012(1), 217037.
Sharma, R. K., & Agrawal, M. (2005). Biological effects of heavy metals: an overview. Journal of environmental Biology, 26(2), 301-313.
Singh, J., & Kalamdhad, A. S. (2011). Effects of heavy metals on soil, plants, human health and aquatic life. Int J Res Chem Environ, 1(2), 15-21.
Singh, S., Parihar, P., Singh, R., Singh, V. P., & Prasad, S. M. (2016). Heavy metal tolerance in plants: role of transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and ionomics. Frontiers in plant science, 6, 1143.
Singh, S., Parihar, P., Singh, R., Singh, V.P. & Prasad, S.M. (2016). Heavy metal tolerance in plants: role of transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and ionomics. Frontiers in plant science, 6, p.1143.
Siyar, R., Doulati Ardejani, F., Norouzi, P., Maghsoudy, S., Yavarzadeh, M., Taherdangkoo, R., & Butscher, C. (2022). Phytoremediation Potential of Native Hyperaccumulator Plants Growing on Heavy Metal-Contaminated Soil of Khatunabad Copper Smelter and Refinery, Iran. Water, 14(22), 3597. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14223597
Slavin, J. L., & Lloyd, B. (2012). Health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Advances in nutrition, 3(4), 506-516.
Štambuk, P., Šikuten, I., Preiner, D., Nimac, A., Lazarević, B., Marković, Z., ... & Tomaz, I. (2021). Screening of croatian native grapevine varieties for susceptibility to Plasmopara viticola using leaf disc bioassay, chlorophyll fluorescence, and multispectral imaging. Plants, 10(4), 661.
Stangeland, T., Remberg, S. F., & Lye, K. A. (2009). Total antioxidant activity in 35 Ugandan fruits and vegetables. Food Chemistry, 113(1), 85-91.
Stich, B., Benke, A., Schmidt, M., Urbany, C., Shi, R., & von Wirén, N. (2020). The maize shoot ionome: Its interaction partners, predictive power, and genetic determinants. Plant, Cell & Environment, 43(9), 2095-2111.
Stirbet, A., Lazar, D., Guo, Y., & Govindjee, G. (2020). PART OF A SPECIAL ISSUE ON FUNCTIONAL-STRUCTURAL PLANT GROWTH MODELLING. ANNALS OF BOTANY, 126(4), 511-537.
Su, W., Li, Z., Gong, T., Wang, F., Jin, M., Wang, Y., & Lu, Z. (2023). An alternative ZnO with large specific surface area: Preparation, physicochemical characterization and effects on growth performance, diarrhea, zinc metabolism and gut barrier function of weaning piglets. Science of The Total Environment, 882, 163558.
Subasinghe, C. S., Ratnayake, A. S., Roser, B., Sudesh, M., Wijewardhana, D. U., Attanayake, N., & Pitawala, J. (2022). Global distribution, genesis, exploitation, applications, production, and demand of industrial heavy minerals. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 15(20), 1616.
Sule, A. A., Umar, I., Opaluwa, O. D., Kaika, Y. K., & Hamza, A. M. (2025). Assessment of Heavy Metals Concentration in Soil, Plants and Grains in Nasarawa North. Lafia Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research, 118-122.
Tabassum, H., Alrashed, M., Malik, A., Alanazi, S. T., Alenzi, N. D., Ali, M. N., ... & Akhtar, S. (2023). A unique investigation of thallium, tellurium, osmium, and other heavy metals in recurrent pregnancy loss: A novel approach. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 160(3), 790-796.
Temminghoff, E. J., Van der Zee, S. E., & de Haan, F. A. (1997). Copper mobility in a copper-contaminated sandy soil as affected by pH and solid and dissolved organic matter. Environmental Science & Technology, 31(4), 1109-1115.
Teschke, R. (2024). Copper, iron, cadmium, and arsenic, all generated in the universe: elucidating their environmental impact risk on human health including clinical liver injury. International journal of molecular sciences, 25(12), 6662.
The Essential Role of Plant Ecology in Sustaining Life and Biodiversity Gus Hortman*Research & Reviews: Journal of Botanical Sciences ISSN: 2320-0189
Tian, J., Du, Y., Yu, C., Liu, W., Zou, R., Zhao, Y., ... & Tian, Z. (2025). The influences of heavy metals on soil microbial C, N, P cycling and heavy metal resistance under different fertilization regimes. Environmental Pollution, 370, 125915.
Tiwari, S., & Lata, C. (2018). Heavy metal stress, signaling, and tolerance due to plant-associated microbes: An overview. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9, 452
Tiwari, S., & Lata, C. (2018). Heavy metal stress, signaling, and tolerance due to plant-associated microbes: an overview. Frontiers in plant science, 9, 452.
Tóth, G., Hermann, T., Da Silva, M. R., & Montanarella, L. J. E. I. (2016). Heavy metals in agricultural soils of the European Union with implications for food safety. Environment international, 88, 299-309.
Tóth, G., Hermann, T., Da Silva, M. R., & Montanarella, L. J. E. I. (2016). Heavy metals in agricultural soils of the European Union with implications for food safety. Environment international, 88, 299-309.
Tripathi, S. R., & Chandra, R. (2017). Role of soil amendments in heavy metal remediation. Journal of Environmental Management, 201, 271-28
Uchimiya, M., Bannon, D., Nakanishi, H., McBride, M. B., Williams, M. A., & Yoshihara, T. (2020). Chemical speciation, plant uptake, and toxicity of heavy metals in agricultural soils. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 68(46), 12856-12869.
Ukpong, E. C., Antigha, R. E. & Moses, E. O. (2013). Comparative analysis of water quality in hand dug well and borehole in calabar south local government area in Nigeria. Int. J. of Engineering and Sci., 2(7), 75-86.
Vasilachi, I. C., Stoleru, V., & Gavrilescu, M. (2023). Analysis of heavy metal impacts on cereal crop growth and development in contaminated soils. Agriculture, 13(10), 1983.
Vázquez, S., & Rivas, R. (2010). Microbial remediation of heavy metals in contaminated soils: Current state and future prospects. Microbial Ecology, 60(1), 3-12.
Vetrimurugan, E., Brindha, K., Elango, L., & Ndwandwe, O. M. (2017). Human exposure risk to heavy metals through groundwater used for drinking in an intensively irrigated river delta. Applied Water Science, 7(6), 3267-3280.
Vielee, S. T., & Wise Jr, J. P. (2023). Among gerontogens, heavy metals are a class of their own: a review of the evidence for cellular senescence. Brain Sciences, 13(3), 500.
Walker, D. J., Clemente, R., & Bernal, M. P. (2004). Contrasting effects of manure and compost on soil pH, heavy metal availability and growth of Chenopodium album L. in a soil contaminated by pyritic mine waste. Chemosphere, 57(3), 215-224.
Wang, L., Rinklebe, J., Tack, F. M., & Hou, D. (2021). A review of green remediation strategies for heavy metal contaminated soil. Soil Use and Management, 37(4), 936-963.
Wang, Q. Y., Sun, J. Y., Xu, X. J., & Yu, H. W. (2018). Integration of chemical and toxicological tools to assess the bioavailability of copper derived from different copper-based fungicides in soil. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 161, 662-668.
Wang, Y. J., Liu, C., Zhou, D. M., & Chen, H. M. (2016). A new approach for evaluating soil heavy metal impact: a comprehensive index combined soil environmental quality and agricultural products quality. Journal of Agro-Environment Science, 35(7), 1225-1232.
Wang, Z., Luo, P., Zha, X., Xu, C., Kang, S., Zhou, M., ... & Wang, Y. (2022). Overview assessment of risk evaluation and treatment technologies for heavy metal pollution of water and soil. Journal of Cleaner Production, 379, 134043.
Wani, P. A., Khan, M. S., & Zaidi, A. (2007). Impact of heavy metal toxicity on plant growth, symbiosis, seed yield and nitrogen and metal uptake in chickpea. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 47(6), 712-720.
Wei, B., & Yang, L. (2010). A review of heavy metal contaminations in urban soils, urban road dusts and agricultural soils from China. Microchemical journal, 94(2), 99-107.
Wei, X., Li, Q., Zhang, M., Giles‐Hansen, K., Liu, W., Fan, H., ... & Liu, S. (2018). Vegetation cover—another dominant factor in determining global water resources in forested regions. Global change biology, 24(2), 786-795.
Wen, R. E. N., Ya, L. I. U., Miao-yi, Z. H. O. U., Zi, S. H. I., Tian-yu, W. A. N. G., Jiu-ran, Z. H. A. O., & Yu, L. I. (2019). Dynamic changes of root proteome reveal diverse responsive proteins in maize subjected to cadmium stress. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 18(10), 2193-2204.
Wicke, D., Matzinger, A., Sonnenberg, H., Caradot, N., Schubert, R. L., Dick, R., ... & Rouault, P. (2021). Micropollutants in urban stormwater runoff of different land uses. Water, 13(9), 1312.
Wickramasinghe, W. A. D., Mubiana, V. K., & Blust, R. (2017). The effects of heavy metal concentration on bio-accumulation, productivity and pigment content of two species of marine macro algae. Sri Lanka Journal of Aquatic Sciences, 22(1).
Worm, B., Barbier, E. B., Beaumont, N., Duffy, J. E., Folke, C., Halpern, B. S., et al. (2006). Impacts of biodiversity loss on ocean ecosystem services. Science, 314, 787–790.
Wu, Y., Song, Q., Wu, J., Zhou, J., Zhou, L., & Wu, W. (2021). Field study on the soil bacterial associations to combined contamination with heavy metals and organic contaminants. Science of the Total Environment, 778, 146282.
Wuana, R. A., Eneji, I. S., & Naku, J. U. (2016). Single and mixed chelants-assisted phytoextraction of heavy metals in municipal waste dump soil by castor. Adv. Environ. Res, 5(1), 19-35.
Xiaobing, W. A. N. G., Wuxing, L. I. U., Zhengao, L. I., Ying, T. E. N. G., & Yongming, L. U. O. (2020). Effects of long-term fertilizer applications on peanut yield and quality and plant and soil heavy metal accumulation. Pedosphere, 30(4), 555-562.
Xiong, L. M., & Lu, R. K. (1993). Effect of liming on plant accumulation of cadmium under upland or flooded conditions. Environmental Pollution, 79(2), 199-203.
Xu, Y. L., Feng, G. L., Jiang, X. Y., Liu, N., Li, J. M., Li, G. Y., & Yang, Y. L. (2020). Distribution characteristics of heavy metals in soil and its influence on greening plants in a main road of Lanzhou City, Northwest China. Ying Yong Sheng tai xue bao= The Journal of Applied Ecology, 31(4), 1341-1348.
Y. Fan, Y. Li, H. Li and F. Cheng (2018). Evaluating heavy metal accumulation and potential risks in soil-plant systems applied with magnesium slag-based fertilizer. Chemosphere, 197: 382-388.
Yadav, S., Pandey, P., & Verma, R. K. (2020). Effect of heavy metal toxicity on photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production in plants: A review. J Plant Biol, 63, 101-110.
Yang, L., Ren, Q., Zheng, K., Jiao, Z., Ruan, X., & Wang, Y. (2022). Migration of heavy metals in the soil-grape system and potential health risk assessment. Science of the Total Environment, 806, 150646.
Zhang, J. S., Zhou, S. F., Wang, Q., Guo, J. N., Liang, H. M., Deng, J. B., & He, W. Y. (2016). Gastrodin suppresses BACE1 expression under oxidative stress condition via inhibition of the PKR/eIF2α pathway in Alzheimer's disease. Neuroscience, 325, 1–9.
Zhao, F. J., McGrath, S. P., & Crosland, A. (2002). Phytoremediation of metals: An overview. Journal of Environmental Management, 64(2), 95-107.
Zhao, H., Wu, Y., Lan, X., Yang, Y., Wu, X., & Du, L. (2022). Comprehensive assessment of harmful heavy metals in contaminated soil in order to score pollution level. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 3552.
Zimdahl, R. L., & Skogerboe, R. K. (1977). Behavior of lead in soil. Environmental Science & Technology, 11(13), 1202-1207.
Zulfiqar, U., Farooq, M., Hussain, S., Maqsood, M., Hussain, M., Ishfaq, M., Ahmad, M., Anjum, M.Z., (2019). Lead toxicity in plants: impacts and remediation. J. Environ. Manag. 250, 109557 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.10955