Mycorrhizal symbiosis and mineral nutrition of halophytic and halotolerant plants in saline and heavy metal contaminated wetlands

High salinity and heavy metal concentrations pose a serious threat to wetland biodiversity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not these fungi are related to metal and nutrient uptake in autochthonous wetland flora. Five halophyte and halotolerant plants, from two polluted wetlands in northwestern Algeria were studied to assess their arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) diversity and colonization, and to determine their foliar content of metallic trace elements (MTEs) and mineral nutrients. Arbuscular mycorrhizal associations were observed in all plant species. In soil rhizospheres of Atriplex halimus, Marrubium vulgare and Suaeda fruticosa, high concentrations of Cd and Pb were detected. According to nutrient leaf concentrations in the analyzed plants, S. fruticosa and A. halimus accumulate Na, Cu, Cd and Zn and M. vulgare accumulates P, Pb, Ni, Cr and Cd. Meanwhile, Pearson correlation showed that Cd, Cu and Na accumulation were inhibited by AMF infection. The phytoextraction and phytodesalination by the studied species seem to be good methods for the phytoremediation of the soil.