Elemental allelopathy by an arsenic hyperaccumulating fern, Pteris vittata L.

The functional advantages of arsenic (As) hyperaccumulation by plants are poorly understood. One proposed benefit, termed elemental allelopathy, occurs when hyperaccumulated As is cycled from the plant back into the top layer of soil, allowing As hyperaccumulators to gain an advantage over intolerant species by increasing soil As concentrations ([As]) underneath their canopy. To date, there are no studies that detail the presence of increased...