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Aerial Pollution and the Rapid Evolution of Copper Tolerance

Abstract

THE geographical spread of aerially borne metals has been demonstrated by analysis of vegetative uptake and accumulation of metallic elements1–5. Because these metals can be extremely toxic to plants in low concentration such aerial pollution, which is often of recent origin, may be causing significant changes in the genetic structure of the plant populations exposed to them. Metal tolerance in plant populations growing on mines waste is already well known6.

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WU, L., BRADSHAW, A. Aerial Pollution and the Rapid Evolution of Copper Tolerance. Nature 238, 167–169 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/238167a0

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