Plants as Bioindicators of Heavy Metal Pollution: A Synthetic Viewpoint from Measurement to Mechanistic Understanding

doi:10.7525/j.issn.1673-5102.2026.04.001

Bulletin of Botanical Research ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (4): 579-583.doi: 10.7525/j.issn.1673-5102.2026.04.001

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Plants as Bioindicators of Heavy Metal Pollution: A Synthetic Viewpoint from Measurement to Mechanistic Understanding

RODRÍGUEZ MARTÍN José Antonio

（Department of the Environment，Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria （INIA-CSIC），Ctra. de la Coruña km. 7，5，Madrid 28040，Spain）

Received:2026-02-20 Online:2026-07-20 Published:2026-07-22
Contact: RODRíGUEZ MARTíN José Antonio
About author:Dr. José Antonio Rodríguez Martín is a biologist （UAM） who obtained his Ph.D in Science from the School of Forest Engineering （UPM） in 2001. Since 2008， he has been a civil servant of the Spanish government and currently serves as senior scientist at the Department of the Environment of the National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology （INIA-CSIC）. His research focuses on soil contamination， particularly the occurrence， distribution， and environmental behavior of heavy metals in terrestrial ecosystems. A central aspect of his work is the study of plant-soil interactions and the use of vegetation as bioindicators of environmental pollution across different environments， including urban， mining， and arid systems. He also applies geostatistical and spatial analysis techniques to assess the impact of land use and anthropogenic activities on soil quality. Dr. Rodríguez Martín has authored more than 120 scientific publications in the international peer-reviewed journals （e.g.， Nature， Environmental Pollution， Soil BiologyandBiochemistry） and has extensive experience in international research projects， peer review， and scientific dissemination.Corresponding email： rmartin@inia.csic.es.

Abstract

Abstract:

The use of vegetation as a diagnostic tool for environmental contamination has evolved from descriptive practices. Plants have long been used as bioindicators of environmental contamination， particularly heavy metals. While analytical advances have greatly improved our ability to quantify trace elements in plant tissues， interpreting these data remains a critical challenge. This viewpoint argued that plants should not be considered as passive recorders of environmental pollution， but as dynamic systems that integrate， transform， and redistribute metals according to species-specific physiology and environmental conditions.

Key words: bioindicator, heavy metal pollution, environmental pollution, plant and soil interactions

CLC Number:

Q945.79

RODRÍGUEZ MARTÍN José Antonio. Plants as Bioindicators of Heavy Metal Pollution: A Synthetic Viewpoint from Measurement to Mechanistic Understanding[J]. Bulletin of Botanical Research, 2026, 46(4): 579-583.

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References 24

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Plants as Bioindicators of Heavy Metal Pollution: A Synthetic Viewpoint from Measurement to Mechanistic Understanding

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