Differences in the Elemental Profiles of Two Obligate Ultramaficophytes From the Balkans: Balkana spergulifolia and Polygonum albanicum

Ultramafic soils pose an edaphic challenge to plants, acting as a strong selection factor promoting speciation and endemism. Two obligate ultramaficophytes—Balkana spergulifolia and Polygonum albanicum—were analyzed for elemental profiles (“elementomics”) and differences in response to ultramafic soils. The plant samples, along with associated rhizosphere soils, were collected from selected ultramafic areas in Serbia and analyzed for their elemental concentrations. Slight differences were observed between the soil samples, corresponding to some extent to the degree of serpentinization. The analyzed plants exhibited different strategies in response to excessive element concentrations in the soil. While B. spergulifolia predominantly accumulates nickel (Ni) in its above-ground tissues, in P. albanicum, the main response to soil Ni is exclusion. Further studies are needed to elucidate the pathways of elemental uptake and accumulation in plant tissues.