Investigation of natural plant diversity on the soils with high boron concentrations in terms of soil-plant relations in West Anatolia

This study mainly focuses on plant diversity on the soils with high boron (B) concentrations, relationships between plant distribution and extractable B concentration, selected as an environmental gradient. In this respect, at the end of the studies carried out around B reserve areas located at Kırka (Eskişehir), Emet-Hisarcık (Kütahya), Mustafakemalpaşa (Bursa) and Bigadiç (Balıkesir) counties and their environs, 417 taxa belonging to 67 families and 268 genera were determined. Although out of 2-5 ppm extractable B range is limiting factor for many plant species, 10 plant taxa which can distribute onto the soils with over 30 ppm extractable B level were determined. B accumulation and germination characteristics of these taxa in different B levels were also studied. The results of the present study could serve as a useful tool for understanding B-plant relationships, B management in natural and cultivated sites, phytoremediation of B contaminated or abandoned mine fields, potential use of B-accumulator plants as green fertilizer, understanding of B tolerance mechanism and its application to the cultivated plants.