Multiple and co‐tolerance to metals in the grassDeschampsia cespitosa: Adaptation, preadaptation and ‘cost’

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Abstract
It has been shown that certain plant populations have evolved tolerance to elevated amounts of trace metals in their environment. However, little attention has been given to other traits which occur in the tolerant genotype, incidental to their selected tolerances. These additional traits may be preadaptive or they may have a ‘cost’ associated, should the tolerant genotype come to occupy a new environment. This will be discussed in relation to metal tolerance and co‐tolerances, metal requirement, morphology and germination in populations of the grass Deschampsia cespitosa sampled from near to a Cu/Ni smelter and from uncontaminated pastures. Comparisons have been made between the populations using tolerances to Ni, Cu, Al, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Co. These were investigated using a method adapted from Wilkins’ (1957) using relative root growth in the presence and absence of the metal in water culture [described more fully in Cox and Hutchinson (1979)].