Cu-Mo Anomalies in the Deciduous, Semi-Deciduous and Evergreen Taxa Associated with the Malanjkhand Granitoid, Madhya Pradesh

Deciduous, semi-deciduous and evergreen taxa present over the Malanjkhand granitoids show variations in the spatial distribution patterns - Terminalia alata and Ougeinia oojeinensis are the most abundant and moderately abundant plant species in the Pipardhar and Dhorli areas respectively, whereas, Shorea robusta predominating in the Pathratola area. The spatial spread of biogeochemical anomalies, based on Cu and Mo data, obtained from leaves, twigs and bark of eighteen species, overlap soil Cu and Mo anomalies in Pipardhar area. The Cu anomalies, based on twig, bark, and leaf samples, when compared with the soil Cu anomalies, show lateral displacement. In Pathratola area, plant and soil Cu anomalies do not overlie each other. The anomalous Cu values were recorded in Terminalia alata leaves and Shorea robusta bark and leaves, which grow over soils having background Cu concentrations. The deep-ischolar_mained large trees of Terminalia alata, Ougeinia oojeinensis and Casearia graveolens are indicative of buried mineralisation. In Pipardhar area, Cu and Mo anomalies for twigs, cover more or less same areas, which largely corresponds to soil Cu anomaly. The increase in the Cu/Mo contents of the plant organs with the corresponding increase in their substrate soil metal contents, having high correlation coefficient values, found in Terminalia alata, Ougeinia oojeinensis, Adina cardifolia, Diospyros melanoxylon, Shorea robusta, Anogeissus latifolia, Buchanania lanzan, Casearia graveolens, Casearia tomentosa, and Pometia pinnata. The Terminalia alata indicate high toxic thresholds for Cu and Mo both, whereas, Ougeinia oojeinensis and Shorea robusta show very high toxic thresholds for Mo only. These limits are significant and pointing towards the presence of Cu-Mo enriched substrate. A significant relationship was also observed between mean values of plant metal of all the organs of Casearia tomentosa, Diospyros melanoxylon, Anogeissus latifolia, Casearia graveolens, Ficus glomerata, Lagerstroemia parvifolia, Mitragyna parvifolia, Petrocarpus marsupium, and Schleichera oleosa, versus soil metal contents. Moreover, some organs of Terminalia alata, Ougeinia oojeinensis and Shorea robusta show significant relationship. These revelations are congruent with the prolific abundance of Terminalia alata, Ougeinia oojeinensis and Shorea robusta over the Cu anomalies.