Responses of the Populus × euramericana clone I-214 to excess zinc: Carbon assimilation, structural modifications, metal distribution and cellular localization

To counteract Zn toxicity, clone I-214 adopted different defense/tolerance mechanisms involving complex structural, physiological and biochemical processes, attributed to both Zn excluders and accumulators. This study demonstrates the advantages of combining cryo-SEM/EDXMA, gas exchange and chemical analyses for studying metal localization and structural as well as physiological responses in plants.