Variability of zinc tolerance among and within populations of the pseudometallophyte species Arabidopsis halleri and possible role of directional selection.

We estimated the level of quantitative polymorphism for zinc (Zn) tolerance in neighboring metallicolous and nonmetallicolous populations of Arabidopsis halleri and tested the hypothesis that divergent selection has shaped this polymorphism. A short-term hydroponic test was used to capture the quantitative polymorphism present between edaphic types, among and within populations. We measured six morphological and physiological traits on shoots and roots to estimate the response of A.