Two populations of the hepatic Solenostoma crenulatum, from copper mine and lead mine spoil tips, were compared for their resistance to supplied copper. Incubation in copper solutions showed copper uptake to be very similar in the two populations. On the basis of greater potassium leakage, indicative of membrane damage, and inhibition of photosynthesis, in the lead mine population supplied with copper, it is suggested that the copper mine population is a copper-tolerant ecotype. Potassium loss was a specific response to copper and was not caused by low pH, osmotic shock or generalized cation induced damage.
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Brown et al. (1978) studied this question.