Biogenic silica production in selected alpine plant species and plant communities

The biogenic silica extracted from samples of 28 alpine plant species belon ging to 23 genera and nine families collected in the Swiss Alps (Valais) ac counted for between 0.01 and 5.9% of the dry biomass of leaves and wood. Si lica content, and plant contribution to the soil biogenic silica pool, vari ed widely among taxa. Plant net productivity and biogenic silica production From this study and from the literature have been used to predict the inpu t made by different subalpine and alpine plant communities to soil-borne ph ytolith assemblages, and their contribution to the silicon biocycle. (C) 20 01 Annals of Botany Company.