摘要：Background and Objective: A variety of elements, that are found in the soil might be essential for plants, which can overly the vegetal through stress condition and produce toxic effects. The manuscript is aimed to (1) Show the capacity of four native terrestrial plants species: Atriplex atacamensis ( A. atacamensis ), Atriplex halimus ( A. halimus ), Lupinus microcarpus ( L. microcarpus ) and Tessaria absinthioides ( T. absinthioides ) to accumulate arsenic (As) and other toxic elements from agricultural soils of the Antofagasta Region in Chile and (2) Determine the effects of As on the levels of bioindicators of stress. Materials and Methods: Surface soil samples (0-20 cm depth) were collected from a plot in the village of Chiu-Chiu (Northern Chile). This soil was used for the different experimental trials. Control soil (0-20 cm depth) was collected from an area located in central Chile. The main physico-chemical characteristic of experimental and control soils were determined. Four native terrestrial plant species: A. atacamensis , A. halimus , L. microcarpus and T. absinthioides were selected for its capacity to accumulate As, to assess toxic effects of As in L. microcarpus and to determine stress indicators in Atriplex genus species. The statistical analysis was based on the mean values concentrations with its standard deviation, variation coefficient and analysis of variance. Duncan test (p < 0.05) was used to check for statistically significant differences. Results: A. atacamensis and A. halimus resist both the high salinity of the soil and the high levels of As and possibly of other elements, accumulating mainly the metalloid in the roots but not in the case of L. microcarpus . Visual As toxicity symptoms such as foliar chlorosis, necrosis of the leaf tips and margins, leaf wilting and stunted were observed in L. microcarpus . Conclusion: A. atacamensis and A. halimus by its rapid generation of biomass justify recommending these species as vegetative cover for soils that have been developed for mining activities. At the same time, A. halimus and L. microcarpus can be recommended to perform phytoremediation programs in agricultural soils with high As levels. In these conditions, these species act like phytostabilizators and phytoextractors of As in agricultural soils, respectively.
