The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Nickel is a heavy metal, and it can be an important toxic chemical in the environment. Natural pollution by nickel is associated with soils that have a significant presence of a mineral known as serpentine. Serpentine-laced soils are toxic to nonadapted plants, and although the most significant toxic stressor is a large concentration of nickel, sometimes the presence of cobalt and/or chromium, along with high pH and an impoverished supply of nutrients also create a toxic environment. Serpentine sites often have a specialized flora dominated by nickel-tolerant species, many of which are endemic to such sites. Nickel pollution can occur through human influence as well—most often in the vicinity of nickel smelters or refineries. The best-known example of a nickel-polluted environment occurs around the town of Sudbury, Ontario, where smelting has been practiced for a century.