Reproduction of mountain birch along a strong pollution gradient near Monchegorsk, Northwestern Russia.
We explored effects of severe pollution on sexual reproduction of mountain birch, Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii, by counting catkins on sample branches and weighing both somatic and generative structures of both short and long shoots from birches growing at 21 sites around large nickel-copper smelter at Monchegorsk, Northwestern Russia. Proportion of reproducing trees, production of catkins, shoot and catkin weight, as well as the relative difference in weight of somatic structures of generative and vegetative shoots, were generally independent of pollution load; in 2003 birches growing in industrial barrens produced more catkins than birches growing in unpolluted forests. Thus, we found no support for the hypothesis that reproductive allocation should decrease with decrease in environmental capacity. Absence of adverse effects might indicate that long-lasting pollution impact already eliminated the most sensitive individuals from the affected birch populations.
Kozlov
Mikhail V
MV
Department of Biology, Section of Ecology, University of Turku, Turku 20014, Finland. mikoz@utu.fi
Zvereva
Elena L
EL
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D029662:Betula / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D008669:Metallurgy; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012426:Russia
D000393:Air Pollutants