Influence of environmental pollution on leaf properties of urban plane trees, Platanus orientalis L.
To investigate whether leaves of plane trees (Platanus orientalis) are damaged by traffic pollution, trees from a megacity (Mashhad, Iran) and a rural area were investigated. Soil and air from the urban centre showed enrichment of several toxic elements, but only lead was enriched in leaves. Leaf size and stomata density were lower at the urban site. At the urban site leaf surfaces were heavily loaded by dust particles but the stomata were not occluded; the cuticle was thinner; other anatomical properties were unaffected suggesting that plane trees can cope with traffic exhaust in megacities.
Pourkhabbaz
Alireza
A
University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HAWK), Büsgenweg 1a, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
Rastin
Nayerah
N
Olbrich
Andrea
A
Langenfeld-Heyser
Rosemarie
R
Polle
Andrea
A
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D029624:Ferns / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D054046:Plant Stomata / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014197:Trees / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter