title: The effect of air pollution and other environmental stressors on leaf fluctuating asymmetry and specific leaf area of Salix alba L.
abstract: We aimed at evaluating the effect of low-level air pollution on leaf area fluctuating asymmetry (FAA) and specific leaf area (SLA) of Salix alba L., taking into account other environmental factors. Cuttings were grown in standardized conditions in the near vicinity of air quality measuring stations in Belgium. Variability of SLA and FAA between measuring stations explained 83% and 7.26%, respectively, of the total variability. FAA was not influenced by air pollution or environmental factors such as shading, herbivory, air temperature and humidity. SLA was increased by an increase in shadow, while NO(x) and O(3) concentrations had only a marginal influence. The influence of SO(2) concentration was negligible. Although our data analysis suggests a relationship between SLA and NO(x)/O(3) concentration, the absence of a straightforward relationship between FAA and SLA and air pollution still questions the usefulness of these bio-indicators for monitoring air pollution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium. hoffmann@bgt.uni-hannover.de
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wuytack
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wuyts
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Dongen
authors.forename: Lander
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baeten
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kardel
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Verheyen
authors.forename: Roeland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Samson
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000633:toxicity; D010126:Ozone / Q000633:toxicity; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D032108:Salix / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; D010126:Ozone