Response of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) to stress induced by different types of pollutants – testing the fluctuating asymmetry |
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Authors: | Ewa Chudzinska Ewa M Pawlaczyk Konrad Celinski Jean Diatta |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Genetics, Adam Mickiewicz University, , Poznań, Poland;2. Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Environmental Biogeochemistry, Poznan University of Life Sciences, , Poznań, Poland |
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Abstract: | Damage caused to pine forests by industrial pollution is observed even several decades after emissions have stopped down. A simple morphological feature – the leaf fluctuating asymmetry – was used for assessing the condition of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands growing in a heavily degraded area. In 2011, a study was performed on the developmental instability of needles in four naturally reforested Polish populations of P. sylvestris. Studies were conducted within the protective zone at a zinc smelter, a copper smelter, a cement plant and train tracks. All selected areas manifested a high extent of anthropogenic pollution‐induced environmental degradation until the end of the 90s. Currently, a reduced level of environmental pollution is recorded at these sites. Control group was a natural population of Scots pine from the region of National Park of Wielkopolska. The results confirm the usefulness of fluctuating asymmetry as a highly sensitive indicator of non‐specific stress. Also, it was shown that in areas degraded by human activity, poor condition of Scots pine persists that the stress factor has been eliminated. This tendency occurs particularly to areas contaminated by heavy metals. |
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Keywords: | fluctuating asymmetry Pinus sylvestris pollution stress trees health |
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