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Physiological and biochemical responses of two tree species in urban areas to different air pollution levels

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Photosynthetica

Abstract

We investigated the physiological and biochemical differences in Pterocarpus indicus and Erythrina orientalis grown in four sites at different pollution levels in the Philippines: Makati, Pasig and Quezon (high pollution levels; HP) located in Metro Manila, and La Mesa Watershed (a non-polluted area; NP). Among these four areas, HP sites had higher net photosynthetic rates (P N) than NP sites, except for Makati. Among HP sites, Makati and Quezon had the lowest P N for P. indicus and E. orientalis, respectively. Chlorophyll (Chl) contents were significantly lower in HP than in NP sites. Trees in Makati had the lowest Chl contents among HP sites, and P. indicus had higher Chl contents than did E. orientalis. In addition, the chloroplasts in HP trees had small starch grains with numerous dark, large plastoglobuli. Furthermore, antioxidant enzymes, indicative of the defense mechanism, showed a significantly higher activity in HP than in NP trees.

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Abbreviations

APX:

ascorbate peroxidase

Chl:

chlorophyll

DHAR:

dehydroascorbate reductase

EtOH:

ethanol

GR:

glutathione reductase

g s :

stomatal conductance

HP:

high levels of air pollution

MDHAR:

monodehydroascorbate reductase

NP:

non-polluted area

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

PPFD:

photosynthetic photon flux density

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SCB:

sodium cacodylate buffer

TEM:

transmission electron microscopy

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the the Korea Research Foundation Grant funded by the Korean Government (MOEHRD, Basic Research Promotion Fund) (KRF-2008-314-F00021).

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  1. Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Seoul, Seoul, 130-743, Republic of Korea

    S. G. Baek & S. Y. Woo

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  1. S. G. Baek
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  2. S. Y. Woo
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Correspondence to S. Y. Woo.

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Baek, S.G., Woo, S.Y. Physiological and biochemical responses of two tree species in urban areas to different air pollution levels. Photosynthetica 48, 23–29 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-010-0005-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-010-0005-8

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