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Response of Platanus orientalis leaves to urban pollution by heavy metals

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Abstract

Atmospheric pollution is an important concern in urban environments. The impact of urban pollution on the physiological, biochemical and anatomical properties of leaves of oriental plane (Platanus orientalis L.) was studied. The leaves were collected from an urban site (Tehran, Iran) and a non-urban forest park (Chitgar Forest Park). Anatomical (stomata, parenchyma, and cuticle) and physiological (chlorophyll content, enzyme activities) properties were analyzed. The concentrations of Cd (cadmium), Pb (lead), Ni (nickel), and Cr (chromium) in leaves were significantly higher and Zn (zinc) lower at the urban site relative to the forest park. Chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid content in leaves of the urban site were significantly less than those of the forest park, but there was no significant difference in chlorophyll b. In addition, the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and guaiacol peroxidase in urban leaves were significantly higher than in the leaves of the forest park. In the urban area, leaves experienced a significant decrease in leaf surface area, stomata density, stomata pore area, epidermis, and spongy mesophyll thickness, but a significant increase in cuticle and palisade thicknesses relative to forest park leaves. The increase in enzyme activities may indicate that the trees are attempting to cope with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) because of pollution-induced stress. Our study suggests that oriental plane trees alter their physiological and anatomical properties when living in a polluted urban environment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

    Esmaiel Khosropour, Pedram Attarod & Anoushirvan Shirvany

  2. Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, Canada

    Thomas Grant Pypker

  3. Department of Wood Sciences, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran

    Vilma Bayramzadeh

  4. Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Saveh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Saveh, Iran

    Leila Hakimi

  5. Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

    Mazaher Moeinaddini

Authors
  1. Esmaiel Khosropour
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  2. Pedram Attarod
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  3. Anoushirvan Shirvany
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  4. Thomas Grant Pypker
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  5. Vilma Bayramzadeh
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  6. Leila Hakimi
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  7. Mazaher Moeinaddini
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Correspondence to Pedram Attarod.

Additional information

Project Funding: The present paper was a part of the paper leading author (Esmaiel Khosropour) who was a PhD student in the Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran. He was graduated two years ago. This research was supported by the University of Tehran.

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Corresponding editor: Zhu Hong.

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Khosropour, E., Attarod, P., Shirvany, A. et al. Response of Platanus orientalis leaves to urban pollution by heavy metals. J. For. Res. 30, 1437–1445 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-0692-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-0692-8

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