Air Pollution Monitoring by Plants and Plant Resistance

Abstract:

Several physiological parameters were compared including leaf area, cell membrane leakage rate, Fv/Fm and photosynthetic pigments content in leaves of 30 species of plants for urban greening, potted in two air polluted sites, Wuxing(WX) and Dongcun(DC), Foshan City, Guangdong Province, and one less polluted site at South China Botanical Garden in Guangzhou(BG) for control After growing for 3-5 months, the growth of leaves was inhibited and maximal photochemical efficiency of PSⅡ and content of photosynthetic pigments decreased in most plants at two polluted sites in comparison with the less polluted site. The average values of leaf area, Fv/Fm, and photosynthetic pigments content at each site were in the order of BG>WX>DC, while the average values of cell membrane leakage rate were in the contrary. Data analysis showed that leaf area was the most sensitive one to air pollution and Fv/Fm was slightly affected by different species. According to the tested parameters, it is concluded that Artocarpus hypargyreus, Ficus annulata and Camellia semiserrata are resistant species while Liquidambar formosana is sensitive one.

Key words:Air pollution monitoring; Plants for urban greening; Physiological parameters; Resistant plant to airPollution