Detection of urban trees sensitivity to air pollution using physiological and biochemical leaf traits in Tehran, Iran

The increased population in megacities has recently exacerbated the need to combat air pollution. This study examined the concept that the sensitivity and tolerance of urban plant species to air pollution might be used to determine Tehran, Iran's air quality and obtain suitable urban greening....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2022-09, Vol.12 (1), p.15398-15398, Article 15398
Main Authors: Dadkhah-Aghdash, Hamed, Rasouli, Milad, Rasouli, Kabir, Salimi, Azam
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
631/449
704/172
704/172/4081
Air pollution
Air quality
Ascorbic acid
Bioindicators
Chlorophyll
Flavonoids
Flowers & plants
Humanities and Social Sciences
Indicator species
Leaves
Megacities
multidisciplinary
Phenols
Plant extracts
Plant species
Pollution detection
Pollution index
Pollution tolerance
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Trees
Urban areas
Water content
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Summary:The increased population in megacities has recently exacerbated the need to combat air pollution. This study examined the concept that the sensitivity and tolerance of urban plant species to air pollution might be used to determine Tehran, Iran's air quality and obtain suitable urban greening. The air pollution tolerance index (APTI) was derived using the total chlorophyll, relative water content, pH, and ascorbic acid content of leaf extract from Morus alba , Ailanthus altissima , and Salix babylonica trees as an indicator of the sensitivity and tolerance of urban plant species. A. altissima and S. babylonica , with APTI values of 11.15 and 11.08, respectively, were sensitive to air pollution and can be employed as bioindicators, whereas M. alba , with an APTI value of 14.08, exhibited moderate resistance to air pollution and is therefore recommended for urban planting. Furthermore, the content of enzymatic and non-enzymatic parameters (carotenoid, phenol, and flavonoids) and proline concentration in the polluted seasons and sites (3 and 4) have been increased in M. alba . Collectively, we expect our findings to contribute to the rapidly growing body of research aiming to find a suitable urban greening for a wide range of polluted megacities.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-022-19865-3