Petroleum pollution and mutation in mangroves

Chlorophyll-deficiency has often been used as a sensitive genetic end-point in plant mutation research. The frequency of trees heterozygous for nuclear chlorophyll-deficient mutations was determined for mangrove populations growing along the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. The frequency of heterozyg...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 1994-03, Vol.28 (3), p.166-169
Main Authors: Klekowski, Edward J, Corredor, Jorge E, Morell, Julio M, Del Castillo, Carlos A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Applied ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on plants and fungi
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Marine
Rhizophora mangle
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Summary:Chlorophyll-deficiency has often been used as a sensitive genetic end-point in plant mutation research. The frequency of trees heterozygous for nuclear chlorophyll-deficient mutations was determined for mangrove populations growing along the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. The frequency of heterozygotes was strongly correlated with the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the underlying sediment and with both acute and chronic petroleum pollution. Although epidemiological studies can seldom prove causation, a strong correlation is certainly compatible with a cause-effect relationship. Our results suggest that the biota of oil-polluted habitats may be experiencing increased mutation.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/0025-326X(94)90393-X