Needle morpho-anatomy and pollen morphophysiology of selected conifers in urban conditions

Abstract

Comparison of twelve conifer species (Abies alba, A. concolor, A. nordmanniana, A. pinsapo, Cedrus atlantica, C. deodara, Picea abies, P. omorika, P. pungens, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Taxus baccata, and Pinus nigra) in the sense of needle morpho-anatomy and pollen morpho-physiology, in correlation to air pollution, was performed for the first time. Analyzed properties of species were also compared with literature sources. Listed conifers were investigated in five Belgrade parks, characterised by different degrees of air pollution, especially CO2. Their rank, I-V, was performed from non-polluted to heavily-polluted parks Ranking in the sense of needle morpho-anatomy and pollen morpho-physiology did not match expected ones, but park V remained the worst for many analyzed species. Trees with shorter needles had greater stomatal density, which was particularly prominent in A. alba, A. nordmanniana, P. abies, P. omorika, P. nigra and T. baccata. The pollen grains of C. atlantica and T. baccata were the most sensitive to air pollution. In some analyzed species distance of particular trees close to the heavy traffic also was in correlation with needle dimensions (P. omorika, A. concolor, A. nordmanniana, P. nigra), stomatal density (A. alba, P. abies, P. omorika, P. pungens) and pollen vitality (A. pinsapo, C. atlantica, P. menziessi, P. nigra, and T. baccata).