Lead and nickel accumulation in Iris pumila: Consideration of its usefulness as a potential bioindicator in the natural protected area of Deliblato Sands, Serbia

A Tarasjev,U Zivkovic,L Rubinjoni,S Avramov,Danijela Miljkovic,Barisic Klisaric,Vukica Vujic

doi:10.2298/abs1401331m

A Tarasjev, U Zivkovic + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.2298/abs1401331m

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Abstract

In this work, we investigated the suitability of the threatened species, Iris pumila L., as a possible bioindicator of traffic pollution in its natural habitats (mostly protected areas and natural reserves). We examined its potential to accumulate lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) in polluted habitats, and the genetic variability for this capability, since it is an important facet of bioindicator suitability. We estimated the concentrations of Pb and Ni in the leaves of 17 I. pumila clones (genotypes) grown in one of their natural habitats, the unpolluted semi-arid habitat of the protected Deliblato Sands Special Natural Reserve, and in the leaves of 18 Iris pumila full-sib families grown in an experimental plot in a heavily polluted urban location in Belgrade, Serbia. Comparison of the contrasting habitats by one-way ANOVA analysis showed that both Pb and Ni concentrations were significantly higher (six-fold) in the I. pumila leaves collected from plants grown in the polluted urban habitat. Two-way ANOVA (randomized block design) analysis performed on the full-sib families grown in the urban location failed to detect significant genetic variation for metal accumulation in I. pumila leaves. A significant block effect on the concentration of Ni in leaves was detected, indicating responsiveness to microenvironmental variability. These results suggest that I. pumila can serve as a good indicator of traffic pollution in protected areas. The response is stable since genetic variability of I. pumila populations does not appear to influence its role as an indicator greatly.

Highlights

The anthropogenic influence on ecological conditions in natural habitats can have various forms and can affect various ecological attributes (Angermeier and Karr, 1994; Dale et al, 2002)
The extent of change can suggest whether I. pumila can serve as a bioindicator of traffic pollution in previously uncontaminated habitats
In this pilot study of heavy metal accumulation in Iris pumila, the estimated value of Pb concentration in Iris pumila leaves (1.24 ± 0.11 μg/g) in the urban area was lower than in most samples of Aesculus hippocastaneum leaves in Belgrade urban areas (Aničić et al, 2011) or samples from Platanus orientalis and Pinus nigra collected at a nearby site (Sawidis, 2011), and to a lesser degree lower the values measured in the leaves of Tilia sp. (Aničić et al, 2011)

Summary

Introduction

The anthropogenic influence on ecological conditions in natural habitats can have various forms and can affect various ecological attributes (Angermeier and Karr, 1994; Dale et al, 2002). Studies of indicator suitability should include genotypic and environmental variation in the intake rates of toxic heavy metals, including Pb and Ni. In this work we used naturally growing clones of the threatened species, Iris pumila L., in the protected Deliblato Sands Natural Reserve, as well as plants belonging to different full-sib families that were planted and grown for a couple of years in a heavily polluted habitat in Belgrade, Serbia (Fig. 1). The extent of change can suggest whether I. pumila can serve as a bioindicator of traffic pollution in previously uncontaminated habitats. Another aim of this study was to determine whether there is genetic and microenvironmental variability for the accumulation of heavy metals in I. pumila leaves in polluted locations

Materials and Methods

A Source of variation

Results and Discussion