Morpho-physiological adaptation of bryophytes to environmental factors on the devastated territories of sulphur extraction

Abstract

There was studied the morphological structure of mossy sods, content of carbohydrate metabolism components; activity of enzymes of antioxidant defense – peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in mosses with different tolerance to the moisture deficiency– Bryum argenteum Hedw., Bryum caespiticium Hedw. and Brachytecium salebrosum (Hoffm. ex F. Weber & D. Mohr) Schimp., and also the functional condition of DNA depending on the intensity of ecological factors at the territory of sulphur excavation dump of Novoyavorivsky state mining-chemical enterprise “Sirka” (Lviv region, Ukraine), where bryophytes are pioneers of overgrowth.It was demonstrated, that under unfavorable hydrothermal regime, sods of mosses Bryum argenteum and Brachythecium salebrosum acquired signs of xeromorphism that is a manifestation of adaptation to the moisture deficiency. The mosses adaptation to the unfavorable water regime at the territory of the sulphur excavation dump is provided by the change of directionality of carbohydrate metabolism, manifested in the increase of the general content of carbohydrates and redistribution of carbohydrate metabolism to starch hydrolysis and soluble sugars accumulation.There was established the increase of activity of enzumes-antioxidants - peroxidase and supersoxide dismutase - in mosses shoots.The moderate water deficiency influenced the intensity of luminescence of DNA ∙АО of kernels, causing the increase of the level of polyploidization of kernels of the apical meristem of B. Caespiticium shoots