Abstract
The Karkonosze National Park is affected by long-distance metal air transport of anthropogenic contamination as well as by tourist activity. Therefore, concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were evaluated in soil as well as in vital and non-vital fronds of Athyrium distentifolium Opiz collected in the middle of the growing season from glacial cirques in the Karkonosze. Additionally, fronds of the same species turning brown in autumn were collected from the same sampling sites. The health of ferns was impacted by the contents of Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in fronds, which may indicate that A. distentifolium uses elements accumulated in its tissues as defence against pathogens. Individuals from higher altitudes contained higher concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni, Fe and Pb than those from lower altitudes. Autumn fronds of A. distentifolium contained a significantly higher concentration of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Pb than vital summer fronds, which may indicate sequestration of these elements in senescing fronds probably to remove potentially harmful metals. Non-vital ferns were a better accumulator of Pb than vital ones, while both types of ferns accumulated Mn in a similar way.
Highlights
The Karkonosze is the largest mountain chain in the Sudety, SW Poland, formed by a crystalline massif reaching up to 1603 m a.s.l. (Urban et al 2017)
Studies of the tolerance of terrestrial ferns to metals in the Karkonosze are rather scarce, and the concentration of trace elements for this research was evaluated in Athyrium distentifolium Opiz fronds and soil from its sampling sites
A. distentifolium, the alpine lady-fern, is a circumpolar arctic-montane species growing at high altitude sites
Summary
The Karkonosze is the largest mountain chain in the Sudety, SW Poland, formed by a crystalline massif reaching up to 1603 m a.s.l. (Urban et al 2017). Ferns are able to survive in polluted soils, especially in active mining areas. According to Kachenko et al (2007), these plants are able to accumulate Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn and may be utilised in the phytoremediation of contaminated soils Such abilities and tolerance to many environmental extreme factors suggest that ferns may be useful indicators of environmental pollution (Chang et al 2009). A. distentifolium, the alpine lady-fern, is a circumpolar arctic-montane species growing at high altitude sites. This is a chionophilous fern and prefers long-standing snow cover (McHaffie 2005).
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