Urban air pollution has a significant impact on plant health, and biomonitoring is an effective method for assessing these effects. Variations in plant pigment content are sensitive to environmental conditions and serve as a crucial parameter for revealing relevant data on urban habitat quality. This study is based on the non-invasive measurement of chlorophyll and anthocyanin pigment contents in the leaves of the ornamental tree species Prunus cerasifera var. pissardii and Catalpa bignonioides. Data were collected using two portable pigment meters: the OPTI-SCIENCES CCM-300 for chlorophyll content and the OPTI-SCIENCES ACM-200plus for anthocyanin content. The aim was to compare pigment concentrations between individuals located in urban areas exposed to traffic pollution and those in urban green areas, in parks in the city of Timișoara, Romania. Statistical analysis of the data demonstrated that Prunus cerasifera var. pissardii exhibits two adaptive mechanisms in response to urban pollution from road traffic: an increase in chlorophyll pigment concentration and an increase in anthocyanin concentration in foliage, both observed in individuals located in urban areas compared to those in urban green areas. In contrast, Catalpa bignonioides appears to be less resistant, with urban areas individuals showing a tendency to decrease chlorophyll pigment concentrations. This study highlights the importance of using biochemical parameters to monitor the impact of pollution on vegetation and underscores the potential of certain ornamental species as bioindicators of air quality.

biomonitoring, portable pigment meters, urban pollution, urban green, anthocyanins, chlorophylls

biology

Presentation: poster