Selection and identification of air pollution-tolerant plants by air pollution tolerance index (APTI) in urban parks of Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

The study examined air pollution tolerance index (APTI) of ten tree species in urban parks of Isfahan, Iran. Four physiological and biochemical parameters namely: leaf relative water content of leaf (RWC), ascorbic acid content, total leaf chlorophyll (TCH) and leaf extract pH were used to determined the APTI. The results show that combining variety of these parameters gave a more reliable result than those of individual parameter. In this method, the leaves of Nerium oleander, Platanus orientalis, Morus alba, Ulmus carpinifolia, Robinia pesudoacacia, Pinus eldarica, Cupressus sempervirens, Ailanthus altissima, Cercis siliquastrum and Eucalyptus camaldulensis were extracted and the air pollution tolerance index calculated. The higher values of APTI were recorded for the species, A. altissima and R. pesudoacacia; they were more tolerant to air pollution while the minimum values of APTI was recorded for P. orientalis and U. carpinifolia and they were sensitive to air pollution.

Key Words: Tolerant plants, ascorbic acid, total chlorophyll, bioindicators.