Evaluating the amount of heavy metals in dusts and their absorption by Brant’s oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) (Case study: Meleh Siah, Ilam)

Document Type : Scientific article

Authors

1 M.Sc. Student, Faculty of Desert Studies, University of Semnan

2 Associate Prof., Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO)

3 Assistant Prof., Faculty of Desert Studies, University of Semnan

4 Senior Research Expert, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO)

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the presence of some heavy metals in dust as well as their influences on soil, leaves and twigs of Brant`s oak (Quercusbrantii Lindl.) at a study site located in Meleh-Siah, Ilam province. For two groups intact and declined trees, we measured four elements including Pb, Zn, Ni and Cd in twodifferent time spots (April and September 2013) during the growth period corresponding to the dust events. Sampling results showed an increase in the amount of all elements except for zinc in the sub-canopy soil for both groups of trees. By showing a significant increase (p<0.05) during early spring to late summer, all four elements were shown to be absorbed by both declining and intact oak trees. At twigs samples of intact treesPb, Ni and Cdelements showed increased concentration at the end of growth period while similar significant increases wasn't noticed in twigs of declined trees. Also, apart from Zn content of leaves at second inventory phase, there was no significant difference between declined and intact trees whit respect to studied elements. This study concludes that the heavy metals in dust are highly able to be absorbed by leaf and root. Furthermore, these might be amongst the reasons which decrease the resilience of oak trees against stress factors such as climate change, drought, pest infestations, and overgrazing. 

Keywords


- Ahmadi, F., 2010. Effect of climatic factors on dust formation in west of Iran. M.Sc. Thesis in Natural Geography (Climatology), Payame Noor University of Isfahan,112p (In Persian).
- Aksoy, A. and Demirezen, D., 2006. Fraxinus excelsior as a biomonitor of heavy metal pollution. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 15(1): 27-33.
- Aksoy, A. and Öztürk, M., 1997. Nerium oleander L. as a biomonitor of lead and other heavy metal pollution in Mediterranean environments. Science of The Total Environment, 205(2-3): 145-150.
- Ali Ahmad Korori, S., Khoshnevis, M., Shirvany, A. and Matinizadeh, M., 2012. Pollution effects of the Persian Gulf War on the southern regions of Iran. Iranian Student Book Agency, 369p. (In Persian).
- Allen, S.E., 1989. Analysis of Ecological Materials, 2nd edition, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, England, 368p.
- AL-Shayeb, S.M., Seaward, M.R.D. and Al-Rajhi, M.A., 1995. The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) as a biomonitor of lead and other elements in arid environments. Science of The Total Environment, 168(1): 1-10.
- Anonymous, 2011. National plan for prevention and control of oak forests decline in the forest ecosystems. Forest Resources Office, Department of Arid and Semi-arid, Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization,68p (In Persian).
- Dmuchowski, W. and Bytnerowicz, A., 1995. Monitoring environmental pollution in Poland by chemical analysis of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needles. Environmental Pollution: 87(1): 87-104.
- Güne, A., Alpaslan, M. and Ina, L.A. 2004. Plant Growth and Fertilizer. Ankara University, Agriculture Publications, Ankara, Turkey, 422p.
- Hosseini, S.M., Rahmani, A. and Azadfar, D. 2012. Effect of tree mortality on structure of Brant's oak (Quercus brantii) forests of Ilam province of Iran. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research Vol. 20 No. 4,665-577.
- Kabata-Pendias, A., Piotrowska, M., and Dutka, S. 1993. Trace metals in legumes and monocotyledons and their suitability for the assessment of soil contamination: 413-424. In: Markert, B. (Ed.). Plants as Biomonitors: Indicators for Heavy Metals in the Terrestrial Environment. Wiley-Blackwell, Weinheim, New York, 644p.
- Koepp, D.E., 1981. Lead: Understanding the minimal toxicity of lead in plants: 55-76. In: Lepp, N.W. (Ed.). Effect of Heavy Metal Pollution on Plants, Vol. 1: Effects of Trace Metals on Plant Function. Applied Science Publishers, London, England, 256p.
- Markert, B., 1993. Plants as Biomonitors: Indicators for Heavy Metals in the Terrestrial Environment. Wiley-Blackwell, Weinheim, New York, 644p.
- Mesanza, J.M. and Casado, H., 1994. Effect of atmospheric pollution on forested areas of Pinus radiata in the Basque Country (Spain): Influence of highways. Science of the Total Environment, 146-147: 125-130.
- Miller, S.D., Kuciauskas, A.P., Liu, M., Ji, Q., Reid, J.S., Breed, D.W., Walker, A.L. and Al-Mandoos, A., 2008. Haboob dust storms of the southern Arabian Peninsula. Journal of Geophysical Research, 113: (D1) D01202.
- Momani, K., Jiries, A. and Jaradat, Q., 2000. Atmospheric deposition of Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd in Amman, Jordan. Turkish Journal of Chemistry, 24: 231-237.
- Motto, H.L., Danies, R.P., Chilko, D.M. and Motto, C.K., 1970. Lead in soils and plants: its relationship to traffic volume and proximity to highways. Environmental Science and Technology, 4: 231-237.
- Pydtt, F.B., 1999. Comparison of foliar and stem bioaccumulation of heavy metals by Corsican pines in the Mount Olympus area of Cyprus. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 42: 57-61.
- O’Hara, S.L., Clarke, M.L. and Elatrash, M.S., 2006. Field measurements of desert dust deposition in Libya. Atmospheric Environment, 40: 3881-3897.
- Oliva, S.R. and Rautio, P., 2005. Spatiotemporal patterns in foliar element concentrations in Ficus microcarpa L.f. growing in an urban area: Implications for biomonitoring studies. Ecological Indicators, 5: 97-107.
- Rahmani, H.R., Kalbasi, M. and Haj-Rasouliha, Sh., 2000. Soil contamination by liberated lead in some expressways of Iran. Journal of Sciences and Technology of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4(4): 31-42 (In Persian).
- Sawidis, T., Mamasidis, A., Zachariadis, G. and Stratis, J., 1995. A study of air pollution with heavy metals in Thessaloniki city (Greece) using trees as biological indicators. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 28: 118-124.
- Scerbo, R., Possenti, L., Lampugnami, L., Ristori, T., Barale, R. and Barghigiani, C., 2002. Lichen (Xantoria parietiana) biomonitoring of trace element contamination and air quality assessment in Livorno province (Tuscany, Italy). Science of The Total Environment, 286(1-3): 27-40.
- Scheffer, F. and Schachtschabel, P., 1989. Lehrbuch der Bodenkunde 12th edition, Ferdinand Enke Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, 424p.
- Srinivas N.S., Ramakrishnarao, K. and Suresh Kuma, R., 2009. Trace metal accumulation in vegetables grown in industrial and semi-urban areas, a case study. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 7(2): 131-139.
- Song, Z., Wang, J. and Wang, S., 2007. Quantitative classification of northeast Asian dust events. Journal of Geophysical Research, 112: 1-8.
- Viard, B.F., Pihan, S. and Promeyrat, C., 2004. Integrated assessment of heavy metal (Pb, Zn, Cd) highway pollution: bioaccumulation in soil, Gramineae and land snails. Chemosphere, 55: 1349-1359.
- Yilmaz, S. and Zengin, M., 2004. Monitoring environmental pollution in Erzurum by chemical analysis of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needles. Environment International, 29(8): 1041-1047.