PJB-2025-272
ECOPHYSIOLOGICAL AND STRUCTURAL RESPONSES OF SCHINUS TEREBINTHIFOLIA (ANACARDIACEAE) TO HEAVY METAL CONTAMINATION IN URBAN AREAS
Ricardo Larroyed de Oliveira
Abstract
Urban green areas play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and providing ecosystem services, but they are impacted by atmospheric pollutants and the deposition of heavy metals. Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Anacardiaceae) has been identified as a potential bioindicator, but its physiological and structural responses to pollution require further investigation. This study aimed to assess the ecophysiological and structural responses of S. terebinthifolia to heavy metal contamination in urban areas with different levels of industrial pollution. Leaf chemical composition, as well as morphological, anatomical, and ecophysiological traits, along with soil characteristics, were analyzed in three areas with varying degrees of industrial influence in a medium-sized municipality in southern Brazil. The results showed that plants in more polluted regions exhibited reduced leaf thickness, lower palisade and spongy parenchyma development, decreased stomatal density, and lower chlorophyll levels. Additionally, greater bioaccumulation of zinc and magnesium was detected in leaves from these areas, likely due to the proximity of industries with high emissions. These findings suggest that S. terebinthifolia responds to urban environmental stress by undergoing structural and physiological changes related to air pollution and metal accumulation, thereby reinforcing its potential as a bioindicator.
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