Leaf structural traits of tropical woody species resistant to cement dust

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 23; no. 16; pp. 16104 - 16114
• Main Authors: Siqueira-Silva, Advanio Inácio, Pereira, Eduardo Gusmão, Modolo, Luzia Valentina, Paiva, Elder Antonio Sousa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.08.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abscission; Air pollution; Anacardiaceae; Anacardiaceae - anatomy & histology; Anacardiaceae - drug effects; Anacardiaceae - ultrastructure; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Brazil; Cell survival; Cement; Cement industry; Controlled conditions; Developmental stages; Dust; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Pollutants - toxicity; Environmental science; Factories; Flowers & plants; Guazuma ulmifolia; Indigenous plants; Indigenous species; Leaves; Limestone; Malvaceae; Malvaceae - anatomy & histology; Malvaceae - drug effects; Malvaceae - ultrastructure; Meliaceae; Meliaceae - anatomy & histology; Meliaceae - drug effects; Meliaceae - ultrastructure; Mesophyll; Plant cells; Plant growth; Plant Leaves - anatomy & histology; Plant Leaves - drug effects; Plant Leaves - ultrastructure; Plant species; Plants; Pollutants; Raw materials; Research Article; Seeds; Stomata; Studies; Sulfur; Survival; Trichilia hirta; Tropical Climate; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Woody plants; Brazil; ASW, Brazil; Abiotic stress; Pollution; Young plants; Guazuma ulmifolia; Trichilia hirta; Myracrodruon urundeuva
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-6793-z

Cement industries located nearby limestone outcrops in Brazil have contributed to the coating of cement dust over native plant species. However, little is known about the extent of the response of tropical woody plants to such environmental pollutant particularly during the first stages of plant development and establishment. This work focused on the investigation of possible alterations in leaf structural and ultrastructural traits of 5-month-old Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. (Malvaceae), 6-month-old Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão (Anacardiaceae), and 9-month-old Trichilia hirta L. (Meliaceae) challenged superficially with cement dust during new leaf development. Leaf surface of plants, the soil or both (leaf plus soil), were treated (or not) for 60 days, under controlled conditions, with cement dust at 2.5 or 5.0 mg cm −2 . After exposure, no significant structural changes were observed in plant leaves. Also, no plant death was recorded by the end of the experiment. There was also some evidence of localized leaf necrosis in G. ulmifolia and T. hirta , leaf curling in M. urundeuva and T. hirta , and bulges formation on epidermal surface of T. hirta , after cement dust contact with plant shoots. All species studied exhibited stomata obliteration while T. hirta , in particular, presented early leaf abscission, changes in cellular relief, and organization and content of midrib cells. No significant ultrastructural alterations were detected under the experimental conditions studied. Indeed, mesophyll cells presented plastids with intact membrane systems. The high plant survival rates, together with mild morphoanatomic traits alterations in leaves, indicate that G. ulmifolia is more resistant to cement dust pollutant, followed by M. urundeuva and T. hirta . Thus, the three plant species are promising for being used to revegetate areas impacted by cement industries activities.