The ecology of urban system: assessment using Spiraea plants

Abstract

The article presents the results of the study of the shift in the morphological parameters of the leaves of three species of the genus Spiraea L. growing under the conditions of transport-caused and industrial pollution in large industrial citi of Western Siberia (Novosibirsk) in comparison with that in background conditions (reference). The morphological indices (length, width, perimeter, and area of the lamina) were determined by digital image analysis using the Maplnfo software. The anthropogenic impacts induced a reduction in the size of the assimilating organs and an increase in the index of the fluctuating asymmetry of the leaves of urban plants compared to background plants. According to the fluctuating asymmetry index, the environmental quality of the Lenin district of Novosibirsk was assessed as critical, meanwhile that of the reference conditions corresponded to the norm.