Rubus plicatus Weihe & Nees: resilience to pollution caused by stone quarries

By

Petrus-Vancea, Adriana
Pop, Daniela Nicoleta
Sucea, Felicia Nicoleta
Dumbravă, Amalia-Raluca
Vicas, Simona Ioana
Stănășel, Oana
Costea, Traian Octavian
Cupsa, Diana

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

Nature conservation

Volume

55

Pages

321--341

Subjects

Chlorophyll , Dust , flavonoids , Metals , micromorphology , phenols , Stomata , structure

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers 2012-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.55.124893

 

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the effect of pollution caused by stone quarries on the morpho-anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology of a medicinal wild bramble Rubus plicatus Weihe & Nees. Samples were collected from two natural protected areas: Iron Gates Natural Park and Jiu Gorge National Park, both located in the southwestern part of Romania, and two unpolluted areas from these parks as background sites. We carried out the following analyses on the collected leaves of this taxon: morphology, micromorphology, anatomy, assimilating pigments, heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Cr, Fe), dry mass, bioactive compounds (total phenols and flavonoids), and antioxidant capacity. The results showed more stomata, higher amounts of assimilating pigments, higher amounts of heavy metals (especially lead), less dry mass, less phenols, and more flavonoids in Rubus plicatus leaves from polluted areas compared to areas without sources of pollution. The increased number of stomata and the amounts of assimilator pigments revealed the mechanisms developed by this species in order to survive in polluted conditions.