Leaf metal concentrations, nutrient status and growth of Fraxinus uhdei (Wenz.) Lingelsh. in urban forests
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29298/rmcf.v17i95.1617Keywords:
metal uptake, leaf biomass, leaf biomonitoring, urban forests, trace metals, plant nutritionAbstract
Urban air pollution places chronic stress on trees through the deposition of pollutants from human activities, including metals associated with vehicle and industrial emissions, which can disrupt physiological processes and affect plant growth. Although metal accumulation in leaves has been used as a biomonitoring tool, gaps remain in the understanding of its relationship to morphological and growth changes in dominant urban species. Within this context, the present study evaluated the concentration of metals on the leaf surface and the fraction absorbed by the tissue, as well as the nutrient content in the leaves of the ash tree (Fraxinus uhdei), a species widely distributed in urban forests in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (ZMVM in Spanish). The analysis was conducted in three urban forests with contrasting environments. The concentrations of surface and absorbed metals and the nutrient content were determined, and their associations with morphological and growth variables were evaluated using multiple linear regression (stepwise method) and nutrient vector analysis. The results showed that copper (both surface and absorbed) was positively associated with increased leaf area, whereas metals of anthropogenic origin, such as lead, cadmium and chromium were negatively associated with increased diameter. The nutritional analysis revealed negative correlations between leaf biomass and nutrient concentrations. These findings suggest that the accumulation of metals in tree foliage may influence the physiology and nutrition of urban trees and provide a basis for their monitoring and management.
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