Influence of Anthropogenic Factors on the State of Woody Plants in Volgograd

Abstract

Studies conducted in different cities have shown that trees growing in urbanized areas reduce noise levels and cleanse the air of solid particles, ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitric oxide and other pollutants contained in car fumes, transport dust and generated by industry. The reaction to the influence of negative factors in woody plants is in disturbances in metabolism and biochemical composition, their general development also changes, and their population decreases. The indicators of disorders occurring at the cellular and tissue levels are more sensitive to the influence of negative anthropogenic factors in comparison with external manifestations. The research was carried out on woody plants: small-leaved linden (L. Tíliacordáta), horse chestnut (L. Aésculus); the soil. The research was carried out in 9 districts of Volgograd. The assessment of the state of woody plants was carried out by the visual method based on external signs. GOST methods were used to determine the concentrations of chemical elements in the foliage and soil of woody plants. Using physical and chemical methods, the concentrations of chemical elements in the soil and biomass of woody plants taken from the selected areas of the city of Volgograd were obtained, and the correlation between these indicators and the life state of woody plants was determined. The dependence of the indicators of the concentration of nutrients in the soil and the state and viability of woody plants was well traced. In general, the state of most of the woody plants of the city was healthy or moderately weakened. Such a high level of the life state is explained by the relatively young age structure of the studied plants, because at a young age woody plants are more resistant to negative factors of the urban environment. The revealed features of the life of woody plants in the city can be taken into account in the practice of city green building.