Effect of salt stress in urban conditions on twoAcerspecies with different sensitivity
Authors: Dmuchowski Wojciech , Baczewska-Dąbrowska Aneta , Gozdowski Dariusz , Brągoszewska Paulina , Gworek Barbara , Suwara Irena , Chojnacki Tadeusz , Jóźwiak Adam , Swiezewska Ewa 
Published: January 2021

Background

The benefits of trees in urban areas include the following: an increase in ecosystem health, an increase in human health, the mitigation of the effects of heat and drought at microclimate level, the storage and sequestration of carbon, and a reduction in air pollution and noise. These ecosystem services can be provided only by trees that are in good health. The main cause of salt stress in urban environments is the use of de-icing salts on the streets in winter. Salt stress is a complex process that includes changes in plants on the physiological, histological, cellular and molecular levels, leading to limitations in nutrient uptake, disrupting the ionic balance of trees and resulting in the death of roadside trees. In response to salinity, trees have developed a variety of defence mechanisms that allow them to minimize the effects of stress and maintain homeostasis.

Methodology

The reactions of two speciesAcerspecies:A. platanoidesandA. campestre, which have different sensitivities to the unfavourable conditions of the urban environments (mainly salt stress), were investigated. The research included two experiments: a field experiment with city trees and a controlled pot experiment with young trees treated with increasing doses of salt. In both experiments, the following were performed: an assessment of the health condition of the trees and the content of macroelements as well as the Cl and Na in leaves and a qualitative and quantitative analysis of polyprenols.

Results

A. campestrehad a more specific strategy thanA. platanoidesfor dealing with Na and Cl, which resulted in undamaged leaves. Under the same conditions,A. platanoides leavescontained more Cl and Na and were severely damaged. The disruption of the ion balance due to salt stress was lower inA. campestrethan inA. platanoides. Compared withA. platanoides,A. campestresynthesized more polyprenols in the field experiment. This ability was acquired during the process of acclimation, because it occurred only in the mature trees in the field experiment and not in the young trees in the pot experiment.

Conclusions

The use of two experimental methods (i.e., the field and pot experiments) allowed for a more complete assessment of tree strategies to mitigate salt stress.A. campestredisplayed a more specific strategy thanA. platanoides. This strategy was based on several elements. A.campestrelimited Cl and Na transport to the leaves, which resulted in a lack of damage to those organs. Under the same conditions,A. platanoidesindividuals contained more Cl and Na in their leaves and were seriously damaged.A. campestresynthesized larger amounts of polyprenols, which probably have the ability to mitigate salt stress. This ability was acquired during the process of acclimation, because it occurred only in the mature trees in the field experiment and was not observed in the young trees in the pot experiment.