Heavy metal loading from transport using the indication species Festuca ovina L.

Abstract

The environmental impacts of transportation are multidirectional and primarily affect the atmosphere, surface water, groundwater, soil and biodiversity. Urban forests on the outskirts of cities are often surrounded by highways with heavy traffic which generates heavy metal (HM) pollution. Little work has been done on the lower layers of forests that have to cope with the roadside environment. The study was conducted in 2021 in an urban forest located in eastern part of Warsaw (Poland). The forest is part of the Mazowiecki Regional Park, which is represented by a fresh coniferous forest (Peucedano-Pinetum) growing on mostly poor, sandy soil with low humus content. The forest adjoins to the road, which is part of the national road with two lanes in each direction. Festuca ovina L., a species typical of the Peucedano-Pinetum forest in the herbaceous layer, was selected as the plant for the analysis. The aim was to analyze the accumulation of HM in the immediate vicinity of road traffic, in the upper soil layers and in the plant Festuca ovina L. The results show that heavy metals (HM) are present in the soil and that their amounts decrease with increasing distance from the pollution source. It has also been shown that HM are efficiently accumulated by the herbaceous plant Festuca ovina L. The presented results indicate that meadow vegetation and urban forests play a very important role in environmental decontamination. The results obtained provide a basis for more appropriate planning of urban green spaces.