environmental quality

Bioindication of Environmental Quality of the Yakutsk City Administrative Districts on the Basis of Leaf Fluctuating Asymmetry and Seed Quality of the Silver Birch Betula pendula Roth

Authors: Soldatova V. Y., Shadrina E. G., Novgorodova D. N.

The environmental quality in the territory of Yakutsk city has been assessed by the leaf fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and seed quality (germinating capacity and germination energy) of the silver birch Betula pendula Roth. A total of 2,300 birch leaves were collected at 25 sites in vicinity of roadways and 21 samples of seeds were collected in the same sites. FA level at different sites varied within 0.042–0.057, which implies that the environmental quality varied from relatively normal to critical.