Biochemical Adaptation of Scots Pine (<i>Pinus sylvestris</i> L.) to Technogenic Pollution
Changes in a complex of biochemical indices reflecting the disturbance of the homeostatic state and the activity of the adaptive reactions of Pinus sylvestris L. under conditions of technogenic pollution were studied. A number of parameters attest to the degradation of the physiological state of trees growing under conditions of excessive accumulation of pollutant elements: decrease in the ratio of protein and nonprotein nitrogen fractions in the needles by 52 %, decrease in the total phosphorus and its acid-soluble fraction by 40 and 63 %, respectively, reduction of carbon concentration by 31 %, decrease in the amount of chlorophyll a based on the weight of one needle by 23 %, chlorophyll b by 40 %, carotenoids by 42 %. The activation of defensive reactions of pine can be judged by increase in the amount of ascorbic acid in needles by 48 %, the amount of water-soluble phenolic compounds by 29 %, increase in the ratio of Chl. а /Chl. b - by 35 %, the ratio of green pigments to yellow - by 40 %, the level of water- and alcohol-soluble proteins by 40 and 30 %, respectively. The highest activity of biochemical defensive components was recorded in trees growing near the Shelekhov Industrial Center, in the emissions of which the content of fluorides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is high.