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Investigating the Impact of Salt Dust on Morpho-Physiological Characteristics and the Air Pollution Tolerance Index in Several Halophyte Species
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Mina Amiri1   , Asghar Mosleh Arani * , Mahmood Najafi Zilaie3 |
1- Department of Arid Land and Desert Management. Faculty of Natural Resources and Desert Studies, Yazd University
Yazd University, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran. , amosleh@yazd.ac.ir
3- Forests and Rangelands Research Department, Khuzestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Ahvaz, Iran, |
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Abstract: (150 Views) |
A significant increase in salt-dust storms in recent years has caused extensive and sometimes irreversible damage to arid ecosystems. This research investigated the effects of saline dust on the morpho-physiology and Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI) of three halophyte species Haloxylon ammodendron, Nitraria schoberi, and Halostachys belangeriana. The aim was to uncover the plants' adaptive responses to the emerging stress of saline dust and ultimately provide practical outputs for the sustainable management of vulnerable ecosystems. For this purpose, one-year-old seedlings of these species were subjected to greenhouse dust treatments with salinity levels of 0 (control), 8, 24, 48, and 72 dS/m, applied every two weeks over a three-month period. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications. Physiological indices measured included chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll, leaf Relative Water Content (RWC), ascorbic acid, nutritional elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), and the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI). The results indicated that both plant species and salinity concentration had a significant effect on most of the measured traits. Data from the various indices were analyzed using a completely randomized design and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Duncan's test was used for mean comparisons. Nitraria showed the highest values for total chlorophyll (5.77 mg/g), RWC (82.25%), ascorbic acid (0.34 mg/g), and APTI (8.60), whereas Haloxylon had the lowest chlorophyll values and the highest potassium content (31.59 mg/g). Increasing salinity up to 48 dS/m led to a significant increase in chlorophyll (up to 49%), ascorbic acid (up to 0.59 mg/g) in Nitraria, and nutritional elements (phosphorus up to 1366 μg/g). Potassium increased in Nitraria up to 48 dS/m (31.21 mg/g), while it showed a significant decrease in Haloxylon at higher levels. Nitraria was identified as the most resistant species, with a high APTI and maintained physiological efficiency up to 48 dS/m, while Haloxylon was identified as the most sensitive species. The increase in indices such as chlorophyll and ascorbic acid up to moderate salinity levels indicates the presence of adaptive mechanisms in these plants. Utilizing Nitraria schoberi, due to its superior resistance to saline dust, is proposed as a biological and low-cost solution for managing environmental crises in Iran's arid regions.
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Article number: 10 |
| Keywords: Arid ecosystems, Salt dust, halophyte, air pollution tolerance index, Physiological characteristics |
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Full-Text [PDF 1787 kb]
(51 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/08/25 | Accepted: 2025/09/13 | Published: 2026/03/11
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