Change in Some Heavy Metal Concentrations in Forest Trees by Species, Organ, and Soil Depth

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution is one of the most important environmental problems nowadays, and studies on monitoring and reducing heavy metal pollution are among the popular and high-priority study subjects. It was stated that the most effective instrument in monitoring heavy metal pollution and reducing pollution is the plants. However, the heavy metal accumulation potential remarkably differs among the organs of plants. Within the scope of this study, the concentrations of Cu, Mn, and Al, which are among the most dangerous and important heavy metals for human health, in the soils in which forest tree species Pinus nigra Arnold., Pinus silvestris L., Fagus orientalis Libsky., and Abies nordmanniana subsp. bornmülleriana Mattf. are grown and analyzed at different soil depths and in leaf, bark, wood, cone, and root organs. As a result, the highest concentrations were found in cone and bark for Cu, leaf for Mn, and root for Al. For this reason, among the elements examined here, it is estimated that Mn is taken into the plant body mainly from the air through leaves, and Al is mainly taken from the soil via roots. The results obtained here suggest that the transfer of all three elements between organs was very limited and that species utilize elements in the soil at different levels. Study results might provide important information about which species can be used in reducing heavy metal pollution in which environment.