Heavy Metals in the Green Mass of Shrubs of the Southern Tundra of the Yamal Peninsula

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify the features of the background accumulation of heavy metals in plants characteristic of the undisturbed territories of the southern tundra of Yamal, and to establish interspecifi c diff erences in the absorption of heavy metals by shrub plants in this region. Materials and methods. The features of the distribution and accumulation of heavy metals (Ni, Cu, Cd, Mn, Zn, Pb) in the green mass of shrubs Betula nana (dwarf birch), Salix lanata (hairy willow), Vaccinium uliginosum (blueberry), Ledum decumbens (ledum) are considered. The studies were carried out in the southern tundra of the Yamal Peninsula, at a site remote from objects of anthropogenic impact. Results and discussion. The highest degree of absolute absorption of HMs out of the 4 studied plant species is typical for Vaccinium uliginosum, the lowest for Ledum decumbens. Some of the studied species of shrub vegetation of the southern tundra of Yamal are characterized by an anomalously high content of cadmium, nickel, and manganese for land vegetation. High relative concentrations of nickel and cadmium were found in the green mass of dwarf birch, hairy willow and blueberry, and manganese in the green mass of wild rosemary and blueberry. The concentrations of copper and lead for all the studied species of tundra shrubs in the studied area do not exceed the Clarke value. Conclusion. Among the studied shrub species of the southern tundra, Betula nana and Salix lanata are the most suitable for indicating pollution and studying the accumulation of heavy metals in the green mass.