RT Journal Article
T1 Leaf ecological traits (morphology and gas exchange) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations in shrubs and trees: A meta-analysis approach
A1 Giráldez Suárez, Pablo
A1 Vázquez Arias, Antón
A1 Nicola, Flavia de
A1 Fernández Escribano, José Ángel
A1 Aboal Viñas, Jesús
K1 Green filter
K1 Atmospheric pollution
K1 Specific leaf area
K1 PAH
K1 Air pollution
K1 Leaves characteristics
K1 Leaf functional traits
AB The leaves of trees and shrubs can capture atmospheric pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the capacity of uptake depends on the leaf traits. Although numerous studies have measured PAH concentrations in leaves of woody plants and the variability in leaf traits, few have investigated the relationship between these factors. We conducted a literature review to summarize the available information on this topic and found that five types of leaf traits have been studied, with those associated with leaf morphology and gas exchange being the most common. However, the results of the studies are often contradictory. To address these discrepancies, we conducted a meta-analysis to examine how PAH uptake by woody species is affected by leaf ecological traits associated with morphology (leaf area, specific leaf area [SLA], leaf thickness and leaf width/length ratio [W/L]) and with gas exchange (stomatal conductance, leaf carbon isotopic signature [δ13C] and stomatal density). The meta-analysis included studies involving at least two different species with comparable PAH concentrations. Many of the studies did not examine the relationship between ecological traits and PAH concentration, and those that did often involve different traits. We therefore used the TRY Plant Trait Database data as the standard source of trait data. Relationships were analyzed by determining differences regarding PAHs and traits and calculating Spearman correlations and their significance. The leaf morphology traits were more closely correlated with PAH concentrations than the gas exchange traits. Thus, morphological traits such as SLA and leaf area can be considered significant predictors of PAH uptake, especially for particulate-associated PAHs. Gas exchange traits showed less consistent correlations, indicating the complexity of factors influencing PAH uptake in leaves. This study highlights the importance of considering multiple leaf traits in order to better understand and predict PAH uptake in woody plants.
PB Elsevier
SN 0269-7491
YR 2025
FD 2025-01-01
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/40116
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/40116
LA eng
NO Giráldez, P., Vázquez-Arias, A., De Nicola, F., Fernández, J. Á., & Aboal, J. R. (2024). Leaf ecological traits (morphology and gas exchange) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations in shrubs and trees: a meta-analysis approach. Environmental Pollution, 364(1), Article e125337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125337
NO P. Giráldez and A. Vázquez-Arias are grateful to the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades for grants awarded within the Programa de Formacion de Profesorado Universitario (FPU 2018 [grant number FPU18/04134] and FPU 2019 [grant number FPU19/01989)]).
DS Minerva
RD 24 abr 2026